Monday, December 23, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report and Pictures of Spotted Bass: 12/23/2013

Hey Everyone - Merry Christmas from the Jimbo clan here in Cumming! From our family to yours, we wish you a very happy and safe holiday with friends and family. On the fishing front, the lake has came up just a tic...LOL...its now back to almost 2 feet over full pool and today, we found 56 degree water temps in the backs of some creeks. And yes, the bait and the big fish had followed. A Davis Shaky Head around docks seemed to be the best offering and location this afternoon. We tried alot of different areas before settling in on the dock pattern, and it was strong. Jeff, above middle, is sporting one of those toad dock fish from this afternoon. Prior to the front, we had been doing well in creek ditches in the morning with a Fish Head Spin, Jerkbait, and Davis Shaky Head. Most fish had been coming in the 12 -20 feet range. As the day progressed, we were moving to the rock areas and points around creek mouths and throwing a jig, crankbait, and shaky head for our best fish. These fish tended to be the most shallow as our biggest fish were often the most shallow - nearly on the bank in some cases. For the coming week, I have the 27, 28,and 29th open. Also, my traditional New Year's Day customer is not going to make it this year, so I also have New Year's Day open also. Not sure what it is, but we always seem to have a great day on Jan 1st....give me a call and let's go fish! Merry Christmas and May God Bless - Jimbo

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 12/14/2013

Hey Gang - Glad I am not out there today, but we have had a very good week for numbers and big fish as well, even last Sunday during that nasty day that looks just like this one! The ditch bite has really picked up for us over the last week. The classic Fish Head Spin in the ditches is really working well right now. I enjoy this bite and it is a must have in your winter arsenal. We have been starting every morning in the ditches and catching lots of fish and good ones too. In addition to the spots, we have been running into the occasional Largemouth as well. Most of these ditch fish are coming in the 8 - 20 feet depth range. In additon, we are continuing to spend a good amount of time on rocky points, ledges, and bluffs. The rock has also been very consistent for us over the last week and we have been catching some big fish on this pattern, again, both spots and largemouth. The Spro DD Little John has been really good, along with Davis Shaky Heads and Chattahoochee jigs. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of taking out Zane Smith along with my long-time customer Hector. Zane pitched in the bigs for 13 years in the 80's and 90's, including 6 seasons with the Braves. Just a great guy and a great day - they whacked about 25 fish through the day with their best 5 going 18 pounds. We had a blast and laughed all day. Zane has promised a return trip so I know there are more stories to come on this front. Awesome job fellas! Guys, the weather forecast for the next few days looks awesome! I have the following available this coming week: All day Tuesday & Friday,as well as Thursday morning. Give me a call if you would like to get out and enjoy some beautiful December weather and some great winter fishing! Also, remind your sweethearts to give the gift of Jimbo this Christmas! I sell several gift certificates every Holiday Season and I am told they make great presents! LOL. Give your wives a nudge here and I will make sure you guys enjoy some great trips! Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 12/1/2013

Hey Everyone - I was away last weekend and the first of this week as we departed to Indy for a wedding and an early Thanksgiving. Been on the water since returning and found that suprisingly, not much has changed in terms of the fish position. Even though the water temperature dropped 5 degrees or so, the fish and bait remain in about the same position. We are still catching fish shallow on rock for the most part. Rock is definitely the key. It can be rock in a creek, main lake, around a dock, it doesn't seem to matter as long as there is rock. Brush or cover helps on some days, but on others the fish are just roaming on and around the rock, and are often VERY shallow. I have checked for the ditch bite and there are fish in some of the traditional locations, but they are not there in force yet, because the bait is not there in force yet. When the bait gets there, the fish will follow. The last week or so, three baits have produced the majority of our fish, including some studs: Davis Shaky Head, Chatahoochee Jig, and a Spro Little John DD. Our strategy on most days is to cover water, and lots of it. No need to spend much time in any one location, if they are there, they will eat quickly. As the temperatures continue to drop, I look for the ditch bite to pick up, along with the timber bite out deeper. There are some fish out deep, but our big ones are still coming shallow. Looks like we are in for a cold winter, which should be great for the deep bite. We have not had a cold winter in a few years - we are due. The good news is if you can handle the cold, the bite should be awesome. I am full for the next 8 days except I do have Tuesday open this week if you are interested in getting out on Lanier. I also have some dates open the week of December 9th (next week). Rick is available on Hartwell and the other North Georgia lakes, and Jamie is running those Hooch river trips for me as well, which is quite an experience. Float and Fly fishing is not on fire yet, but Craig can teach you the technique on Carters or even Allatoona. Call me if you want to fish, we would love to have you as our guest!! Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo

Monday, November 18, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report and Pictures of Spotted Bass: 11/18/2013

Hey Gang - We have been having a great fall of fishing and you folks have been keeping me busy - I am grateful - Thank You!! I have lots to share in this report, so let's get started. We have been doing well on rock for the last 10 days or so. We have been focusing on rock bluffs and points for the most part all day every day that I have been out. This pattern has been producing consistent heavy sacks and big fish for my customers...until Saturday. LOL. The sack Joe and Kurt are sporting above came from Friday. My customer Ron Clark and I fished the Hammond's Tournament on Saturday. We weighed 15.34 and finished 1 ounce and 1 place out of the money. Our big fish was over 4 and we had a 2 pounder the we could just not cull. We caught 3 limits of fish through the day and culled 4 times on the rock pattern. A SPRO DD crankbait gave us our 2 best fish, and a jig provided the rest of the fish we weighed. Steep rock bluffs and points in 2 - 20 feet were the key for us. We fished clean, however, in retrospect, I made a couple of bad calls through the day and elected to check some back-up patterns instead of staying with the rock. Mistake! All was good in the end though and Ron and I had a blast as usual. Tim Hawkins and Steve Gerbig did a great job running the weigh-in and everything went smoothly as do all the Hammonds Tournaments. A special call out to Steve Pescitelli and his son Noah. They have been out with me on a dozen trips or so over the last year. I almost feel like Noah is my own son at this point, and Steve is like a brother to me. They have came a LONG way in a very short time and I am extremely proud of the them. Noah and his dad finished 13th in the Hammond's tourney Saturday with a sack of 15.01. This was against a strong field of 62 boats - they beat a bunch of Lanier's top sticks and almost beat me too! LOL. They are awesome people and I have thoroughy enjoyed working with them as they are both outstanding students. Great job guys - and as usual, I am looking forward to our next class on the water!! As most of you know, my business has really been growing over the last year. Jimbo's has expanded to Hartwell with Rick Steckelberg as my lead guide up there, and I have had several multi-boat trips on Lanier lately as well. I am very excited to announce that I am adding two more guides and two more bodies of water for this fall and winter. Craig from the Dugout in Kennesaw will be running Float and Fly trips on Carter's Lake for me this winter, and Jamie Koza, who owns and runs the Dugout and Kennesaw Bait will be running trips on the Chattahoochee River for Largemouth as well. Craig is an EXPERT with the float and fly rig and there is no better lake on which to learn this technique than Carters. This is a great experience and a technique that is often unmatched for producing big winter sacks. Also, for a limited time this fall and early winter, Jamie is going to be running trips on the Hooch and doing some river fishing for giant Largemouth Bass. This is an unforgettable experience and one I also highly recommend. These trips will be ran on a section of the river near Six Flags theme park and I promise you will learn and see things which you have not before seen!! I am full this week, but Nick is available to guide for me on Lanier this week if you would like to get out. Rick is also available on Hartwell, and he too will be doing trips for me on other popular Georgia Big Bass Lakes on the Savannah River chain like Burton, Rayburn,and Seed. Rick is in tune with most of the Georgia lakes and he has competed and won on most of them. Rick can help you on any of those lakes - Jimbo's is now your one-stop-shop for bass fishing! Lots of growth and lots of changes at Jimbo's! For November on Lanier, I have the 27, 29, and 30 open, and I am also booking for December. The fish are starting to move into the ditches and the Classic Lanier deep ditch bite is just starting, but will get much stronger as the water continues to cool and the bait moves into their winter holes. The weeks upcoming are great to learn the Fish Head Spin bite in the ditches, as well as the deep jig bite in the timber. A quick summary of the other lakes available through Jimbo's with dates available NOW: Lanier, Hartwell, Carters, Burton, Rayburn, Seed and the Chattahoochee River. Also, Rick takes requests! Call me if you want to fish in Georgia, we can get you set up! For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.southernfishing.com Many thanks to all, and May God Bless - Jimbo

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 10/30/2013

Hey Gang - Well the lake is finally almost exactly back to full pool. It stands at .06 feet over full at the time of this post. The lake has been experiencing some turnover. Areas of the lake look good, and others not so much. Aside from all that stuff, the great news is the fish are biting well right now. The other good news is that you can pretty much take your pick of how and where you want to catch them too....it's pretty fun as you can run a number of different patterns through the day and catch big fish on most of them. The only thing pretty consistent for me is that we are starting our days shallow on rock almost every trip for the last couple of weeks. After that, I let the conditions lead me to the best bite. And folks, that could literally be almost anything. Topwater over brush, to jig on rock, to a shaky head on a point, to a drop shot deep around the timber. Its all there right now. Here is a list of some of the baits we have caught good fish on recently: spinnerbait, crankbait, Chattahoochee Jig, Davis Shaky Head, drop shot, topwater, Fish Head Spin, jerkbait, and a Sworming Hornet Bite Size Herring Swimbait. Whew. Long List. LOL. I think the best message I can send to you guys without having you in my boat to show you is to stay versatile, especially as the numerous fronts of fall come and go. Try different areas and techniques. Don't stay in any one area too long and don't have a favorite bait. The best bite is different every day for us. This is a great time of year to work on any variety of techniques you may want to learn. I am full this week and have been for the past couple of weeks since my move (Thank you for the calls!), but I do have most of next week available as it stands now. Give me a call and let's get out there. The leaves are really starting to change and it is gorgeous on our pond. Lastly, I want to offer a special congratulations to Noah Pescitelli for his 2nd Place Finish in the the Wackem High School State Championship this weekend. Noah and his partner had a 2 day total of 20.76 pounds and missed the victory by .03 pounds. Wow. Noah and his partner are now qualified for the National High School Championship in 2014. Way to go Noah!! For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com Thanks to all, and May God Bless - Jimbo

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 10/15/2013

Hey Everyone - Well I am happy to report that I am finally moved into the new crib here in Cumming. What an incredible task that was - for the life of me I don't understand how we accumulated so much stuff! I want to start by congratulating Rick Steckelberg on his 2nd place finish in the BFL Regional here on Lanier this past weekend. Rick is now qualified for the BFL All-American to be held at Wilson Lake, Alabama in 2014. As a recap, Rick started each day throwing a 3/8 oz brown Sworming Hornet jig on rocky points and humps in 15-20 feet of water for some big bites early. The jig bite was over after daylight broke, and Rick then concentrated on brush for the rest of his days with a drop shot, taking the opportunity to sling at schooling fish through each day with a Lucky Craft Gunfish and a Sworming Hornet Snack Sized Herring to round out his daily 5 fish creels. Rick's 3 day weight total was 41.01 lbs. Also of note, Rick's Co-Angler on Day 3 took home the victory in the non-boater division. For his efforts, Bryan Cothran won a Ranger Z 518. Again, a big congrats to Rick for his outstanding finish and good luck to him as he tries again for the Truck and Boat 1st Prize in the BFL Regional this weekend on Lake Hartwell. The bite is still strong as topwater and swimbaits are producing well out there. I am back on trips starting tomorrow. Here is what I have left open in October: 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30. Give me a call and let's go fish! Thanks to all and May God Bless - Jimbo

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: September 29, 2013

Hey Everyone - It has been awhile since my last report. I just finished an 11 day run of trips and I am enjoying a day off today. Thank you all so much for your phone calls. I so enjoy what I do and I have all of you, along with my wonderful sponsors, to thank for me being allowed to pursue my dream. Thank you! The bite on Lanier has been nothing short of outstanding for the last 3 weeks or so. We have had multiple 20+ pound sacks of spotted bass and several spots 5 pounds or more, including one over 7 pounds (pictured above right - check the eyes out on that big girl - that is an OLD, FAT fish!) Suffice it to say that the fish have been looking up most of the time. We have caught a few fish on the bottom, but by the far the majority of our fish have been coming up to get the baits. Topwater, Swimbaits of many different types, along with a few other key presentations, have been very productive. I have been guiding some folks in preparation for some current and upcoming tournaments, so out of respect to them and the information they have paid for, I am going to refrain from going into any further detail. I don't normally do that, but I just feel it the right thing to do at this point. I am always honest in my reports, so rather than making some stuff up or posting misleading information, I am just going to refrain from discussing. I certainly hope you all understand. Look for some more thorough reports to come after the weekend of October 13th, and thanks for your patience. In other news, I want to congratulate my good friend and Lake Hartwell Guide Rick Steckelberg for his recent victory on Westpoint in the BFL Super Tournament down there. He will be fishing the BFL Regionals both on Hartwell and here on Lanier as well in the coming weeks. He is fishing Day 2 of the Clark Hill Event today and was sitting in 12th going into Day 2, one place behind where he was on Day 1 at Westpoint before he won it. Congratulations Rick and good luck today!! I am back on Lanier tomorrow for another full week of trips. I do have Friday, October 4th available, which is my only available day in the next 7 days. I do have some dates open the week of October 7th, so give me a call and let's go fish. The fishing is incredible, don't miss it!! Rick has a few dates on Hartwell also, but also has some big tournaments coming up - call me ASAP if you would like to fish with Rick as his schedule is tightening up. Again, a huge thanks to everyone for your support, and for the support of all of my incredible sponsors: G-Loomis Fishing Rods, Shimano, Lowrance, Hammond's Fishing, Sworming Hornet Lures, Davis Baits, Trokar Hooks, Seaguar Fishing Line, Wackem, Chattahoochee Jigs, LanierMAPPED.com, JJ's Magic, and Hinkle Marine. For Fishing Reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com May God Bless! Jimbo Jim "JIMBO" Mathley Spotted Bass Fishing Guide - Lake Lanier jim@laniermapped.com Mobile - 770-542-7764 www.jimboonlanier.com Proudly Sponored By: G-Loomis Fishing Rods SHIMANO Lowrance Sworming Hornet Lures Wackem Crazy Baits Seaguar - Always the Best JJ's Magic Attractant Hammond's Fishing Davis Bait Company LanierMAPPED.com Hinklemarine.com LazerTrokar.com

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell Guide Service Fishing Report: 9/8/2013

Hey Gang - It is great to see the sun back consistently! It has been awesome to finally have some beauty days out there to enjoy. The fish seem to be enjoying it as well as things are definitely on an upswing on the pond. Over the past week, I have seen a better concentration of fish around and in the brush than I have seen all summer. I attribute this to the pending change of season, ample sunshine, and of course the water release through the week. I noticed yesterday the fish were not as tight to the brush as they had been through the week. It was partly cloudy and no water release. Go figure. There was lots of schooling activity through the week at different points in the day. We focused on brush in 18-25 feet on points and humps. We were also able to bring fish up consistently through the day in these same areas. So, as you can imagine, topwater and swimbaits became our go-to presentations. We really caught and tangled with some big fish this week. I saw the biggest spot I have ever seen in that lake try to get on my customer's gunfish on Friday afternoon. Unreal big. I was not fishing and was just watching - I was at the perfect angle to see it all. It was a heartbreak for him, but he recovered nicely with some good fish making it to the boat. I have also been experimenting with the latest version of swimbait from Sworming Hornet Lures, The Snack Sized Herring. It is the smaller brother of the Bite Sized Herring and will be out in stores like Hammond's and Oakwood soon. It is very balanced and runs very true for such a compact presentation option. I love it! When things got boring, LOL, we would move to the drop shot, which seemed to be working much better than anything right on the bottom this week. Casting the dropshot is particularly effective right now as well as the typical vertical presentations. Areas with a ledge close to deep water seemed to produce our bigger bites on the DS. Wackem worms in Lanier Candy, LJ's Passion, and LJ's Obsession worked nicely. On other fronts, I am excited to report the addition of another new sponsor to Jimbo's Guide Service - Trokar Hooks. I really look forward to working with Brian Evans and his team with Trokar/Seaguar. Seaguar has been a long time relationship that is also growing for me in working with Brian. Both of these products have outstanding reputations in the market and I am both pleased and honored to represent them. Finally, a Big Thank You to everyone that came out and braved the weather for the Blackshear Place Baptist Church Sportsman's Feast back in August. What a great event, and as always, I really enjoyed presenting and hosting a booth there. The main message of the evening was very powerful, and 79 people made the decision for Christ that night. What a Blessing to be part of such an awesome event. I have the following dates remaining in September: 10, 12, 13, 17, 24, 30. I am also booking for the first week of October on Lanier with a few dates still open that week. As far as tournament preparation goes, I am at capacity for Camp Sunshine and BFL preparation trips, but still have one slot open for anyone practicing for the Skeeter Challenge Event the first weekend of October. The off limits for all participants in that event starts on September 29th, so please plan accordingly. Also, the Hartwell bite is picking up well and Rick has had some great trips out for me on Hartwell and Burton over the past couple of weeks. He has some dates open still in September and you don't want to miss the action on these super lakes. Give me a call to set a date with Rick or I and let's go fish!! For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com Thanks to all, and May God Bless - Jimbo

Friday, August 16, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell Bass Fishing Guide Service Fishing Report: 8/16/2013

Hey Gang - I have taken some time off over the past couple of weeks as my family and I are in the process of moving up to the lake. I am looking forward to shorter commutes as I have been driving 50 miles a day for trips. That should be cut down to about 5 miles now! Hooray! I have also been running a few trips every week, both live bait and artificial. The lower lake is somewhat inconsistent right now. The bait and the fish are spread out with all the cloudy weather, and some of the bigger fish are starting to suspend out over deeper water as they usually do this time of the year. We are still finding fish around the brush in 18-30 ft. We have had success with the new Chattahoochee Jigs, a drop shot rig with Wackem plastics such as the Big Sissie in Cotton Candy, crankbaits, as well as a chug bug, and of course, spot tail minnows. LOL. I also been fishing up north in the Chestatee River and Little Hall area. I have found a good shallow to mid-depth bite up there on Davis shaky heads and Chattahoochee jigs. Topwater baits have also been productive up there in the mornings very shallow. It has been fun up there on most days and I have enjoyed the change of pace. If you have not fished up north on our lake much, this is a good time to try it out. The cold front that has came dropped the water temperature a couple of degrees as of yesterday and I look for it to be in the high 70's come Monday when I am back on the water. I am looking for a stronger shallow bite to develop with the condition changes upon us. More to come on that front. Please plan on coming out to Blackshear Baptist Church next Thursday, August 22nd for their annual Sportsman's Feast. They have another great evening planned with some outstanding giveaways and raffle items, and some great speakers as well. I will be there with a booth and will be doing a presentation during the program. In addition, I will be giving away a free trip for 2 people as part of the event as well as a Tackle Pack at my booth. The show starts at 5 PM at Blackshear Baptist Church in Flowery Branch. Y'all C'Mon! I have Tuesday and Friday open next week. Rick is available on Hartwell next week also and is on some good shallow fish up there with a Topwater Frog! That is fun fishing! Give me a call and lets go fish! For Fishing Reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com Thanks to all and May God Bless - Jimbo

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell Guide Service Fishing Report: 8/1/2013

Hello Friends and Sponsors - Just another quick report and some more pictures to share. Everyone deserves their time in the spotlight. LOL. The topwater bite was strong through last Thursday, but has slowed a bit since. We are still getting them up, but it has been an afternoon thing down south. A late afternoon thing at that. In the mornings, particularly when the wind is up, swimbaits such as the Sworming Hornet Bite Size Herring and crankbaits such as the Spro DD have been the lures of choice, fished shallow on rocky points, islands, and humps. Through the day, a Sworming Hornet Dude or Fish Head Spin has been working, along with a skirted green and brown Chattahoochee 3/8 oz. jig, and a drop shot with Wackem offerings such as the Big Sissie in LJ's Passion and Obsession. I still have some days open next week, so give me a ring to book a trip before the kids go back to school. I have only done 3 or 4 this year, but I do remember how to throw a cast net for spot-tails, so don't hesitate to call me for a live-bait trip! LOL. Also of note, my September is filling up quickly. I am helping folks prepare for some of the many different tournaments coming up on the lake this September and October. Some of these events, such as the Skeeter Challenge, have a week-long off-limits period on the lake prior to the event for all participants, so make sure to plan your date requests accordingly. Thanks to everyone for a great summer. You have kept me very busy and I am grateful! Looking forward to your calls for next week. For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com May God Bless - Jimbo

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell Fishing Guide Service Report: 7/27/2013

Hey Gang - I hope everyone is enjoying a great summer and going fishing as often as you can. It has been awesome out there the last 2 weeks with this week being particularly good for topwater down south. The pictures attached are from last week up until last Saturday. I ran a trip out of Laurel Park last Saturday during the Poker Run and we actually did quite well with several good largemouth like Ryan is holding in the attached pictures along with some nice fat spots too. The topwater and jig bite was on up there. I also have a ton of pictures from this week from which I will post a few in my next report. I spent the entire week this week below Browns Bridge on artificial trips. The topwater bite was outstanding this week, particularly in the afternoons. A chug bug over brush in 18-25 feet was our best offering - no surprises here. The sunny days we had this week definitely helped this bite. When we did have clouds, Rick Steckelberg's Bite Sized Herring Swimbait produced some nice fish when retrieved over the brush, as well as shallower on rocky points and islands. We also got on a very good crankbait bite this week that seemed to be best during cloudy, windy conditions later in the day. We caught some studs up shallow (less than 12 feet) on a Strike King 5XD crankbait in Sexy Blueback color. Lot's of fun this week, and with moderate temperatures for this time of year in the forecast for the next 10 days, no reason it should go away. I don't have any dates available this coming week, but I do have some dates open the week of August 5th. Also, Rick is available on Hartwell and has been helping me on Lanier as well. If you need a guide this week or anytime, give me a ring! And yes I know I still owe you guys a Hartwell report. It has been good up there too, and its coming. My guide schedule has been crazy of late working 6 days a week and I have had to back-burner some things. Trust me though, I am not complaining - I LOVE what I do! Thank you for the calls and your business! I am very grateful! For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com Have a great week, think boating safety, and may God Bless - Jimbo

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Report: 7/14/2013

Hey Everyone - We had lot's of fun last night at the Braves Game - my wife suggested the game and Steve Miller Concert as a "Date Night" - gotta love it when your wife suggests sporting events and concerts as a date! LOL. We had a blast. As far as fishing, it was another great week out on Lanier for Jimbo's - lots of fish and lots of fun had by all! I had trips every day and ran 2 on Friday with Rick Steckelberg coming down from Hartwell to help out. I ran one live bait trip this week, and the rest of the time we focused on the topwater and swimbait bite. We are still starting in the backs of the creeks and pockets each morning and doing pretty well. There remains a good concentration of bait and fish in the backs of certain creeks and pockets, along with some big ones. A prop bait such as the Stanford Cedar Lures offering, has been our best choice. During the day, it has been the same for us - run from hole to hole and pull the fish up with topwater and swimbaits. When it is cloudy and windy, Rick's new Sworming Hornet Bite Size Herring seems to be best. When the sun is out, a topwater of some nature seems to work better. Our topwater offerings his past week included a chug bug, a gunfish, and a spook. This coming week, I only have Thursday morning open (July 18th). After that, the only three dates I have left in July are the 23, 26 (PM), and 27. I am booked the rest of the month. Rick is available on Hartwell this week also, and has been doing well on trips up there as well as Burton this past week. Give me a call to book Lanier or Hartwell - only a few days open in July. For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com Have fun out there and stay safe! Good luck and May God Bless - Jimbo

Friday, July 5, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Guide Service Report: 7/5/2013

Happy 4th Everyone! Thought I would drop a quick report in for those that might be getting out this weekend. In short, the fish did not have a chance this past week - LOL. The fishing was super and I had a bunch of happy customers, including several folks that caught their PB spot. Pretty cool stuff. We have been working the back of creeks and pockets in the early mornings for some big fish. The fish I am pictured with above was one of two the same size I had hooked on the same cast with a prop bait. Crazy. There are some big fish getting up in the right places very shallow. Look for the deeper creek pockets with grass in the backs. There are bait fish staying in the backs of some of these pockets and the big girls that spawned back there have not left. No need to! They have oxygen, food, and cover right there. Why leave? It would be like us getting a free room and board at the Ritz. Would we leave? NO! As the day progresses, we have been working topwater and swimbaits over brush on points and humps in the 18-25 ft zone. The topwater was even good on the cloudy days this week with a chug bug being our best topwater offering over all. Good thing, cloudy days seem to be all we get these days! When the fish won't come all the way up, a weighted fluke and a FHS over the brush has been the ticket for us. Make sure to the let the fluke sink a good long while between twitches. Vary the length of your pause until you find the right cadence. Work the Fish Head Spin (or the Dude) over and around the brush. Vary your depths and retrieve speed until you hit on the right combo. Have fun out there and be safe this weekend. I am taking the weekend off, but I have next Thursday and Friday open for anyone that would like to get out and enjoy the topwater bite. Rick is available on Hartwell also, and the bite is strong up there as well for both spots and largemouth. For fishing reports on other Georgia lakes, be sure to visit: www.havefunfishing.com May God Bless - Jimbo

Monday, June 24, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Guide Service Report: 6/24/2013

Hey Gang - Just a quick update for everyone. I have been out every day since last Tuesday through the weekend on trips. We have been chasing the topwater and swimbait bite and it has been strong for us. The right holes will cough up quality topwater fish consistently when the correct baits are presented properly. The topwater bite is more technique specific than in years past, but its there. We have keyed on brush in the 20-25 foot zone on points, humps, and ledges. The gunfish and chug bug have been our best offerings, and a fluke still remains a steady back-up. We have had several doubles like the one I am pictured with above, and some very big fish. The picture of me in the middle is actually my customer's fish - he was just a little camera shy...LOL. I couldn't let her go without a pic! This is really a fun bite and I encourage you all to get out and enjoy it while it is there. I also had other boats out on Lanier and Rick was guiding at Hartwell for me over the weekend. Everyone had great results, with Rick and his trip really spanking them up on Hartwell yesterday. I will be making a separate post to share the results at Hartwell along with pictures later this week. For this week, I still have an opening on Wednesday, June 26th, but am full the rest of the week. For next week, I have July 2, 3, and 5 open for anyone interested in getting out. Rick is also open at Hartwell, and the bite is strong there also. He is on them if you would like to get out up there. Nick is at the Chick this week for the final regular season FLW Event, best of luck to him and Jason Johnson up there for a great tournament. Thanks to all, and May God Bless - Jimbo

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Guide Service Fishing Report: 6/18/2013

Hey Gang - Its been a busy week and a half for me but enjoying a day off today before getting back on the water tomorrow for trips Wednesday - Sunday. The lake remains about 1 1/2 feet above full pool as the rains continue to come regularly. The water temp at launch in the mornings is now right around 80 degrees. The fishing has been good for us as we have been chasing the topwater and swimbait bite. When it is there, it is hard for me to do anything else as the excitement level with this type of pattern is simply unmatched. It does require a lot of run and gun, but it works and it produces quality fish in good numbers. At the end of the day my customers walk away grinning ear to ear and have enjoyed some unbelievable sights in regards to how these spots will chase after a topwater bait or a swimbait when presented correctly. To call their pursuit aggressive is an understatement! I am sure there are other ways to catch them right now, but who cares! The fish have started committing to cover more in the past week and they can be found in and around brush in the 20-30 feet zone all day on most days. A Gunfish, Sammy, chugbug, and a Sworming Hornet Bite Sized Herring Swimbait have been our most successful offerings in the recent days. A weighted fluke has been a great back up bait for a missed strike also. We have caught some on a Lil' Dude, a fish head spin, and a crankbait, but we only pick those baits up if we go longer than an hour without a bite on top. LOL. My concern is that the topwater bite that is there currently will not last long with the water temps on the rise. Now is the time to go if you want to get in on some of this incredible topwater action. I am booked the rest of this week, but due to a 3 day cancellation, I have plenty of availability next week. Give me a call and let's go bust some on top! Rick is available on Hartwell next week also, and good luck to Nick at the upcoming FLW Event on Chickamauga. Thanks to all that came out and supported the tournament for Ronnie Arrowood at Little Hall this past Saturday. It was a fun event for a great cause. My understanding is that between the tournament and the raffle, over $3000 was raised for Ronnie. That is awesome and we all certainly wish him the best. For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com May God Bless - Jimbo

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Bass Guide Fishing Report: 6/12/2013

Hey Everyone - Here at Jimbo's, we closed another great week on Lanier. Had a blast this week with some aspiring young anglers as well as some returning guests, putting many of them on their personal best spotted bass. Things are finally starting to trend toward "normal" for this time of year. The topwater and swimbait bite is improving, and has been our main focus during the past week and it has really gotten stronger as we have progressed through this week. Will, who, along with Noah P. and others, is one of the many teenagers I have had the honor of mentoring over the past couple of years. Will had an outstanding day with me this past Friday on the new Bite Size Herring Swimbait from Sworming Hornet Lures. We worked the swimbait over brush on main lake humps for some outstanding results. We had some nice doubles and Will drilled the monster pictured above center. We finished the day with over 25 fish and a big bag of spots. Great job Will!! When the swimbait bite is off, a weighted fluke has been a nice compliment. There are still many fish up shallow, and often a crankbait or a shaky head worm is the ticket to catch these fish. We have started most days in those same areas with very good success on a wakebait - often getting a double digit start on numbers within our first couple of stops. Lastly, I want to let everyone know about a very important benefit coming up this Saturday, June 15th out of Little Hall. The tournament runs from safe-light to 2:30 PM and the entry fee is $100 per boat. The benefactor of this event is Ronnie Arrowood, a local gentleman who is battling cancer and needs financial assistance to pursue the proper treatment plan. His pre-treatment process is expensive and not covered by insurance - he needs our help! If you can, please come and participate in the event this coming weekend. I have a trip scheduled for that morning, but will be around for the weigh-in and will be donating some giveaways also. There will be a nice raffle and some good food as well - come on out and help support Ronnie. I am full this week, but for next week, I have June 18 and 20th open, as well as the morning of Friday, June 21st open. My guide Nick is back from his FLW Tour stop at Grand Lake in OK, sporting a well deserved 5th place finish - congrats Nick! He is available through the week this coming week. Let me know if you would like to get out with him. Also, Rick has some days open this coming week at Hartwell also. Give me a call and let me help you set up your next fishing trip! For Fishing Reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com Thanks to everyone, and May God Bless - Jimbo

Friday, May 31, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 5/31/2013

Hey Gang - Back from Indy and been on the lake with trips the last couple of days, as I will be through the weekend. Race was great as usual and had a blast. I hope you all had an enjoyable and safe weekend! It has been fun out there given the many options that exist right now. As Marc stated in his earlier report meant to rally the Lanier locals, the shallow bite is solid, especially in the areas where the herring are spawning. (And Marc - thank you for taking the lead on that one - and great report) Shaky Head Worms, flukes, and even topwater baits can work well on any given day. Some days, the fish are very shallow, and others, they are back out a little bit. Today, 12-18 feet seemed to be the magic zone. There is also some early morning schooling going on around some select deeper rocky points. The fluke, spook, and a Fish Head Spin have been the steady favorites of the fish in these situations. There are also plenty of fish out around the brush as well, both the deeper and shallower brush in most cases. These fish, when active, can be caught on topwater, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and flukes. A steady retrieve jerkbait is often our best offering for these fish. They are willing to come up, but not often all the way yet. Once the water clears up and we get further into the post spawn, this should change dramatically. We have not slowed down to drop shot the deeper stuff yet - we tend to stay on the move and find the fish that want to eat. On a side note - Thanks to all of you and your incredible support of my business, I am able to share more news regarding growth in Jimbo's Guide Service. If you remember, last week I announced that Rick Steckelberg of Sworming Hornet Lures joined Jimbo's at Lake Hartwell, and now I am pleased to announce that I have brought on local FLW Pro Nick Hensley to help me handle the demand on Lake Lanier. Many of you know Nick and recognize that he is an outstanding angler. He won the 2012 FLW Co-Angler Championship,and has won several local events here on Lanier as well. I am confident that he will be a great addition to my guide service here on Lake Lanier. Nick will be working exclusively for me on the lake, and will assist with the extra demand when he is not out on tour. Nick had a morning trip Monday with Tod and his son Carson, who are pictured in one of the attached montages along with a recent picture of Nick in the top left. Nick worked hard for these two and put them on an 18 pound sack of beautiful spots. Not bad for my rookie guide. LOL. I know they fished brush most of the day, but that darn Nick would not tell me what he was throwing. LOL. I am sure it was some secret bait..... In other news, Rick's new Bite Size Herring Swimbait should be available in Hammond's by next week. You really have to check these things out - they look SWEET in the water - and they work!! Great combo...LOL. Lastly, a call out to 7 year old Jeffery, pictured above middle, who jacked a big spot ALL BY HIMSELF last Friday. I can't tell you all how awesome it was to get such a cool little guy a fish like that - on his own. Unreal. "Mr. Jimbo. I think I have one." "Really?". "Yep, I'm pretty sure." Drag Slips. "Jeffrey, are you sure you aren't hung on that reef p...." Monster spot goes airborne with a wakebait hanging out of his face. "Holy Moly Jeffery, yes you do!!" Jimbo dives for net. Fish landed. Boy's dream made and a lifetime of angling assured. Those moments are why I do what I do. All things fishing on Lanier should be improving steadily through June and into July. Over the next 2 weeks, I have June 4, 5, 6, 10, and 11 open. Rick is available for Lake Hartwell. Nick is on tour in Oklahoma. I am here and ready to go! Give me a call and let's go fish!!! For fishing reports on other GA Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo -- Jim "JIMBO" Mathley Spotted Bass Fishing Guide - Lake Lanier jim@laniermapped.com Mobile - 770-542-7764 www.jimboonlanier.com

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Guide Service Report: 5/18/2013

Hey Gang - No question about it, the pond is heating up and so is the fishing! My customers enjoyed a very good week and some great results. Thursday and Friday were particularly good, with Thursday being the best. I am excited to share two big announcements before getting to the fishing report for this week. First, Jimbo's Guide Service is EXPANDING to include Lake Hartwell! I am happy to report that Rick Steckelberg of Sworming Hornet Lures has came on board with Jimbo's and will be my lead guide on Hartwell. Rick is a very accomplished angler as most of you know, with several major tournament victories to his credit. He now lives near Lake Hartwell and I know he will provide fantastic results to my clients up there as he knows the lake well. Rick has been a long-term sponsor of mine, and I am tickled that we are in a position to grow our relationship further. Please contact me directly to book a trip on Hartwell, and there will be much more to come in the near future regarding this development. Welcome Rick!! Speaking of Rick, he and I got together on Thursday afternoon on Lanier to test prototypes of his latest creation, the Sworming Hornet Bite Sized Herring Swimbait. One of these gems is pictured above hanging from the face of a donkey that fell victim to its tantalizing action! I was impressed with these baits and absolutely loved the movement and size - it is the perfect solution as it's total weight is around an ounce and therefore very user friendly. Big swimbait rods are not required to toss this little jewel. We went out Thursday afternoon just after my morning trip and jacked an 18 pound sack in short order, with Rick's new swimbait being the main contributor. These 3-Joint Swimbaits are 5 inches long and will be offered in both Floating and Fast Sink models, and will come in 3 colors: pearl, blue back herring, and gizzard shad. You can order one of these baits on TackleWarehouse.com immediately, and they will be available locally at Hammond's Fishing and Outdoor Depot soon. I will also be selling these directly to my customers as well. You need to get you one of these beauties!! OK, now onto fishing for this week. We ran points and humps with brush in 20-25 feet most of the week and focused on pulling fish up from the cover. This pattern by far produced our biggest bites. There are some monsters out there willing to eat topwater and swimbaits right now - we had 2 of the biggest spots I have seen out there pull off on topwater this past Friday. Heartbreak! As I mentioned, topwater and swimbaits were the best offerings for the bigger fish. Also, when the fish were not willing to come up, they ate a Fish Head Spin and a shaky head worm pretty well around the same type of cover. We caught a mixture of pre and post spawn fish this week. There are several post-spawners starting to show up, particularly in the creeks. It would not surprise me to see a big wave hit the beds on this full moon coming up next week - particularly the main lake fish. For all of those that have been calling asking about the timing of the topwater bite on Lanier, it is here and should only get better. It's time to book your trip with Jimbo! The herring spawn is also starting down south and will be getting stronger as the days progress. I am booked all 5 days next week on Lanier, but Rick has some open days on Hartwell if anyone wants to make a trip up there. He tells me the herring spawn is in full swing and the fishing is fantastic. I understand some new cover is about to make its way into the lake as well. LOL. My only days left on Lanier in May are the 29th and 30th. I am also booking for June and starting to fill quickly. Make your reservation now for the June topwater and swimbait bite - it is shaping up to be a great one. Give me a call for Lanier or Hartwell! For Fishing Reports on other Georgia Lakes, make sure to visit: www.havefunfishing.com Thanks to all and May God Bless! Jimbo -- Jim "JIMBO" Mathley Spotted Bass Fishing Guide - Lake Lanier jim@laniermapped.com Mobile - 770-542-7764 www.jimboonlanier.com

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 5/11/2013

Hello Everyone - I am grateful for another busy week in the world of fishing as I wrapped up another 6 day week today. Lake Lanier is an awesome place and I am blessed to be able to make my living out there - a HUGE thank you to all of my customers for your support - I appreciate your business and greatly value the many friendships I have garnered through my guide service! OK, enough of the sappy stuff, onto fishing! The fishing this week has been good, albeit ever-changing. It seems like the best bite changes, and sometimes dramatically, every day. Overall, the most consistent option for the better fish seems to be focusing on the summer brush in depths of 20-30 ft on points and humps. A number of different techniques work in and around the brush, from shaky heads to jerkbaits to topwater and swimbaits. It just depends on the conditions and their mood when you pull up to the pile. So, stay flexible in your approach. As far as the numbers bite, there are many options and I know there are several techniques and areas working right now. We have caught our numbers around docks and on clay banks with shaky heads, drop shot worms, jerbaits, top water, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits. I know that list does not cover all the options, but it covers what we have been doing. While I have not been up there, I am told the herring spawn has begun in the warmer water up north, and therefore should make it down south soon. I have checked some of the likely areas down south, and not much sign of them yet. An update from some commitments I made earlier this spring. I had committed to quitting the dip on March 1, 2013, which I have done. 72 days dip free and counting. I also had committed to lose 50 pounds by June 1. I was on a good track in that category, and then I quit dipping. I am still down in weight overall, but gained some back when I quit the snuff. Quitting tobacco is unbelievably hard! In retrospect, I should only try to quit one bad habit at a time. LOL. I am rededicating myself to the weight loss and exercise now and have modified my goal a bit to be down 35 pounds from current weight by Halloween this year. Updates to follow. The forecast looks awesome for next week with pleny of sunshine and I am sure some good fishing. I have some days open next week so give me a call and let's get out there and bust on 'em! For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please be sure to visit: havefunfishing.com Thanks to all and May God Bless! Jimbo

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Guide Service Report: 5/1/2013

Hey Gang! The fishing has been good to very good this past week. The lake has came up again with the recent rains and we remain over full pool. Wow. What a change. Lots of water out there! We appear to be having a trickle spawn this year as there does not seem to have yet been a major wave of fish to hit the beds. There are definitely some fish spawning, but based on the condition of most of the fish we are catching, there are several remaining to spawn. We have shifted our focus a bit this week in terms of the areas we are targeting. For numbers, we have been hitting clay banks at the mouths of pockets and creeks in the 10-15 feet range. A shaky head and worm or crawfish immitation will work well to catch these fish. Experiment with jig head sizes and worm lengths, as sometimes lighter and smaller is better. 1/8 to 3/16 is standard jighead weight for this time of year. It is also important to note that we have began to catch some better fish in the 3 to 4 pound range up in the shallows this week. In terms of of a consistent approach for the bigger fish, we have been targeting the staging females out over the summer brush on the main lake and mouths of the creeks. A jerkbait and topwater have been our best offerings to catch these fish. While the bites on this pattern are fewer, the size is fantastic as we have caught some hammers this past week. Folks, if you have been waiting for the "right time" to fish, now is it! I am full this week and weekend, but have some dates open both next week and the week after as well. This is a great time to catch a bunch of fish and as well as learn how to catch staging female fish out deep! Give me a call and lets get out. Thanks to all and May God Bless! Jimbo

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 4/24/2013

Hey Gang - Sorry it has been awhile since my last report. I have been running trips 6 days a week and enjoying the family on day 7, so I have have let the reports slip a bit. I appreciate everyone who follows my reports and will do a better job of keeping up! As I'm sure most of you know, the lake is full and on fire right now, both for big fish and numbers. With the full moon coming Thursday, I expect some great results this week as I am sure a strong wave of spots will hit the beds on the moon. That period just before they bed is normally off the charts. Today was a good day for the better fish for us as we had several over 3 pounds. We have been focusing on main lake points and humps for those better fish, and the jerkbait and swimbait have been our best weapons. A few good fish have also came on a skirted jig of late, but in general, the fun stuff has been producing the big ones. The "grass" bite is just silly right now as most of you have experienced or seen reported lately. You can catch fish on practically anything you want to throw at them. Pick your favorite bait and go fish the pockets with "grass" in the back. Worms have been our main tool, but flukes, trick worms, spinnerbaits, and a multitude of other options have been working. They are there, and they are hungry. Go Have fun!! I am full this week, but do have Mon, Tues, and Friday open next week due to some rescheduling. This is the time to go fish! Give me a call if you would like to get out. Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo

Monday, April 1, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 4/1/2013

Hey Gang - I hope everyone enjoyed a very happy Easter! I was out on the water with trips mid-week through the holiday weekend with some good results. The spots are becoming more available as the weather and water temperatures continue to warm - FINALLY! This has been the most unusual spring I can remember here in Georgia in terms of weather. It seems that we are now on the right path! There are numerous bites to be had in the 10-15 feet range in creek arms around docks and the "grass" that has grown up and been flooded with the recent resurgence of the water level. A jerkbait and fish head spin seem to work well in the early mornings in these areas, especially if the wind is up a little. For the bigger fish, we have been focusing on the staging females that can be found both on secondary points and main lake points/humps. 30 feet seems to be the key depth for these fish, and rocky areas seem to be the best. A 1/4 oz shaky head with a worm or crawfish immitation of some kind seem to be the key bait for these fish. As the water warms, these big females will continue their migration shallower. Look for them to show up in obvious stopping points along the way shallower, such as brush and docks. Also, as they move shallower they should become more aggressive and more susceptible to moving baits. Its about to get really good out there folks! For this week, I have all day Tuesday and Wednesday morning available for anyone that would like to get out. I am full the remainder of the week and weekend. I also have some weekdays open the week of April 8th. Give me a call and lets get out. It is time to FISH!! Also, for anyone interested, I have 2 St. Croix Legend Tournament Series Drop Shot Rods for Sale - $150 each. Great rods and in great shape. Let me know if you are interested. Thanks to all and May God Bless - Jimbo

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Guide Report: 3/24/2013

Hey Everyone - Sorry for the long delay since my last report. Lots of reasons for it but no excuses, I should be better about it. I was sick as a dog with the flu for 3 weeks or so and only made it out on a few trips during that period. Also, my youngest daughter had emergency ear surgery last week. She is good now, thank God, and I am feeling human again. Lastly, the weather has been terrible as you all know. I have postponed many of my trips just to ensure we go at a time that my clients are ensured an enjoyable, comfortable trip. So, with that said, let me catch you up on fishing and other interesting stuff. Allow me to begin by announcing an exciting new sponsorship. I recently accepted a "full ride" sponsorship with Shimano and G-Loomis through the Don Coffey company. I look forward to repping these outstanding products as well as others to come in the near future through the Don Coffey relationship. Safe to say my customers will be fishing with the best as many new NRX and GLX rods recently made their way to my door - LOL. I do want to send a big "Thank You" to Randy and his crew with St. Croix. I have enjoyed my time with them and I appreciated the opportunity to be involved with such a classy bunch of people. All the best to them. Finally, onto fishing! We have been working a couple of different productive patterns of late. One is the classic winter "ditch" pattern that I have spoken about in recent posts. That bite is still there and we are catching some solid fish running this pattern. Most of the time, we have used the Fish Head Spin on these fish and they have been in the 10-25 ft range for the most part. A shaky head tipped with a craw immitation has been my second choice for these fish when they are not as active. On sunny days, these fish have been pulling to the docks and can be caught on worms, jigs, and a even ajerkbait on some days. Just depends on their mood. Don't be afraid to fish the very backs of these ditches in the early mornings for some big bites at daylight. The FHS and jerkbait have been our main weapons in this scenario. Also, we have been working rocky main lake points and pockets with a jerkbait and crankbait when the wind is up for some good bites. When no wind, the worm and jig can produce as well. Most of the jerkbait and crankbait fish are in 15 feet or less. The worm and jig fish are often a bit deeper. This may be a repeat for some of you, but going back a couple of weeks, I am happy to report my customer (and now good friend) Ron Clark and I WON the Hammond's Winter Trail Classic Tournament! Ron and I weighed 18.90 pounds and anchored our sack with a 7.88 largemouth that I was fortunate enough to catch right away that Saturday morning. In fact, other than a small upgrade later in the day, Ron and I caught everything we weighed on our first stop. We had a limit at 7:38 AM. I found this area, which was in the back of a small ditch/pocket, while out scouting on Friday. Upon inspection, the graph was loaded with fish, and a couple of bites gave me confidence to come back to that area to start the day on Saturday. When we got in there first thing Saturday, it was on! Ron and I had a blast and really ended out season on a high note. In addition to winning the Classic, we also posted some very good results in the other tournaments in the series. Out of the four regular season tournaments we fished in the Winter Trail, we had 3 top ten finishes including a 2nd, and a 6th place cash. I did some calculating, and had it not been for the deer hunting incident with my Chevy on the morning of the second Hammond's Tournament, we would have contended for the points championship as well. Congrats to Steve Gerbig and Matt Springer for bringing that home this year - well done guys. Well, if the forecast holds, we are finally in for some spring-like weather in the week ahead. I have Friday and Saturday open this coming week, so give me a ring and let's go enjoy some warm weather and fun fishing! Call me now to reserve your spring trip! 770-542-7764 Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo For Reports on other Georgia Lakes, please make sure to visit: www.havefunfishing.com

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 3/6/2013

Hello Friends and Sponsors - I hope y'all staying warm on this very chilly, blustery day! I am home and have been home the past few days fighting this nasty flu - no fun! I was blessed with an awesome weekend and wanted to share the events and pictures with everyone. On Saturday, my customer (and now good friend) Ron Clark and I WON the Hammond's Winter Trail Classic Tournament! Ron and I weighed 18.90 pounds and anchored our sack with a 7.88 largemouth that I was fortunate enough to catch right away on Saturday morning. In fact, other than a small upgrade later in the day, Ron and I caught everything we weighed on our first stop. We had a limit at 7:38 AM. I found this area, which was in the back of a small ditch/pocket, while out scouting on Friday. Upon inspection, the graph was loaded with fish, and a couple of bites gave me confidence to come back to that area to start the day on Saturday. When we came back Saturday morning to that area, it did not take long for the action to start. I hooked that big LM on my second or third cast back there. I knew it was a monster - the head shake gave it away. Not to mention feeling like I was pulling on a small tank. LOL. As soon as we got it in the net, the Fish Head popped right out of her mouth. Scary! From that point we kept throwing the Fish Head Spin and a jig in that same area to round out our limit. Ron had another big one hooked back there, but it just came unbuttoned about half way to the boat. It was a no fault loss - it just happens! We caught several fish through the day, but as I mentioned, not much help on the weight side. Still, Ron and I had a blast and really ended out season on a high note. In addition to winning the Classic, we also posted some very good results in the other tournaments in the series. Out of the four regular season tournaments we fished in the Winter Trail, we had 3 top ten finishes including a 2nd, and a 6th place cash. I did some calculating, and had it not been for the deer hunting incident with my Chevy on the morning of the second Hammond's Tournament, we would have contended for the points championship as well. Also this weekend, I was proud to be involved with the Spring Classic at Bass Pro Shops. I gave tank demonstrations on both Friday and Saturday nights and represented my awesome sponsors like St. Croix Rods and Sworming Hornet Lures as well. Thanks to everyone that came out and visited this weekend. I enjoyed speaking with and meeting each of you! After a seemingly long recovery time, I am back out on the water tomorrow through Sunday on trips. Next week, I have the 11, 12, 13, and 16 open. The weather looks like it is finally going to warm up and the fishing is already good and should only get better. Give me a call and let's go fish!!! 770-542-7764 For fishing reports on other Georgia lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 2/19/2013

Hey Gang - I have been very busy with trips almost everyday for the last 2 weeks. Most have been tournament preparation trips for several different tournaments recently and in the near future. Took me awhile to get some pictures together that I could post! I have been running several different patterns, both North and South, shallow and deep. Lots to chose from out there right now, as you might expect with the water temp hovering around 50, and the days lengthening which prompts the big girls, both spots and LM, to start moving up. We have found some solid 2 - 3.5 lbs limit fish up North in the pockets and ditches. These fish range from 1 to 40 feet deep. Jigs, shaky heads, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and a Fish Head Spin are apt to catch these fish given the conditions on any given day. I prefer the stained water over the clear water up there, but anything is likely to produce. Down south, we have been focusing on rock points for the most part in search of the big spots starting to move up. We have caught a few monsters out there recently. Not a bunch of bites to be had, but the ones you get running this pattern are big. We have caught these fish on worms, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and the FHS. Again, just fish the conditions presented. If the wind is up, chose a moving bait. If no wind, opt for dragging something. I would like to provide more specifics but I just don't think it fair given all the help I have given to the tournament guys - don't want to spoil it for them. I'll be able to provide more details in next week's reports. The highlight for my week was the honor I had of introducing young Noah P. to tournament fishing. he is pictured above with a LM from our catch that day. Noah and his dad Steve have came out on several trips with me over the last year and have really learned alot about our beloved sport. They have came along way, and Saturday Noah and I fished Perry's Hi-Tech Marine tournament out of Laurel Park. The weather was terrible for the most part, but we had a blast, and Noah learned the ins and outs of tournament fishing and loved it. We missed some opportunities through day so our catch was not competitive, but that was not the purpose anyway. Noah was introduced to tournament fishing and the many difference from just fun fishing. Great Job Noah - can't wait to do it again with you!!! And a special thanks to Perry, Trent, and Brett for running a great tournament. You guys should check out this club - great bunch of guys and talented anglers to boot. Also, congrats to Kevin Stowers and his partner Perry who brought home the victory with a mixed bag of heads and spots that weighed 18 and change. Well done guys. I am booked the rest of this week, but I do have this coming Sunday open, Feb 24th and most of the weekdays next week. Sunday's weather looks great for anyone interested in coming out. Hopefully some of the rain will go out of the forecast next week, but it still should be a great fishing week regardless of weather with the fish starting to move up. Give me a call and let's go fish! 770-542-7764 For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please check out: www.havefunfishing.com Thanks to everyone and May God Bless! Jimbo

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 1/31/2013

Hey Everyone - It is has been awhile since my last report. I have been on the lake several days, but have also taken some time off to be with the family. Many busy days lie ahead with spring fast approaching, so I have enjoyed recharging my batteries over the past few weeks. For January, I have been on trips about half of the days this month, including a one-day jaunt up to Carters with my good customer Uncle Steve, who you may remember comes from Richmond, VA to fish with me several times a year. I had never fished the lake before, but we had a good day up there with the Fish Head Spin, as you can see from Steve's pic above middle. Lanier has been changing a bunch over the month of January as many of you already know. The water level has been rising dramatically with the rains, including the one we got yesterday, which has already raised the level another foot as we sit around 7.5 feet down from full pool. Water temperatures have been fluctuating a bunch as well as the rains have been very warm for this time of year, but the cold temps that follow these storms always quickly brings the lake back down around the 50 degree mark. The bait and fish are scattered, and can be found both shallow and deep. Not much has changed on the fishing front, especially that the best bite literally changes every day. Some days there is a good shallow bite, other days deep right away is the key, and some days mid-depth is the best location. Stay flexible and search for the best bite and run that pattern through the day, pausing to check other options in the other categories mentioned above from time to time. In the early mornings, work a mid-diving crankbait, fish head spin, and a jerkbait shallow in ditches, pockets, and on steeper rocky/clay points. Some creeks have loaded up with bait near the back and the fish are active in these areas, particularly at daylight. Try these type areas or main lake pockets or points first thing in the morning. After the shallow bite slows, we are then working out deeper in ditches and pockets near the main lake. Focus your efforts near sharp drops and ledges in ditches and near the timber line, and fish timber edges as well as right in the thick stuff in the middle of the ditch when you are fishing deep. The worm and jig seem to be the best producers out deep, but don't ignore other options such as a spoon or even a fish head spin, both of which we have used successfully right in the timber. This past week, we had some really good days in the timber from 30-45 feet deep. February is filling up fast for me. I am booked both this weekend and next, and only have all day Tuesday and Thursday morning open next week. As a recap, I have the following dates open in February: 5, 12, 14, 18, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, & 28. The forecast looks great for next week with the temperatures coming back to normal and lots of sunshine with a warming trend! Give me a call and lets go fish! For Fishing Reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com Thanks to all and May God Bless! Jimbo

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Guide Service Report: 1/17/2013

Hello Friends and Sponsors - I had the pleasure this past weekend of being involved in presentations on the Bass Tank at the Atlanta Boat Show. My presentations focused on the Fish Head Spin and its effective use in all seasons, but particularly the winter time. I demonstrated all the specifics of effective presentation with the bait, and it was a big hit! The fish in the tank ate the fish head spin (with hooks removed of course!) on every cast. After each presentation, I answered individual questions and personally explained the proper use of the bait. Thanks to everyone that attended - I enjoyed meeting each of you! Also, thanks to Scott Pledger over at Wackem for giving me that cool jersey to wear! Finally, a special thanks to Ken Sturdivant for inviting me to speak at the show and for doing all the fabulous Lowrance presentations - great job Ken! Fishing has been fun this week. The the lake has changed dramatically over the past few days with the unseasonably warm weather and massive rain. The lake is up over 2 feet in just the past 2 days and continues to rise. The water temperature has risen nearly 5 degrees. The good news is that the fish have responded positively and are biting! A number of different patterns are working right now and things are changing each day with the changing conditions. The fish head spin, crankbaits, jigs, jerkbaits, and Davis Shaky Head worms have all been productive. As has been the case, both shallow and deep approaches will work on any given day. The creek ditches remain our focus - we work both shallow and deep each day and then pursue the best options as the day progresses. We have caught fish as shallow as 3-5 feet and as deep as 45-50 feet. Stay flexible in your approach and find the best pattern on any given day and go with it - I recommend staying on the move and finding the active schools of fish willing to feed. Once you find them, your first accurate cast should catch them. The weather looks to be stabilizing the next week with lots of sunshine and good temperatures most of the week. I am booked over this weekend and next weekend, but have most of the weekdays open this coming week. Give me a call and lets go fish and enjoy some sunshine and good fishing!! For fishing reports on other Georgia Lakes, please visit: www.havefunfishing.com

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: 1/6/2013

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope that you all had a great holiday season and I wish you all a very prosperous 2013! Fishing has been good the past couple of weeks. I returned on December 27th for trips and have been on the water almost every day, save a couple of rain/wind outs. We have continued to work both shallow and deep for our fish. The FHS bite has slowed a bit for us, but the crankbait has been working well in the same areas. They just seem to prefer that crank lately. This bite seems to be best first thing in the morning shallow in the ditches, but can last through the day. We have also been working 1/4 oz jigs and Davis Shaky Heads in the timber and along the timber lines in those same ditches in the 30-55 foot range for some good bites. The spoon and the jerkbait have seen occasional success, but not consistent. Be creative in finding your ditches to fish. Study your map and look carefully at your contour lines to identify potential productive areas. There are some obvious ones, and then some not so obvious ones...stay sharp! If the water continues to cool, we should see a better concentration of fish and bait out deep. If it remains near 50, look for the fish to remain scattered both shallow and deep for awhile. This week I have all day Wednesday and Thursday open (Jan 9 and 10) as well as Friday morning, Jan 11 available for trips. Give me a ring if you would like to get out!! Thanks to all, and May God Bless - Jimbo