Lake Lanier Fishing Report – January 2025

Lanier: Level: 3 feet below 1071. Temp: Mid to low 50s. Clarity: The water is mostly clear except for a little stain in the backs of the creeks. Turnover seems to be done mostly.

Bass: Guide Jimbo Mathley, with Jimbo’s Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service, reports, “While the outside elements are not always favorable, January can offer some outstanding angling on Lake Lanier. Lanier offers some great winter fishing if you are willing to be outside in the elements and explore fishing outside of your comfort zone. Please mark Jan. 11, 2025 on your calendar. This is the date of Jimbo’s Fishing Expo! ONE DAY ONLY! Come and enjoy some incredible fishing tackle and service vendors for a great day of shopping, in addition to some awesome raffle prizes! The event will be held at the Forsyth County Conference Center at Lanier Tech, off Exit 13 on GA 400. Visit this web link for more info and our most updated Vendor List: https://jimboonlanier.com/jimbos-fishing-expo. Now, let’s explore some fishing tactics with which you can approach Lanier in January. As we discussed in a recent installment, a ditch can be defined as a significant depression, which offers a sharp depth change of 2 feet or more from the surrounding structure. Ditches can be naturally occurring or man-made. An example of a naturally occurring ditch would be a creek channel that feeds a pocket, cove or creek arm. A man-made ditch could result from a trench that was dug during the construction near the lake. These features exist in many places on Lake Lanier, and they hold fish during the winter months. Ditches can be shallow or deep and sometimes both depending on the length and location of the ditch. I shared a comprehensive article in December that focused completely on ditch fishing. If you missed it, take the opportunity to go back and review this information—it could continue to play a key role in January. The lake is trending significantly below full pool as we end 2024. Typically, when the lake is below full pool, the ditch fishing is more productive. Use your Humminbird/Garmin electronics to find creek arms or pockets just off of the main creek channels that offer a deep vein extending back into the arm or cove/pocket. The farther the deep water extends back into the creek arm, the better for wintertime fishing. When you enter these areas and are searching for productive water, search for the presence of baitfish in and around the timber, which you will find in the deeper-water portions of the ditch.  If you do not find bait, you will not find fish. Leave and check other similar areas. Also, look for the ditches that do have timber at the mouth. The presence of the timber represents the appropriate depth for a potentially productive ditch.  Also, key in on special features within the ditch, such as a point or secondary ditch that may intersect with the main ditch. While our focus is on fishing deep, understand that a shallow bite can exist in these same ditches, even in the dead of winter. Often these shallow fish in the winter mornings are monsters.  Try these areas with a Georgia Blade Shad Spin, Berkley Stunna jerkbait or a Berkley Moneybadger crankbait. Also, a Keitech swimbait on a 1/4-oz. swim head can be a good option. Your presentation speed with all the above should vary directly with the water temperature. The colder the water, the slower your presentation should be. Also, with the Shad Spin, crankbait and Keitech, your bait should maintain contact with the bottom as much as possible. Begin your search shallow in the backs of the creek arms at daylight. This will be the warmest water in the lake and will often attract baitfish. Often, the active fish will be in 15 feet of water or less right at daylight, so get out early and be ready for some action right away. After the early morning bite, switch your focus to the deep areas of the ditch, generally 35 to 55 feet. Start with the first area of naturally occurring timber you find as you move from shallow to deep in the ditch. An isolated tree can be excellent, but thick timber can hold fish, as well. Obviously, the former is preferred, as the latter is normally more difficult to fish and potentially less efficient. So, if you can, find the more isolated cover when possible. The timber edges are often the most productive, so focus on those areas first. Cast and drag a Georgia Craw Bite Jig through the timber the same way as you would work shallower cover. Slow and methodical is the key. Develop a keen sense of feel, as the bites are often very light. If the jig is not productive, fish a shaky head tipped with a Berkley General worm in the same fashion. Another option is to jig a Georgia Blade spoon vertically over fish you see on your Garmin electronics. A drop shot can also be an effective presentation. Experiment daily as fish preferences change like the wind. Stay open in your approach and remain flexible. We guide year-round on Lanier and would enjoy the opportunity to help you with your winter fishing. We can focus deep or shallow and help you learn the techniques you need to stay on fish all year. Give us a call and let’s fish. Tight lines and enjoy a great winter bite on Lake Lanier.”

Lake Lanier Page: Archived Articles, News & Fishing Reports

Stripers: Capt. Clay Cunningham, of Catching Not Fishing Lake Lanier Fishing Guides, reports, “Fishing has been pretty good leading into the new year. As always this time of year, the weather is the big factor. Many times this time of year the best fishing is in the afternoon. The other key to the stripers this time of year is find the bait in the backs of the creeks. Every creek on the lake has some stripers in it. That being said, the creeks on the north end of the lake have been the best this winter. Another huge advantage this time of year is the bait being in the backs of the creeks, which narrows your search immensely. The fish will be in the last third of any creek.

Once you find the bait in the backs of the creeks, several patterns can develop. First and foremost is pulling live bait on a freeline. The freeline is basically a live bait back behind the boat. Spool up a Penn Fathom 15 Linecounter paired with a Shakespeare Striper Rod and you are ready for action. Be sure to use a premium swivel, like the Spro Power Swivel, a Gamakatsu Octopus hook and fluorocarbon on the leader like the Berkley 100 % Fluorocarbon. So far this winter, trout and herring have been the best baits and hopefully this will continue. That being said, the number of fish caught on the freelines have been low in number but better size. Early in the morning and during any time of low light, pull the trout on a freeline somewhere around 100 feet behind the boat. This is the best way to catch a big fish most days. Big fish do not get big being dumb. Try to stay away from other boats and keep your baits fresh. The other pattern is the downline bite right on the deep schools of bait. This pattern is accounting for much better numbers with a few good fish mixed in the catch. Find the bait, and drop the smaller trout and herring right on top of the bait. A good starting point is a 40-foot bottom. Start with a 5-foot leader, a Gamakatsu Octopus size 1 hook and a Captain Mack’s Swivel Sinker. Do not be afraid to shorten the leader. If you do not want to use live bait, be sure to try a spoon. The most popular spoons on Lanier are the 6/10-oz. white foil Flex-It spoon and the 1-oz. Captain Mack’s Super Spoon. You should be able to see your spoon bounce on the bottom on your electronics. This is my favorite way to fish in the winter. Many times you can see the fish eat the spoon. Give it a try, and see you on the lake.”

Crappie: Capt. Josh Thornton reports, “Lake Lanier’s crappie are showing increased activity as water temperatures fall into the mid to low 50s. Recent rainfall has concentrated these fish into larger schools, making for excellent opportunities to land some large crappie. This week’s successful fishing spots have been in depths ranging from 5 to 15 feet above a deeper bottom of 20 to 40 feet. Crappie minnows have proven to be the most effective bait, accounting for more than 75% of the catch. To maximize your chances of a rewarding fishing experience on Lake Lanier, consider equipping yourself with high-quality gear. A one-piece ACC Crappie Stix rod and reel, paired with 4- or 6-lb. test K9 line, provides excellent sensitivity and control. For enhanced precision and fish location, a Garmin LiveScope, ideally protected with a sonar shield cover, is highly recommended.”