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. We have had a late spring here in Georgia, and this may push back the best of topwater action until later in June. We will have to see what Mother Nature has in store for us! Post-spawn, 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. Please contact me directly if you are interested in purchasing Waypoints of these key brushpiles.
Lures and Presentation: Now that we have explored the location that the spots can be found in June as well as how to find them, let’s examine some of the techniques and lures that can be used to catch these fish.
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. Popular hard and soft swimbaits are made by several different tackle vendors, to include many local options. 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. Super Spin 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 Picasso Shake Down heads and worm combinations. 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 to 17-pound Seaguar monofilament line. Monofilament fishing line floats, where as fluorocarbon line sinks, which makes either monofilament or braided line the best option for presenting topwater baits correctly. As far as choosing a rig for fishing these topwater baits, consider the weight of the bait as your deciding factor. 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 late 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. For more information or to book your trip, contact Jimbo on Lanier! 770-542-7764. Jimbo’s website: www.jimboonlanier.com
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