Eric Aldrich is a part-time outdoors writer, bass fisherman and a member of Humminbird’s, SPRO, Gamakatsu, Hammond’s Fishing Center and Denali Pro Staff. Reports are based on personal experience and permission from a close network of friends. If you would like to email him please do so at esaldrich@yahoo.com. Remember to take a kid fishing
BY ERIC ALDRICH
For The Times
Lake Lanier is slightly below full pool at around 1,070 feet (full pool is 1,071 feet). Lake temperatures are in the upper 50’s to low 60’s, the main lake is clear and the backs of the creeks are clear to stained.
The Chattahoochee River is clear to stained.
Check generation schedules before heading out to the river at 770-945-1466.
Bass fishing is very good right now for between one- and two-pound bass, and some much bigger ones for anglers that can unlock the pre-spawn and spawning secrets.
Water temperatures are just around 60 degrees so spotted and largemouth bass will be looking around in the shallows for places to bed.
Usually this past week’s full moon would have been the first round for the spawning bass, but the colder-than-normal water temperatures have kept most of the fish from laying their eggs yet.
For the numbers of bass, target the docks in the coves. Find the warmest water you can and use a 1/8th-ounce K-Finesse Jig head or a Spot Remover Jig head rigged with a small Yamamoto Cut Tail worm or other finesse worm.
Skip these lures up under or cast them around the docks.
I use spinning tackle for skipping these small jig head worms because it is much easier to get a good cast.
I use a seven-foot Denali Drop Shot rod for all of my finesse fishing but the 6 1/2 finesse model may work better for people under six-feet tall.
Fluorocarbon line is a must to add to your ability to feel the bites.
Most of your strikes will come as the lure falls, or after the first few hop off the bottom.
The jerk bait bite has slowed slightly but there are still some fish bitting the SPRO McSticks. Other lures like rattling or shallow to medium diving crank baits have been working well. An Aruku Shad 75 in chrome and black has been producing well.
Fish spinner baits, Roostertails and Fishead Spins on windy banks.
The wind warms and adds oxygen to the water, which increases the fish’s metabolism.
This week’s striper report comes from Shane Watson and Hammond’s Fishing Center with a note about the night bite from the Aldrich.
The bigger stripers are back up shallow on Lake Lanier.
Some of the blowups on the freelines this past week were amazing.
The customers that were on our boats this week caught and released stripers up to 35 pounds on regular size Hammond’s bluebacks. One fish was 35 pounds and was released to live another day.
As of Thursday bluebacks will be 4.99 per dozen at Hammonds. Good Fishing.
A note from Aldrich: The night Bomber Bite has been very good for stripers. Work the points and pockets down around the dam for some decent results.
We have been catching more stripers with SPRO McSticks then the Bombers Long A’s.
Hammond’s carries all of these types of plugs.
Crappie fishing has been very good and the slabs are up shallow in the coves and creeks.
Go back into the creeks or up in the rivers and look for the shallow docks and lay down trees and cast or troll lures at 3-5 feet deep. Shooting the docks with a Microspoon or crappie jigs has been consistent.
Crappie minnows below a float toward dusk are hard to beat right now.
Trout fishing season is open and you can pick your favorite stream or river this weekend and go get them.
This time of year many of the trout are newly stocked and they are very easy to fool with just about any method. One of the easiest and cheapest lures you can buy is an inline spinner like a Rooster Tail. Use the lighter models in a 1/16- to 1/8th-ounce size. Cast the spinners on the lightest line possible.
The secret to fishing a Roostertail correctly is to fish it slowly enough to keep the blades spinning and off the bottom.
Fly Fishing has been better in the afternoon and there are a variety of hatches going on in spring.
Make sure to check outgofishgeorgia.com for the Take a Kid Fishing events calendar and for other angling opportunities in Georgia.
Lots of anglers are fishing from the banks, as the spring weather gets nicer.
There are good numbers of bass, crappie, stripers and bream starting to show up in the shallower water.
Minnows or worms fished under a bobber will work well for several species and they are easy to fish.
Take a bobber and lace it 1-3 feet above a plain small Aberdeen hook. Cast these bobber rigs around docks and lay down trees.
Also target banks that have a lot of rocks around, as they tend to be more productive then plain clay or sandy areas.
For The Times
Lake Lanier is slightly below full pool at around 1,070 feet (full pool is 1,071 feet). Lake temperatures are in the upper 50’s to low 60’s, the main lake is clear and the backs of the creeks are clear to stained.
The Chattahoochee River is clear to stained.
Check generation schedules before heading out to the river at 770-945-1466.
Bass fishing is very good right now for between one- and two-pound bass, and some much bigger ones for anglers that can unlock the pre-spawn and spawning secrets.
Water temperatures are just around 60 degrees so spotted and largemouth bass will be looking around in the shallows for places to bed.
Usually this past week’s full moon would have been the first round for the spawning bass, but the colder-than-normal water temperatures have kept most of the fish from laying their eggs yet.
For the numbers of bass, target the docks in the coves. Find the warmest water you can and use a 1/8th-ounce K-Finesse Jig head or a Spot Remover Jig head rigged with a small Yamamoto Cut Tail worm or other finesse worm.
Skip these lures up under or cast them around the docks.
I use spinning tackle for skipping these small jig head worms because it is much easier to get a good cast.
I use a seven-foot Denali Drop Shot rod for all of my finesse fishing but the 6 1/2 finesse model may work better for people under six-feet tall.
Fluorocarbon line is a must to add to your ability to feel the bites.
Most of your strikes will come as the lure falls, or after the first few hop off the bottom.
The jerk bait bite has slowed slightly but there are still some fish bitting the SPRO McSticks. Other lures like rattling or shallow to medium diving crank baits have been working well. An Aruku Shad 75 in chrome and black has been producing well.
Fish spinner baits, Roostertails and Fishead Spins on windy banks.
The wind warms and adds oxygen to the water, which increases the fish’s metabolism.
This week’s striper report comes from Shane Watson and Hammond’s Fishing Center with a note about the night bite from the Aldrich.
The bigger stripers are back up shallow on Lake Lanier.
Some of the blowups on the freelines this past week were amazing.
The customers that were on our boats this week caught and released stripers up to 35 pounds on regular size Hammond’s bluebacks. One fish was 35 pounds and was released to live another day.
As of Thursday bluebacks will be 4.99 per dozen at Hammonds. Good Fishing.
A note from Aldrich: The night Bomber Bite has been very good for stripers. Work the points and pockets down around the dam for some decent results.
We have been catching more stripers with SPRO McSticks then the Bombers Long A’s.
Hammond’s carries all of these types of plugs.
Crappie fishing has been very good and the slabs are up shallow in the coves and creeks.
Go back into the creeks or up in the rivers and look for the shallow docks and lay down trees and cast or troll lures at 3-5 feet deep. Shooting the docks with a Microspoon or crappie jigs has been consistent.
Crappie minnows below a float toward dusk are hard to beat right now.
Trout fishing season is open and you can pick your favorite stream or river this weekend and go get them.
This time of year many of the trout are newly stocked and they are very easy to fool with just about any method. One of the easiest and cheapest lures you can buy is an inline spinner like a Rooster Tail. Use the lighter models in a 1/16- to 1/8th-ounce size. Cast the spinners on the lightest line possible.
The secret to fishing a Roostertail correctly is to fish it slowly enough to keep the blades spinning and off the bottom.
Fly Fishing has been better in the afternoon and there are a variety of hatches going on in spring.
Make sure to check outgofishgeorgia.com for the Take a Kid Fishing events calendar and for other angling opportunities in Georgia.
Lots of anglers are fishing from the banks, as the spring weather gets nicer.
There are good numbers of bass, crappie, stripers and bream starting to show up in the shallower water.
Minnows or worms fished under a bobber will work well for several species and they are easy to fish.
Take a bobber and lace it 1-3 feet above a plain small Aberdeen hook. Cast these bobber rigs around docks and lay down trees.
Also target banks that have a lot of rocks around, as they tend to be more productive then plain clay or sandy areas.