Couple of things before we get to the fishing subject: Lanier is busy and a generous portion of the human population on the lake has no regard for their safety nor for others, so allow me a few ABSOLUTE rules that will help you enjoy the visit and return safely.
Number one rule: if the engine is running, everyone in the boat is wearing a life preserver.
Number two, life preservers are not in storage in the boat but are lying around readily available when you’re fishing. Fall in and one will be tossed in your direction.
Number three on the subject of safety: motoring and facing another boat head on. Slow down because you don’t know if the oncoming vessel will be turning right or left to avoid a collision. Just throttle back and stop.
OK, now for summertime largemouth bass and spotted bass fishing suggestions. In the “big lake” area, fish the deepwater lighted boat docks located back in the creeks at night. If your locator indicates brush or treetops and the dock is lighted, which so many hundreds at Lanier are, the best bait would be live shad or plastic worms. If you get a hit or catch one, leave and go to the next dock or two and then return. You didn’t get a bite from or catch the only fish under that dock. I can assure you he was not alone. Three or four lighted docks nearby can produce 20 bites during three visits each.
I started fishing Lanier in 1957 and a few decades ago when I was younger I won several local bass tournaments using not more than three docks as targets over the course of three hours. You’ll be surprised at this, but the very best bait is live crawfish which can be purchased on the web from Louisiana. Contrary to other recommendations I have read urging you to turn off your boat lights, leave them on so you will avoid getting crashed into by some of the nighttime knuckleheads running the lake. It cost nothing, so leave the lights on.
How about daytime, which would be necessary for youngsters you’re hosting? Locate the standing timber and submerged islands away from the banks. Before the lake was backed up, a forest of hardwood trees and stumps were left about 15 to 50 feet below the current summertime waterline. That’s where thousands of schools of bass spend the summer and rarely see a single bait presented. Again, catch one or two, then nothing? Find a few similar deep water structure targets close by, catch one or two there, then return to the original spot. AGAIN, the one or two you caught were not alone and their friends are likely still hungry.
When fishing these deep-water targets, put the sun in your face and the boat shadow away from the target, otherwise the moving shadow may spook the bass the keep them from taking your bait. Found a nice-looking rocky point to cast into 6 to 8 feet of water? Don’t do it. Get in the shallows and cast out into 25 to 40 feet. Rocks and brush and bass spend the summertime out there. Give it a try.
