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 email him please do so at esaldrich@yahoo.com. Remember to take a kid fishing!
Lake Lanier temperatures are in the mid to upper 80’s and the lake level has dropped slightly to 1.064.8 feet, which is a little more than six-feet below a full pool of 1,071 feet. Lake Lanier is clear on main lake and slightly stained in the creeks.
The main lake and creeks are mostly clear and the Chattahoochee River is clear. Check generation schedules before heading out to the river at 770-945-1466
Bass fishing is a little slower this past week. This has been a cooler than normal summer and water temperatures are also down a bit. The lower temperatures have resulted in more schooling activity than normal during what are regularly the dog days of summer.
Even with that, the bass are locked into a summer pattern and are still staying deep for the most part.
There is still some sporadic surface activity during the day so keep a topwater plug or swim bait tied on.
Sinking swim baits have been more productive then the floating models. Use a fast sink SPRO 4" BBZ1 Shad or Sebile Magic Swimmer in blueback pattern to entice a big fish to hit during the active feeding periods.
Drop shots, Texas and Carolina rigged worms have been working best most of the day but you may need to find the productive off shore areas to increase your odds.
This type of fishing is a challenge, but using quality electronics and taking time to find these lesser-fished areas will pay off.
Look for submerged lake humps and the far ends of the points for drop offs starting at 15-to 20-feet deep and keep an eye on your Humminbird fish finders and work that zone on down to 35-feet deep.
I use fluorocarbon line, tungsten sinkers and sharp Gamakatsu hooks to increase my hook up ratio on the deeper fish.
Spot tail minnows rigged on a drop shot or downline remain the surest way for anglers to catch deep summertime spotted bass on Lake Lanier.
Find the brush piles at 20-to 30-feet deep and you should catch bass along with other species of fish too.
Striper fishing remains very good if you can find and stay over the deeper schools of fish. Set your downlines right at or slightly above where the fish appear on your electronics.
The stripers should be anywhere from 40-feet deep on down to the bottom at this time of year.
These stripers stay healthy in summer by eating blueback herring that thrive in these deep cooler waters.
Rig your downlines with a 3-to 4-foot fluorocarbon leader to catch the fish that may become leader shy.
Fluorocarbon line is nearly invisible under water and it will help your odds. Use sharp Gamakatsu Hooks and lively bait blueback and make sure to switch out your bait regularly. Also try dropping your baits to the bottom and power reeling them up though the schools to entice a strike.
Trolling has been working OK and it’s a great way to locate the fish.
Lead core line set out from seven to nine colors with a large SPRO Buck Tail in a the Spearing Blue color should result in some decent strikes.
Troll these at around 2-3 miles an hour for your best results.
Keith Pace of Micro Spoons says that fishing for crappie has been tough.
He is using his electronics to find the timberlines and is downlining Micro Spoons tipped with a crappie or spot tail minnow at 20 feet.
You may need to work hard for this action. Early mornings have been best. The night bite is also tough.
There are plenty of trout to be caught below Buford Dam and also up in the mountains. The DNR has been able to keep these areas stock with plenty of healthy trout this year. Just about any method you prefer will catch trout this week but start out early in the mornings to find the best bite.
The brim and catfish are both still bitting well but here is another idea. Try fishing for North Georgia Redfish (also known as Carp).
Carp are a bunch of fun to catch and they pull hard. Take a can of corn. Throw about half of it as far out in the lake as possible then use the other half as bait. Carp are attracted to human activity on Lake Lanier so campgrounds and picnic areas will be good places to try.
Tie a small hook with a quarter-ounce sinker about a foot up the line and cast this out to where your chum is. Make sure to secure your rods because a carp will pull a fishing pole into the water.