Lake Lanier Fishing Report July 2018

Lanier: Level: 1.5 feet above full pool. Temp: Low to mid 80s. Clarity: Clear.

Spotted Bass: Tournament angler and guide Ryan Coleman reports, “Fishing is excellent right now. The topwater bite has been wide open for weeks and should remain for a while longer. Also, the jig bite out on the humps and reefs is very strong for big fish, which also should remain good for the rest of the summer. I have been working typical Lanier summer areas with topwater baits all day long out on the main lake. Look for humps and points with brush present. Chug Bugs have been my best bait overall, but I am also catching some fish on walking topwaters, like Spooks and Vixens over the brush in 25 feet of water. If the clouds show up and the fish scatter, pull back a little and work a 3/8-oz. green craw or a pb&j casting jig in and around the brush in 20 to 30 feet of water. The fish will pull off the brush but stay fairly close, so don’t just work the brush. If the wind dies and the sun is high, you can also work a spy bait out over and around the brush slowly to trigger them in the calm water. I am working this bait on a spinning rig with 6- to 8-lb. fluorocarbon line and a soft tip rod. The key to this bait is to keep it slow. If you think you are working it slow enough, slow down just a bit more. Look for these basic patterns to work well on Lanier for the rest of June and most of July. Drop shotting has also been effective on the fish you see that will not eat the jig. Just spot and drop on them, being as quiet as possible as they get spooky during the summer onslaught every year.”