LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 4.9 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR THE RIVERS ARE MUCH COLDER AND HEAVILY STAINED. 50’S DOWN LAKE AND 40’S UP LAKE.




I hope everyone enjoyed a very Merry Christmas with family and friends this past week, and I wish you all the Happiest of New Years! We have some cold weather coming this week and it should cement some of the normal winter patterns we have been experiencing. Some fish have started to move shallower in the ditches, particularly in the mornings, which is normal in colder water conditions this time of year. We have found some good activity in ditches from around 30 feet all the way back to 10 feet or so. A SPRO McStick has worked well on these shallower ditch fish as well as a SuperSpin. A Picasso ShakeDown Head with a finesse worm and a Chattahoochee jig are also good options in the ditches when they are not chasing the jerk bait. The spoon bite is still there on some days but we aren't finding as much bait out in the deep timber, which makes sense as more fish are starting to move back shallower in the ditches. When we are finding the spoon fish, they seem to be more in the 30 to 35 foot range. Some days they are relating to the bottom near timber, and some days they are on clean flat bottom type areas. Some days they are more up in the water column and easier to spot. When they are down in the timber, rely on your Lowrance 3D Structure Scan to discern the presence of fish. You may not see them well until you hook one, then your display will explode with activity. Now is the time to book your trip if you would like to learn ditch fishing! I know a lot of people have talked to me about learning this bite it is here! Following is a list of my upcoming open dates January: 1, 2, and 9(AM), 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25


We are looking at another very cold weather front to come through this week. Air temperatures are going to drop fast and this will bring very high pressure to the south.


This Lake Lanier Striper report is from Big Fish On guide Service. To book your guide trip call Captain Ken at 404 561 2564 or contact us on our web site. www.bigfishonguide.com


Striper fishing is fair. The Stripers have started to move into the creeks. The best approach this past week has been to focus on points and flats with Blueback Herring on free lines and planner boards early morning. The Stripers have been moving deeper by mid morning as the bait consolidates in the 40 to 60 foot range. Look for the bait from 40 to 60 feet deep in “cuts” off the creek channels. If you see one or two fish stop and deploy your down rods as close to the bait as possible. Give these areas 10 to 15 minutes and if you do not get a bite move and continue your search. If you are on fish and they will not bite, try jigging a small spoon and powering reeling a Herring. Another option is to try to get a reaction by trolling an Umbrella rig as close to the fish as possible at 3.0 to 3.5 MPH. Fish the areas with the highest concentration of bait fish. Six Mile Creek, Four Mile Creek, Flat Creek, Shoal Creek, River Forks Park, Holly Park and Gainesville Creek are good places to start your search. The water temperature is in the low 50’s and the lake is 4.9 feet below full pool. The water is clear on the main Lake and lightly stained in 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 48 degrees in the lower parts of the Chattahoochee and Chestatee. If you go above Laurel Park on the Chattahoochee side or north of Thompson Creek on the Chestatee you will notice that the water is more stained as you get into the “S” turns. Also, the water temperature drops a few degrees. The river channel docks with warmer water temperatures at 46 to 48 degrees will be your best options. The bait is between twenty and thirty feet deep, and the fish are holding on the deeper docks. Our dock shooting technique is producing well. We’ve been catching better quality fish on the Chattahoochee side of the lake, however if you want to catch greater numbers, the Chestatee side of the lake will be your best option. The bite is starting deeper at fifteen to twenty feet, but it is amazing how quickly the entire school will shallow up if they decide to feed, sometimes up to eight feet below the surface. The best advice is to pay attention to your Lowrance, noting the depth the fish are suspended and work the jig directly above their heads. The way the eyes are positioned on the crappies’ heads, they are always looking up. Therefore, if the jig is below them it is difficult for them to see and respond to it. Jiffy jigs in a variety of colors and hair jigs are working well, but the soft body Bobby Garland jigs tend to skip the water easier. This will assist you in getting your jig all the way to the back of the dock when using the shooting technique. My preference however, is still the darker color jigs right now. The fish are holding tight to the structure and it is very critical to keep the jig in their strike zone. With the colder temperatures, their metabolism has slowed and they are not willing to chase your jig. You will also notice that the color of the crappie has turned to pale white, which is an indication they have gone to deeper pockets. The females have begun to develop eggs and you will see their bellies starting to become distended, even though the spawn is still a good distance away. The bait will lead you to the fish, so pay attention to your graph. Threadfins are the bait of choice for crappie.

Stay safe on the water and wear your life jacket.


We have all the details for our “On the Water” “SONAR” school on our web “SCHOOLS” page. We have the LOWRANCE CARBON and 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 158 feet from my boat. www.lowrance.com


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.


We recommend Transducer Shield and Savers. Protect your investment.


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


The 2018 Progressive “Atlanta Boat Show” is January 18 through 21, 2018 will be at the Georgia World Congress Center. Come by the “Let’s Go Fishing” Center for hourly Seminars as listed on our web site.


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 270 703 613

This report brought to you by: Jimbo Mathley Jimbo on Lanier www.jimboonlanier.com