Lake Lanier Fishing Report November 16 2018 | Sponsored by Hayes Automotive
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, it’s hard to believe we are that far into 2018. I hope you have some time off and get to enjoy friends, family, and of course some fishing added in for good measure! So, I came back to Lanier to find very different conditions, what a difference a week makes! Rising lake levels, up to 1071.53, .53 over full pool, as of Thursday, and falling surface temps, down to 60 as of Thursday afternoon. It looks like we get a little reprieve from lasts weeks weather heading into the weekend, with the long term forecasts calling for moderating weather beginning this Saturday before a return to more rain and overcast conditions beginning Thanksgiving Day.
STRIPED BASS
The Striper bite still has the components of the last report, with some new twists added in. The downline bite is still good, find the big schools of deep bait and if you see any fish in or around the bait send down the downlines. Herring, Trout, and Small Gizzards are all effective on the downlines, and a mix of all of the above may be beneficial. Fishing over a 35 to 70 foot bottom has been the number, but anywhere you see the big concentrations of bait can be effective.
We still have the topwater stuff going on, this activity is generally the strongest in pre frontal/ overcast conditions, but you may see them even in full on sunshine. Up until now the bulk of the surface activity has been on the lower end, but more and more fish are showing up in the middle and upper parts of the lake and that trend may get stronger as the lake continues to cool. Smaller baits have been the most effective for casting to these fish, small jigs, spoons, the smaller Sebiles, or a Mini Mack are all good choices.
Umbrella rigs are also coming into to play, pulling the rigs in the back or middle parts of the creeks has been producing and is as always a good way to locate fish. The Capt. Mack’s 4 arm 9 bait buck tail rig will be the standard, start out with the rig 120 feet behind the boat, adjusting as needed. Troll around bait schools, over flats and points, or contour trolling over a 30 to 40 foot bottom should get the bite.
BASS
The Bass Bite has also been good, but expect changes here as well. We should have some stained water after this week, which once it moderates should be an asset. Of course the fish on the lower end, main lake will not experience that, and that shallow bite that has been so good will probably hold up for some time. The spinnerbait bite is still good, basically on well defined points with a long taper and rocks. Just fan cast the spinnerbait across the point, or if it is a physically big point just follow the contours of the point casting to the crest and down the sides. Areas where the shallow Threadfins are piled up that should also be a likely place to look. If it slicks off and the fish get picky, show ‘em a jig or a worm on the shakey and they should respond to that as well.
Fishing docks was a good pattern, and should get stronger with the cooling water. Concentrate on docks in the middle or backs of the creeks, depth varies from day to day so fish throughly from shallow too deep until you can pin them down to a depth. Of course, somedays that may not happen and you’ll catch fish shallow, deep and in between. Worms and jigs will get the bite especially on the deeper docks, but moving baits may also be effective on some of the shallower docks.
Creek channels and drains, patterns that are traditionally strong in November and December are also producing well. This pattern can also produce in a variety of depths, and there are some fish on these structures as deep as 50 feet. Sometimes fish in these types of areas will be roaming over along the channel, or relating to the bait schools, and may be over clean bottom. Of course any anomaly, a bend in the channel, stumps or rocks on the channel edge, is always a likely place to look, and working the timber edge is always a good strategy.Worms, jigs, and spoons are hard to beat for this pattern, but slow reeling a Steelshad or A Fish Head Spin can also be a great technique!
CRAPPIE
I am going to suspend the Crappie portion of the report until later this fall.
Good Fishing!
Capt. Mack
