LAKE LANIER IS FULL, THE CREEKS ARE STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & HIGH 40’S

Bass fishing is slow and the cold weather has made getting strikes very tough. Go only half way into the creeks and fish the northwest side docks first. Look for and fish the brush off the docks in front of them. Cold weather is again on the way and the spoons and drop shot rigs are the only choices with the cold water. Drop the spoons and other slow moving baits to the bottom and keep then close to any structure. Almost any fishing needs to be really slow as the body of the bass all but shuts down in such cold water. Spots are tight in deep heavy cover and on the deep points down lake. Drop the 1/2 ounce Flex It spoon on 12 pound test Sufix Elite line and slowly hop the bait. Work baits right in the timber and deep brush. Depths to start with are 30 feet all the way out to 55 feet. The water temperatures are still cold and the deep fish are still schooling over deep structure. The best locations will be on the main lake point’s rocky points down lake. Afternoons the fish are on or close to main lake points and in the natural or manmade structure. If you have not learned how to use the drop shot rig, now is the time. Find the trees on the Lowrance and work the spoon right into the brush. The pilings on the bridge are never fished with a spoon. Try it and fish every one. Spoons can work in the mouths of the lower lake creeks and depths are almost 40 feet in the center of the creek channels. Let the spoon go all the way to the bottom and work it up slowly. Never overlook deep main lake docks. The green Zoom finesse worms and jigs slowly worked deep will produce a quality fish. Most of the fish will be inactive except on major or minor feeding periods so watch the Fish and Game Forecaster the rest of the month. The creeks mid lake around the Cheastee Bay are a few of the areas to look for the fish. In the bays around Duckett Mill Park and right behind Little Hall Park are good areas. The Zoom finesse worm in green and a finesse red shad worm is fair.

This Lake Lanier Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of www.bigfishon.com

Striper fishing is good but the weather has made fishing a challenge. Nothing has changed this week. The lake continues to fish like two different lakes. The North end of the lake has been running several degrees colder than the South end. There is an early morning bite using Herring on free lines and planner boards on the North end creeks. Once the sun gets up, weight your lines with several split shots, deploy your down rods in addition to your free lines and move to deeper water. The primary issue on the North end has been the heavy stain and mud due to the rains. In contrast to the North end of the lake, there is a deep water down rod bite half way back in the South end creeks. Use your Lowrance Structure Scan to locate bait and suspended fish over the creek channels. Regardless of where you are fishing the critical keys are the birds and bait. The birds are key indicators and when you find both birds and bait there are Stripers in the area. The Umbrella rig bite has slowed this past week and Herring is your best bet. Now is a good time clean and oil your reels and refresh with new line. You may also want to clean out and resupply your tackle box with quality terminal tackle and look at updating your electronics with the latest technology from Lowrance. The early spring bite is just around the corner. The lake temperature is in the high 40's and the water is lightly stained on the main lake with medium stain in the backs of the creeks. To book your guide trip call us at 404 561 2564 or contact us on our web site. 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.net

Water temperature is about forty seven degrees, typical for this time of year. The projected weather forecast looks very promising, with warmer days and cooler nights. This should nudge the water temps up to the low fifties, which will give you the flexibility to fish further north on both the Chattahoochee and the Chestatee. It also means good fishing! You can feel that spring is on the way. Local bait stores have stocked their shelves, and the anticipation of the fishing community is building as nicer days appear. Bass Pro Shops just completed their Crappie Madness weekends and I was fortunate to be a part of it, representing Bobby Garland Crappie Baits in Savannah. I’ve been using Bobby Garland baits for many years, and it has always been a favorite, especially for shooting docks. Now that our lake has gotten back to normal, the color of the jig is not that important. However, our current favorites are Bobby Garland’s “Lights Out”, “Threadfin Shad” and “Pink Phantom”. Another product worth noting that hit the market in the last few weeks is B & M’s "Sharpshooter 6.” I give it two thumbs up. For reels, the Shimano, in the 1000 series is one of my favorites. They come in various levels, and I think the Sienna or the Solstice are the best for the buck. As you may know, my favorite jig heads are Davis Jig heads, in 1/24 ounce or 1/16 ounce, depending on wind strength. I’m looking forward to trying out some new Bobby Garland jig heads though, and will report back with my feedback. Four pound test HIGH VISIBILITY line is a must for crappie fishing. Don’t forget to replace your line on a regular basis to prevent curling memory from impacting your fishing experience. This is an inexpensive line and frequent replacement is worthwhile. OK, now you are ready to find the right dock, as the fish remain tight on docks with structure. Your Lowrance side scan will assist you in finding the structure under the docks. Dock shooting is the consistent method of catching fish. If you need to brush up on your dock shooting technique, feel free to visit our club’s website listed above and click on “Tips and Tricks of Shooting Docks.” Hope you’ll enjoy the weather, and take a friend fishing! Stay safe on the water and wear your life jacket!

Shooting docks requires you to practice and learn several simple steps. Hold the rod with your dominant hand, with the bail open and your index finger holding the line. With your other hand, grasp the jig head, keeping your fingers away from the barbs of the hook. Keeping the rod parallel to the water, pull the jig toward your body, bending the rod into the shape of a “C”, with the fishing line aligned with the rod. When you release the jig, it will shoot in the direction the rod is pointed. Helpful tip to practice at home: crack your garage door open about a foot. Stand fifteen to twenty feet away from the door and practice shooting your jig under the garage door. Make sure you clip the barbs for pet safety. You can also use a five gallon bucket turned on its side, and aim into the bucket. The more you practice, the better you’ll get. Even when you are fishing stand alone brush piles, you will find that shooting your jig will give you more accurate placement than casting your line overhead, especially on a breezy day. Stay safe, wear your life jacket, and take a friend with you for safety, especially this time of year!

STRIPER! Seminar March 5, 2016 in Buford Georgia. See www.nutsandboltsfishing.com

We have the LOWRANCE Gen 3 Touch and 3D NEW Lowrance Technology on our boat. Bring any HDS machine only to Lake Lanier and learn it ALL in one day. Call Ken for details.

Ken Sturdivant Lowrance Professional Fishing Staff will be conducting FREE Sonar Seminar at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Lawrenceville Georgia on Saturday March 26 2016 at 2pm. Seminar is subject to change without notice. Be sure to see the NEW Lowrance machines coming on www.lowrance.com

For a free set up sheet for your sonar send me an e mail to [email protected]

Anglers have these books for sale BASS FISHING ON WEST POINT LAKE BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE and BASS FISHING LAKE HARTWELL. These books have lots of bass fishing and covers every week of the year. Each book $39.00. If you would like a sample of any book send us an e mail to [email protected].

We offer these waypoints for sale. You get the coordinates and you load them into your GPS unit
Lake Allatoona for $99.00 Lake Lanier for $99.00 Lake Oconee for $99.00 Lake Weiss for $99.00 Lake Hartwell for $99.00 WAYPOINTS ARE NOT REFUNDABLE

Our mailing address is Southern Fishing Schools Inc. 106 Hickory Ridge Cumming Georgia 30040. 770 889 2654