Lake Lanier Fishing Report – November 2009

Lanier: Level: 0.7 feet above full pool. Temp: Mid to high 60s. Clarity: Clear.

Spotted Bass: Good. Ryan Coleman reports, “Fishing has really been up and down over the past few weeks. The water came up very fast, and then the sudden drop in temps has confused the fish and the fishermen. There are a lot of spotted bass that have moved to the backs of the small creeks and are feeding on threadfins in 15 to 25 feet of water. Look for them around the last few docks or right out in the middle of the creeks in 20 feet of water. Once you find these guys, just drop a green worm rigged on a jig head down on them. You can also work these areas early in the morning with a Fish Head Spin until the sun comes out. The main-lake fish are feeding well on bluebacks right now in the 20- to 30-foot range. I have been having some good luck on a lipless crankbait, spinnerbait and jerkbait worked on big, rock, main-lake points. Work these areas fast, and then move on to the next point. Once you hit a good area, you should be able to catch multiple fish off each area. If the points have brush in 20 feet of water, they will more than likely have fish on them. Look for the fish to really eat the jerkbait up the next week or so as the water starts to drop in the lower 60s. If you are looking for a big fish, try a topwater thrown across the points and humps. You will not get a lot of bites, but the ones you do hook up with will be grown ones.”

Largemouths: Fair. Guide Billy Boothe said the fish are widely scattered now that the lake has filled, flooding miles and miles of shoreline bushes and grass. “The key is to find differences, like where ditches come in or there’s a laydown — anything that breaks the monotony. Throw a jig, and let it fall into the grass, and then pop it out,” Billy said. He recommends a 9/16-oz. green pumpkin/green Tabu jig with a green pumpkin twin-tail trailer. “Another thing to try is burning a 1/2-oz. spinnerbait with double willowleaf blades over the tops of the flooded grass, or do the same with a Mann’s Baby Waker in chartreuse.” Billy said there’s also a decent dock bite using a watermelon-seed Senko skipped under the floats.

Stripers: Good. Mike Maddalena reports, “Turn-over has begun. The baitfish are moving into the mouths of the creeks, and the stripers are following the baitfish from their deep-water summer homes on the south end of the lake to the mouths of the creeks. The fish are also starting to move north as the lake continues to cool. There is a good amount of surface action occurring. These fish will take a Spook, Chug Bug, Magic Swimmer, Red Fin, Sammy or small Capt. Mack’s jig with a fluke trailer. My favorites are the Red Fin and Magic Swimmer. Most of the surfacing activity is occurring during the first two hours and the last two hours of daylight, though on cloudy days it is possible at any time. Gizzards, small trout and herring are all catching fish, primarily on freelines and planer boards. Some fish are beginning to be caught pulling shallow on points, humps and flats. The mouths of creeks to midway back are the best areas to look. You can catch fish on a downline, but it’s tough as the fish are moving very quickly. If you mark them and shoot a bait down quickly, you’ll get bit. The U-rig bite is exceptionally strong this year. Pull a Capt. Mack’s four-arm rig fished 100 to 120 feet out over an 18- to 20-foot bottom. Points and humps with brush are your best bet. Look for the night bite to pick up this month with a Long A Bomber fished on points and reef markers. As the lake continues to cool, expect the fish to disperse farther up lake and to continue their move to the shallows. Mid November to late December is an excellent time to get a fish big up on the shallows. The fronts will become more important, so try to get out just before or as they’re moving in.”