Late Winter report 2012
Report by Eric Aldrich.

Water Conditions: Water temperatures are still holding steady at around 50 degrees. The lake level continues to improve and Lake Lanier is at 1062.6 which is only 8.4 feet below a full pool of 1071. I predict we will be at full pool in two months if the spring rains come as usual. Lake Lanier is clear on main lake and stained to heavily stained in the creeks. The Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam is clear. Check generation schedules before heading out to the river @ 770-945-1466.

Bass: The Bass fishing has been awesome for anglers that fish several times a week while some of the weekend warriors are either doing well or struggling a little. February is one of the best time to catch a trophy spotted or largemouth bass. The bass are feeding heavily in preparation for the spring spawn and the female bass are full of eggs.  These factors increase a fishes’ size. These prespawn bass will roam around in different locations both deep and shallow. Keep an open mind and let the fish and your angling style dictate the most productive way to fish.

The shallow water bite continues to be very good for this time of year. You can fish the docks and catch a limit of keepers in a few hours. We worked docks earlier this week and were able to pattern the fish because all of our bites came from 5 to 20 feet deep on the shady sides of the docks. Most of our bites came on the initial fall of our jig head worms but we also caught our better fish between the docks on Jigs, Little John Deep Diving crank baits and McStick and McRip jerk baits. Often landowners will sink brush on the sides of their docks so make sure to tap into these lesser fished areas in between.

There is also a good deep bite happening off the deep bluff walls and also out in the standing timber from 30 to 50 feet depths. These deeper bass are bigger than average sizes so they are worth a try. Your electronics are key tools when targeted deep water bass. A lot of the time you may not see the actual fish but you can target the deeper ditch a creek channels to locate fish holding structure and the cover on that structure. Use a Jig, Spoon or a drop shot rig and fish directly below the boat while paying attention to your graph. Side Imaging will greatly increase your ability to see and mark the spot on the spot!
Stripers: The warmer water is allowing the stripers to roam both shallow and deep. Some anglers are reporting catching good fish in less than 10 foot deep next to the banks with live bait on planner boards while others are fishing down lines from 15 to 30 feet deep for the fish that are off shore. The stripers are active and are scattered everywhere from up in the Chattahoochee and Chestatee River on down as far as the back of Baldridge and around the dam.
Most of the fish I have seen have been towards the back of the creeks and also in coves off main lake. These fish will eat a variety of live bait and lures. The gulls will give away the shallow fish while the loons and gulls may giveaway fish down below the surface. I watch the birds a lot because the eat shad and blueback herring that areas driven to the surface by feeding stripers.
Many guides and avid anglers work a flat line and planner board combo. The average rig consists of running two flat lines (just a hook and baitfish with no weight) directly behind the boat while also using a planner board out to the left and right of the boat. This set up gives the angler an advantage by cover a much wider area plus the planner boards get the baits up shallow where stripers’ coral bait against the banks. This set up also allows those same anglers to cast lures from the front of the boat.
If you locate your stripers deeper than a down line may work best. A down line is basically the same thing as a Carolina Rig- a hook and bait on a 3 foot leader tied to a swivel with a 1 ounce sinker placed above it. If you see arcs or wavy lines and bait below your boat you can quickly drop it down to the exact level where you mark fish.
Whichever method you use make sure to secure your rods in quality rod holders. I remember one day while pulling live bait behind my john boat as a teenager when a big fish ripped the rod, reel and even my cheap rod holder directly out of my boat. My heart sank as I watched it skip across the surface before it sank but it was a valuable lesson!
The Umbrella Rig bite has also been very good this winter. Select a rig with Bucktails or Swimbaits that will run 10-15 feet deep and run your boat at around 2 miles an hour. Once you catch a fish trolling then make sure to go back over the same area several times before moving on.
Crappie: Crappie fishing is actually very good but you may have to work some deeper areas. Some of the crappie up lake may be located in as little as 5 feet deep but most of the better fish are 10-15 feet deep. Continue to troll crappie jigs tipped with a live minnow or Micro Spoons directly behind your boat.

Trout: Trout fishing is decent below Buford Dam and up in the Wildlife Management Areas. Continue to use earthworms where permitted by law or Rapalas, Rooster Tails and Mepps Spinners around and below the rapids. Rapids provide both oxygen and a little heat and this is where a lot of trout will remain in winter. Fly fishing with Midges or Gnats is working fair on the river and up in the mountains.

Bank Fishing: Crappie fishing around the bridges and docks with brush towards the backs of the creeks is good right now. Keep an open mind and if you don’t get a bite them move a little on down the bank until you find the honey hole. Once you catch one there should be plenty more in the same area!

Eric Aldrich is an outdoor writer, marketing specialist and bass angler. Reports are based on personal experience and permission from a close network of friends. I would love to hear from our readers so please email me at esaldrich@yahoo.com or visit my website at aldrichfishing.com or lakelanierfishing.info. Remember to take a kid fishing!23768423

Lake Lanier has some huge spotted bass. I have caught spots up to 7 plus pounds and there are larger ones in the lake.

In 2011 the large mouth bass population seems to be as healthy as I can remember in almost 40 years I have fished Lake Lanier!
We caught more large mouth bass in 2011 than I had caught in the previous 3-4 years.