Lake level: Full
Temperature: 70s
Clarity: Clear
Bass report: Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. Water temperatures have finally stabilized in the upper 70s and the fishing has become more consistent. The topwater bite has been good but not quite great yet.
The morning bite has been the best but even it has been scattered. The key is to find the herring and the fish will be close by. Red fins, small Spooks, Wake baits and Flukes have been the most productive baits.
Long points, blow throughs, reef poles and humps are all subject to have fish on them. The key is to work different areas until you find the bait. Wind has been a big factor also by positioning the bait and improving the bite. The drop shot is another bait that has been effective on days that the fish don’t want to come to the top. You don’t have to fish it in the usual straight down method but instead, work it the same way you would work a regular worm.
Look for rocky points and steep banks with this bait. The wacky rig and a trick worm on a three-sixteenths lead head have been producing fish on the docks and blow downs in less than 15 feet.
Summer is almost here and as the water temperature continues to climb the fish are going to be pulling out to their summer homes in 25-plus foot water so you may find a few already there.
If you are doing any tournament fishing now be sure to take plenty of ice for your live well along with some G Juice to be sure the fish survive. Summer is the highest time for fish kill. And if you’re out on Lanier on the weekends, do it early as the fun seekers are knocking down the reef poles so you don’t want to be part of that.
They are biting so Go Catch ’Em!
Report by Phil Johnson, Pjohnson15@hotmail.com, 770 366-8845.
Crappie report: The water temperature will be rising with the onset of hot summer days.
I am finding crappie are already in the summer pattern. Look at the docks for suspended fish in 20 to 45 feet deep. Also, look for crappie in shallow blow downs. If you are using jigs I would recommend a white and Chartreuse or a translucent body with sparkles.
Remember to retrieve slow and give the jig time to sink to the level of the fish. Ten percent of a recent week’s catch came on minnows, including the biggest catch of the month. I am setting minnows at 10 feet deep. Crappie love the shade so cast into the shadows. When dock shooting, the biggest fish are usually the first to bite. I’m using the skippers jig moon jigs use (promo code heroes) when ordering.
Report by Captain Josh Thornton, 770 530-6493.
