LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 8.22 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & 51 DEGREES

Largemouth bass fishing has been slow and the cold weather has made getting strikes very tough. Almost any fishing needs to be really slow as the body of the bass all but shuts down in such cold water. But the fish still need to eat but not as often and they do not move very far to feed. Jigs and spoons are the typical winter lures and many anglers are really struggling to find and catch bass with these conditions. Most of the fish will be very inactive except on major or minor feeding periods so watch the Fish and Game Forecaster the rest of the month. The creeks mid lake around the Cheastee Bay are a few of the areas to look for the fish. In the bays around River Forks Park , look on and in the old creek bends and ditches for the bass. Docks around mid lake around Browns Bridge on the north side of the river are good docks all month. Avoid the muddy waters up both the rivers until the water warms. There are a few bass biting DT10 shad and hot mustard crank baits up above Clarks Bridge . Fish the left hand bank from the bridge 2 miles up the river. Pick rocky areas and go up there at lunch time.

Spotted bass are still biting and there are several techniques that can work. Spoons, drop shot rigs and jigs are great all year but especially in the colder waters. Use smaller sizes early in the day and then go to larger baits after noon. Pick some docks in the marinas down lake and use the Lowrance and find the drops at depths of 30 to 45 feet. These drops need to have a good well defined drop and the spots are holding right on the edges. Drop shot rigs with dark Zoom finesse worms are working and be sure to use the larger 3/8 ounce winker to get the baits deeper faster. Be sure to keep the line tight and use 10 pound Sufix Elite line on a spinning rod and reel. If there are any small jig head around the boat, try a live night crawler on a ¼ ounce lead head jig. Small to medium shiners will also work use keep you line tight to feel the light strikes. Spoons in the ½ and ¾ ounce sizes are still deadly and Flex It's in whites, blue/white, and all chartreuse are the choices. Points around Little Hall Park are good areas to look for deep spots. The water is a little stained in the area but spots will take small spoons or a green cut tail Yamamoto worm on a 3/16 ounce sinker and a Texas rig in 35 to 50 feet of water. Some spots are still right in the tops of the trees in the middle of the lower lake creeks. Look in ninety feet of water with trees coming up to the 50 or 45 feet range. Drop a Flex it spoon right on their heads. The mouth of Six Mile Creek where Four Mile comes out has a large stand of trees out past the small island.

Striper fishing is fair and the best bite is in Flat Creek in front of Mountain View ramp. All of Flat Creek is worth fishing even back to the mouth of Balus. The south lake has been fair with some fish in Flat Creek from midway to the mouth holding at depths mentioned above. There are a few scattered fish around Little Hall Park and in Gainesville Creek around the power lines. Above Little Hall Park there are some fish around the Nix Bridge landing area. Just follow the gulls. Look around Holly Park down to Lanier Bridge and check the mouth of Sardis Creek and Ada Creek also as there have been some fish in there. Umbrella rigs have slowed down a little so be prepared to down line. If you want to troll, use the 4-arm version. A good way to start is to begin trolling the rig 100 feet behind the boat then adjust your depth according to the fish you are marking on your finder. Use bait in all of these areas. Gizzard shad, large minnows, trout and herring fair. Trout has been the best live bait. Down lining has out produced free lining all week. Most of the fish are going to be between a wide range of depths anywhere from 15 to 35 feet deep with the majority between 20 to 35. Down line your bait just above the fish. Just watch the birds and they will give it away. The Hopkins and Flex-it spoons have also been producing better this week working the spoons vertically over the school while down lining live bait.

Crappie fishing is slow unless you find the right docks in the creek down lake. Use small jigs on 1/32 ounce lead heads and doodle the baits on 4 pound Sufix line to get the bites.

WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 7.1 FEET & 53 DEGREES AND STAINED

Bass fishing is fair. Several patterns are working right now for large mouth and spots. One is crank baits on main lake points hitting numerous points and fishing a large area. The best depth is 12 to 15 feet. Vertical jigging 23 to 25 feet deep with a 1/2 ounce to 3/4 ounce spoon can be good if you can find some clear water try the mouth of Yellow Jacket Creek for a mile upstream and also fish Wehadkee Creek, Veasey Creek and Stroud Creek with the clearer waters. Try slow rolling a white and chartreuse half ounce spinner bait around rip rap at the bridges. This time of year look for rock on points and in coves as the rocks tend to attract bait fish which attract bigger fish during the colder months.

Hybrids and whites are schooling and chasing shad especially in the Yellow Jacket Creek area of the lake. Watch for diving sea gulls and you are sure to find hybrids pushing shad to the top and feeding on them. Rooster tails, sassy shad, buck tail jigs, and spoons are the best baits. Trolling shad raps is one of the best patterns for catching hybrids during this cold spell.

Crappie are suspended in 12 to 15 feet of water in the mouths of creeks and on the main lake points. Troll jigs or minnows over these areas to catch a mess of the best eating fish on the lake.

LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 16.8 FEET, 49 DEGREES AND STAINED

Bass fishing is fair early and late but day fishing has been a struggle for many. During the day the high sun pushes the bass into the deeper cover. Early and late try small shad crank baits and finesse worms in the creeks and around docks. Up the rivers use a jig and pig or a Zoom Creepy Crawler in dark reds or pumpkinseed. The pumpkinseed Zoom U tail worms on 2-foot Carolina rig on points are fair but move a lot. Work soft lures or live baits slowly. And never forget your Flex It spoons this month. Spotted bass are fair and small green or motor oil worms or live bait around the main lake marinas is barely fair. Day time fishing is slow and cold nights and high winds have hampered efforts. Stay on the points on the main lake with a small Zoom finesse worms in greens on a Texas rig and brass and glass. Be sure to have a drop show with a Basstrix plastic on the hook.

Line sides fishing is good and the is stained from one end to the other. Finding clear water is the ticket. Start with the free lines and pl ann er boards in the morning and late afternoon go to down lines in the middle of the day. As the water starts to clear fishing should get better. Expect the number to be down but the quality is good. Trolling is still working and the best times seems to be mid day.

Copyright 2006, Southern Fishing Schools Inc. call us to set up a school “Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass”. See our web site, www.havefunfishing.com for more details or call us right away, 770-889-2654.