May 2009 Fishing Report

This monthly fishing report is brought to you by: Capt. Shane Watson’s Striper Guide Service, Lake Lanier’s Largest Fishing Fleet. Contact via email or phone (770-889-5549 or 770-235-9829). Visit their Website.

• Lake Level———- down 14.39 feet

• Surface temp. —— 45 degrees

• Water Clarity——Main lake is clear, creeks are slightly stained.

Over the last week or so, many of the stripers in our lake have moved very shallow. Our boats are catching stripers on freelined bluebacks, leadhead flukes, and bucktail jigs. Many of these better size fish are up in 3-6 feet of water in the rear to the middle of most creeks. This warmer weather coming in the next few days will raise the surface temps and more stripers will move up shallow. This will make the striper fishing very good. We are still seeing boiling fish at times, but most of our fish have been caught, blind freelining bluebacks and casting flukes or bucktails to as many banks as possible. These recent rains and snow have opened up Six Mile Creek boat ramp. When we get to 1058.00, there will be a good size group of ramps that will re-open. Our water level right now is higher than it has been in a year and a half.

Stripers

The striper fishing has been very good on Lake Lanier. Our guide boats have caught many fish from 8 to 30 pounds this week, on white leadhead flukes and on freelined bluebacks and trout. Look for the birds diving and the fish rolling on the surface. If you can’t find any rolling fish, pull freelines and cast leadhead flukes or a white bucktail with a fluke trailer to as many banks and docks as possible in the middle to the rear of creeks. The south end and the north end have been equal as of late. There are stripers in Flat, Balus, 6 mile, 4 mile, Bald Ridge, Wahoo, Little River, and in Gainesville creek. You can purchase blue backs, trout, shiners, and everything mentioned above at Hammond’s Fishing Center (770)-888-6898) or (770)-889-2995.

Bass

The bass fishing is also good on Lake Lanier right now. The fish are moving shallow and we have had many reports of people doing well on jigs, fishhead spins, jerk baits, and spinner baits.

Crappie

The crappie fishing very good on minnows around deeper docks with brush in the back of most stained creeks. Look in the back of 6 mile, 4 mile, Wahoo, Yellow creek, and in Toto creek.