Winter In Lake Lanier, Georgia

[Acwood04]

Hello I've been fishing for about two years, with the first year fishing rivers for trout, but once I got a bass on a fly line, I had to get in to real bassin. Anyways, I am fishing Lanier all the time as I have a slip there for my boat. I fish about 4 times a week. Recently I've been doing terrible, catching only one medium sized spotted bass(Lanier is full of spots, barely any LM). I caught him in about 4-5 feet of water behind a huge rocky point. My question to ya'll is what can I do to up my odds in winter fishing? I've heard that the fish are more lethargic and won't chase the lure as much. I've been told that the fish are transitioning from the back of the creeks to relating to deep water lumber and other places. My question is what whould you do to put more fish in the boat? What tactics would ya'll use on this southern 55 degree resovoir to catch some more fish more frequently? I've been using spinnerbaits, jig n pigs, and some Crankbaits, as well as some suspending jerk baits, should I be throwing worms on a drop shot, shaky heads and other T rigs to get the worms down deep? Any help would be helpful. Thanks!!

[geo g]

Slow down, throw a C Rig across points at varying depths. Try a tube bait behind a heavy sinker. Put a little Styrofoam inside the tube and then Texas Rig it. The tube will float high above the weight and with the slightest movement will dance and vibrate, without much forward movement. Fish in the area will come to investigate! A Junebug or watermelon red color will work well. Use floro line for feel, and no stretch, and a big sweeping hook set to take up line quickly.

[Crappiebasser]

I lived on Lanier several years ago. I always caught them on dropshot and float and fly this time of year. Location is the key, you have to find bait with fish under them. A jigging spoon is also great for the suspended spots.

[speed craw]

Drop shot , shakey head , small finness jigs . Spots love anything rock . Spend time locating rocky cover on your graph and then you will find spotted bass.

[Pettis]

Drop shot , shakey head , small finness jigs . Spots love anything rock . Spend time locating rocky cover on your graph and then you will find spotted bass.

 Agree with speed craw. I would add a flutter spoon, also deep suspending jerkbaits with a sloooooow retrieve and loooong pauses work for me in the winter as well.

[Chris at Tech]

Try viewing the fishing reports from some of the many guides on Lanier. They're not going to give away magic spots but it can give you better ideas of what to throw and the general structure to look for.

[Chris S]

Hello I've been fishing for about two years, with the first year fishing rivers for trout, but once I got a bass on a fly line, I had to get in to real bassin. Anyways, I am fishing Lanier all the time as I have a slip there for my boat. I fish about 4 times a week. Recently I've been doing terrible, catching only one medium sized spotted bass(Lanier is full of spots, barely any LM). I caught him in about 4-5 feet of water behind a huge rocky point. My question to ya'll is what can I do to up my odds in winter fishing? I've heard that the fish are more lethargic and won't chase the lure as much. I've been told that the fish are transitioning from the back of the creeks to relating to deep water lumber and other places. My question is what whould you do to put more fish in the boat? What tactics would ya'll use on this southern 55 degree resovoir to catch some more fish more frequently? I've been using spinnerbaits, jig n pigs, and some Crankbaits, as well as some suspending jerk baits, should I be throwing worms on a drop shot, shaky heads and other T rigs to get the worms down deep? Any help would be helpful. Thanks!!

What kind of electronics do you have?

[Acwood04]

I've got two Lowrance HDS Gen 2 Touches. It's funny yall mention the drop shot, I have a little honey hole that I'd been catching em left and right on top water plugs in the late summer/fall. I went there yesterday with the intent of throwing the tackle box at em.... First thing I thought of was a drop shot with a roboworm (Aaron's magic) or a zoom drop morning dawn, both dark, lifelike worm looking like baits, I was with a buddy that was throwing a grub, I caught two in ten minutes on the drop shot.... I knew they were suspended deep on the rocks and submerged trees. My friend had never tried that technique so I spent the rest of the afternoon(high was in the 40's) teaching it to him. Lanier is a very drop shot lake, summer and winter you can catch em in 30-40 feet of water on the shot. The only difference I made was using a "Lindy" slip sinker(one of those real skinny sinkers) and it helped a lot with with hang ups. Since I know drop shotting will work I'm going out tomorrow for a limit on the drop shot and shakes head.. Thanks ya'll, as Ryan hadn't mentioned anything about hitting em deep with the DS. All the report said that slow rolling small spinner baits over brush piles and throwing jigging spoons. Thanks for the help. Now I just gotta get some stripers!!

[Chris S]

Now I just gotta get some stripers!! Post some pics if you catch em up!! 

 

Here is a pretty nice report from 12-14-14 on spots: http://jimboonlanier.blogspot.com/2014/12/jimbos-lake-lanier-guide-service.html 

[basshole8190]

i like to throw swimbaits at those spots in lanier. any smaller herring imitator around boat docks works well for me year round there.

[DropSpot]

Try to locate creek ditches with timber. Throw a jig into the timber, also try to use a jigging spoon there. Rock is also a good bet, but not any rock you want rock that gets good amounts of sun and has deep water access preferably near timber but that isn't a must. Throwing a jig on the rock or a shaky head is a good bet.  Deeper docks with shaky heads will also work. Also dragging a fish head spin, shaky head, or jig in regular old creek ditches can produce some fish. Remember the slower the retrieve the better. Just focus on ditches, rock, and timber. Good luck out there!!