Fishing

Lake level: Down 5.2 feet
Temperature: 70s
Clarity: Mostly clear

BASS: Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. Now that it is post spawn and the water temperature is rising the bass are migrating to their summer hangouts in the 25- 30-foot range on humps and long points that have brush and structure on them. Be sure to check the shallow points and rocks first thing in the morning for the early bite. Topwater has been the dominate technique recently with the Ima Skimmer, Riser, OG, Gunfish and Fluke.

If there is good wind, the OG has been producing some very solid fish as well as the Gunfish when worked over the deeper brush and humps. For the OG, reel the bait hard for three or four turns and let it sit for a few seconds. This will be when the strike usually occurs. I really don’t think there can be too much wind for this bait. Chrome or bone colors seemed to have worked the best.

The Fluke has been the steadiest producing bait over the same areas with the white, chartreuse herring, and chartreuse pearl colors being most effective.

The two retrieves on the Fluke that have been most effective have been either a pump and pause or a quick retrieve and dead sticking it. It seems that most of the strikes occur on the pause.

If throwing a worm is your choice, work a watermelon red or Tamalie Green worm around the structure and docks in less than 15 feet of water to draw the strikes. A Neko rig around the deeper brush has also been a good producer.

Enjoy the topwater magic of Lanier while it’s here and Go Catch ’Em!

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

STRIPERS: Lanier stripers are moving into the humps and points and are being caught using the planer boards, flat lines with a small BB shot and down lines.

Bait producing most bites are the blue backs. Put bait 40 to 50 feet behind the boards and flat lines 80 to 100 feet back trolling with the trolling motor around 0.5 to 1 mph. Always have a top water ready to throw at surfacing fish.

Remember to wear your life jackets.

Report by: Buck Cannon, BuckTales, 404-510-1778.

CRAPPIE: Crappie fishing is excellent.

The fish are moving to summer patterns. Most of the fish we are catching are suspended in 10 to 15 feet or less of water. Large fish are at the outside edges of the large schools you see under docks suspended around 10 to 15 feet deep.

Look for small groups or individual fish for your best chance of landing a trophy. The jig color of choice are purple sparkles with chartreuse split tail or pearl white.

Report by: Captain Josh Thornton, 770 530-6493