Lake Lanier is above full pool at 1,071.5 feet. Lake temperatures are in the upper 60’s and the lake is turning over. Lake Lanier is slightly stained to stained. The Chattahoochee River is stained. Check generation schedules before heading out to the river at 770-945-1466.
Bass fishing this week is either very good or tough depending on whom you speak with, but I can assure you the bass are feeding.
Finding these rapidly moving fish has been a little tough, but keep moving until they appear. Earlier this week we boated about 20 good keeper bass in eight hours along with a few stripers thrown in for good measure.
Running and gunning with SPRO BBZ1 Swim Baits — both shad and trout — SPRO Salty Dawg 125’s, Aruku Shads and Super Spooks has been productive.
Other lures that mimic shad or bluebacks would also be good choices.
Keep moving though because you may only catch one or two here and there but they should be good ones.
We have been having our best luck just going fishing.
High, calm, sunny days can actually be good this time of year but when a front starts to come in bass fishing can be very good.
Keep your eyes peeled for any surface activity. There can be some huge schools of stripers with big spotted bass spots swimming along below them. Even a small bit of surface activity can give away where the fish are.
We are also fishing BBZ1s and dark colored crank baits at night for stripers and bass. Fish creek mouths and around the main lake islands after dark.
This week’s striper report is brought to you by Shane Watson and Hammond’s Fishing Center. This week, we have seen great topwater at times with big schools of stripers on the surface, and the numbers of fish we’ve caught on a swim bait and on free lines have been very good when they have been up.
Some days they have not schooled on top at all and we have had to down-lined bluebacks 50-feet deep or troll lead core out over the channel to catch any fish.
This deeper water down-line bite has been good for size and decent for numbers most days. It is a slower bite, but it will produce best after a cold front comes thru or if they are not on top.
We’ve had our boats out on trips everyday, and I have been amazed at how long some of these schools of fish have stayed up.
We are also catching and releasing some really big spotted bass that are mixed in with the stripers, on the chrome Sebile. Captain Mack’s four- arm u-rigs fished 120-feet out at 3 mph are also producing on the stripers.
Hammond’s new store is coming together quickly. Come by and check out the progress.
Good fishing and we appreciate everyone’s business.
Keith Pace, owner of Micro Spoons, is catching some good stringers of crappie by shooting jigs and Micro Spoons up under docks that are around 10-15 feet at the end.
If there is any brush then that will make these docks even better. Start out mid way on back in the creek for your best results.
Trolling and fishing small minnows under a float is also working well
Trout fishing is a little slower, but they are biting.
I have spoken with some Fly Fishermen that are catching some trout using wet flies under a strike indicator. Work the rapids, and above or below them for your best results.
Live bait (where permitted by law) is always the easiest way to catch trout in cooler weather.
Bank anglers have a lot of options this time of year.
Live minnows below a float will probably be the easiest way to catch bass, stripers or crappie. Small crank baits and topwater plugs will also work.
If you are in an area for more than an hour and you don’t get a bite try moving to a newer area on down the shore that has rock, trees, docks or bridge pilings.
Eric Aldrich is a part-time outdoors writer, bass fisherman and a member of Humminbird’s, SPRO, Gamakatsu, Tru Tungsten and Hammond’s Fishing Center Pro Staff. Reports are based on personal experience and permission from a close network of friends. If you would like to e-mail him please do so at e
saldrich@yahoo.com. Remember to take a kid fishing.