Fishing

Lake level: Down 4.2 feet
Temperature: 70s
Clarity: Main lake clear, creeks stained

BASS: Bass fishing on Lanier is good.  The bass are setting up in their true summer locations which are humps and long points with brush on them in the 20 to 40 feet of water.

The top water bite is running strong with several baits in play. On the days with stronger wind the OG and the Chug Bug are producing good fish while on the calmer days the Riser, Ima Skimmer and Gunfish are working well.

For the days that they don’t want to fully commit to a top water bait the Slick Stick and Sebile have been a good choice. The main color of choice over the last few days has been Chrome. The Fluke has been a steady producer in both strong wind or calm days with Chartreuse, Chartreuse Shad or Electric Blue being the main colors.

You may have to move on several locations to find the feeding schools but with FFS it’s easier to cover water. The Drops hot is definitely in play right now around the deeper brush with Sweet Rosy, Morning Dawn and Blue Lily worms.

It’s important to identify where the bass are set up on the brush each day, they can be in it or anywhere around it. There is still a night bite going on which seems to be starting later. A half ounce Georgia Blade spinnerbait in either black, red and chartreuse or black and blue have been very productive with a chartreuse trailer. Work the rocky points and humps while bottom crawling this bait for the strikes.

It’s getting hot but the bite is still on so Go Catch ‘Em!

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

STRIPERS: Lanier stripers are moving south but you can still get bites from Gainesville creek and south to the dam.

Down lines seem to have the advantage over the planer boards because they are schooling around the river channels at the points and drop off near the islands.

Water temperature at River forks is 82 degrees and as the sun rises the fish tend to slowly move to the river channels.

Downlines over 50- to 70-foot bottoms with blue backs at 30 to 35 feet deep is where the bait stays alive the best.

I’m sizing up my leaders to 15# fluorocarbon expectations for larger fish. There’s schooling fish on the surface so be ready with your favorite top water lure, they won’t stay up long so be on your toes.

Remember to wear your life jackets and I’ll be at this year’s GON BLAST in Emerson, Ga. so come and see me.

Report by: Buck Cannon, 404 510-1778.