Lake Lanier Fishing Report

Lake Lanier Fishing Report December 2011

2011-12-13T20:38:00.002-05:00

Fishing continues to be great on Lake Lanier. The bulk of the fish are deep but a few big fish are shallow each morning. Pull freelines with trout and gizzard shad early each morning. Look for seagulls and loons to know where to fish the freelines. Most of these fish are cruising under the surface about 10 feet deep. Very few of them are breaking the surface. Later in the day, look for the fish 30 to 50 feet deep. These fish will be near the very large pods of bait. Take plenty of bait or you will be throwing the cast net. Concerning artificials, the only choice has been the flex - it spoon. Drop the spoon on the deep schools of fish and hop the spoon. Most of the bites will be on the fall.

July 30 2011

2011-07-30T21:55:00.003-04:00

Fishing has been great on Lanier for the stripers. We are catching good numbers of fish on downlines and trolling leadcore line tipped with a 2 ounce chipmunk jig or pulse jig. Most of the big fish have come on the downline but we did pick up one big one yesterday on the leadcore. If you have never been fishing on Lake Lanier. Now is the best time. The schools are larger right now and the weather is consistent. All of the fish are on the south end of the lake. Time of day has not made much difference. Just get out and go.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report June 13 2011

2011-06-14T21:51:00.002-04:00

The weather is great and the fish are on the points. As long as you are fishing points you can catch them on a variety of methods. We have been catching fish mostly on downlines since it is the lightest tackle. On the downlines we are also catching some nice spotted bass and even some catfish. Most of the stripers are 20 to 30 feet deep. Also of note, the best fishing has been very early. we are starting to catch some fish midday but it is no comparison to the early morning bite.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report Feb. 8 2011

2011-02-10T07:03:00.002-05:00

Fishing for striped bass has been slow on Lake Lanier but it is going to improve fast with the weather forecast next week. The back of the creeks are going to warm fast and the stripers are going to be right with them. The next six weeks are always our best time of the year to catch a big fish. Pulling the big baits we will not catch as many fish but seeing a 1 pound plus bait com flying out of the water is well worth it. We should also start catching some fish on bucktails cast to the banks. During the month of March bucktails are hard to beat. Some days you will catch more fish on bucktails than live bait. The most popular bucktails are 1/4oz. Farr Jigs tipped with a small Zoom Fluke or Fluke Jr. White and chartreuse will be the two primary colors.

The crappie bite is also picking up on Lake Lanier. We have been spending some time building brush and in the upcoming months it will pay off big time. The crappie are still deep for the most part but look for them to come shallow in the coming weeks. The first two weeks of April are the best time to bring the kids. Crappie fishing is the best thing for kids. See you on the lake.

January 7 20111 lake Lanier Fishing Report

2011-01-07T16:59:00.003-05:00

Fishing continues to be strong on Lanier using umbrella rigs. The live bait bite has been slow. The good thing about the umbrella rig is you might catch two at a time like in the photo. This is happening all the time. The fish are tight together on the humps and points. The weather looks a little rough early next week but hopefully after that things will make a turn for the better. Don't forget the big fish bite is just around the corner. As soon as a few warms days tart to show up and the water temperature gets in the low fifties the big fish will be on the prowl. we will be pulling some big baits. Actually the biggest baits we can find. Quality over quantity will be the rule.

On another note, just finished up putting some bamboo out for the crappie. Crappie time is also right around the corner. Spring will be here before we know it. See you soon,

October 5 2010

2010-10-06T20:51:00.002-04:00

Getting very close to the topwater bite here on Lake Lanier. Starting to see a few random fish early in the morning hours and hearing some reports of a few schools coming up late in the evenings. Overall, fishing has been pretty good. Most mornings we have been doing well on the downline in the bays off the main channel. The trolling bite is gone. No more pulse jigs for now. Be sure to have the redfins and other topwater baits in the lake from here on out.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report September 28 2010

2010-09-28T20:55:00.002-04:00

finally getting some cooler weather. Fishing has really turned on. Saw more fish this morning than we have in weeks. Caught fish on downlines 40 ft deep and caught some fish on the pulse jig nine colors on lead core. Also saw two schools of stripes on top. Be sure to have a topwater bait tied on from here on out. Over the next two weeks the topwater bite will be here. A video from this morning can be seen at the following link. Lake Lanier Stripers

Lake Lanier Fishing Report August 21 2010

2010-08-22T21:22:00.003-04:00

Fishing continues to be great out on the lake for the stripers. Now that school has started, the number of people on the lake has dropped off. The better fish have been as deep as 80 to 90 ft deep. The trolling bite with leadcore is also starting to turn on. Time to go catching!

Lake Lanier Fishing Report August 5 2010

2010-08-05T20:17:00.003-04:00

Fishing has been great on Lake Lanier. This is always some of the best fishing of the year for striped bass. The stripers are in the deep water in large schools. Most of our bites are coming on downlines 45 ft deep over eighty to one hundred feet of water. Flourocarbon leaders have been important. We are also catching a few good fish power reeling large bucktails tipped with blueback herring but not as many as in years past. The downline has been the obvious favorite of the fish. Be sure to take plenty of bait. You will need it. Good luck out on the lake. Now is the time to go. Catching Not Fishing 770-630-2673

June 24 Lake Lanier Fishing Report 2010

2010-06-24T18:51:00.001-04:00

Right now, the water temperature is higher than normal on Lake Lanier. The surface water temperature is around 88 degrees. The good news is the water temperature down deep is better than normal due to the very cold winter. The stripers are keyed in on the schools of herring out in the deep water. With each passing day, the striper are moving deeper and deeper. Right now the stripers are still 30 feet deep on the edges of the points up and down the lake. Any day the stripers are going to pull out over the open water and some of the best fishing of the year will be upon us. Downlines 30 feet deep or deeper are already the best tactic for catching these fish and will continue into the Summer. Be sure to use 12 to 15 pound P-line flourocarbon on your leaders to increase your bites and take plenty of bait. Also be sure to use small hooks like the Mustad 1/0 octopus hook and a quality 1 and 1 /2 ounce swivel sinker to increase the action of your baits . If your bait is not active you will not catch them. Also look for the leadcore bite to develop out over the open water in the coming weeks. Tie the leadcore with a 1 1/2 ounce Chipmunk jig and tip the jig with a 6 inch chartreuse trailer.

New Hydroglow

2010-06-06T22:34:00.004-04:00

Hydroglow has just introduced a new underwater light for night fishing. The light is L.E.D. and much brighter than the old version. If you want to draw in baitfish for striped bass and other gamefish give it a try. They are now available at the Fishing Pharmacy. The link is below. It is really amazing to watch 20 pound plus fish lazily swim through the light. Hydroglow

Lake Lanier Fishing Report May 26, 2010

2010-05-26T22:22:00.002-04:00

The downline bite has started on Lake Lanier. The topwater bite was gone before it got started. With the recent hot weather fishing has improved even more. From now until the end of September is the peak of fishing on Lake Lanier. On some days we have been running out of bait by 10a.m. The bulk of the fish have been under 10 pounds but a big fish has been showing up every now and then. The spotted bass have been with the stripes as well. Now is a great time to get the kids out or older people who do not like the summer heat. The spots will continue to be in the same areas until the stripers pull out into the deeper water. Right now, the fish have been 20 ft deep on the points on the north end and the south end.

March 16 2010

2010-03-17T21:49:00.004-04:00

The big fish are starting to show up finally. The weather is beginning to break and the water temperature is rising. Pull big gizzard shad under balloons for the big fish. If you want to catch numbers of stripers, cast bucktails shallow. You will also pick up some big spotted bass. The crappie are also pulling shallow. Overall, it is just time to go fishing.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report March 2, 2010

2010-03-02T14:19:00.002-05:00

Still no news on Lake Lanier. The water temperature is still in the mid forties. The striper fishing is still hit or miss but with the first good weather it should explode. On another note, the crappie fishing good. The crappie are stacked under the dock that have at least 20 ft of water under them. The 1/32 chartreuse popeye jig is the jig to catch them. As of yesterday, the bulk of the crappie were 15 ft deep. The walleye should still be up the rivers if anyone wants to go try for them. Good luck out on the pond,

Lake Lanier Fishing Report January 24 2010

2010-01-25T13:16:00.003-05:00

Still not much good to post. The weather just will not break for more than a day here and a day there. Striper fishing is still hit or miss. The lake just needs to warm up a little more. The good news is the crappie fishing is already getting good under the deep water docks on the north end of the lake. The small 1/32 oz popeye jig is the way to go for the most bites. Look for any enclosed dock, minnow buckets, or Driftmaster rod holders on the docks.

January 2010

2010-01-02T14:16:00.003-05:00

Who would have thought we would be starting the new year off with the lake at full pool. The lake looks incredible. Due to the cold, we have not been out on the lake as much as normal. However when we have been out on the lake, the best two tactics have been downlines and umbrella rigs. On the downlines we have been using threadfin shad and trout. Just be sure to match the size of the hook to the bait. On the umbrella rigs we have been doing best with rigs with a blade on the bucktails. The north end of the lake continues to be the best fishing. For the most recent picutures be sure to check out the fishing forum. We hope to see you on the lake soon.

December Fishing Report

2009-12-08T14:05:00.002-05:00

The stiper fishing on Lkae Lanier has continued to be strong most days. The only problem has been the weather. We have went from no rain for a year to rain every few days. The lake is full pool and looks incredible. The downline has been the best tactic for the stripers but some good fish are coming on freelines as well. Gizzard shad and large trout on the freelines have been best bait. Planer boards are just as ggod as the freelines. The main thing is to keep the baits high in the water column. Be sure to use a stinger hook on the gizzard shad. Bucktails are catching a few fish as well. Be sure to go with a 3/8ounce white bucktail. Good luck out on the lake.

November Topwater Lake Lanier

2009-11-06T22:28:00.000-05:00

the stripers continue to school on topwater on the southend of the lake. Had one this morning that was hard to get out of the driftmaster rod holder. The umbrella rig is still catching a few fish as wel after the fish stop schooling on top. The bomber bite contnues as well. There has been amajor feeding period around midnight. Good luck on the pond. The lake looks incredible with it being full pool.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report September 21 2009

2009-09-21T14:08:00.000-04:00

So far the summer downline bite has continued to be strong. It has been a lot of fun watching kids try to to pull the rod out of the Driftmaster rod holders with a twenty pound fish trying to head for the bottom. The fish have been deep as expected. Some of the fish have been as deep as a 100 feet. Power reeling bucktails has also been catching some big fish. the big news this year has been the increasing popularity of pure oxygen sysytems to keep the herring frisky. Pure oxygen has always been popular with people keeping skipjacks alive but now everyone is going to pure oxygen. Be sure to check out the Up on Lanier Fishing Forum for this weeks report

Crappie Fishing

2009-04-19T08:56:00.001-04:00

The crappie fishing has been great so far this year. we are fishing on the north end of the lake for the most part. The best jig this year has been a 1/24oz. Yellow/Yellow/White Hal-Fly. A close second has been the 1/32oz. White/Chartreuse popeye jig. The fish have been under the shade of the docks but now that the water temperature is getting into the low 60s, be sure to check any shallow brush. Minnows under a small weighted float work great around the shallow brush. Once you find one there will be more. This is easy fishing and a great way to start the kids out how to learn to fish.

April 14 09

2009-04-15T08:46:00.000-04:00

Fishing is finally beginning to settle down. The lake level has come up tremendously over the past few weeks. Almost all of the boat ramps are now open for the first time in years. With all the weather we have not been able to get out on the lake as much as normal and the fishing for the stripers has been tough. With good sunny weather expected this week, the fishing should takae off any day with the rising water temperatures. Looks like we have survived the worst and it should be good fishing from here on out. Crappie fishing has also been good. Be sure to take some small crappie jigs and minnows and fish shallow.

Trophy Lake Lanier Stripers

2009-02-19T15:29:00.000-05:00

As always for this time of year the tropy stripers are starting to show up. On friday February 13 we boated a 35lb striper. Due to the spring spawn coming up, the big female stripers are on the move and they are hungry. Do not be afraid to pull very large baits this time of year. Lake Lanier still has some very large stripers. The lake record is 46 pounds.

Bucktails

2009-02-12T07:24:00.000-05:00

Had a great day out on the lake yesterday. Witht eh approaching weather the stripers decided to eat. We picked up fish on a little bit of everything. We caught fish on bucktails, freelines, planer boards, and umbrella rigs. Looks like spring may finally be on its way. The water temperature is starting to get close to fifty degrees. Once the water temperature hits fifty-five degrees look for the bomber bite to pick up at night. The pink Long-A is hard to beat. Cast the lure up shallow and slowly reel it back to the boat. Most of yur bites will be in two to five feet of water. Spring is also the best time of year for a big fish. It is not umcommon for us to use 12 inch shad in the springtime for bait. Be sure to use heavier tackle for the big baits. The saying that big baits equal big fish is definitely true. See you out on the lake.

January 2009 Lake Lanier Fishing Report

2009-01-26T09:52:00.000-05:00

After a cold couple of weeks, the fishing is improving on Lanier. The striped bass are pulling up shallow and bucktails are now accounting for a good number of the fish. Some days the a shallow downline will be the better choice. The north end of the lake continues to be the best area for fishing.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report November 2008

2008-11-14T15:09:00.001-05:00

The striped bass are still schooling on top on the southend of the lake. We are catching the fish best on small 1/4oz. bucktails tipped with a white fluke casting into the schooling fish. We are using a steady retrieve with an occassional hop for the bucktail. If the fish are aggressive, they will also continue to take the chrome Sebile Maigic Swimmer. We are also catching the stripers on free lines with fairly large trout pulled about eighty feet behind the boat. The trout we are using for bait average about 7 inches. We are also catching a few small fish on herring in the same manner. For a more detailed report go to http://www.catchingnotfishing.com/lakelanierfishingreports/

July 2008

2008-06-19T21:25:00.000-04:00

Stripers: The striper fishing on Lake Lanier is as good as it gets right now. . The stripers are in very large schools all over the south end of the lake. Some of these schools will have several hundred stripers in them. Some popular areas include Vanns Tavern, Flat Creek, and Orr Creek. Be sure to stay in the main channel of these creeks. Most of the fish will be 30 to 50 feet deep over 80 to 100 feet of water. The best tactic to catch these fish is to downline herring straight under the boat. The downline is basically a Carolina rig used in bass fishing. You need a 1/0 or 2/0 Mustad octopus hook tied to a seven or eight foot 15lb. P-line fluorocarbon leader. Tie the leader to a 1 1/2oz. swivel sinker and you are ready to go. During the summer months, herring are the preferred bait to the stripers. It is very crucial to take good care of the herring during the summer months. A good quality bait tank is very important. If you do not have a quality bait tank be sure to take plenty of ice that does not have chlorine in it. If you do not have a bait tank trolling is also a good tactic. For trolling you will need a reel with lead core line. Lead core is a fabric type line with a lead center to help it get down to the appropriate depth. The lead line is color-coded and with every color you let out it will get your bait bucktail jig or lure down approximately four feet. Good luck out on the pond.

June 2008 - Lake Lanier Fishing Report

2008-05-24T20:44:00.001-04:00

The striper fishing on Lake Lanier is very strong right now. The stripers have finished their spawning run up both rivers and are now working their way south. A few fish are coming on topwater on the south end of the lake but the better tactic is to use downlines over the points with access to deep water. Some popular areas are Ada Creek, Holly Park, and the mouth of the Chestatee River. Be sure to take plenty of bait. Herring is the preferred bait right now. The schools of stripers are large and they are getting larger daily. It is not umcommon to hook several fish at one time. The fish are a mixed bag of all sizes. one fish might be twelve inches and the next fish may be 30 pounds. The lake level is still lower than normal for this time of year but the lake is as safe as ever to travel. The following boat ramps are still open: Vanns Tavern, Balus Creek, East Bank, Charleston, Tidwell, War Hill, Clarks bridge, and a few more. Visit us on the web at www.catchingnotfishing.com

Lanier Fishing Report February 2008

2008-02-13T15:35:00.000-05:00

Stripers: With the lack of boaters on the lake, the striper fishing has been better than normal. The fish are more relaxed than normal. During the week, there are absolutely no boats on the lake. I feel like I am on a different lake. The lake level has come up a little but not as much as expected. We need rain desperately. A few ramps are open so be sure to ask your local tackle shop on the way. Overall, the lake is safer to travel than people believe. Primarily stay in the channel and do not take any shortcuts between islands. Back to the fishing, the baitfish have pulled up into the back of the creeks and the stripers are right with them. Same as last month, downlines 25 to 30 ft deep with small trout have been the best tactic. Use a shorter leader this time of year compared to the summer months. A four or five foot leader is sufficient this time of year. Use a 3/0 or 4/0 Mustad Octopus hook with the trout. If the seagulls are working the surface, switch to a free line with a larger eight to ten inch trout. On the larger trout switch the hook to a 5/0 Kahle hook and use a heavier leader. This is a good time to catch a big fish. February and March are the best months to catch a trophy striped bass. If you want to catch a trophy do not hesitate to pull a 12 to 14 inch bait. You will not catch many fish due to the smaller fish not being to swallow the big baits but it is worth it this time of year. If February continues to be ice cold, look for a good shad kill. Spoons will come back into play. Fish the bait vertically along the bottom in the creek channels.

Bass: The bass reports have been few in number, but most have said the fishing is better than normal for this time of year. First of all, remember the water is cold so fish slowly. Same as the stripers, the better fishing is up in the creeks. The shad are all up in the creeks. As mentioned in the striper report, it looks like we may get a shad kill. If this develops, spoons will be the bait of choice. Start out with a ½ oz. Flex-it spoon or Georgia Blade spoon. Start in the back of the creeks and work your way out. Work the bait along the bottom near the large pods of baitfish. Be sure to check any point thoroughly. Look for a twenty to thirty foot bottom for the most part. Do not be afraid to try out deeper if the bait is located out in deeper water. If the bass do not want to hit the spoon, try a Texas rig. Use the same shades of green for the worms as any other time of the year. Natural colored worms are also a good choice this time of year like the Zoom natural blue finesse worm. Work the Texas rig slowly along the bottom and go slow. Do not get the wrong idea; the Texas rig is a vertical presentation this time of year. Lastly, if the water starts to warm with some nice spring weather go to the jerkbaits or crankbaits. Look for lightly stained water but not muddy. Stained water warms faster than clear water.

Crappie: Crappie fishing is already on the upswing. The fish are concentrated under the deep-water docks. The better fishing for the most part will be on the north end of the lake due to the stained water. The stained water is very important to the crappie fishing on Lanier. The crappie are too spooky in the clear water. The lure of choice is any 1/32 ounce chartreuse and white jig. You really need the very lightweight jig for the slow fall. If the water is more stained, go to a red and chartreuse jig. The fish will almost always be in the shade of the docks. The best docks will be the ones that hold brush. Look for rod holders and minnow buckets on the docks to help narrow your search and save you time. One last thing, be sure to use 4 pound test line for the crappie. The crappie are very line sensitive.

Sept. 07 Lake Lanier

2007-10-22T17:53:00.000-04:00

Stripers: This summer the weather has been extremely hot and the striper fishing has been the same. This has been the best summer for numbers in six or seven years. Look for the summer downline fishing to continue to be strong until the middle of September. Once the fall weather begins to arrive in late September look for the fishing to be a little more unpredictable. For the most part, the days before fronts will be good and the days after fronts will be more difficult. Some of the best fishing days of my life have been in early October and some of my worst have been in early October. I am hoping for a better than normal topwater bite this October for several reasons. Fishing has been better than normal all year due to a great year class of fish in the 8 to 10lb range, which is also the size to most likely to school on top. Also, we have had a hotter than normal summer so maybe fall will come early. Same as the last two months, the fish are grouped up into very large schools. The better fishing will continue to be on the south end of the lake mostly in sight of the dam. Do not put out bait until you see some fish on the graph. This time of year good electronics are crucial. Any of the Lowrance products are a great. Be sure to turn off the Fish I.D. on your graph. For the most part, the fish will be 30 to 40 feet deep over 60 to 100 feet of water. Some of the better fish will be as deep as 100 feet. If using live bait, drop your bait just above the schools of fish. Use a 7ft leader of 15lb Sunline fluorocarbon and a 2/0 Mustad octopus hook. Tie the 15lb leader under a 2 oz. swivel sinker. If trolling, use the 27lb. lead core. Overall, the trolling bite has been fair so far this year. Lead core is a color coated weighted line used to get a lure to a deeper depth. Use a 2oz. white chipmonk jig tipped with a 6 inch chartreuse trailer or a live herring. Tipping the jigs with live herring has been the best day in and day out. Pulling white swimbaits and 600 Series Cisco Kids have been producing some bigger fish as well. Put the jig out 8 to 9 colors and troll at 2.5 to 3 mph. In September you usually have to go 9 colors to get the bait deep enough. Lastly, with the high water temperature remember to get the fish back in the water as soon as possible. The hot surface water holds very little oxygen. Drop the fish head first into the water. If the fish is out of the water for more than 30 seconds it will most likely die.

Lake Lanier Aug. 07

2007-08-17T22:17:00.000-04:00

The summer downline fishing for the stripers is here. The fish are grouped up into very large schools. Some of these schools will have several hundred fish in them. The better fishing will be on the south end of the lake. Do not put out bait until you see some fish on the graph. You cannot sit and wait on the fish for any period of time or your bait will not be any good. This time of year good electronics is crucial. Any of the products made by Lowrance are hard to beat. For the most part, the fish will be 30 to 40 feet deep over 60 to 100 feet of water. Drop your bait just above the schools of fish. Use a 7ft leader of 15lb Triplefish fluorocarbon and a 2/0 Mustad octopus hook. Tie the 15lb leader under a 1 1/2oz. swivel sinker. Live herring will be the preferred bait during the summer months. For the most part, stripers will feed exclusively on herring during the summer months. Be sure to take plenty of bait. The herring will not stay alive very long on the hook due to the high water temps

May 07

2007-05-15T19:49:00.001-04:00

Fishing continues to be good. The hard part is that the fish are on numerous patterns at various depths. The downline bite will get better daily as more fish go deeper. I am still freelining points with large herring and casting various topwater lures over points up and down the lake. Picked up a nice walleye the other day on a herring.

stripers

2006-03-07T21:22:00.000-05:00

Stripers continue on at the same pattern. The better fish are biting in the back of the creeks on free lines using the largest bait you can find. Also, I am starting to hear more about fish being caught on the bomber at night.

striper

2006-02-11T19:55:00.000-05:00

Not much news to report on the stripers. Did hear there was a 34lber caught on the fly late Friday evening and they released the fish. Henry C. saw the fish and said it was one of the fattest fish he has ever seen on Lanier. My fishing has been the same as it has been for weeks. A little of everything. I did not fish today and do not plan to fish tomorrow either. See yall on the pond next week.

stripers

2006-02-05T16:35:00.000-05:00

Right now there appears to be no strong pattern for the stripers. Earlier in the week, the umbrella bite was getting stronger and now it is back to the downline. The best depth was 28 ft deep over a 50 to 60 ft bottom this morning. The weather changes every few days keeps the pattern changing. The better fishing continues to be on the north end of the lake. I am hearing of some fish on the south end but I have been unable to leave the fish on the north end. The fish on the south end have been in the backs of the creeks and good size.

www.catchingnotfishing.com

Stripers

2006-01-30T19:35:00.000-05:00

Things have changed a little on the lake. Fishing remains solid, the pattern is just changing. The down line bite has become weaker and the umbrella bite has improved. If you just want to catch fish pull the u-rig. The fish are tight to the bottom and mostly over a 20 to 30 ft bottom. The lighter u-rigs I feel are the better choice right now using chart. trailers. Depending on which rig you use, try to get the rig 16 to 18 ft deep. I am personally using the 4arm 2oz. rig with 9 half ounce jigs. A few fish are still on the free line early and have been good size. With the nice weather, more and more spots have pulled up shallow and are attacking the baits on the free lines. The u-rig is a mixed bag of small fish and some good fish mixed in. Below is a few pics from the last several days. The last pic was from this morning, the fish and the rod are headed to Texas. He plans on mounting the fish with the rod above it. Good luck on the pond,

www.catchingnotfishing.com

Lake Lanier Striper Tournament

2006-01-22T09:28:00.000-05:00

The striper tour. went real well yesterday. There was a good number of fish caught in various places on the lake. The winners had two fish over 20 pds. I believe they had a 22 and 23 lber. The big fish of the tour. was a 27lber. I fished with some of my customers and we ended up in 5th place. Most of our fish came on free lines using large trout with stinger hooks. We did catch a few fish on the down line at various depths but the size was smaller. The best fishing continues to be from Flat Creek north up the Chestatee. I did hear of a 37 lber caught up the Chesatee I believe last week. If you want to catch a big striper the time is getting right. I always do well for size the next month.

striped bass

2006-01-20T14:55:00.000-05:00

The striper fishing has really improved with the warming weather. Free lines continue to catch the most fish early with some very big fish showing up as well. In the middle of the day, the down line bite has improved as well. Trout have been the best bait all year but the last couple of days herring have begun to produce on the down line. The north end is producing more fish but some of the creeks on the south end are producing some nice fish. A few good fish are being caught on bucktails early working the banks. The birds have decided to show back up and are helping to find the fish.

stripers

2006-01-17T21:35:00.000-05:00

Finally getting healthy enough to hit the lake. Been very sick once again. Worst winter I have ever had in regards to getting sick. From what I have seen the last couple of days a variety of things is catching a few fish. Umbrellas, free lines, and down lines. If I had to chose the best technique it would be the free line up in the back of the creeks. One of the customers of the store brought in a 26 lber this morning caught on a free lined big trout. I have not seen any huge concentrations of fish, mostly just work hard and pick up one here and one there. The water temp is still around 50 degrees. I expect some big fish will be caught this weekend in the tour. on big trout if the weather turns out good.

Nottely

2006-01-11T12:52:00.000-05:00

Fishing appears to be good on every lake in Georgia. Hearing some really good reports about Lanier, Carters, Hartwell, and Nottely. Several different things are working on Lanier. The free line fishing in the mornings has picked up. Trout continue to be the best bait. Expect to see some of the largest fish of the year caught over the next month. Umbrellas are catching fish as well clipping points and humps. Now that the fish are tight to the points and humps be sure to pick up a Jerry Hester Umbrella rig retriever. You will neeed it. The downline bite with trout over the large schools of baitfish continues to be strong. All in all it is pretty good fishing. Personally, I went to Nottely yesterday and caught some decent fish. On Nottely, the fish are very deep. All of our fish came 65 ft deep over a 70 ft bottom. The bait is in the creeks just like Lanier. Fish just above the bottom in and around the bait using trout and herring. We fished two different creeks and fish were in both creeks.

2006-01-08T10:18:00.000-05:00

Not much has changed on the stripers. Very early in the mornings, be sure to check the back of the creeks. There are a few fish up shallow early that are being caught on 1/4oz bucktails tipped with white flukes. Personally, I have been starting later to avoid the cold. All of my fish are coming on the downline. The fish have gotten a little shallower. Most of my fish are coming 28 to 35 ft deep instead of 45 ft deep. Some of the smaller creeks are loaded with bass. Yesterday with kids in the boat we spent an hour catching "spot" after "spot" on downlined smalltrout 34 ft deep over a 35 ft bottom. A friend of mine in a bass boat was fishing the same area and did fairly well on plastics fishing vertically. Some of these spots are over four pds. I did not get a chance to try a spoon. Later we picked up a few stripers as well. There appears to be a good bite for the stripers around 2:00 for the stripers. Several times this week I have done the best from 2:00 to 3:00. Caught another striper yesterday that had a blunt head almost like a dolphin. This makes about five that I have caught this year. Just curious if anyone else noticed these oddity. Before this year I have never caught one that looked this way in Lanier or anywhere else for that matter.

good fishing

2006-01-04T22:34:00.000-05:00

Finally getting a little more time to do a better post. The holidays are always a blur. The fishing remains about the same. The downline continues to be the best producer of fish day in and day out. I was catching most of my fish down 45 ft deep over a 60 to 80 ft bottom. Today, the fish were shallower. We picked up all of our fish 28 ft deep or a little shallower over the same depth bottom. The best fishing continues to be up north halfway back in the creeks. Don't be afraid to check a little farther back in the creeks or in the back of some of the smaller coves very early in the morning. A 1/4oz. georgia jig tipped with a zoom white fat albert grub is dynamite this time of year for these shallow fish. Some very nice spots are shallow as well early. This is not to say the back of the creeks on the south end are not good. Trout continue to be the best bait. If the weather is harsh be sure to take some smaller trout. Some of the trout I have been using are only 4 inches long on the slower days like yesterday. Today, the fish were more aggressive and the larger trout were great. Be sure to use a larger hook on the larger trout. A 4/0 or 5/0 kahle or octopus is about right. Some big fish always show up this time of year so be ready especially around the full moons and new moons or a big weather change. If you have not been out on the water much, use the u-rigs to find the fish. Troll the channels of the creeks and try to keep the rig deep around 20 to 22 ft deep depending on your rig. The bait is deep and easy to see on the graph. The bait should be 8 to 10 ft thick in the better areas and the birds are still good starting points.

2006-01-02T13:57:00.000-05:00

No new news with the stripers. The best bite continues to be the downline. The best depth is 45 ft deep over 60 to 80 ft of water halfway up in the creeks. Yesterday our bigger fish came on the larger trout but we did pick up some fish on herring as well. Find the bait and the fish will be there. Most of the bait is 45 to 60 ft deep. There is some fish being caught on the u-rig as well, but I have not been using it myself.

stripers

2005-12-27T18:43:00.000-05:00

The pattern has changed for the stripers. Free lines early in the morning and downlines later after teh sun gets up. Trout continue to be the better bait. The fishing continues to be stronger on the north end but some nice fish are being caught on the south end as well.
[img]http://www.catchingnotfishing.com/images/dec2705.jpg[/img]

stripers

2005-12-24T07:33:00.000-05:00

The pattern has not changed much for the stripers. In the mornings, the umbrella has been the best producer. The u-rigs with heavier jigs are out producing the lighter rigs. Try to use one ounce jigs or more on the rig. The umbrella bite has been best out on the main lake. Once this bite is over, go to the downline. The best depth has varied, but the most important thing is to keep your baits just above the huge bait schools in the creeks up north. The fish are finicky when you find them on the downline but stay with it and you will pick up some nice fish. Trout continue to be the best producer for myself as well as the smaller herring. I am getting bit on the larger herring but you almost have to a have a stinger in them. Almost every fish right now is 8 pds or better. There has been a good number of fish theis week caught over twenty pounds.

december fishing

2005-12-20T21:44:00.000-05:00

The striper fishing on Lake Lanier continues to be solid. Early in the mornings some big fish are roaming up shallow and are being caught on freelines using trout. Later in the mornings, downlines are the better choice. The best depth has been 28 ft deep over the larger schools of bait up in the creeks. The better fishing has been on the north end from Gainesville Marina north. Some big are being caught. A few fish are being caught on umbrella rigs as well. Chartreuse trailers have been the best choice on the jigs on the umbrella rigs. See you on the lake.