The most up to date Lake Lanier  Striper Fishing Report on the web!!

Striper fishing remains to be good. Despite the cold temperatures and the wind the lake temperature really has not changed that much. The patter remains one of covering a lot of water with a variety of baits. Find the bait half way back to all the way back in the creeks. Start early with un weightedfree lines on four planner boards (two on each side) and two or three free lines behind the boat. Vary your length behind the boards and boat from 40 to 100 feet. Once the suns gets up weight your lines with 1 to 3 split shots. Also hang a couple of downrods over the side and vary the depth depending on the bait and the depth of the water. Vary your speed from .3 to 1.0 mile per hour. This will cause your baits to work better than being pulled at a constant speed. The Umbrella rig will work and can be used effectively to check out the creek channels. There are fish in every creek with a high concentration of bait. However, Four mile, Six mile and Flat creek are the go to creeks.

The most up to date Lake Lanier  Striper Fishing Report on the web!!

Striper fishing is good. The projected cold fronts should lower the lake temperature by a few degrees and continue to drive the bait further back into the creeks and onto flats. I continue to have better luck on smaller baits but I have gotten a few reports of medium  gizzards working. The key is to cover as much water as possible with a variety of baits from the middle of the creeks to all the way in the back. Start early with un weighted free lines on four planner boards (two on each side) and two or three free lines behind the boat.  Ince the suns gets up weight your lines. Also hang a couple of downrods over the side and vary the depth depending on the bait and the depth of the water. Vary your speed from .3 to 1.0 mile per hour. This will cause your baits to work better than being pulled at a constant speed. The Umbrella rig will work and can be used effectively to check out the creek channels. There are fish in every creek with a high concentration of bait. On the south end try the back of Six and Four mile creeks. Depending on the water temperature Flat Creek could fire up! There are some fish in Flat Creek now but if the water starts to cool into the mid 40′s they will show up in force. Ada and Gainesville creeks are good places to start on the north end.

The most up to date Lake Lanier  Striper Fishing Report on the web!!

Striper fishing is very good. Its February and the water temperature is in the low 50′s. I have never seen the lake water this warm in February. I have also never seen this much bait. There is plenty of bait 30 to 50 feet down over the river and creek channels. The river channel from Gainesville Marina to the Hwy 60 bridge is a prime example of deep water  bait. We are also seeing some bait starting to move into the back of the creeks over a 20 to 30 foot bottom. Ada and Gainesville Creek are good examples of what I will call shallow

Fred is having a good day!

bait. This has been a very good week for free lines. Un-weighted lines and lines with a single split shot fished 50 feet behind the boards and 100 feet behind the boat has out fished downrods. I have not had any luck graphing for groups of stripers. Instead I am pulling free lines and down rods  where I find the highest concentrations of bait fish. Small baits continue to your best bet. If you can throw the net get some Threadfin Shad and use those. If not, take some medium shiners, very small trout and small herring. Try any

Fred's day is getting better!

creeks with a large concentration of bait. Focus on the creeks and river channel from Flat Creek north to Wahoo. Holly Park area, Ada and Gainesville creek are good starting
places.

Check with US Army Corps of Engineers web site to find a list of the ramps that are open before going out. Due to the low lake level a significant number of ramps are closed.  Be sure to enter the correct elevation!

Ramp Status

Fred had a great ending to his trip!

The most up to date Lake Lanier  Striper Fishing Report on the web!!

Striper fishing is good. There are a good number of birds in the south end creeks from Six Mile Creek south to the dam. However, every time I have tried the south end creeks the birds have not been working and I have not been able to find any fish and very little bait. I think it is more of a social hang out for the birds than a feeding area. Your best bet is from Flat creek to the north end creeks. The backs of the creeks and the rivers are stained with all the rain and storms. Fish from the heavily stained water out to the mouth of the creeks. Spend some time finding the bait and fish only where you find high concentrations of bait.  The majority of the bait has been over the creek channels half way back in the creeks.  downsize your baits. If you can throw the net get some Threadfin Shad and use those. If not, take some medium shiners, very small trout and small herring. The downrod bite just
over the bait is your best bet. However, if you are searching an area put out a couple  weighted free lines and planner boards with your downrods. Keep your eyes open for birds and follow their lead. If they are diving at bait and you can get to the fish before they  disperse, throw a Mack Farr 1/2 oz bucktail with a small fluke trailer. You can also use a spinning rod to toss a small Herring or Threadfin on a weighted float into the center of the
activity. Keep your bait about three feet below the float. If the Birds are actively searching an area, set out a spread with weighted free lines and downrods. If the birds are sitting down and not working, ignore them and move on. You can also use Umbrella rigs to quickly search an area. However, check them often for pine straw and leaves picked up due to the rain and wind. Remember to keep your hook size matched to the size of your bait. Balus, Flat, and Short creek are good places to start mid lake. On the North end try Johnson, Lathem, Sardis, Wahoo and Little River.

Check with US Army Corps of Engineers web site to find a list of the ramps that are open before going out. Due to the low lake level a significant number of ramps are closed.  Be sure to enter the correct elevation!

Ramp Status

The most up to date Lake Lanier  Striper Fishing Report on the web!!

Striper fishing is very good. Not much has changed. Find the large c ontinuous strings of
bait half way back in the creek channel and fish there. This has been the key
for the last several weeks and will continue as long as the water temperatures
stay in the mid to high 40′s. Once the temperature drops to 45 degrees the fish
will be locked in on small baits. If you can throw the net get some Threadfin
Shad and use those. If not, downsize your baits to medium  shiners, trout fingerlings and small herring. The downrod bite just over the bait has been the ticket this week. Keep your
eyes open for birds and follow their lead. If they are diving at bait and you can get to the fish before they disperse, throw a Mack Farr 1/2 oz bucktail with a small fluke trailer. You can also use a spinning rod to toss a small Herring or Threadfin on a weighted float into the center of the activity. Keep your bait about three feet below the float. If the Birds are actively searching an area, set out a spread with baits 40 feet behind your boards, free  lines 80 to 100 feet back and a couple downrods. Try both weighted and non weighted free lines. You can also use Umbrella rigs to quickly search an area. When the sun gets up your best bet is to switch to downrods over bait half way back in the creeks. Remember to keep your hook size matched to the size of your bait. Balus and Flat creek are good places to start on the south end. On the North end try Johnson, Lathem, Wahoo and Little River

Check with US Army Corps of Engineers web site to find a list of the ramps that are open before going out. Due to the low lake level a significant number of ramps are closed.  Be sure to enter the correct elevation!

Ramp Status

The most up to date Lake Lanier  Striper Fishing Report on the web!!

Striper fishing is very good both in terms of size and  numbers. Not much has changed in  terms of technique. Find the large continuous strings of bait half way back in the creek  hannel and fish there. This has been the key for the last several weeks and will continue as long as the water temperatures stay in the mid to high 40′s.  The downrod bite just over the bait has been the ticket this week. However, there is a brief shallow water bite before the sun gets up. Keep your eyes open for birds and follow their lead. If they are diving at bait and you can get to the fish before they disperse, throw a Mack Farr 1/2 oz bucktail with a small fluke trailer. You can also use a spinning rod to toss a Herring, small Gizzard
Shad or Threadfin on a weighted float into the center of the activity. Keep your bait about three feet below the float. When a quality Striper nails the bait on the surface; hang on! If the Birds are actively searching an area, set out a spread with baits 40 feet behind your boards, free lines 80 to 100 feet back and a couple downrods. Try both weighted and non
weighted free lines. You can also use Umbrella rigs to quickly search an area. When the sun gets up your best bet is to switch to downrods over bait half way back in the creeks. If possible, take a variety of Herring, Trout and Gizzard shad to the lake. Remember to keep your hook size matched to the size of your bait. Flowery Branch, Six Mile, and Flat creek are good places to start on the south end.  On the North end try Johnson, Lathem, Little River and Sardis.

Check with US Army Corps of Engineers web site to find a list of the ramps that are open before going out. Due to the low lake level a significant number of ramps are closed.  Be sure to enter the correct elevation!

Ramp Status

The most up to date Lake Lanier  Striper Fishing Report on the web!!

Striper fishing is very good both in terms of size, numbers and species. Stripers, Spots,
Catfish, Large Mouth Bass, and Walleye are all biting free line and downrod Herring. It is not unusual to catch multiple species and sizes all out of the same area. Not much has changed in terms of technique. Find the large continuous strings of bait and fish there. Also, keep your eyes open for birds and follow their lead. If they are diving at bait and you can get to the fish before they disperse, throw a Mack Farr 1/2 oz bucktail with a small

"Lucky" Jack Barton with a solid Lanier striped Bass.

fluke trailer. You can also use a spinning rod to toss a Herring, small Gizzard Shad or Threadfin on a weighted float into the center of the activity. Keep your bait about three feet below the float. When a quality Striper nails the bait on the surface; hang on! If the Birds are actively searching an area, set out a spread with baits 40 feet behind your boards, free lines 80 to 100 feet back and a couple downrods. Try both weighted and non weighted free lines. You can also use Umbrella rigs to quickly search an area. In the absence of

Reed "O" Smith with a nice Lake Lanier Largemouth Bass.

birds, find the bait and set up a spread. When the sun gets up your best bet is to switch
to downrods from 17 to 30 feet down. Keep your downrods just over the bait. If possible, take a variety of Herring, Trout and Gizzard shad to the lake. Remember to keep your hook size matched to the size of your bait. Big Creek, Flowery Branch, Six Mile, and Flat creek are good places to start on the south end. On the North end try Wahoo, Little River and Sardis Creeks.

Check with US Army Corps of Engineers web site to find a list of the ramps that are open before going out. Due to the low lake level a significant number of ramps are closed.  Be sure to enter the correct elevation!

Ramp Status