Be sure to go to www.havefunfishing.com on Friday, February 23, 2007 when we start “The Have Fun Fishing Show” "It's Watch and Listen Radio". Just click on the link and you are ready to hear and see this new show.

Lake Lanier is down 5 feet, the creeks are slightly stained and the main lake is clear and 45 degrees...

Ken Sturdivant

Black bass fishing is slow and the fish are still deep and we have seen the fish in 35 feet of water in the mid lake area in deep brush piles. Large jigs or spoons are the best and you can sit on top of these locations and work the baits straight down. Run the boat back and forth over these points and be sure to have several marker buoys ready. If you have an Aqua Vu underwater camera, add the ballast weight so the camera will be stationary. Set the boat up with the nose of the boat into the wind.

Spotted bass fishing has been on slow lake wide. More cold weather is on the way and there is no warm up due anytime soon. This weekend can be very dangerous with the high winds and the extremely cold water lake wide. Use extreme caution all day. Do not fall in the lake and be sure to wear your SOSpenders all day. The fish that are being caught are coming off of points, main lake humps, and ditches of the last deep water going up into coves. Areas where there are brush piles and bait in about 35 to 50 feet of water the best places to start. The spotted bass that are being caught are being caught on drop shot rigs and jerk baits. Some fish have been shallow and some deep so it’s a toss up what will work. Start with worms and jigs in deep water then go to the Fish Head Spin 3/8 all white with a Zoom all white Fluke trailer at the mid depths. Swim the Fish Head slowly over brush and on the tops of the deep trees out in open water. After lunch go to the jig 3/8 ounce all brown and the clown colored Rouge jerk bait up shallow. A small spoon is also worth a try. Jigging the small profile and slow flutter may get a few bites. Some examples would be a Flex-It or a small Silver Buddy/Cicada type bait, preferably in the ¼ to 1/2 ounce sizes, in a white or silver color on a sunny day and a gold or solid white on a cloudy day. On sunny days, some fish are being taken on deep rocky banks out of the wind on suspended jerk baits in a silver/blue or an orange/copper color, and a Zoom finesse worm rigged on a 3/16 ounce 3/0 Spot Sticker lead head in the green pumpkin and natural blue colors. The spots are pretty slow on Lanier right now so work the areas that will warm the quickest, such as rock and areas out of the wind with stagnant water. Rouge jerk baits in bright colors on feeding periods can get s few fish but the water is very cold so be sure to fish this bait with very slow jerks.

Striper fishing is slow. A few fish are still after umbrella rigs with shad bodies and chartreuse tails. But give it a try to search out areas and load the rig full of jigs. This has some potential and is a good way to cover a lot of water and pick up a fish or two. Be sure to find the warmest water possible lake wide. One or two degrees can make a world of difference. Also shiners are the best baits as trout are usually too large for the stripers to digest in the cold water. Many anglers are fishing in either Flat Creek or Balus Creek. When buying baits right now just think small. Vary the lines sizes and this is the best time to use planer boards. Fishing has been very unpredictable, but use the down lines between 35 to 45 feet deep over 60 to 70 feet of water if all else strikes out. Watch the gulls and if they are diving and feeding heavily put out a free lined bait or cast to the area with a buck tail. In this situation get the baits way out behind the boat so the fish do not see the shadow.

Crappie can be caught mid lake under the deeper docks and marinas with small tube baits. Shooting docks is the way to go.

If you would like to have a free set up sheet for your sonar, send me an e mail to kensturdivant@earthlink.net and ask for the “Sonar Setup Quick List”.

Meet professional anglers Ken Sturdivant and Chris Scalley at “The Great Southern Boat Show” at the North Atlanta Trade Center March 2-4, 2007. See www.havefunfishing.com for the seminar schedule.

We have these books for sale: “BASS FISHING ON WEST POINT LAKE”, “BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL”, “BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE” and “BASS FISHING LAKE HARTWELL”. These books are written by Tim White and Ken Sturdivant and each one has over 65 locations exclusively for bass and covers every week of the year. Each book $39.00. If you would like a sample of any book, send us an e mail to kensturdivant@earthlink.net. Our mailing address is: Southern Fishing Schools Inc. 106 Hickory Ridge, Cumming Georgia 30040.

We have 3 books that cover all species in the lakes, “52 WEEKS ON LAKE LANIER”, and “52 WEEKS ON WEST POINT LAKE” on sale. Each book is $23.95. Our mailing address is: Southern Fishing Schools Inc. 106 Hickory Ridge, Cumming Georgia 30040.

Lake levels from http://lakes.southernco.com/

Take a look at http://www.pollymoon.com for a yearly moon phase calendar.

Lake Lanier Striper Survey: www.stripersurvey.com

You can see the feeding times daily with a Data Sport Fish and Game Forecaster on our web site.

We teach “ON THE WATER SCHOOLS”: “Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass or Maps and Depth Finders. Call 770-889-2654 for details or see the web site: www.havefunfishing.com.

Take a look at www.aquavu.com. You really need a camera. Copyright 2007, 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.