LAKE LANIER IS 1.1 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & LOW 50’S

Striper fishing has been good but the rain, wind and cold temperatures have kept us off the water most of this past week. The rivers are very muddy due to the heavy rains. This muddy water will move down the rivers and you can usually find a mud line where the clear and the muddy water meet. Fishing the clear water ahead of the mud line can be very productive. The Stripers and the bait will stay just ahead of the muddy water. This situation will usually last for several days before the river clears. With the colder temperatures the shallow water bite will pick up as the fish continue to move up on the long tapering points and flats in the creeks. Herring, Gizzard Shad and Trout are all working when fished on free lines and planner boards. As always vary the weight on your lines with split shots to cover a variety of water depths. The umbrella rig is still working when pulled across points and flats. Look for this bite to slow as the lake water temperature continues to cool. Big Fish ON will be at the Boat show in Atlanta again this year. The boat show runs from Thursday, January 15th through Sunday, January 17th. Captain Ken West will be presenting one hour seminars on Striper fishing each day. The times are Thursday 5:00pm, Friday 6:00pm, Saturday 1:00pm and Sunday at 3pm. If you get to the boat show stop by the fishing center and say hello. The lake temperature has fallen in the low 50's and the water is lightly stained on the main lake and heavily stained to muddy in rivers and backs of the creeks.

This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764

This Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On Service 404 561 2564. www.bigfishonguide.com

This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Dan Saknini, Member of the Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. See our club’s website, www. laniercrappieanglers.com

Crappie fishing is good. Docks on river channels no deeper than thirty feet are starting to produce quality fish. Brush piles are still holding a number of fish, but sometimes you mark them on your down scan and they tend to be less aggressive than normal. Experiment with different color jigs; presentation is important, so use a lighter weight jig head to slow down the fall. One thirty second to one twenty fourth ounce is working well, unless the wind dictates using heavier jigs. High visibility line is very critical so that you can see your line movement. Practice your dock shooting technique even when fishing your brush piles instead of casting overhead. This will pay off when the fish move to the docks. If you visit a brush pile that you normally catch fish on, but you are not marking fish on your down scan, shoot your jig a few times and let it fall slowly. You may be surprised that a limited amount of fish are holding under a limb, therefore not showing up on your scan. These fish tend to be bigger. We look forward to seeing you at the Atlanta Boat Show on Thursday and Friday, January 15th and 16th for Crappie Fishing seminars at the Lowrance booth. Be safe on the water and wear your life jacket, it can save your life! Happy New Year.

Jimbo Mathley will be hosting two Bass fishing classes one on Saturday, January 17, 2015 and second on Saturday, January 31, 2015. The classes will be from 9 AM until 12:30 PM and will be held at the Dekalb Office Conference Room, which is located off of Exit 12 on GA 400, 1320 Ridgeland Parkway in Alpharetta. These trainings will be intensive Lanier focused sessions to include detailed information on some of the following popular topics: Winter fishing to include ditch and timber fishing. How to find the best areas and how to fish them. How to identify and fish productive ledges. Tournament fishing pointers to include developing a game plan as well as managing the mental side of fishing. Matching tackle to techniques. Reading and understanding electronics and processing the information you see to make better fishing decisions. Establishing seasonal patterns and much more. There will be a generous time slot allowed for an open forum and question answer period, as well as time for one on one questions after the training ends. The first session will be more winter focused. The second session will address prepping for the winter and spring transition which will start in February. Each class will have a short morning break as well to include refreshments. Call or e mail Jimbo Mathley. Register and pay in advance, prior to January 14, 2015, the price structure will be as follows: $69 for one training, $99 for both training sessions. Day of/at the door price will be $85 for either session. Space is limited so I highly recommend making your reservations in advance ASAP. There has already been a great deal of interest expressed from many people, so spots will go fast. Call 770 542 7764 or email me at [email protected]. Payment forms accepted include: cash, check, credit card, and Pay Pal. Please note that all electronic transactions will have a $7 processing fee added.

The Forsyth County Parks and Recreation department will host an “Outdoor Fun Festival 2015” on April 25, 2015. The location will be the Caney Road Park in south Forsyth County off Highway 141. See the web site at www.outdoorfunfestival2015.com. Call 770 887 2217 2217 Carrie Toth or [email protected] for all the details and vendor options.

Call Ken Sturdivant about the ON THE WATER SCHOOLS for Sonar or the Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass or a full day STRIPERS School. Call 770 889 2654 for details. Send an e mail to [email protected]

The 2015 Atlanta Boat Show is January 11, through 15, 2015 at The Georgia World Congress Center. Meet these anglers in the “Let’s Go Fishing Center”: Ken Sturdivant, Dan Saknini, Mark Smith, Jimbo Mathley, Al Bassett, Matt Henry, Matt Henry, Tom Branch, Jr., Rick Burns, Rene Hess CCI, Captain Mark Smith, Randy Hancock, Matt Driver, and Chris Scalley.