Lake Lanier Fishing Report – December 2008

Lanier: Level: Down 19.8 feet below full pool. Only a handful of ramps are open. Temp: Mid 50s and dropping. Clarity: Clear.

Spotted Bass: Great, according to guide Ryan Coleman. “The surface temps have dipped from the recent cool nights. The fish are getting into a early winter pattern now and are on the move deep,” Ryan said. “There are still some good fish up shallow, but the big numbers are heading down to 30 to 50 feet. I am starting to find fish in the small feeder creeks and timber edges, just where they should be. A finesse worm rigged on a Spotsticker jig head or 3/8- to 1/2-oz. brown jig is your best weapon for these fish. The white or silver jigging-spoon bite is around; you just have to look for it. I look for it to get stronger during the middle of the month. If you find a creek with a bunch of fish holding up high in the water column, stick around. You will get them biting.”

Stripers: Good. Guide Clay Cunningham reports: “As expected with the low lake levels, very few people are out on the lake, especially during the week. The north end of the lake is the most consistent area this time of year. However, a good number of fish are coming halfway back in some of the larger creeks on the south end, as well. On the south end, start in Six Mile, Flat or Bald Ridge creeks. On the north end, start around Gainesville Marina and work your way north. With the lack of open ramps on the north end, more fishermen than normal are staying down south. Either way you go, look for the birds. The birds will help narrow your search for bait. With the water temperature falling, the bait has condensed together into large schools. Be sure to carry freelines and downlines. On the freelines, some big fish are coming on 8- to 10-inch trout pulled 100 feet behind the boat early and late in the day in the bays that have the pods of bait. During the middle of the day, look for the stripers on the downline around 30 to 40 feet deep. Smaller trout and herring have been best on the downline. Be sure to use a slightly larger hook like a 3/0 Mustad Octopus hook on the trout instead of the 1/0 or 2/0 used with the herring. Concerning artificials, be sure to keep a .6- or 1-oz. white-foil Flex-It spoon tied on. As you’re pulling downlines, be sure to drop the spoon on any fish coming through on the graph. A few fish will come on bucktails early and late in the day if you see some surfacing fish, but look for this pattern to develop more in January.”