There are some humps and long points about to be exposed lake wide with the lake down almost 10 feet. Be careful running the lake. Lake Lanier Ramp Calculator web site is: http://lanier.sam.usac.army.mil/BoatrampElevations.htm...

Largemouth bass fishing is slow. The Chug Bug or a Pop R will get a few strikes; crank baits in baby bass are working as well. Short run out points that drop off sharply into deep water are some of the key areas to look for. Do not overlook super shallow stumps that are popping up all over the upper lake. A submerged hump with wood or rock around the rowing club is an excellent area to fish the jointed Shad Rap or the suspending model. There are a few fish moving early and even in the middle of the day looking for food as the water temperatures start to cool down. Work your way into any main lake creek and fish down the creek and then come back to the same locations with different lures. Start with black and silver or blue and silver and keep changing colors until you find what they want. With the water a little stained up lake, go to the fire tiger color in a 6A or 7A Bomber. Up lake around the rowing area use the all white Mini Me spinner bait and hit all the small pockets off the river. Later in the day use a Zoom u tail worm on the Carolina rig and fish these same areas. Added garlic scent is a must when throwing worms or jigs this time of the year.

Spotted bass fishing is fair and Texas rigs and drop shot rigs are best. There is little if any top water action as all these fish are relating to the main lake reefs and deep man made brush piles. The Staysee 95 minnow and a small all white spinner bait will work and cover a LOT of water all day. The cooler nights and shorter days may soon get the fish active but right now it’s just plain too hot for the fish to feed well. There are pockets of air bubbles floating to the surface lake wide and the bubbles will show up on the Lowrance especially mid way into the creeks. Turn up the sensitivity is to 87%. During the major feeding periods mid day this week, any point on the lake and man made brush piles are best. Use small all white buck tails and #7 Shad Raps. There is just no top water action anywhere on the lake north or south yet. For spots at 30 to 40 feet deep get small finesse worms and drop shot mini worms all the way to the bottom and fish them very slowly. If the fish see the baitfish around brush piles, doodle the baits straight down. Night fishing is dead. Up lake around the bends in the Cheastee River, look on the rocks right up on the bends and pitch a Fat Albert root beer pepper green Zoom Fat Albert grub on 8 pound test and a ¼ ounce all black or all blue Bitsey Bug with a Yamamoto twin trail trailer. Swim these baits right up on the rocks out about 10 feet and then drop them to the bottom. We are using 10 pound Sufix clear line on a medium heavy 6 ½ foot spinning rod and a size 30 spinning reel. Spots are up there too.

Stripers are still holding on the same patterns from last week. There has been no top water action yet so ride and look while trolling. Try the large blue silver Cisco Kid and at the same time pull a 2 ounce all white buck on lead core 6 colors back on a 17 pound test line 50 foot leader. Have a least 3 dozen blue back cooled down with ice and have rods ready in case you encounter schools or even singles. The fish seem to like 30 to 40 foot bottoms this week for some reason. But the water is still hot at those depths so be sure to check your live bait often and keep fresh bait on the rigs over the fish. You can see the fish come up off the bottom to look at these baits and they need to be frisky. If you can see the dam you are in the best location. Troll or search an area especially in the mouths of the major creeks until the fish pop up on the screen. Try a bleeding shiner hook in small sizes and use from a one or two ounce sinker and a long 6 foot or longer leader so the sinker will not to spook the fish. Trolling deep to 40 feet will work but watch the trees to hold the fish right on and off the river tree lines. Mud Creek and Flowery Branch Creek have been good areas to spend at least half the day.

Crappie have been slow with only a few fish coming in at night. Drop or shoot small tubes in to the docks up lake in the off colored waters and use small 1/24 ounce lead heads and 4 pound test. Then drift over creek beds and try following the baitfish that are moving into the creeks. Work from the mouth of the creeks and follow the channel.

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