Lake Lanier Fishing Report November 2011

Lanier: Level: 10.9 feet below full pool. Temp: Mid to upper 60s. Clarity: Clear.

Spotted Bass: Very good. Ryan Coleman reports, “The recent cool down has thrown us full into the fall patterns. Fish are all over the place in depth, as I am finding fish in 2 feet of water and 50 feet of water. We have been doing very well early in the morning on white Mini-Me spinnerbaits fished fast on main-creek points as well as a jerkbait worked fairly quickly over these same points. As the sun gets up, you can catch some good numbers of fish as well as some very big fish up around the shallow boat docks with a green worm rigged on a 3/16-oz. Spotsticker jig head or a Yamamoto Hula Grub rigged on a stand-up jighead. There are also a good many fish in fairly shallow water, 10 to 15 feet, on rocky secondary points throughout the lower end creeks. Late last week, we found some good fish out deep and worked spoons on them for a pretty good day. There are a lot of small fish out deep, but the big boys are sure to follow. This is pretty typical for us in the fall during and after the turnover. Look for the swimbait bite to pick up in early November as the water temps stabilize then more of a deep bite as November rolls through.”

Largemouths: Very good. Billy Boothe reports, “If you put the time in right now, you can catch some nice largemouths. The topwater bite has been fantastic, and on the days when the bass are aggressive, you can fish them all day long. I’m mainly using two baits, a 3/8-oz. sexy shad War Eagle buzzbait and a ghost blue shad Lucky Craft G Splash 65. I’m fishing the buzzbait back in the pockets around any isolated cover and throwing the G Splash on secondary points and at any busting fish. As the water temp continues to fall, look for the spinnerbait bite to really pick up. If I only had one lure to use in November for Lanier largemouths, it would be a 1/2-oz. white-and-gold War Eagle spinnerbait with a single Colorado blade. The reason I like that combo so much is it mimics a dazed shad or herring when waked under the surface, and the strikes are vicious. It’s not a bait you’re going to get a ton of bites on, but the bites you do get will be quality ones. Look for flats and shallow water with a ditch or depression, and try to wake the blade right down the edge of the drop. If we get any nasty cold fronts or the shallow bite just isn’t happening, target rocky secondary points with a 1/2-oz. brown War Eagle football jig or an American shad Lucky Craft CB 350.”

Stripers: Excellent. Big Fish On guide Mike Maddalena reports, “The lake is turning over, and the stripers are dispersing from their deep-water south-end pattern to creek mouths lakewide. The fish are schooling and chasing bait to the surface during the first two hours of the morning on bright sunny days. On cloudy overcast days, the surface activity can last all day. Red Fins, Spooks and Capt. Mack’s jigs with a fluke trailer will all work on these surfacing fish. The bait is shallow, consequently, herring, trout and gizzard shad on planner boards and freelines pulled over points and flats will work the entire month. As the month progresses, the fish will begin to move from the mouth of the creeks to halfway back in the creeks. If you mark suspended fish, live bait on downrods is your best approach. The umbrella rig is a great search tool that allows you to cover a lot of water and will pick up an extra fish over deeper water, especially on those bright sunny days. Keep your eye on the weather, as November is notorious for cold fronts. If possible, time your fishing to just before or as a front is moving in. We have seen some Bomber night fishing success. However, the lake level is down, and projected to continue to be lower during November. Be safe, and use caution if you are out after dark. Be sure to check that your planned launch location is still open by using the Lake Lanier Boat Ramp Calculator at <www.sam.usace.army.mil/lanier/BoatRampElevations.htm>. Shane Watson Guide Service reports, “The topwater striper bite on Lake Lanier has been good the past few weeks. We have caught many stripers up to 20 pounds on bone Super Spooks, Spro Dawgs and on Redfins. The blowups on the Redfin the last few days have been amazing. We are seeing some good schools on top most mornings and afternoons. We are also doing well on the Redfin while blind casting to points and humps. Freelined bluebacks fished around the schools of busting fish are also working for those folks that don’t like to cast.”