The 2024 Blue Ridge Trout and Outdoor Adventures Festival is this weekend from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm. Southern Fishing Schools will host fishing Seminars.

We have open dates for our On the Water SONAR SCHOOL. Bring the boat. Call 770 889 2654. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

APRIL 25, 2024

LAKE LANIER IS .52 FEET OVER FULL, 60’S

This Lake Lanier Bass fishing report is by Phil Johnson. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 770 366 8845         

Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is very good. The lake is slightly over full pool and the water temperature is running in the upper sixties. Overall the lake is clear but does have some pollen mixing in the water. The bass are up shallow and actively feeding right now. Several techniques have been working but the three that we have been using this week have been swimbaits, Jerkshads and shakey head. All three of these have been used in water less than fifteen feet deep on reef poles, flats, coves and docks The Lanier Baits Jerkshad rigged with a swivel and an eighteen inch fluorocarbon leader has produced multiple fish this week. Work this bait with a swiping action and then a long pause. Often the fish will bite it as it slowly sinks. For a swimbait, Lip Thrasher lures Slickstick produced the most fish this week. Work this bait around reef poles, bedding flats and in the backs of sandy pockets to draw strikes. Both the white and the chrome colors have been productive. A steady retrieve just below the surface has worked well and makes it fun to see most of the strikes. For the shakey head either a green pumpkin Senko or a water melon candy have been the most productive colors. Work this around docks in less than fifteen feet of water, rocky points and shallow humps for the most fish. There is some top water activity but it is not consistent and is likely to happen anywhere so keep either a top water bait or a Spotchoker with a two eight Keitech ready on the deck to quickly hit these fish. The fish are definitely biting and the weather is great so Go Catch “Em.

This Lake Lanier Striper report is by Buck Cannon, Buck Tails Guide Service 404 510 1778

Lake Lanier stripers are on the blue backs spawning areas and they range from up the rivers to the main lake points. Low water markers is a good idea for pitching live baits or a shallow diving crank bait. Fish the point from side to side not straight from deep to shallow. After you get one the stripers the group will scatter but will come back after giving them a break and they should come back. Planer boards and flat lines are still productive in the same areas. Using live baits from the local bait stores. Remember to wear your life jacket.

This Lake Lanier Crappie report is by Captain Josh Thornton 770 530 6493

Crappie fishing is good. The water temperatures are in the upper 60’s.Crappie are 4 to 10 feet deep under docks starting to see some crappie on deeper brush. This week we caught Fish in 4 foot of water and caught fish in 30 foot of water. They’re kind of scattered right now still finding a few with eggs have most have already dropped their eggs. Look for creeks or coves near a main channel for roaming fish they are suspended shallow in 2 to 4 foot of water cast to them or troll for them. Try translucent jig color combinations. The gear I recommend for crappie fishing is Acc crappie stix 1 piece rod and reel with a 4 pound test K9 line. We use Garmin Live Scope and Power Pole.

Visit http://www.crappieonlanier.com and http://www.fishingwitheverydayheroes.org for tips and information.

If you’re interested in trying local crappie tournaments check out National Crappie League Georgia trail on Facebook for more information. 

The Spring West Marine fishing classes will be held at 5221 Lake Lanier islands Pky. Buford Georgia, 30518 470 202 1052 Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing Schools will host FREE! Fishing classes this spring. The classes starts at 6pm on May 14, 2024 Kayaks, Dean Bowling, May 28, 2024 Bass Fishing, Tournament Angler Carl Hunter. (Topics, times and speakers are subject to change without notice.)

The 2024 Georgia Outdoor News BLAST is July 26, 27, 27, 2024 at Lake Point Sports Complex, 261 Stars Way, Cartersville, GA 30121. Show Hours are Friday, July 26, 1 pm – 8 pm Saturday, July 28, 9 am – 7 pm Sunday, July 29, 10 am – 5 pm. The Fishing seminars will be held on the 3,000 gallon Bass Tub. The speakers are: Ken Sturdivant, Adam Hinkle, Buck Cannon, Matt Driver, Phil Johnson, Captain Josh Thornton and Dean Bowling. See www.gon.com for details.

The Discover North Georgia Outdoor Expo is August 10, 2024 at the North Georgia Hall of Fame, 415 Hwy 53 East, Dawsonville, GA 30534. For more information contact Grace Reed, Event Manager, 770-535-6371 (Direct) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. P.O. Box 838 | 345 Green St. NW , Gainesville, GA 30503

We offer these Bass Fishing Waypoints for sale on Lake Allatoona, Lake Clarks Hill, Lake Eufaula, Lake Hartwell, Lake Jackson, Lake Lanier, Lake Oconee, Lake Russell, Lake Seminole, Lake Sinclair, Lake Weiss and West Point Lake. WAYPOINTS *$99.00 CHECK OR MONEY ORDERS 0NLY. NO ON LINE PAY! Waypoints are NOT REFUNDABLE. Anglers need to know how to load these into the electronics. Receive the coordinates and then load them into the GPS unit. For a sample send me an e mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We have a FREE! Sonar Set Up Sheet (Please tell me what model machines are on the boat), a FREE! all about CHIRP article, a FREE! How to Find STRIPERS year round, a FREE! 2024 Best Days for Fishing from Bass Master Magazine, a FREE! Tackle Box List for Bass fishing Striper fishing and Crappie fishing, a FREE! Guide for Crappie Year. Just send an e mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Our On the Water SONAR School is designed to teach anglers how to read all the latest technology. We train on all brands. All these machines all offer Sonar CHIRP Side Scan and Down Scan Technology. Lawrence has the Patented FISH REVEAL technology. Bring the boat and any machine we teach all brands! We have the Lowrance PRO12 with C Map and the Active Target 2 LIVE Sonar on the training boat. We started these schools to help anglers how to find and catch more fish. We go over how to rig the transducers and tune the depth finders. We use the Lawrence units but we teach all brands. There are schools of fish in all lakes that are never fished for. Most bass anglers cast to the banks. There are many schools of fish on off shore structure that the typical angler never knows are there. Learn about the latest mapping technologies. How to properly mount and maintain transducers. Spend the day using the latest electronics. On Lake Lanier we find the road beds, humps, standing timber, and brush piles where the fish live. See sunk boats! The school is eight hours exclusively on Lake Lanier. To catch fish all year the latest technology takes all the guess work out of where they live. All the details for our On the Water SONAR School is on our web site on the Schools page. Call after 5pm 770 889 2654

There is a new software 1.3 for the Lowrance GHOST on www.lowrance.com

838 5259 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.