Lake level is at 1070.22 (.78 feet below full pool) with water temps in the low to mid 80s and clear water conditions from the dam up thru the middle of the lake. The summer pattern on Lake Lanier is setting up and getting better every day. This pattern means big schools of fish from Flat Creek south all the way to the dam. In the mornings you will find these fish in pockets and coves in the major creeks like Flowery Branch, Two Mile, Six Mile, Big, and Shoal Creeks as well as pockets on the main lake like between Vann’s Tavern and Port Royale, both sides of Shady Grove campground, and Cocktail Cove. Look in these areas in 40-60 feet of water on your Humminbird Helix or Solix with both your down and side imaging. Pay close attention to fish in the trees all the way to the bottom. Most of these pocket fish will be caught close to the bottom so look for an area that doesn’t have a lot of trees, so that you can get your herring down there to them. Once you find a school of fish, downlines will be the go to live bait technique. Your setup should be a 1.5-2 oz lead, 6-8’ of 10-12# fluorocarbon leader, finishing with a #1 or #2 Gamakatsu Circle or Octopus hook attached to an Okuma Coldwater line counter loaded with 15-17# mono on an Okuma Striper rod. This setup will get your fragile bait down thru the hot water fast and allow him to swim around without dragging around an oversized hook and heavy leader. Fresh and frisky bait will get you bit, so make sure you take enough as you will be changing out baits every 5 minutes or so. Last year we caught a lot of fish on free lines behind the boat and this year is shaping up to be the same. This set up is a 7.5 foot medium action Okuma Reflections spinning rod with a 3000 class Okuma Helios SX loaded with 20 pound braid with a 4-5 foot 10# Tatsu leader attached to the braid with an Alberto knot with a #5 split shot on the line and a #2 Gamakatsu Circle hook at the end. Pitch your herring out behind the boat 35-40 feet and set it in a Stealth QR2 rod holder (the absolutely most secure and versatile rod holder around) and wait for that drag to scream. When this bait drifts down and under your rear down rods go ahead and reel it in and pitch it back out behind the boat. The big schools of fish that you will encounter this month will also readily hit a power reeled bait like a Capt Mack’s 2 oz buck tail with a 6” curl tail trailer in white or chartreuse, or the Boss Hawg spoon in Nickel or Nickel/Silver Scale. Lanier’s lead core and down rigger trolling season as well starts in July. Lead core will be best pulling at 2.5-3 mph with 6-8 colors out and when using your downrigger put your baits 50-75 feet behind the ball that is set 20-30 feet down. Your best bets to pull on lead core will be the new Capt Mack’s/ Striper Tackle Super Spin Shad in 1 or 1.5 oz White/White, White/Glow, or Chartreuse/Chartreuse, or the Fat Hawg spoon in Nickel, Nickel/Silver Scale, Pearl, or Pearl/Blue Scale. All of these artificial baits are available at Oakwood Bait and Tackle as well as the best live bait on the lake.
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Call us at 678-300-4865 to book your Striper Experience!