Lake Lanier Fishing Report – August 2022

Lanier: Level: 1.2 feet below 1071. Temp: Mid 80s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Jimbo from Jimbo’s Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service reports, “While the fishing generally gets tougher in August on Lake Lanier, there are ways to ensure continued success. The primary concern of both gamefish and baitfish are oxygen and food source, in that order. The fishing traditionally changes in August because the baitfish, particularly the blueback herring, change in response to the conditions. They often go deeper in search of better oxygen content in the water; the depth at which this key oxygen content is maintained is called a thermocline. In August, I normally like to target sharp breaks and deeper water on main-lake features, such as ledges or sharper breaks on the ends of points and the sides of humps and islands. Often in August, we work depths of 25 to 45 feet, anticipating the thermocline to establish in the 25- to 30-foot range, historically speaking. However, even though there are fish in the deeper zones, there are also still fish located shallow all around the lake. You can find these shallow fish not only on the main lake but also in the backs of pockets and creeks, as well. These shallower locations are great areas to target during the early morning. Later in the day, the ‘normal’ areas with brush are still holding fish, and there are fish starting to move deeper and relate to the timber. When fishing deeper, target timber edges in 35 to 45 feet of water near the same key features upon which you find the brush. In general, if one type of area is not producing, don’t hesitate to try another location or another depth. Stay flexible and versatile and move around until you find active fish. Running and gunning several different types of places can be the key to success during this time of year. Often many areas will not produce, but if you stay on the move and remain versatile in types of location and bait selection, you can and will find active fish. The topwater bite over the brush can be good still in August, but again in can be nonexistent if the weather is consistently extremely hot, as it has been much of this summer.  The fish will let you know if the topwater bite is working. Try using some smaller topwater baits, like the Super Spook Jr., which best mimics the smaller baitfish the spots are often chasing during the hot weather months. The swimbait adds another dimension to your game. Work swimbaits fast on the surface or let them sink and work them directly over the brush. Experiment with both the mechanical and soft models at different depths and retrieve speeds to determine which is working best on any given day. A weighted fluke can be a good option to cast over the brush, as well. The Georgia Blade Shad Spin is an excellent producer on Lanier, and August is no different. Fish the bait over and around brush and deeper cover. Vary your retrieve speed, method, depth and trailer type until you hit on the right combination for that day. The Georgia Blade Flutter Spoon can be a good choice to target bigger fish during the summer months. Swim the Flutter Spoon with a rip, pause, rip presentation, or fast reel the spoon off the bottom for six to eight cranks, allow it to fall back to the bottom, then repeat back to the boat. The strikes will almost always come on the fall. Fish this bait with no less than 20-lb. Seaguar Fluorocarbon line to help you retrieve the bait on hang-ups that will occur. Abrazx is a good line option from the Seaguar line-up. A drop shot is a great tool when the fishing gets tough. This presentation can be made vertically into cover or it can be cast toward the feature and slowly retrieved. I prefer the Lanier Baits drop-shot worms in blue lilly, passion, obsession and candy. Light line is a must. I prefer a 12-foot leader of 6- to 8-lb. test Seaguar Fluorocarbon Gold Label leader line coupled with a main line of Seaguar Smackdown 15- or 20-lb. braid. Light line helps provide a more natural presentation. I also like to experiment with tag length. I will sometimes use up to a 5-foot tag end on my drop shot, depending on the position of the fish and the feature I am targeting. The Georgia Jig is a bait that is apt to work through the entire summer, as well as into the fall and winter.  August is no time to forget the jig. I prefer their brown-and-orange combo or in a pb&j color pattern. Work jigs on points and humps, around brush, as well as steep rock. If the jig is not working, don’t forget to try a Georgia Blade shaky head tipped with a finesse or Trick Worm, or a Senko as a backup. Wouldn’t it be great to have the most current fishing information provided to you weekly in a detailed format including lures and locations? If you think so, check out Jimbo’s Weekly Video Fishing Reports. Stay on top of what’s working best on Lanier each week at jimboonlanier.com/jimbos-weekly-video-fishing-reports.”

Lake Lanier Page: Archived Articles, News & Fishing Reports

Stripers: Capt. Clay Cunningham, of Catching Not Fishing Lake Lanier Fishing Guides, reports, “The summer heat has arrived on Lanier and the stripers have moved south on the lake. The best fishing has been on the south end of the lake due to deeper, colder water, which means higher oxygen levels for the stripers. The schools are getting larger and larger. The trolling bite is picking up big time. To be prepared for the trolling bite, look for a Penn Fathom reel paired with a Shakespeare Tiger rod and lead core line. For the details, talk to the local tackle shops. They will get you set up as this technique has a few important details. Once you are set up, tie up one rod with a Ben Parker spoon and one with a 1- to 2-oz. white Berkley Fusion bucktail and troll at 2.8 mph. Tip the Berkley Fusion bucktail with a 6-inch Captain Mack’s chartreuse trailer or a 4-inch shad body. Let the first couple of bites tell you which one is hot. It can vary from day to day. Also, keep white Captain Mack’s trailers, pink trailers and all sizes of bucktails on hand. Every day is different and a small change in size or color can make all the difference. Start with eight colors out on the lead core. Later in August you may need to go out nine colors on the lead core. The downline bite is usually the primary pattern this time of year, but this summer it has been secondary. However, the downline bite is improving, so be prepared. It could light up at any moment. The key setup for the downline is a Shakespeare Striper Rod paired with a Penn Fathom II 15 Linecounter reel spooled with 15-lb. Trilene Big Game line, a Captain Mack’s 2-oz. swivel sinker, a 6-foot section of Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon and a 1/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. Also of note, the fish are getting bigger so do not use too light of a leader. Do not be afraid to go to a 12- to 15-lb. leader. Add a live herring to the hook and you are good to go. Take plenty of herring as they will not live long on the hook. Great electronics like the Humminbird Solix are the keys for success right now. Be sure to release the fish fast as possible. Every second out of the water in the hot summer months increases mortality. If you are taking pictures, have everything ready for a quick release. See you on the water.”

Capt. Ron Mullins, of The Striper Experience, reports, “Water temps have reached their normal summer temps and the lake is definitely setting up a thermocline. Most of the stripers have pushed down the lake and are in their normal summertime haunts. South end creek channels like Big, Shoal, Two, Four, Six Mile and Bald Ridge all have fish in them. In early August, there will still be some fish in main-lake pockets in 50 to 70 feet of water first thing in the morning. As the sun gets up, they will move out to the creek channels and the river channel in 90 to 120 feet of water. Look for these fish with your Humminbird Solix or Helix in these areas with your Minn Kota trolling motor deployed and in the water so that you can hit Spot-Lock on top of these fish when you see them. The best bet for catching these fish is a downline 30 to 80 feet down and a pitched spinning rod behind the boat, over and in these fish. Make sure you have a lively bait on the hook at all times. The herring are finicky this time of year, so give them plenty of leader to swim on. Downsize your hook so that it reduces the weight in front of your herring. We will be using 8 to 10 feet of 10-lb. fluorocarbon leader and a No. 1 octopus or octopus circle hook this month with a 1.75-oz. pencil weight and changing baits out every five to seven minutes, as well. The pitch rod is set up similarly, but you will be using a No. 5 split-shot in front of the bait, so that it swims down to the fish you are marking versus being dropped straight down to the fish you are seeing. You will go through plenty of herring this time of year if you want the best bait possible down there. The power-reeling bite will also get better and better this month as the fish get in bigger and bigger schools. A Boss Hawg spoon in chrome or chrome/silver scale will be a great artificial bait to start with when you see these deep schools under the boat. Drop down through the school and start cranking it back up past the school. This technique is a great way to keep a school of fish fired up, and be sure to hang on as they will try to rip the rod out of your hands. The lead-core bite will also be great this month. The Captain Mack’s 1.5- or 2-oz. Super Spin Shad in white/white, white/glow or chartreuse/chartreuse glitter will be the colors to pull in August. The white/glow or chartreuse/chartreuse glitter will be best if there is some cloud cover or the white/white or white/glow when the sun is out. We designed the glow body so that it will be an awesome color whether the sun is out or not. Jesus wants to hear from us every day, so make sure that you spend some time talking with Him daily. It doesn’t have to be anything formal. Just look up at a sunrise and thank Him for the beauty of this world that He has given us to live in. Glance at your family and tell Him of the awe you have for Him for putting all those wonderful people in your life. Tell Him how thankful you are that He died for your sins so that you can have eternal life through Him.”

Crappie: Capt. Josh Thornton reports, “Yes, crappie bite in the summer. If your normal spots are not holding fish, scan the area. They are probably not far away, sometimes they’re just behind you. We are finding crappie suspended 15 to 25 feet over a 30- to 40-foot bottom. Look for deep-water brush up to 40 feet. Try using small 1- to 1 1/2-inch jigs on a 1/24-oz. jig head. It will take a while to get down to the fish, so be patient. Also look at blowdowns off steep banks or trees that extend 50 to 70 feet off the banks. If you are using jigs, I would recommend translucent colors with sparkles. I am setting minnows 15 to 20 feet deep most of the time over a 20- to 25-foot bottom. Crappie love the shade so cast into the shadows or shaded areas of dock. When dock shooting, the biggest fish are usually the first to bite. I’m using Skippers Jig Moon Jigs. Use the promo code ‘heroes’ when ordering. I’m using ATX Lure Company plastics. I use 5-lb. test high-visibility yellow braid for my line (unless I am using a bobber) and a Piscifun reel on an ACC Crappie Stix. I use Garmin LiveScope and the Navionics Boating app. Find me on Facebook and like my pages @crappieonlanier and @fishingwitheverydayheroes.”