Fishing

Lake level: 1 foot over full
Temperature: 40s
Clarity: Stained

BASS: Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. Even with all the rain and temperature drop the bass are still very active. In the Skeeter Bass Challenge recently there were 10 bags with over 20 pounds of largemouth and Spots weighed in. The winning weight was over 25 pounds!

There are still bass located deep in the standing timber but there are plenty of bass that have moved to less than 35 feet deep. Several baits are working right now for both the deep and shallower fish. A three eights No See Em Spot Choker with a three three Keitech paddle tail is working well in the backs of the ditches and also for targeting the moving or suspended bass.

Electric Shad and Blueback have been two consistent colors on this setup. In the same backs of the creeks a shakey head with a green pumpkin or watermelon red senko worm around the deeper docks is producing fish.

Check the secondary rocky points also as your working the area. The key is to working these baits is working them very slow. A Shad Rap or a RK Crawler in the crawdad pattern will produce both spots and largemouth in the backs of the pockets and along any rocky structure.

The Damiki rig has worked well on both the suspended bass and bass that are tight to the bottom in the deeper water. Using FFS for this bait is critical whether you are pitching to the bass or vertically dropping on them. Look for the bass to be moving up and down in the water column as the water temperature bounces up and down as this is typical of late winter/early spring fishing.

They are definitely biting so Go Catch Em!

Report by: Phil Johnson; pjohnson15@hotmail.com, 770 366-8845.

STRIPERS: Stripers are reacting to the Mini Mac and the umbrella rigs trolling in the creek channels in both rivers. Mini Macks can be trolled with planer boards using your trolling motor. Put the Mini Mac 15 to 25 feet behind the boards at .8 to 1.5 mph. Watching the electronics once you have fish located you should work that area and use blue backs, trout, gizzards and shiners on flat lines, boards and down lines.

When pulling the umbrella rigs use the outboard and put the rigs 110 back and troll at 2.5 to 3.5 mph and clip the humps and points off the channels, watching your electronics and keeping in mind that at that depth of 25 feet have your retriever ready.

Remember to wear your life jacket.

Report by: Buck Cannon, 404 510-1778.

CRAPPIE: Crappie fishing is good. The large fish are in small groups roaming in open water and in large groups under docks. Crappie have been at depths of 5 to 10 feet above a 20- to 40-foot bottom. Crappie minnows have been half of the bite recently with jigs the other half. A small 1.25 inch jig black with a chartreuse tail has worked well.

For your best fishing experience consider using the following equipment: a one piece ACC Crappie Stix rod and reel paired with 4 or 6 pound test K9 line with a Atx lure company jig. Further optimizing your efforts, a Garmin LiveScope, protected by a sonar shield cover, and a Power Pole are highly recommended.

Report by: Captain Josh Thornton, 770-530-6493.

News:
Bass Pro Shops in Lawrenceville will host its 2025 Spring Fishing Classic. Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing Schools Inc. will host these events:

Feb 22: Tank Demo at noon
Mar 8th: Tank Demo at noon and 2 pm
Mar 15: Bass Fishing class at 11 am;
Mar 16: Top Gear, Outfitters Secrets to Bass Fishing Success, Tank Demo at noon, and at 2pm an Electronics Seminar to Chart, Track, Catch.
Mar 23: Understanding Marine Electronics class, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.