June is Topwater Time on Lanier!
by Jimbo Mathley
It is hard to beat the topwater bite in June on Lake Lanier. Spotted bass chasing a topwater bait in wolfpacks is about the most fun a human can have. In this month’s installment, we will review the different options to take advantage of the incredible topwater fishing on Lake Lanier in June.
Location: In June, most of the spotted bass have completed the spawn and have transitioned into replenish mode. Many fish will be relating to key features at the mouths of the major creeks as well as main lake areas and can be found on key structure such as long running points and humps. Locating these areas and the man-made cover that is often found on them (Example – brush piles), which will often concentrate the fish, will be important to your success. I recommend LanierMAPPED.com to get started. The site provides an opportunity to purchase narrated video and GPS Coordinates for over 800 different fish-attracting features in the lake that were filmed when the lake was 20 feet below full-pool during the historic draught of 2007-2008. Even today this is very valuable information as it will lead you to the hidden off-shore structure that is such an important part of the awesome topwater bite on Lake Lanier.
Lures and Presentation: Now let’s examine some of the techniques and lures that can be used to catch these fish in June.
1. Topwater – There are many bait choices in the topwater category; poppers, walkers, wakers, etc. The preference of the fish will change day to day, so make sure to experiment daily to identify the mood of the fish as well as their preference in presentation. Excellent topwater baits for Lake Lanier include: Lucky Craft Sammy, Heddon Zara Spook, Storm Chug-Bug and a Cotton Cordell Redfin. These lures as well as all the rods and reels you will need to present them can be purchased at local tackle shops such as Hammond’s Fishing in Cumming, GA. The friendly staff at Hammond’s Fishing will be happy to help you make the proper selection and match the rod and reel to the presentation you are seeking. Make sure to check out those G Loomis rods and Shimano reels – truly world class tackle!
2. Swimbait – Swimbaits offer great versatility as they can be fished at any depth you wish. As far as the mechanical type swimbaits, my favorite is the brand new Sweet Herring from the Sweet Bait Company. Solid design along with laborious handcrafted work and acute attention to detail make this bait the top of its class. Vary your retrieve speed and depth with this bait until you find the retrieve for which the fish are searching. Look for these baits to be a big producer of monster spotted bass in June.
3. SuperSpin from Super Fish – We have talked about this bait in previous articles. When the topwater/swimbait bite is tough, pick up your SuperSpin and go to work. Fish the bait over and around brush for your best success, especially when the sun is out. The sun will concentrate the fish in this type of cover and the SuperSpin offers the perfect solution for the finicky fish that won’t come up.
4. Worm and Jig – When the topwater/swimbait action slows, and you see fish in the brush on your Lowrance, try the worm and jig. I like the Davis offerings, especially their original Shaky Heads. As far as jigs go, I prefer Chattahoochee Jigs. Explore different worm and jig sizes, shapes, textures and colors when you are fishing. Something different presented appropriately can make a big difference on certain days. Keep trying until you find the presentation for which the fish are searching that day.
Tackle: For topwater action, you should utilize either a medium to medium-heavy bait-casting or spin-casting outfit, rigged with 12-17 pound monofilament line. Monofilament fishing line floats which makes either monofilament or braided line the best option for presenting topwater baits correctly. Lighter poppers and smaller walking baits are often better presented on spinning gear which allows for easier casting of smaller baits. For swimbaits, I like to present the larger, heavier, mechanical type swimbaits on a heavy action rod that is at least 7 feet long, and I will utilize 20-pound test monofilament or Seaguar Fluorocarbon line. My big swimbait rod is a G-Loomis Swimbait Rod which is perfectly matched for these baits. I appreciate the extra rod strength to cast these big baits and manage the big fish you will catch on them. As far as the many other soft and hard swimbait options, you can scale back to a medium-heavy rod if you prefer, but I recommend keeping the length at 7 feet or more. G-Loomis also offers some outstanding topwater rods from which to choose. Check out the options at Gloomis.com.
Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy some of the best fishing on Lake Lanier during the month of June. I still have some dates available in June, so call me or drop me a line to experience some of this incredible topwater action. See you on the water!
Jimbo is a full-time, year-round spotted bass guide on Lake Lanier. Contact him today to book a trip at 770-542-7764 or at www.jimboonlanier.com
Lake Lanier Crappie
by Dan Saknini
www.laniercrappieanglers.net
Water temperature is currently about 72 degrees. For now, we recommend that you concentrate on deeper submerged brush piles, using your downscan to locate your brush. Throw your marker down and give the fish a few minutes to regroup from your arrival. Fish the brush pile from a distance that you can cast past the brush pile to the other side of it, and retrieve it slowly toward the boat. If you’re interested in catching fish in larger numbers, zero in on submerged brush piles in 20-25 foot depths. However, docks with brush piles are also producing bigger fish, but not in the larger numbers. Both hair jigs and soft body jigs are working well.
The lake traffic is definitely increasing, so be mindful that other fishermen may also be fishing the same spots. If you don’t get bites immediately, move on. Chances are very good that you will find alternate brush piles that will put fish in the boat. If you see a fisherman fishing one of your favorite docks, my advice is to skip it, and go to a different spot. Once you get the fish to bite, the entire school will shallow up as they chase the bait.
The night bite remains fair at best, as night temperatures remain cooler. As the evenings warm up, so will the night bite. As always, our recommended line is 4 pound test, high visibility line; not because the fish like it, but because it is easier for you to see the line movement and set the hook. 1/24 ounce jig heads are recommended, or 1/16 ounce, if you feel like the fish are deeper in the water column, or if the wind is working against you. If you like a challenge, use a double jigged rig. Keep them about 16-18 inches apart. In my opinion, hair jigs work best in that application.
Stay safe on the water and wear your life jacket; it can save your life!