Fishing Reports

This archived fishing reports are courtesy of Shane Watson Guide Service. To find out more about them, please click here. The very latest fishing report is available by clicking here.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report - Surfacing Stripers

Friday, 26 February 2010 15:45

Lake Lanier Stripers The stripers have been up boiling on the surface most every morning since my last report.

We've caught all of our fish on freelined medium shiners, white Fat Albert grubs on a leadhead, and on white bucktails with a white hyper striper tail. These fish have been boiling on the surface and sub-surface about a foot under the water. Sometimes you will see a big visible swirl, sometimes it will be a slight boil as the fish are not always making it to the top. They are feeding on small shad, that are trying to come to the surface before dieing.

Slick calm pockets in the middle to the rear of creeks are where we are seeing most of these fish. The seagulls are more of a distraction right now than anything else, as they are picking up random shad kill. You will see them everywhere picking up single baits and flying on. You want to see them pounding the water, hovering, and staying in a tight group.

This is when they have fish under them. Most of the single boiling fish that we are catching have no birds with them. The store got in a big load of medium shiners this morning and they also have all the jigs and white grubs that you will need for casting.

This report is brought to you by Shane Watson Guide Service www.lakelanierstripers.com and Hammond's Fishing Center. Good Fishing.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report - Miami Boat Show

Friday, 19 February 2010 14:38

Shane Watson Guide Service Report (02-17-10).

Dwayne and I spent most of the last week in Miami for my boat sponsor Carolina Skiff - Sea Chaser.

The weather was warm and the boat show was crowded. It was nice once again, to see warm weather and a thriving economy.

While we were gone, I had boats out on guide trips and they said everything was about the same. Freelined medium shiners, shad body u-rigs, and casting bucktails are your best producers.

There are stripers in the backs to the middle of most creeks and in the backs of pockets. Look for the birds diving and keep moving. The north and south end are about equal right now.

This report is brought to you by Shane Watson Guide Service and Hammond's Fishing Center. Good Fishing.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report

Lake Lanier Stripers in Usual Winter Locations

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 11:35

Shane Watson Guide Service Report (01-10-10).

Nothing much has changed on the striper fishing on Lake Lanier. Downlined bluebacks and small trout fished 30 feet deep and shad body u-rigs fished 120 to 130 feet out are working best on my boat. I have been fishing mostly up the lake the last couple of weeks and the fish are in most of the usual winter locations. Look in the deeper pockets just off the main lake and the entire lengths of the creeks up north.

Some days they are rolling on top at daylight in the backs of creeks and the next morning they might be all the way out at the creek mouths down 30 feet deep. The seagulls are up flying early and late most days. There are fish in the popular mid-lake wintertime creeks, but expect a lot of boats. I've got a couple of jig fishing trips coming up and I am going to head down south and sight fish for the boiling stripers that are down there. This pattern was working well 2 weeks ago before we headed north in search of better numbers of trolling and downline fish. I will let everyone know on my next report how the jig fishing bite is going.

Overall, the striper fishing has been up and down. You might catch 20 to 30 stripers one morning and have to work for two or three the next. That's just the nature of wintertime striper fishing. It can be some of the best fishing you will ever do, depending on the day. Over the next 120 days or so, you will see the biggest stripers of the year caught on Lake Lanier. We do catch big stripers thru out the year, but historically the next 120 days or so, are when most of the 30 pound plus fish are caught.

On another note, the new store should be opening within the next couple of weeks. Current inventory is now being placed and new inventory is being added in the process. It is really turning out great. The current location is still open regular hours daily. All items are readily available during this moving process. We will be happy to assist you in anyway. This report is brought to you by Shane Watson Guide Service (www.lakelanierstripers.com) and Hammond's Fishing Center. Good Fishing and We Appreciate Your Business.

Lake Lanier Fishing

Lake Lanier Striper Fishing Report. Jigs and Freelines for Lake Lanier Stripers

Monday, 01 February 2010 22:33

Lake Lanier Fishing Report Shane Watson Guide Service Report (01-29-10).

Since my last report, we’ve had some great jig fishing at times. We’ve also had some great freelining when the fish have been active and up in the water column. These patterns have worked best early morning and late afternoon before the passing of a cold front. After a front passes or if the fish are down, shad body umbrella rigs are your best bet.

There a lot of birds mid-lake and south, some on the main lake and some in the creeks. Keep moving until you find some active fish or active seagulls with and without loons for better numbers. If you can’t find any active fish or birds, pull your freelines around the bank and cast a white leadhead fluke or a white 3/8 or 1/2 oz bucktail, to as many points, banks, and boat docks as you can. Don’t be afraid to cast up into a foot or two of water. There are some big, loner stripers to be caught on a jig right now that are up cruising the bank. Use a white fluke trailer, a white hyper striper tail, or a white Fat Albert grub on your bucktail for best results.

Most of the time, you won’t see these big fish rolling, you want even know they are there until they slam your jig. This report is brought to you by Shane Watson Guide Service www.lakelanierstripers.com and Hammond’s Fishing Center. Good Fishing.

Bluebacks, Bucktails, and Flukes for Lake Lanier Stripers

Monday, 28 December 2009 06:50

Shane Watson Guide Service Report (12-27-09). The stripers continue to move futher on back in the creeks and further up the lake. We have done well on freelined bluebacks, white bucktails, and white leadhead flukes. They have been biting bluebacks better for me than trout. Look for the birds diving and the fish rolling.

Capt. Mack's u-rigs are also working well most days when the fish are deeper. Downlines are hit or miss at best. You will mark alot of fish when downlining right now, but they are slower to bite. You will have much better success in the winter time, if you will troll u-rigs thru these big groups of deeper fish. I am not saying you won't catch some deeper fish on downlines, but your numbers and action will be much better if you will troll.

We are seeing a good sight fishing bite on bucktails and leadhead flukes casting to single rolling fish. This method is one of my favorites as it takes a good accurate cast and presentation to catch these surfacing fish. Most of these surfacing stripers will be 15 pounds and bigger. These rolling fish have also bit freelined bluebacks very well. This sight fishing bite will last all winter. Overall, the striper fishing is very good on Lake Lanier.

The lake is full and the weather has been good for fishing most days. This report is brought to you by Shane Watson Guide Service www.lakelanierstripers.com and Hammond's Fishing Center. Good Fishing and Happy New Year.

Lake Lanier Fishing Report