LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 8.5 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & 60’s

Bass fishing is very good. Things have stabilized on the lake since last weeks' rain. The temps are in the mid 60's and the water has came up around 1.5 feet since the rain. The main lake is clear, however some of the creeks in the lower lake are still stained, particularly in the backs. The largemouth are definitely spawning in the lower lake. Some of the spots have started the process as well, but we are still mainly dealing with pre spawn spotted bass. We have continued to have some great days for both numbers and size. We are still focused on main and secondary clay/rock points and sandy pockets in 15 feet of water or less for the majority of this past week. A finesse worm or a Senko on a Picasso Shakedown Head has been money this week for the majority of our catches. However, a Megabass jerk bait has also picked up some nice fish in these same areas. Look also for the shallower brush on points and in pockets through the day as well, as we have been finding some fish staging around this brush again in the 15 18 foot range. A new swimbait called the Sweet Herring from the Sweet Bait Company has worked well on some days in these areas also. The Sweet Herring swimbait has also been good on the windblown rocky points and banks. A Castaway Baits Crankbait (Jim Farmer) has also been working mainly on shallow rocky points. As the sun gets up, check the shallow docks in ditches and pockets for activity. A fluke and a shaky head have been best around the docks. These fish back in the creeks are also staging in preparation for the spawn. You will find spots and largemouth in these places. This pattern definitely works better when the sun is out as opposed to cloudy conditions. The clouds make the fish scatter and often bottom locked as well. While they still remain close to the dock, they are often not directly under the docks. We are starting to get a top water bite in the AM. A Vixen and a wake bait are starting to produce for us. This is always and fun bite and should continue to get stronger as we move forward through the spring. This is just starting! This is a great time to learn the pre spawn bite on Lanier. Here are the dates I have open now through April: 17, 18, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28.

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

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.bigfishon.com

Striper fishing is good. Blueback Herring was the most productive bait this week. It is time to increase the size of your hooks and start using larger baits. We us Gamakatsu octopus hooks size 1/0 or #1 depending on the size of the Herring. Planner boards fished 70 to 100 feet behind the boards are working better than free lines behind the boat or down rods. We are not sure why the planer boards are working better than lines behind the boat. We suspect the fish are boat shy and move out away from the boat as we pass over them. Target creek points and flats with herring or gizzard shad. Always keep someone on the front deck casting a ½ ounce buck tale jig with a small fluke trailer. The Red Fin is also a good choice for casting while you are pulling baits. The umbrella rig will get you a reaction bite in late morning and afternoon when pulled at 3.0 mph. We use 1 ounce buck tail jigs on a 3 ounce 4 arm frame. Pearl or chartreuse worms or chad bodies are the preferred trailers. Get out your Red Fin, Chug Bugs and Spooks and have them ready for deployment. Spend some time early casting these top water baits as the bite should “kick in” over the next several weeks. The south end of the lake continues to out fish the north end. Two Mile Creek, Bald Ridge Creek, Shoal Cree, Flat Creek and Orr Creek are all good places to start your search. The lake is 8 feet below full pool and the water is lightly stained on the main lake and heavily stained in the back of the creeks. The water temperature is in the low to mid 60’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

This time of year we often hear the comment “if the dogwoods are blooming, the crappie are biting”. There is truth in that, but fish need to eat all year, so we target them all year using various methods. Current water temps are in the mid sixties. Fishing is good to excellent. We are still fishing both the pre spawn as well as the post spawn, with some fish having already spawned and some fish waiting to spawn. Both have one thing in common: crappie ALWAYS relate to structure. They may leave their habitat in pursuit of bait, but they always return. That is why you can target fish using several different methods right now. If you prefer using crappie minnows under a cork, the blowdowns and brush piles close to docks in shallower water along with areas nearby are still going to be your best bet. Blowdowns are beginning to produce quality fish, especially if you see a few surrounding weeds. Do not overrule using a jig. In my opinion, it may work better. As stated in the past, some of these blowdowns are in 10 feet of water, but some are in 20 feet of water, depending on the size of the tree. Look at the size of the trunk, compare to nearby trees and estimate the height of the similar trees. Also look at the slope of the bank. All these factors will help you determine the location and depth of the tree below the surface. Make sure you fish the blowdown at every possible angle before moving on. After you finish fishing a blowdown, ride over it with your down scan and it will give you the accurate depth of the tree as a reference for your next trip. You may also want to mark a waypoint on your electronics if the spot was a good producer. Hair jigs and soft body jigs are working well. Long line trolling, is also working well. The fish chasing bait are the targets of this method. If you are a dock shooter, game on! We are catching them inside docks at various depths with structure (both deep and shallow) and getting photos of impressive catches from our members. Warmer days together with good fishing is a great recipe for an awesome time on the lake.

Stay safe on the water, wear your life jacket!

On April 29, 2017 in Blue Ridge Georgia, the Blue Ridge Trout Festival & Outdoor Adventures 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, Sunday April 30, 2017 at 10 am and again at 3pm.

Saturday, May 27, 2017 2pm at Bass Pro Shops in Lawrenceville, learn BASICS OF ELECTRONICS BY LOWRANCE PRO STAFF, KEN STURDIVANT

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.

The 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

Ultrex and Cable Guard protects external Transducer cable for remote control trolling motors. The cable guard will allow the transducer cable to turn kink free and the shaft can be raised or lowered without pinching the cable. No more messing with cable ties or black tape. For Factory Direct Pricing contact Precision Sonar at 270 703 6133