Lake Lanier Fishing Report May 2014

Lanier: Level: 0.6 above full pool. Temp: 62-67 degrees. Clarity: The clarity is fine but not as clear as normal with all the rain and pollen.

Spotted Bass: Good. Guide and tournament pro Ryan Coleman reports, “There are a good many of the spotted bass that have spawned, but a big quantity that will spawn during May. The smaller fish in the creeks are up there doing it, but the big females on the main lake will do the deed in May. Happens every year, and this year is no exception. Look for those big girls to move up on the reef poles and shallow rocky points as we roll into May and the water continues to warm. I am catching a few out there right now, but it will get much better. I’m working finesse worms on jig heads shallow for some numbers, but the bigger fish are holding in a little deeper water. Swimbaits over brush on the main lake along with jerkbaits have been strong during April. Look for that to hold true in May, as well. I am working a Bull Herring swimbait out over the brush on sunny days as well as a Megabass Vision 110 plus. These two baits have been great for the brush. On cloudy days or windy days, I have been working a 1/2- or 3/4-oz. Mini-Me spinnerbait with painted blades out on the main-lake points and around sandy areas where the herring are spawning. This has started in the mid-lake area this week and should continue through the middle to end of May. Early in the mornings, work the spinnerbait over those areas, and hold on. During the middle of the day, there has been a pretty good dock bite on a 3/16-oz. jig head with a Swamp Crawler rigged on it. This bite will remain strong for a few more weeks until the fish make the move out on the main lake for good. I have also been getting some fish up on top in the mornings with a Buckeye wake bait and a small walking bait like a Spook Jr. or Sammy 100. That time is here, so don’t be afraid to throw your topwater baits.”

Largemouth: Good. Guide and tournament pro Billy Boothe reports, “There are largemouth in all three phases of the spawn right now. Cover water with a yellow Zoom Trick Worm until you come across a bed. Once a bed is located, make repeated pitches with a pearl-white Berkley Havoc Rocket Craw or a green-pumpkin Senko. Around the full moon in mid May, look for a big shad spawn around shallow rocky points and rip-rap. Work a 5/16-oz. white-and-silver War Eagle finesse spinnerbait and a smoky-joe Mann’s Three For All around the balls of bait. As more and more fish finish the spawning ritual, look for the topwater bite to really pick up. A white War Eagle buzzbait and a sexy-shad Strike King KVD Popper will be hard to beat.”

Stripers: Guide Mike Maddalena reports, “Striper fishing remains up and down. Good one day, and not so good the next day. The key is on bright sunny days, try to get your fish early. Once the sun gets high in the sky, the fishing gets tough. On cloudy days with some wind, the bite can last all day. The fish have moved up shallow on points and flats from halfway back to all the way back in the creeks. Cover as much water as possible with planner boards and freelines. Set your bank-side board 10 to 15 feet back, and increase the distance behind your deeper-water boards. Add a split shot to a couple of lines to cover as much of the water column as possible. I have been using mostly herring but have had some reports of success with trout and gizzard shad. I am not marking many single fish and no multiples. Don’t bother trying to mark fish just keep baits in the water. I have not had any reports of topwater action, but we should see some action within the next week or two. Again, the key is keeping baits in the water and pull flats and points. There are fish in every creek from the south end to the north end. Try not to fish with a lot of other boats. The fish are very spooky, and if someone catches a fish, the odds are the other fish will move out of the area.”