THE SOUTHERN FISHING REPORT
by Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040

November 19, 2009

DNR Regional Fisheries Supervisor Chris Martin listened in on a recent Corps of Engineers teleconference and provides this Lanier update:

The weather forecast is for a wet and cold fall and winter and a wet spring. El Nino conditions in the Pacific have strengthened, so we can expect wet conditions. Lanier is at 1072.4 msl and should be at 1070.5 msl by the end of next week. This means the Corps will be discharging a LOT of water. Daily average flow is expected to be around 6,200 cfs to evacuate Lanier's flood storage.

November 13, 2009

LAKE LANIER IS 1.72 FEET OVER FULL, AND CREEKS ARE STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR AND 62 DEGREES.

Bass fishing has been good and it’s a worm bite all day. With the lake up over two feet, hit the points on the main lake with a Shakey Head and Zoom green pumpkin green finesse worm on a spinning rod. There are some spinner bait fish also on the Mini Me all white or white skirts and copper blades feeding also. Docks in the mina lake creeks are great all day as the spots start to set up on the fall locations. The deeper the dock, the bigger the fish but be patient and work the worm slowly under the docks. There are some spinner bait fish also on the Mini Me all white or white skirts and copper blades feeding also. Docks in the mina lake creeks are great all day as the spots start to set up on the fall locations. The deeper the dock, the bigger the fish but be patient and work the worm slowly under the docks. Any main lake point can be a hot spot and the trick is to fish them deeper this week. There are small fish a little shallower but they strike baits so lightly, unless you have a soft tip rod and light 6 pound test, you will not feel the strikes. All the shallow fish will bite the Zoom finesse worm in natural blue or sand. With all the deep fish there is little to no schooling as the turnover slows down. The better deep fish start at the 25 foot range. Drop shot rigs with small hooks and small finesse style baits will work and they seem to be producing a little better than a Texas rig. Sand worms, natural blue and cinnamon green pig and jigs or creepy crawlers are the baits of choice. Be sure to drop a ½ ounce Flex It spoon on the same locations. Spots are accustomed to deep cold waters and 30 to 45 feet depths are the key areas. Pick the mouth of any major creek and run the Lowrance on and over the points and pockets close by. Follow the depths out and the fish will start to show up at 25 feet. We can still see a lot of fish at 25 feet in brush piles but they are very hard to make bite. Try the back of any of the lakes creeks even in the stained waters. Around the docks bass are chasing small bait schools in the stained water up until noon. These spots will take Shad Raps, finesse worms, a small Sebile trout swim bait and Rico’s. Baits include spoons, u tail worms and small finesse worms. This is a great time of year to experiment with the drop shot rig. Small ¼ ounce drop shot sinkers, Mosquito hooks by Mustad and small finesse worms in any color can be magic. Most of the experienced anglers are using either 8 or even 10 pound test Stren clear line. A medium or even medium heavy 6 foot 6 inch Bass Pro Shops Extreme rod has the sensitivity and strength to feel and then set the hook on these deep fish. Try simply doodling the bait off the structure just like you are spoon jigging with very light pick ups with the rod tip. Keep the bow of the boat pointing into the wind. This allows you to feel the strikes as well as keep the line tight.

Striper fishing is fair but you will need to ride and look for any surfacing fish. There are some schools breaking in the quiet coves mid lake but they will only be up right at daybreak and then by 9am, it’s time to ride and look. Fish mid lake down to the dam. Ride and look for any surfacing fish. There are some schools breaking in the quiet coves mid lake but they will only be up right at daybreak and then by 9am it’s time to ride and look. There is a little top water feeding right at dusk in the creeks down lake. All day have a small bucktail rigged as well as the white Sebile swimmer. If you plan to troll, get a loaded umbrella rig out 100 feet back at 2.7 miles per hour and ride and look. Trolling is an option while just “looking”. But this feeding only lasts about 20 minutes and then they disappear. The fish move deep to 50+ feet and down lines is the way to get baits to the fish. Herring and shiners will be the ticket the rest of this year. But finding the fish is a real challenge. You have to pay attention and ride and look with the Lowrance L C R. The fish have been in smaller schools right in the tops of the timber down lake. Even when we found bait, many times the stripers are not around them except for deep in the trees. The shad are starting to move into the creeks and deeper main lake coves. There has been no firm pattern all day except to ride and look. A few fish are biting in and off the river coves and creeks. As the shad start moving into the creeks looking for warmer waters, the stripers follow them. During the day use live baits on a down lines. Also run a flat line back 60 feet as a back up rig just n case a school roams by. Be sure to try other sizes on live bait and shiners and even small bream are good choices. There are some big spots too up to 4 pounds feeding and these flat lines will get them. There is limited night bite on pink Bombers casting to wind blown banks.

Now you can see samples of the new Lowrance Structure Scan Down Scan product taken recently on Lake Lanier. http://www.havefunfishing.com/fishingreports/Lowrance.htm

Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Professional Fishing Staff will be conducting FREE! Sonar Seminars at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Lawrenceville Georgia. The 2009 Sonar Seminar dates: November 28 and December 26, 2009. All seminars start at 2pm and are subject to change without notice

We are looking for members in a brand new central GA tournament trail. Check out our USA Bassin schedule www.usabassin.com/modules.php?name=Divisions&divisionID=155

Chat up our GON Forum thread at: http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=350553

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”.

Our new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” is now on sale! You can see a FREE! Sample on www.havefunfishing.com

We have 3 books that cover ALL SPECIES in these lakes, “52 WEEKS ON LAKE ALLATOONA, “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.

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

Copyright 2009, Southern Fishing Schools Inc.770-889-2654.