Lake Lanier Fishing Report – November 2006

Lanier: Level: 9.6 feet below full pool. Temps: 66-67 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Spotted Bass: Excellent, and the good fishing should continue through the month, according to guide and tournament pro Ryan Coleman. “I have been having great success on Super Spooks on top and Xcalibur jerkbaits around windy points,” he said. The spots are holding 20 to 30 feet deep right now, but they’ll start to move to the creek mouths soon. “Have your jigging spoon ready,” Ryan said. “As these fish start to school up in the creeks, use your electronics to locate and catch them. For now, fish are still in a late summer, early fall pattern and are eating good. A Spotsticker hand-poured worm rigged on a jighead or drop shot is the bait of choice right now for numbers. You can also catch some big fish on this bait. I am using the RC watermelon pearl color and key lime pie. For the big fish, try a Spook or jerkbait. As these windy, fall days come in, have a 3/4-oz. white Mini-Me spinnerbait rigged and work it on these main-lake points. It’s tough to hold your boat out there, but this is a great way to catch a magnum spot on Lanier during the fall.”

Stripers: The baitfish are beginning to congregate at the mouths of the major creeks, and the stripers, as always, are found near the bait. Look for stripers and bait to be relating to the main channels. The south end of the lake has been good, particularly Shoal, Flat, and Mud creeks. Flatlines and planer-board rigs fished with live shad or blueback herring will produce this month. Schooling activity will be getting started this month, so look for the gulls and watch the water for surface activity. This month will see a good Bomber bite at night. After dark, slowly retrieve a Long A Bomber along main-lake islands and off reef markers.