Lake temperatures continue to hover in the mid to upper 50s. That’s OK because the Lake Lanier level also continues to rise. The lake is right at 1,062.8 feet and just slightly over 8 feet below a full pool of 1,071 feet. The main lake is clear and the creeks and rivers are stained. The Chattahoochee River is clear. Check generation schedules before heading out to the river at 770-945-1466.
Bass
Despite the cooler than normal water temperatures some bass are spawning, but a lot of Lake Lanier’s bass remain in prespawn mode. The jig head worm combination is hard to beat for numbers of bass. Continue to work the docks with a 1/8- ounce SPRO K-Finesse jig head rigged with a Zoom Finesse Worm. I like to skip these worms up under the docks, but I fished with a guy this week that couldn’t skip very well and he caught almost as many by just working the edges and in between docks. Most of these shallow dock fish are in the 1-to 2-pound range.
The bigger fish seem to be out closer to main lake. Run your Minn Kota Trolling motor on medium or high and cover some water. Crank baits, spinner baits and jerk baits will all work well. Continue to target the main lake and secondary points with shallow pockets close by. The bass are ready to lay their eggs and almost all of the fish you catch will be very fat. I have been throwing a SPRO McStick jerk bait up to the banks and just reeling it slowly back to the boat to catch some very fat spotted bass. The ¬-ounce white Rooster Tail has been my second choice, and I cast this lure parallel to the deeper banks, let it hit the bottom, then reel it slow and steady back to the boat. Just about any lure that you have confidence in should produce this time of year. Some anglers have reported catching bass on top-water plugs but I haven’t had much luck with that yet. Wait about a month and the top-water action should be great!
If you want to take your kids out to catch bass try medium minnows fish on a flat line or with a small split shot fished 2-3 feet under a bobber.
Stripers
The fishing remains very productive. The stripers go through a false spawning run up in the rivers and even in the lower lake creeks even though they don’t reproduce in Lake Lanier. Keep and eye on your Humminbird Fish Finders to see the bait and stripers mixed together. Stripers will still be up in shallow water feeding on baitfish. It’s not rare for crappie anglers to hook a striper this time of year.
Live blueback herring from Hammond’s on a flat line or behind a planner board are working best this week. Most of the stripers are being caught at 15 feet or less over deeper water. If you fish from the banks, try the areas around Mary Alice, East Bank, Six Mile Creek, Wahoo Creek and other parks. Cast out large shiners or trout fished below a slip bobber. You can buy shiners or trout from Hammond’s Fishing Center and they are pretty easy to keep alive with the recent mild temperatures. The nighttime Bomber Long A bite was been pretty good if you find the right areas.
Crappie
The fishing is also very good. Continue to use crappie minnows or Micro Spoons and fish the docks towards the backs of the creeks. If you fish from the bank try live crappie minnows 2-to 3-feet below a bobber around docks and lay downs trees.
Trout on the Chattahoochee
The fishing remains very productive. Corn and worms (where permitted by law) will work very well. Cast small Yozuri Pins Minnows, Countdown Rapalas or small Rooster Tails around the rapids.
Eric Aldrich is a part time outdoor writer, bass fisherman and is sponsored by Humminbird, SPRO, Gamakatsu, Tru Tungsten and Hammonds Fishing and Boat Storage. Reports are based on personal experience and permission from a close network of friends. He would love to hear from his readers so please email him at esaldrich@yahoo.com or visit his website at www.aldrich
fishing.com. Remember to take a kid fishing!