Lake Sidney Lanier Striper Fishing Report  08/08/2012

Striper fishing is very good. The fish are in the river and creek channels from Browns Bridge to the Dam. The afternoon bite is still your best bet as the fish are holding tight to the trees just off the river and creek channels from morning to early afternoon. Tolling lead core line back 8 to 9 colors continues to be the most productive. It is also a great way

Ryan, with the first striper of the day!

 to search for the large schools and pick up a single fish at the same time.  Tip your lead core with 40 feet of 20 pound fluorocarbon line and a  1 oz. Captain Mack’s buck tail jig with a 4 inch shad body in white or chartreuse. Vary your speed from 2.7 mph to 3.8mph. Downriggers will also work and will allow you to pull below 30 feet and reach those deep fish in the river channel. When you find a school of fish you can continue to troll or you can stop and fish Blueback Herring on down rods. Vary your down rod depth from 35 to 80 feet. If the 35 to 40 foot fish will not bite try fishing under them from the 50 to 100 feet.

Lots of smiles from a great day on Lake Lanier

 Stripers love to chase their bait and lively bait is critical. Consider changing your bait every 15 minutes. Keep a 2 ounce Captain Mack’s buck tail jig handy for power reeling for those stubborn fish that will not eat. Tip the jig with a herring and drop it below the fish and “burn it” back up through the school. You can often trigger a bite that will “fire up” the entire school.