LAKE LANIER IS FULL, THE CREEKS ARE STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & LOW 50’S

Bass fishing has been fair. The Corp has been releasing water and the lake is now once again back down below full pool. The backs of many of the major creeks are still stained. The water overall has cleared up with the recent sunshine, but some stain definitely still exists. The temperatures in the backs of some of those creeks are warmer than the main body with temperatures approaching the mid 50's in the afternoons of bright sunny days. Remember, the shallower, stained water will warm faster than the clear water either in the backs of creeks or on the main lake. The ditches and pockets off the main river and creek channels should remain productive in the areas where the water has warmed or stayed warm. Keep a close eye on your Lowrance electronics for water temperature readings and note the areas that are trending warmer and focus on those. The warmer water will attract bait and therefore fish to these areas. It is tough to pattern the fish right now. You can basically junk fish at any depth right now and be successful. Any lure is apt to work at anytime, anywhere. With the colored water, a ChatterBait and a crank bait will be my first choices for these situations. The focus with these baits should be fairly shallow and near available cover. For the crankbait, a square bill would be my choice something with a tight wobble that dives to 4 feet or so. I like the Z Man ChatterBaits trailed with some type of minnow imitation. When the moving bait bite slows down, switch to a worm and a Chattahoochee jig to cover the bases and ensure you don't miss key bites. Toss these around in the ditches and pockets as well. Also, if the sun is out, look for the docks to start consistently holding fish. These are a popular staging area for the fish on Lanier. Check docks in different depth zones from deeper to shallow and concentrate on the ones in the depth range you are getting bites on a given day. Skipping a Senko or Jig around these docks can be a very productive pattern. Shallower, long running flat points are starting to hold fish as well. Often these fish can be found in the 10 15 foot depth ranges on top of these points. Work a Chattahoochee Jig slowly on these areas with plenty of pauses. Use a larger trailer, like a Zoom Fat Albert Twin Tail, to help slow the movement of the bait. Also, a Chattahoochee Cross Ball and Swamp Crawler combo has been effective in these areas. Green pumpkin is always a good choice of color. A small crankbait has also been working on these same areas and can be productive if there is some wind. A jerkbait has been productive on these shallower rocky points as well, especially for some bigger fish. Close proximity to deep water is still key in this scenario. In addition, there are still a certain group of fish committed to deep water that have not begun their spawning transition. A jig and a worm, along with a drop shot, have been good in the 40 60 foot sections of steeper, rocky ditches. Keep in mind that until we get the consistent, strong warming trend that is forecast for next week, patterning the fish will be tough. Stay flexible and stay on move. Here is what I have open for March currently: 12, 15, 16, 21, 22, 24, 25, 28, 29, and 30. With the warming trend coming, fishing should really be good in the second half of the month! Give me a call and let's go fishing!

This report brought to you by Jimbo On Lanier 770 542 7764 www.jimboonlanier.com
This Lake Lanier Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of www.bigfishon.com

Striper fishing has been great one day and a struggle the next day due to the up and down water temperature’s, fronts and following high pressure systems. If that has not been enough the high winds and storms have kept us off the water for several days this week. The good news is it looks like we have a great week ahead with some stable weather. If the water temperature gets into the mid 50’s and stays there the fishing will be off the charts. Look for the fish to move shallow and the free line and planner board bite to replace down rod as the primary technique. Blueback Herring is the bait of choice when fished on un weighted free lines 100 feet behind the boat. Fish your planner boards with un weighted lines 35 to 50 feet behind the board. Keep your trolling motor speed between .6 and 1.2 miles per hour. As the Sun gets up add split shots to your lines to vary your baits depth in the water column. Umbrella rigs pulled on points and over brush piles should also begin to work. The mouths of the creeks and the main channel is your best bet until the water clears. Once the water clears move into the creeks with a focus on the ones with the largest population of bait. The early spring bite is just around the corner and it is time to go fishing. The lake temperature is in the low 50’s and the water is lightly stained on the main lake with heavy stain in the backs of the creeks. The lake is at full pool. 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

Crappie fishing is very good. My advice: GET OUT ON THE WATER AND FISH! We are fishing the pre spawn. This means you can find fish on deep water docks, on shallow water docks, and if you happen to be in a flat area, you will see there are many fish roaming, either feeding or checking out their spawning grounds. With warmer water temperatures, the bait has abandoned the deep water, moving up in the water column. This has resulted in an abundance of bait for the crappie to feast upon prior to their spawn. And they are fattening up, and willing to chase the bait. This morning we’ve seen water temperatures as low at 48 degrees, and by noon up to 53 degrees, with the water having a moderate stain. Fishing is good to excellent and this is the time that just about everything works. If you are into shooting docks, there are plenty of fish on docks. Some docks are of course holding bigger fish than others. If you are into trolling, this is a great time to do so. The back of Four Mile Creek, the back of Two Mile Creek and Yellow Creek provide wide, flat areas great for long line trolling. Since the fish are feeding well, color of the jig body does not matter, so use whatever you have confidence in. Don’t forget to take a few minutes to change your line if you haven’t fished in several months. This will allow you to avoid fighting the curls and line twists and make your trip more enjoyable. 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!

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