Lake Lanier Crappie Fishing Report March 22, 2022This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Dan Saknini, member of the Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club.   
Water Temperature is around 58 degrees and as expected, Crappie fishing is good to excellent. We are continuing to catch fish in extreme shallow water, which tells us that he spawn continues. Some fish remain staged in shallow docks at 10 foot depths or less, waiting to move in to the banks to spawn.  Judging from the looks of their bellies, it appears that others have completed their spawn and are heading back to the docks.  Long line trolling works well this time of year since the fish are roaming back and forth to the shallows.  However, pretty much everything is working. Whether using crappie minnows or a jig under a cork, cast your bait or jig through the weed lines and retrieve slowly. Some blow downs are starting to hold fish in pockets and backs of creeks. (A blow-down is a tree that has the base still on land and the majority of the trunk and branches partly or mostly submerged.)  To gauge the length of the blowdown, compare the diameter of the blowdown trunk to similar standing trees nearby.  That will give you an idea of the height of the blowdown and therefore how far the tree extends into and under the water.   If you ride over it with your down scan, it will look like a stand-alone brush pile.  Shooting docks remains the best method of catching the bigger fish. You should be ten feet or so away from the dock, with a 5 ½ ft. to 6 ½ ft. medium action rod, and high visibility line not heavier than four pound test. Release a length of line about two-thirds the length of your rod, and leave the bail in the open position while you are holding the line with one finger. Grab the curve of the hook (below the barb) and bring it toward your body. Keep the base of the rod parallel to the water while pulling the line toward you to sharply bow the tip of the rod. Release the jig and the line at the same time, while aiming toward your target.  If you need practice before heading out, try raising your garage door a foot or more and try shooting into the void.  Make sure you break the hook off the jig when practicing so it doesn’t harm pets or property.  On the lake, target docks in ten feet of water or less that have some type structure below. Your side scan can be very helpful in locating structure. We’ve been catching fish on docks and brush piles near docks pretty much all day long. Blow downs and weed lines are doing better in the mornings and late in the day. Jiffy jigs or Bobby Garland soft body grubs with 1/24 ounce or preferably 1/32 ounce jig heads remain our number one choice.  Keep in mind that you are fishing shallower docks and you don’t want your jig to go down too quickly to the bottom.  For those who prefer live bait, a slip cork and a trusty crappie minnow will also put some fish in the boat.

So, get out there and fish while fishing is good and before the lake gets busier with the warmer weather.  Wear your life jacket – it can save your life!

Our club meets the last Thursday of each month at Lanier Methodist Church off Ga Hwy 20 next to Beaver Toyota in Cumming.  Our club members share helpful tips and report on fishing conditions, so come and check us out!   See our club’s website, www. laniercrappieanglers.net

Lake Lanier Crappie Fishing Report March 9, 2022

This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Dan Saknini, member of the Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club.  See our club’s website, www. laniercrappieanglers.net

Lake Level is a bit over full pool and rising.  There is still a good bit of floating debris to avoid in the upper part of the lake and some of it is large, so everyone in the boat should be on the look-out.  The backs of the creeks have moderate to heavy stain, which is where you find the warmest water, about 58 degrees and creeping up with slightly lower temps in the early morning.  Our club members are reporting outstanding catches, with pictures to back it up!.  Simply follow the bait in the middle to backs of creeks and they will lead you to the fish.  Also, there are lots of roaming fish.  This means that long-line trolling with double curly tail jigs 18”-20” apart can be very effective.  With this technique, you can use multiple rods.  Simply cast the line, close the bail, set it in the rod holder and keep the boat moving using your trolling motor.  We suspect that the fish are checking out their spawning grounds, and my guess is that the spawn is starting or very close.  Not all fish spawn at the same time, and the spawn typically lasts four to five weeks.  The trees are blooming and the daffodils are in abundance, both signs that the spawn is here or near.  I understand that the fish can’t see the trees and the daffodils, but their bloom is related to air and soil temps, which are affected by weather, as is water temperature.  We are targeting and catching fish in docks in 15 feet of water and much less.  The bite is suspended shallow in the water column, so expect bites quickly after the bait hits the water.  Having said that, fishing is changing from day to day.  You might catch a mixed bag in size one day, and the next day you may end up with nothing but big ones.  I can’t explain that, but for me, any tug on the line is a win.  We are definitely catching our share of big fish!  We are starting to catch fish on the blow-downs now.  Keep an eye on the older blowdowns that have been in the water awhile, because  the algae on them attracts bait and fish.  Usually when I see the turtles soaking up the sun on the blow-downs, I expect to find the fish there.  This is a fun time of the year to catch them.  If you happen to be one of those fishermen that get a chance to fish multiple times during the week, and are catching a lot of fish, keep in mind that our future fishery depends on a good spawn, so you may want to consider catch and release.  Helpful tip:  try not to use more than four pound test line and a 1/24 oz jig head. I use two pound test, and have been using 1/32 oz jig heads.  I tie the jig directly to the line, with no swivel or split shot.  Bobby Garland and Jiffy Jigs are my “go-to” baits with Davis jig heads.  If you are fishing stained water, use darker jigs.  The traffic is definitely increasing on the water so stay safe and wear a life jacket – it can save your life!

Our club meets the last Thursday of each month at Lanier Methodist Church off Ga Hwy 20 next to Beaver Toyota in Cumming.  Our club members share helpful tips and report on fishing conditions, so come and check us out!

#Laniercrappiefishing

Lake Lanier Crappie Fishing Report, February 21, 2022

This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Dan Saknini, member of the Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. See our club’s website, www.laniercrappieanglers.net

Water temperatures are right at 50 degrees, a little lower at dawn. The creeks and certain parts of the channels are moderately stained, and that is where you find the warmer water temperatures. Don’t let the stained water intimidate you. Since we have had these conditions for weeks, the fish have acclimated.  To our surprise, there is a good bit less debris in the lake than we expected. You will see a floating log here or there, so both driver and passengers should still keep their eyes peeled. There is plenty of bait, so if you find the bait, you find the fish.  The bait that is running shallow is what you should pay most attention to. The bite has definitely improved over the last couple of weeks. I’ve been getting many reports and photos of great catches from various fishermen. With these water temperatures, the fish are looking for food and staging for the pre spawn. With the forecasts projecting warmer nights as well as warmer days, even with the rain, the water temperatures should rise quickly. Darker jigs are still recommended in moderate to heavily stained water. I use Jiffy Jig and Bobby Garland. Fishing should get even easier over the next few weeks as the fish shallow up, so get on the water, enjoy the warmer weather and catch some fish! Helpful tips: I’ve noticed when people fish with me for the first time, it’s consistent that they are using heavier line (more than 4 pound test) and heavier jig heads. If that is your comfort zone and it is working for you, keep it up. If it is not working, downsize your line (at least 4 pound test) and use 1/24 ounce jig heads or even 1/32 ounce. We are going to be fishing shallower water in the next few weeks, and I recommend avoiding the 1/16 ounce jig heads. When it comes to setting your hook, it’s all in the wrist-use it more than you use your arm. Crappie are also called “paper mouth”. But when we hook them in the upper part of their mouth, most of the time we need to use pliers to get the hooks out. Greater wrist action over arm action will prevent jerking the bait completely out of the fish’s mouths.  Don’t miss out on great fishing action.  Get out and fish as often as you can! 

 Be safe!  Wear your life jacket – it can save your life!