Lake Lanier Fishing Report November 2014

Lanier: Level: 2.8 feet below full pool. Temp: High 60s. Clarity: Lightly stained in the backs of the creeks, and clear on the main lake both north and south.

Spotted Bass: Good. Guide and tournament pro Ryan Coleman reports, “The lake is turning over all throughout the lake. The areas of turnover pretty much changes every day. Keep your eyes open for clear water, and you will have your best success there. This nonsense should be over by the middle to late part of November, so just hold on a few weeks. The fishing has remained pretty good. I am still catching a few on top, but that bite should slowly taper off as we roll into November. Look for the swimming-style baits to dominate along with the bottom fishing. I am doing very good right now on underspins rigged with either a Zoom Swimming Super Fluke Jr. or a Reaction Innovations small Skinny Dipper slowly reeled over brush and structure on points and humps. I am also getting a lot of bites, and probably my best fish on a 3/8-oz. Green Pearl SpotSticker jig swam over the same areas. I am taking the green-pearl jig and removing the weed guard, trimming the skirt just a little and then putting a small swimbait body on the back as a trailer. Rig it on 12- or 14-lb. Seaguar fluorocarbon line, and swim it slowly in 10 to 15 feet of water over the brush. In the mornings, I am getting some good fish on a 3/4-oz. white-bladed Mini-Me spinnerbait working on points and rocky bluff banks. This is an early bite and is great for a kicker fish. If the wind gets up during the day, you can also get this bite. You don’t need the wind in the mornings, but once the sun comes up, it is over without it. Look for some fish to start to move out deep during the mid part of November. Your best bet here will be a jigging spoon, jig-head worm or brown living rubber SpotSticker jig worked in the timber. I have been catching a few like this already, but it won’t get good for another week or so.”

Stripers: Good. Capt. Mike Maddalena reports, “We are still fishing the south end of the lake, but we have had some good reports of fish being caught on the north end and up the rivers. Reef markers, points and humps continue to hold fish and are good places to start. The bad news is the topwater bite has not materialized like we had hoped, and we’re not sure why. However, keep a Capt. Mack’s 1/2-oz. bucktail jig with a fluke and a topwater bait tied on as the topwater bite could kick in this week. Freeline herring pulled at 0.5 mph with downrods set at 20 feet on points is your best bet. The umbrella rig is also working when pulled over the same points and reef markers you are bait fishing. Target 30- to 40-foot bottom with your rigs at 3 mph. Check your umbrella rigs often, as leaves and pine straw will run down your line and hang up on your rig. The night Bomber bite is here. Look for the fish to pull into the creeks and above Browns Bridge as we move through November. Birds will start showing up soon. Flatlines and planers boards will begin to be productive.”