Fishing With Wildlife

With the onset of warming water in the spring, largemouth bass are drawn into the shallows to spawn near woody debris, boat docks or any other hard structure that offers a little protection. Tube worms, floating worms, shallow-running jerk baits, spinner baits and flukes are suitable springtime baits. To target bigger fish, fish in slightly deeper water adjacent to likely spawning areas.

There are two very different summertime approaches to catching largemouth bass on Lanier. The tried and true method is to fish deep water structure with fish head spins tipped with a soft plastic bait. A second approach involves casting swim baits, flukes, and topwater baits over humps during the early morning hours.

When the water temperature starts to cool down during the fall months, largemouths will feed aggressively on shad, bream and crayfish. Cast topwater baits like a Spook, Sammy or even Fluke into surface feeding bass. Work downed timber with crankbaits and soft plastics or use jigs and spoons on rocky banks and secondary points.

In the winter, largemouths will typically be in deeper water along creek channels or tucked deep within the tangle of submerged tree branches. During spring, bass will move into shallow water to spawn near tree stumps, rock outcroppings or other visible structure. Warm summer temperatures drive largemouth bass into deeper water in the 20-ft depth range along points and in the tops of standing timber. As fall approaches, largemouths will roam all types of habitats in search of shad and herring, so anglers need to use a run and gun approach to locate feeding fish.

Spotted bass may feed at the surface on herring and shad just about any time of the year, but spring and fall are your best bets for topwater action. The erratic action of a Super Fluke or “walking the dog” with a Spook or Sammy are among the favorite tactics of Lanier anglers. Anglers should also consider casting big spoons into surface-feeding fish and retrieving it with a sinking action. Often times, the biggest fish are hiding in slightly deeper water below the main school.

When spotted bass are not roaming the open water, they are usually hunkered down in a brushpile or some other type of structure with vertical relief. This is a typical pattern for both summer and winter and this is the time to pull out the soft plastic tube worms, finesse worms and Senko worms. Many successful Lanier anglers use drop shot and Shaky Head techniques to catch spots that are holding tight to structure.

Crankbaits and spinner baits in shad colors also play an important role for spotted bass anglers. On windy days in late-winter, baitfish stack up near rip-rap. Anglers should fish parallel to the windy side of rip-rap. During the spawning months of April and May, spotted bass will take a variety of shallow-running lures, jerkbaits, and curly-tailed grubs when fished near their spawning beds. Crankbaits are effective during the fall months when fished on long, rocky points.

April and May is the spawning season for spotted bass. Spotted bass typically spawn on rocky banks in 5 to 15-ft of water. Cast shallow running baits, floating worms, or bottom bouncing soft plastics along rocky banks, around boat docks, reef marker points and fallen trees.

During the summer months, spotted bass will feed on small shad or herring at the surface in the early morning hours. During the day, use a high resolution electronic fish finder to locate brushpiles in 20 to 40-ft of water on the lower half of the lake. Patiently working every fishable inch of a brushpile can provoke some quality spots into taking the bait.

During the fall, spotted bass are transitioning back to the surface. Look for surface activity early and late in the day. During midday, use deepwater presentations on points and fallen trees.

The winter months are the prime time to catch big fish on Lake Lanier using a variety of methods, including shallow water techniques, whereas the summer provides the highest numbers of fish in deep water using live baits. Live baits such as blueback herring, large gizzard shad and even rainbow trout are preferred by most of Lanier striper anglers and guides, but flukes and bucktail jigs will also produce good results.

During the winter months, baitfish and the stripers that follow them are drawn to areas of warmer water. Fish the points and flats in coves on the upper end of the lake that have stained water. Also, troll through areas where you observe sea gulls diving on bait at the surface.

From late-winter through spring, striped bass cruise the banks in fairly shallow water, especially in the early morning and evening hours. This is a good time of year to cast bucktails or flukes around points and adjacent flats. Trolling live herring or big gizzard shad behind planer boards in the backs of coves is another effective approach for catching shallow water stripers.

In the summer months, striped bass retreat to deeper, cooler water on the lower half of the lake. Stripers typically suspend in the tops of the submerged timber adjacent to the river channel. Good sonar and navionics are essential tools for finding stripers in their summer habitat. Once a school is located, downline herring into the school or use heavy jigs. Trolling herring behind lead core line is a good scouting technique for deepwater stripers during the summer.

In the fall months, striped bass return to the surface and feed on small shad and herring. Look for diving sea gulls and surface feeding activity near the river channel on the lower half of the lake. Surface activity is usually greatest on cloudy and rainy days. Downsizing to small jigs and bucktails is an effective approach when stripers are feeding on small baitfish.

During the winter months, crappie congregate in creek channels containing deep water timber and other vertical structure. Slow trolling jigs over these structures is the best wintertime tactic.

The highest numbers of crappie are caught when the water temperature rises in early-spring. During this season, crappie will stage under boat docks, creek channels and underwater road beds in 10-15 feet of water before moving into the shallows to spawn. By early-April crappie move into 2-3 feet of water around visible submerged cover near bridges, downed trees, emergent vegetation, and backwater coves. During the fall, large numbers of crappie will congregate in submerged timber in 20 to 40-feet of water.

When walleye are holding tight to downed trees, simply hook the nightcrawler through the middle of its body, attach a split shot about 18-inches up the line, and then allow the bait to fall into the branches. Move the bait ever so slowly through the branches and then along the bottom. If you suspect a strike, give the walleye plenty of time before setting the hook. During the summer months, walleye hold tight to brushpiles in 25 to 40-feet of water. A drop shot technique is an effective way to get the worm in front of a hungry walleye. Remember to slowly hop the worm in and around every crevice of the brushpile using a vertical presentation. Anglers can also troll a nightcrawler using a bottom bouncer or Lindy rig set up. Putting an in-line spinner blade in front of the hook will increase your chances of enticing a walleye to strike.

There are some artificial lures that should also have a place in your walleye arsenal. During the spawning period (late-February to early-April), slowly troll crankbaits on the bottom of the river channel. No.7 Shad Raps in a crayfish, herring, perch or fire tiger color patterns are effective. When spawning walleye are in the shoals, cast topwater and subsurface lures, like a Rapala or curly-tailed grub in white, yellow or chartreuse colors. Use a slow and steady retrieve and allow the lure to make frequent contact with the rocks. Jigs are also a good substitute for nightcrawlers anytime of the year.

In April and May, walleye move back down into the upper reaches of the main lake. Walleye will frequently tuck into the branches of fallen trees and will also ambush spottail shiners in the mudlines that develop on wind-blown clay points. During the summer, walleye move further down the lake and typically hideout in brushpiles located near the river channel in 25 to 40-feet of water. Walleye can also be caught at night during the summer and throughout the fall by targeting main lake points. Walleye move into the shallows at night to feed on small bream. Cast crankbaits or jigs tipped with a shiner or worm to the bank and work it with a slow and steady retrieve.

A large fishing tournament facility constructed by Hall County and GA-DNR at Laurel Park is available. To book this facility, please contact Hall County Parks and Recreation Department at 770-535-8280.

Additional Lake Lanier fishing reports can be accessed via the Bass Fishing Homepage:http://www.wmi.org/bassfish/reports/index.html and the Georgia Outdoor News Forum (scroll down to the Fishing section): http://www.forum.gon.com.

Anglers who are new to Lake Lanier should consider an internet search of “Lake Lanier Fishing Clubs” and visit one or more of these clubs to enhance their angling success rates.

A walleye fishing guidebook is available at no cost on the Wildlife Resources Division website athttp://www.gofishgeorgia.com/Fisheries/Walleye?cat=2″. Click on the link at the bottom of this webpage to download the guidebook.