LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 10.0 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & 50’s

SEMINAR ALERT! Our next seminar this Saturday, February 11th. We will be teaching the aspects of fishing the spring transition, including a special segment on targeting largemouth. We will also have a special segment on patterning fish for BFL participants! In addition, Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Pro Staff, will be present to speak about the latest Lowrance Technology, including specifically sonar interpretation. See details on my web site and registration.

This Report brought to you by: Jimbo Mathley, www.jimboonlanier.com 770 542 7764

Bass fishing is good. We are just below 10 feet below full pool. The surface temperatures are still hovering in the low 50's, which is incredible for early February. We are finding the fish are really spread out as you might expect. We find them deep and shallow every day. Shallow has probably been the most consistent bite (less than 15 feet deep), but we have had some good catches out in the timber as well. The ditch bite continues to be good and we are catching them using the traditional ditch fishing methods, SuperSpin, SPRO Jerkbait, SPRO Crankbait, Jig, and Picasso Shake E Head. Start back shallow in these ditches early, and then move out deeper in the ditches as the day progresses. Focus on the key features you find shallow near the ditches as well such as clay and rock points. We are starting in these ditches first thing and remaining flexible as the day’s progress. Some days we adjust to much deeper water within those ditches, and on others, we are finding the fish are staying shallow in and around those ditches as well as up around docks. We are starting with a SuperSpin tipped with a boot-tail type trailer right in the ditch. Also, a Spro McStick or McRip has been a good choice as far as jerk baits go. A Spro crankbait is never a bad choice either, both in the ditches and around rocky/clay points as well. A finesse worm on a Picasso Shaky Football Head or a Chattahoochee Jig has been a good alternative if the fish are not as aggressive. If the ditch bite does slow, we have been shifting to steeper rocky points and finding success with a jig and worm as well. We have also continued to spoon up a few fish out of the timber, or near the timber, in creek arms/ditches in 30-50 feet. Check for bait and fish out deeper in the ditches as the day progresses. If you see fish out deeper, a spoon, jig, or shaky head can be a great way to catch them, depending on how they are positioned. If the weather remains stable and warm, I look for the Largemouth to start showing up in a full blown pre spawn mode very shortly. More to come on this pattern emerges. It is still a great time to learn the ditch bite as well as the timber bite. I am now guiding in a Brand New Xpress Bass Boat – 21’3″ powered by a 250 Yamaha SHO and equipped with the latest Lowrance HDS Gen III units featuring 3D Structure Scan technology. Come take a ride in this beauty! As I mentioned, if you are wanting to learn the deep timber bite and/or the ditch bite, now is the time! Here are the dates I have open in February: 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 Give me a call and let’s get out and have some fun.

It is still a great time to learn the ditch bite as well as the timber bite. I am now guiding in a Brand New Xpress Bass Boat – 21’3″ powered by a 250 Yamaha SHO and equipped with the latest Lowrance HDS Gen III units featuring 3D Structure Scan technology. Come take a ride in this beauty! As I mentioned, if you are wanting to learn the deep timber bite and/or the ditch bite, now is the time!

This Lake Lanier Striper report is from Captain Ken West 404 561 2564. Contact us on our web site. www.bigfishonguide.com

Striper fishing has been good but the weather continues to play a major role. The birds have been a major asset in finding feeding Stripers this past week. The Stripers have been aggressively feeding on small Threadfin Shad on warm cloudy days and the Sea Gulls have been a major asset in finding the fish. Because the Stripers are feeding on small Threadfins medium minnows have been working better than Herring. Deploy unweighted free lines with a medium minnow on a #2 Gamakatsu Octopus hook on a 12 pound fluorocarbon leader. The fishing has been slower on colder sunny days with down rods working better than free lines. Keep someone on the front deck casting a ½ ounce jig. Casting and retrieving a small spoon will also work. The South end of the Lake is more consistent than the North end. The Stripers have been on the move and you can find them in the backs of the creeks all the way out to the mouths of the creeks from 2 feet of water to over an 80 foot bottom. The water is clear on the main lake and slightly stained in the back of the creeks. The water temperature is in the low 50’s. Call Big Fish On Guide Service at 404-561-2564 to schedule a guided fishing trip on Lake Lanier.

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 temperatures are in the low fifties, varying slightly from creek to creek. Areas with more stain typically have slightly higher water temps. I believe we are in the EARLY pre-spawn stage. However, cold spells will slow the process. The warm rains we are currently encountering will nudge the water temps up slightly. The fish are starting to roam, and some are moving to shallower docks anticipating the spawn. We are still several weeks away from the spawn, but signs are beginning to be seen, including females starting to fatten up with eggs. Your trolling bite is now a good option to target the fish that are roaming, chasing bait. Tight lining while trolling is another way to catch crappie now, using a jig tipped with minnows, ten feet below the surface. This will require rods ten to twelve in length, positioned parallel with the water, with up to four rods on each side of the trolling motor. Your line should be vertical while going at a very, very low speed. If your line is angled or horizontal, you are going too fast. Long lining is also working. To long line, position the shortest rods (approximately four feet in length), one on each side in the back of the boat, following with two six foot rods, two eight foot rods and two ten to twelve foot rods in the bow of the boat. Double rig each rod using multiple color curly tails, Bobby Garland 2” Hyper Grubs, or Bobby Garland 2.25” Minnow Mind’rs with a 1/16th ounce jig head on each. If you notice that one color is working consistently better, substitute a few more lines with the same body. Of course, shooting docks is still my favorite way to catch crappie, and it is working extremely well now. This time of year, some docks are holding only smaller fish. If you notice that you are catching only smaller fish, move on to another dock, where you may find bigger fish.

Stay safe on the water, wear your life jacket!

Another reminder: if you are on the water in cold weather, it is even more important to wear your life jacket, as a fall can be serious with the threat of hypothermia. Be safe on the water, bundle up and enjoy fishing during the lower traffic winter months.

On April 29, 2017 in Blue Ridge Georgia, the Blue Ridge Trout Fest will be there for their second year. Vendors, seminars and much more are planned. http://blueridgetroutfest.com/

Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Pro Staff will teach two Free SONAR classes at the Cabela’s in Greenville, South Carolina, Saturday February 25, 2017 at 10 am and again at noon.

Ask for a free sonar set up sheet by sending me an email to [email protected]. Please tell me what model machine you have.

We recommend Overboard Designs for 2956 Waterworks Road Buford, Georgia 30518 Phone 678.714.7122.

Advantage Boat Center in Cumming Georgia offer sales, service and storage close to Lake Lanier. 678 771 8745. Ask for Myra.

We recommend Transducer Shield and Savers. Protect your investment.

We have the LOWRANCE Gen 3 Touch and the game changing technology in the NEW 3D Lowrance Technology on our boat. Bring any HDS machine only to Lake Lanier and learn it ALL in one day. Call Ken for details. See our Southern Fishing Schools page for the latest screen shots of the LOWRANCE 3D technology. See bass over a ladder in 10 feet of water, 168 feet from my boat. www.lowrance.com.

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 for
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

Saturday, March 25, 2017 2pm at Bass Pro Shops in Lawrenceville, learn BASICS OF ELECTRONICS BY LOWRANCE PRO STAFF, KEN STURDIVANT