Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 12/24/2015

Hey Gang! I want to wish each of you a Very Merry Christmas as well as a Happy and Prosperous New Year! I hope you all enjoy time with family and friends and make it a memorable holiday! SEMINAR ANNOUNCEMENT: Before we get into fishing, I want to remind everyone that I have another seminar coming up on January 30, 2016. THIS IS GOING TO BE A MONSTER EVENT – SEMINAR AND EXPO – DO NOT MISS THIS! I will cover all aspects of Spring Fishing on Lanier, and we will have several guest speakers to address areas such as: Electronics, Float ‘n Fly, SuperSpin, Drop Shot, along with Boat and Motor maintenance. In addition, we will have Fisheries Biologist Patrick O’Rouke speaking to the crowd about the science behind fishing Lake Lanier. As a special guest, we will also feature Noah Pescitelli who will speak with the high school anglers about his journey through high school fishing along with his upcoming College Fishing career at SCAD. He will cover areas such as self-promotion through social media as well as securing sponsors. We have something for everyone – this a NO-MISS opportunity! Call or email me today to register! Also, check out Jimbo's Fishing Seminar and Expo Page on Facebook! FISHING REPORT: Now, onto fishing. The fishing on Lake Lanier has been good. The warm weather and higher than normal water conditions has certainly made it different, but it has been fun out there. The good news is that you can catch fish pretty much any way you want to right now and at any depth. There are fish shallow, deep, and everywhere in between. Over the past few days, we have been starting shallow, but also alternating in some deeper places early in the day. Our first stops usually focus on the classic Lanier ditch bite with a SuperSpin slowly retrieved in the heart of the ditch. When the SuperSpin bite slows down, the Chattahoochee Jig and Crossball Jighead/Trick Worm combo has remained effective in the ditches. The fish often are VERY shallow in the mornings in those ditches. Make sure to probe all the way to the back of these areas. There are also some fish out deeper in some of those same ditches which will take the jig and worm offerings mentioned above. Through the day we are also fishing secondary rock points and steeper banks. We are working these steeper rock areas with the jig and worm for some good bites. Also, a Spro DD Little John crankbait around the rock has been productive on some days, especially when the wind is up. The spoon bite has continued to be good, especially on sunny days. This has been a solid mid-day pattern that has produced good numbers and a few big ones as well. Search in the 35-50 foot range around standing timber, and make sure there is some bait in the area. No bait, no fish! BOAT SHOW: Also, don't miss my appearance at the Atlanta Boat Show on the Famous Fish Trough Saturday afternoon, Jan 16th. Ken Sturdivant of Lowrance will be be there along with many other fishing professionals who will be giving demonstrations and answering your questions. Don’t miss it! OPEN DATES: Here is what I have open the first two weeks of January: 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14. If you want to learn ditch fishing and all it includes, along with deep timber fishing, it will still be going on in Janaury given this warm weather! Give me a call ASAP to book your trip! Merry Christmas to all and May God Bless!! Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 11/29/2015

JIMBO'S GIFT CERTIFICATES MAKE A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!! Hey Gang – I hope y’all enjoyed a great Thanksgiving with family and friends! I took a few days off over the holiday for a short trip to New York with the family. We spent 4 days in Manhattan doing the tourist thing. The highlights were the 9/11 Museum, the Statue of Liberty, The Met, and of course, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The kids had a blast, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Especially the pizza. LOL. I will say I am glad to be back home and back to fishing! Enjoy the pictures above. We have really caught some good fish the last few weeks. The water level has started to drop and sits at .52 feet below full pool currently. The surface temp is around 59 degrees. The fish are scattered from shallow to deep to shallow again. There are some fish in the ditches right now, and I look for that pattern to get stronger as the water gets colder. Check shallow early in the day towards the back of the creek arms, and work deeper as the day progresses. A Super Spin tipped with a boot-tail type trailer is your best bet. A Chattahoochee Jig or Cross Ball/Worm combo can also be a strong choice depending on the mood of the fish. There is also a decent crankbait and spinnerbait bite at daylight on some days. Focus on rocky points, both primary and secondary. Look for the places that set up closest to deep water, however, expect the fish to be shallow. Sometimes very shallow. There are fish set up in the traditional deeper areas now as well. However, they don’t seem to be committed deep yet. They are definitely there on some days, and not on others. Look for bait in these key areas with timber. No bait, no fish as a general rule. A spoon, a drop shot, and the jig or worm can all be great options when you find them out there. Start your search in the 35-45 foot range around the timber edges. Just a reminder, I have another seminar coming up on January 30, 2016. I will cover all aspects of Spring Fishing on Lanier, and we will have several guest speakers to address areas such as: Electronics, Float ‘n Fly, SuperSpin, Drop Shot, along with Boat and Motor maintenance. In addition, we will have Fisheries Biologist Patrick O’Rouke speaking to the crowd about the science behind fishing Lake Lanier. As a special guest, we will also feature Noah Pescitelli who will speak with the high school anglers about his journey through high school fishing along with his upcoming College Fishing career at SCAD. He will cover areas such as self-promotion through social media as well as securing sponsors. We have something for everyone – this a NO-MISS opportunity! Call or email me today to register! Here are the dates I have open the next few weeks in December: 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, and 19. This is a great time to learn the ditch bite, crankbait bite, as well as deep timber fishing. These are all items I covered in recent seminars, and now would be a great time to learn those techniques first hand on the water. Give me a call and let’s go catch ‘em! Thanks to all, and May God Bless – Jimbo

JImbo's Lake Lanier Guide Service Fishing Report: October 25, 2015

Hey Gang - I hope everyone has had the chance to get out and enjoy the incredible weather and great fishing on Lanier the past couple of weeks. Thanks to my wonderful customers, I have had plenty of opportunity to do just that as I just finished 12 trips over the last 12 days straight - Thank you! Since I am not fishing today, I thought I would at least write about fishing! As of now, the lake sits at 3.66 feet down from full pool and the surface temps are hovering around 69 degrees. The daytime warming brings the temps up over 70 most days, which is unusually warm for this time of year. This has made for some random fish activity as well. You can find fish shallow to deep and in several different types of locations around the lake. There are plenty of options right now! The lake is also experiencing some mixing of the water layers in different sections as is traditional for this time of year. As I have learned from the Lanier Biologist and shared in this forum before, while the lake doesn't officially turn over or "flip" until late December in most years, the mixing of the water layers occurs throughout the fall. The lower lake looks clear in most places right now, with more of a stained look above Browns Bridge. These conditions can certainly affect fish location and activity, so stay alert to the water conditions in the area you are fishing. The brush is still holding fish, but not everywhere. Look for the brush in 20-25 feet of water on humps and points around the mouths of creeks to about 1/3 of the way back. The brush nearest deep water, such as a creek channel, seems to be best. That quick access to deep water makes a big difference this time of the year in most cases. Keep that in mind as you explore different patterns around the lake. You will often find fish shallow this time of the year, but the better fish are always in or near deep water. We have been catching fish over and around the brush on topwater baits such as a Chug Bug and a Zara Spook, as well as on swimbaits, Spro jerkbaits, and a SuperSpin. The lack of wind this past week has made these approaches tougher. Also, a Chattahoochee Jig and their new Cross-Ball Head and Trick Worm combo have been good when the fish won't come up. We have been using a 3/8 oz Chattahoochee Jig in green with a green pumpkin Yamamoto 4" twin tail trailer in green pumpkin/black flake. For the new Chattahoochee Cross Ball, we have opted for the 1/4 oz model tipped with a Zoom Trick Worm in green pumpkin red. Other colors will work, but these have been our goto of late. We have started most mornings working the backs of creeks with the aforementioned Chattahoochee Jigs and Cross Ball Heads. This has been a great numbers pattern as we often catch 10 or more fish on our first stop. There have been some good fish mixed in as well, but we have found this to be a great way to start the day. We have found success shallow on flats as well as steeper rock banks in these locations. Sometimes we can get a crankbait or spinnerbait/buzzbait bite, but it seems more often the jig and worm are often better producers. In the category of random places to catch fish, we have found steeper rock banks and points in the mouths of creeks to be holding fish as well. Again, quick access to deep water is key. The bites often come in the 10-20 foot depth range and the Chattahoochee Jig and Cross-Ball Head have been the best lure options. Also of interest, some of the consistent autumn creek arm channels (ditches) are starting to load up with bait. That means the Classic Fall ditch bite is not far away. SuperSpins, Crankbaits, and Jerkbaits are often the fare of choice for these fish. Look for this bite to get stronger in November as the water continues to cool. Lastly, I would like to introduce a new swimbait to the market, the Swimbaits of the Sweet Bait Company. I have been using these baits over the last several months and found great success. A local company who has been working to perfect their baits before launching them to the market, Sweet Bait offers a hand-made craftsmanship second to none. Each individually created bait is layered with 12 coats of paint, and is tank tested for proper buoyancy/sink rate as well as swim cadence. The baits are offered in 5.5" and 7.5" models and come in a variety of tasty colors. They are currently offered for sale at The Dugout as well as Oakwood Bait and Tackle, but I am sure more stores will follow. I highly recommend you pick one of these Sweet Baits up soon! OPEN DATES: Here are the dates I have open in November: 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 20, and 21. The only weekend date I have open all month is Saturday, Nov 21st. The rest of them are booked. I will also be taking reservations for the week of Thanksgiving, but I have some travel mixed in over that time, so please call for availability. November is a great month to learn the Classic Lanier Ditch Bite - give me a call and let's get on it! Thanks to all and May God Bless! Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Report: 10/10/2015

Hey Gang - Been a little while since my last post. I wanted to share some information and pics from the great fishing we have been experiencing the last couple of weeks. Fall has arrived and the fish like it! The lake had been dropping steadily over the last month until this past weekend and had reached 4.58 feet below full pool. After the rains, we currently sit a 3.08 down from full pool, and the surface temps are hovering around 72 degrees. We have had some great days out on the pond recently, and we've been throwing the fun stuff to make it happen! Topwater such as a Chug Bug, swimbaits, shallow-running jerkbaits, and a SuperSpin have been our main weapons of late. The fish have populated nicely around brush in 18-25 feet of water located at the mouths of the major creeks. There are still some main lake spots that are hot, but our efforts have mainly been focused in the creek mouths. We have seen alot of schooling fish this week in and around those areas, so be ready when they come up. If you can get in the middle while they are up, a hook up is likely. Set your equipment up to make LONG casts so you can really launch the bait when needed. On cloudy days, the schooling bite seems to be best in the mornings, and on other days, it is subject to be anytime through the day. It seems we always find a 2 hour window through the day when the bite is fast and furious. Lots of run and gun over the brush gets in done. At other times, a more methodical approach that starts on top and progresses down the water column is the best solution. Russell, who is pictured in the lower set of pics, had a particularly good day with me in the rain last week. He was a trooper and stayed with it all day, and he put a hurting on some gorgeous spotted bass. Great job Russell!! Proud of you brother! Make sure to check out my newest Facebook Fan Page "Jimbo's Fishing Seminar and Expo" which highlights all the happenings of the event we have scheduled for January 30, 2016. We already have over 400 Likes on the page, and it's growing every day. Tune in for information on our guest speakers, vendors, and giveaways, as well as special early registration incentives. We have 10 vendors secured, and guest speakers like Fisheries Biologist Patrick O'Rouke along with Highschool Fishing SuperStar Noah Pescitelli who both will provide some great insights on the many different aspects of our beloved sport. We are expecting a monster crowd for this 4th event in the Jimbo Seminar Series. Reserve your seat early and get extra raffle tickets towards winning a GLoomis Rod! As far as open dates, I just had a cancellation for this Wednesday, October 14. I also have October 28th open, and that's it for October. I am also starting to fill my November calendar quickly, so please contact me soon to reserve your date and get in on the Incredible Fall Bite on Lanier! Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 9/14/2015

Hey Gang - Well the weather is cooling (finally) and we are enjoying some wonderful chilly evenings. Love the fall! The fish are changing too, which is very welcome! It has been a very gratifying week for me as I was able to help two of my tournament guys get a 1st and 2nd place recently in their respective tournaments. Always feels good to help people and see them do well! The fishing has been good the last week. We have been averaging 14-16 lbs a day on most days. We are fishing very shallow most of the day focusing on steep rock. We have been starting the day with 3 productive lures: Spro MD Crankbait in Cell Mate, a buzzbait, and a War Eagle Spinnerbait. The fish have been very active the first hour of the day. After that first hour, we have been staying with the rock and adding in some points with sharp breaks and working a Shaky Head/worm combo and a jig for some fat fish. These fish are also shallow, but very close to the deep water. While the brush is not yet holding many fish, the bait is starting to show up in force on the key fall locations around the brush. I look for the topwater and swimbait bite over the brush to really pick up in the next week or two. This is always a fun bite and a great part of fall fishing on Lanier. I'll make sure to keep everybody posted when the topwater fun starts full steam! I still have some spots open for my Lanier Fall Fishing Webinar which takes place this Wednesday evening at 7 PM. All you need is a computer, an internet connection, and a phone. We will cover the same information we covered in the live seminar back on August 15. This information will get you ready for all aspects of the Fall bite on Lanier! The cost is $59, and you can also purchase a recording of the Webinar if you cannot attend at the scheduled time. Just shoot me an email or give me a buzz if you would like to attend. As far as open days, here is what I have left open in September: 18(afternoon), 22, 23, and 28. I am also filling up for October, so please give me a call to secure your date ASAP! Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo

Jimbo on Lanier Spotted Bass Fishing Report: 8/30/2015

Hey Gang - Man it has been a hot summer, but the promise of fall is evident, and the fish are starting to move. We have had some cool nights this week, and things are just beginning to change out on the pond. We have seen some evidence this week of fish moving back to the brush in the 25 ft. range, out from roaming over and around the timber in 40+ ft. The big ones aren't up there in force yet, but they won't be far behind. I look for the topwater and swimbait bite to bust open in the near future. I can't wait! The drop shot is still a good tactic for targeting the deeper fish, and even now with the fish starting to move shallower. The Lanier Baits offerings of Passion2 and Obsession2 have been my choices. A good option if you want a break from the off shore structure is working steep rock walls and points with a Shaky Head and a Jig. Drag them slowly and let them cascade down the sharp breaks. Make sure to pause the bait often and be patient as you wait for the strike. We have been catching these fish in the 10-20 foot range around these areas. There are some shallow fish to be had a daylight out on the points and humps. These fish are often in the 15 ft range when we have found them up there. Try a Spro Little John DD or MD crankbait or a SuperSpin tailed with Super Fluke Jr. or a Reaction Innovations Little Dipper on these fish. We have also been working shallow back in creeks for some good spots and largemouth as well. Set out with the idea of covering lots water and shallow cover. A shallow diving crankbait, a buzzbait, and a prop bait can all be good choices. A buzzbait is just plain fun to fish, and we don't get as much opportunity to fish buzzbaits on this lake as some others, but it's time is coming in tune. Look for the buzz to cough up some good ones in the next month. Here are the dates I have open in September right now: 8, 10, 14, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30. Give me a ring or drop me a note soon to get on what is sure to be some great September topwater and swimbait fishing. These dates will go fast! Thanks to everyone that came out to my Seminar on August 15th. We had a good crowd and it was awesome to see everyone. I will have the DVD from the event out shortly, and I will also soon be scheduling a Webinar which will cover the same seminar information, all for those that were not able to attend due to travel or other commitments. MARK SATURDAY, JANUARY 30TH, 2016 ON YOUR CALENDAR NOW! We are planning a BLOWOUT Seminar for this date to focus on every aspect of Spring Fishing on Lanier. We are well into the planning stages for this event already which will offer a longer program than we have offered in the past. We have 9 vendors committed to the event, as well as several guest speakers who will address and teach the crowd in separate break-out sessions on topics such as the Float 'n Fly. We will also be offering rod giveaways, product raffles, plenty of giveaways, a fishing trip raffle, and more! We are also working on some special guest speakers to include a lake biologist to help shed some light on the scientific aspects of fishing the lake. Further, we are close to securing a special speaker who will address the growing aspects of High School and College Fishing in a breakout format. We are expecting over 200 people at this event and we now have the space to accommodate the demand. Registration will open as soon as we cement the final details. This one will be a no-miss opportunity and a great way to shake off the winter blahs. Mark Jan 30, 2016 on your calendar right now and plan to come join us for an outstanding event. I want to close with a shout out to John Megel Chevy up on 400/19 in Dawsonville. What an outstanding operation they can boast up there. Their attention to detail and customer service are second to none. They really bailed me out of a jam about a week ago and did everything necessary to keep me working! Thank you! My Chevy is getting a little older now, and I know I will be giving my business to John Megel when it comes time to buy a new Jimbo Truck. I suggest you give them a look for your purchasing or servicing needs. You won't regret it! Thanks to all, and May God Bless Jimbo

JImbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Report and AUGUST 15 SEMINAR REMINDER: 8/9/2015

Hey Gang! Sorry for the delay in reporting. Unfortunately I had some back issues flare up recently and I have also been preparing for the upcoming seminar on August 15, in addition to guiding 4 days a week through August. Been pretty busy lately! I appreciate all that have signed up for the August 15th Class. We have a good crowd coming and we have a great event planned for you. I do still have a few seats left for anyone interested in learning more about fishing the fall and early winter on Lanier. This is going to be a very informative and in-depth program folks. We will have some great vendors, raffles, and giveaways too. And donuts! Can't forget the donuts. LOL. The flyer with all the details is posted above in the pictures. Would love to have you come out to network with other Lanier anglers and learn some cool stuff. Give me a call or drop me an email to register. I am using this post to catch up on some pictures from the last month or so - we have really caught some big fish this summer. The bottom slide of pictures are from spottail trips, the rest are on artificials, mainly topwater. As far as right now, it is definitely August on Lanier. The surface temps are hovering in the upper 80's to near 90 and the lake sits at 3.31 feet down from full pool and dropping as of this post. I will say the afternoon bite has been much better than the morning bite of late. It just seems the fish are not moving around much in the mornings when the lake is quiet. When we have storms role through in the evening however, the bite seems to be better the next morning. The water cooling down slightly seems to trigger the better bite. With all that said, here is a recap of what we have been doing. There are still some fish schooling in the early mornings around humps that offer quick access to deep water. Sometimes the fish are shallow, and sometimes they are out over 80 feet of water or more. The best you can do is get in the right area and wait for the blowups. When they come, fire a bait in there ASAP. A Sammy and a fluke have been our best baits for these fish. After the schooling bite ends, we have found a decent bite on steep rock banks with wood cover. This has been our best post-schooling bet. A shaky head and a jig will both get bites in these situations. The drop shot has been the deal for us in the afternoons. 30-40 feet has been the best depth for the better fish. Obviously deeper brush or timber edges are a plus, but there are often fish just hanging between the brush and timber. Make sure to drop on these fish as well. The biting fish are not always tight to cover. There are still days when we get a mid-day topwater bite. A gunfish and a chug bug, along with a fluke will sometimes get bites through day over deeper brush (30 feet). Here is what I have left open for trips in August: 18, 19, 21, 25, 26, and 27. Now is a great time to learn how to get those finicky deep summer fish to bite. Also, my September is filling up quickly as I already have several dates on the books. If you would like to get in on what is sure to be some great topwater and swimbait action, make sure to reserve your date ASAP. Thanks to all, and May God Bless - Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Report for Spotted Bass and Largemouth: 7/5/2015

Hey Gang - Happy 4th of July weekend to everyone. The AM weather the last couple of days forced some trip postponements, so I have enjoyed a relaxing 3 day weekend off - the first one I have had in a LONG time! It has been nice. I hope you all enjoyed some time with family and friends as together we celebrated our Nation's Independence. The fishing last week made a nice rebound with the rain and cooler temps. The water temps also made a significant drop as we went from 86 on the surface down to 81 in many places. The water level sits at exactly 1.50 feet below full pool at the time of this report. The most welcome change was the return of the topwater bite. It had gone down hill significantly with the heat wave, but rebounded nicely with the cooler weather. The top frame of pictures show some of the recent topwater results from this week with Michael, and on a separate trip Austin and his Grandfather, all spanking some nice topwater fish. The gunfish was by far the most productive bait for us through the week, and the standard brush in 20-30 feet was the location. The jig and dropshot were also both very productive through the week with the jig getting the nod for better size fish and the DS for better numbers. No surprise here. That may change as I now have in my possession the New Lanier Baits offerings, which look awesome. They will be getting a workout this week and I look forward to posting some positive results. We have also been picking up some crankbait fish on the SPRO Little John dd. That has been a good option around the brush when the other techniques mentioned above will not produce or have already produced and you're looking for another option to serve them. Something else for you to try as you are out there exploring. Lastly, I want to congratulate Tanya O. on an outstanding spottail outing recently as she hammered some big fish with this fun technique (bottom frame of pics). She has been out with me 3 times this year already and caught them good on artificals previously, but really enjoyed the ease of spottail fishing. The big ones were biting that morning and she had a field day! Her first fish was her biggest at about 4.5 lbs (2nd from right), but most of what she caught that day was in the 3.5 lbs range or bigger. Outstanding day Tanya! The seminar registrations for my August 15th event have been going very well. Thanks for all the calls. We have moved to a larger venue to accommodate the increased demand as we sold out our previous seminar in January. The August 15th Seminar will focus on Fall and Early Winter techniques and is sure to be a big hit. Don't miss out on this valuable learning opportunity. The advance registration price (by Aug 1) is $89, so call or email me at 770-542-7764/jim@laniermapped.com to register. Thanks! I have morning trips booked each day this coming week (July 6-10), but have the afternoons open each day if anyone would like to come out. I anticipate the afternoons to be the best topwater bite. Here are the other dates I have open in July: 16, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, and 31. Give me a buzz and let's get out there and catch 'em up! Thanks to all and May God Bless! Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Fishing Guide Service Fishing Report and Seminar Announcement: 6/21/2015

Hey Gang - Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! It has been awhile since my last report. I apologize for the delay, but y'all have been keeping me very busy! I have been guiding 6 days a week, often doing a full day trip followed by a half day trip to accommodate all my new folks and regulars as well. Those 14 hour fishing days keep me going with not much time for anything else. LOL. I still love it and appreciate everyone so much. Thank you! I just hate the thought of turning anyone away. Guiding my customers is my priority. If you want to fish, I will find a time for you! Before we get to the fishing, I am excited to announce that my next Seminar has been set. Saturday, August 15, 2015 will be the next installment in the Jimbo Seminar Series. The last one was very well attended as we maxed out space with over 100 people, so we have found a larger venue to host the next event. We will focus on techniques for Fall and Early Winter Fishing on Lanier, and will cover key topics such as: Brush Fishing, Topwater and Swimbaits, Deepwater Dropshot, SuperSpin in the ditches, Effective Use of Crankbaits in the Fall, Spoon Fishing, Early Winter Jig Fishing, along with Lure and Tackle choices with examples for every technique. We will have more vendors as well as some great door prizes and raffles. Refreshments will be served. Seminar will start at 8:30 AM and conclude at 12:30 PM. Doors open at 7:30 AM and we will have a mid-morning break. Also, for those interested and to make sure everyone's questions get answered, I will host a special post-seminar round-table from 12:45 PM - 1:30 PM for anyone that wants to stay afterwards. The event will be held at Grace Chapel here in Cumming, which is conveniently located off Exit 13 from GA 400 at 6755 Majors Road. Call me direct or email me to register. 770-542-7764 or jim@laniermapped.com. Cost is $89 if you register and pay by August 1, 2015, or $115 at the door. Can't wait to see you all there for what promises to be another outstanding event that is sure to get you prepared for the awesome fall fishing on Lanier! Speaking of fishing, why don't we talk about that! The bite on Lanier remains very good. More options have opened up in terms of patterns with the warmer weather. Topwater is still there, it's just not as much of an all-day thing as it was. We are still finding very good stretches with the Gunfish throughout the day in the right places. The 20-25 ft. brush located near a sharper depth break seems to be much more consistent than the brush on the flatter stuff. Look for points and humps with deep water nearby and with significant contour breaks to be your best bet for the topwater and swimbait bite right now. The first hour of the day still offers a good schooling bite around steeper rocky points and deeper bays. You can generally call up a few, but getting in the middle of the action is still your best bet. Next up is the SuperSpin. This bite has really came on in the last couple of weeks. Slow reeling the bait over 20-25 ft. brush or throwing it into schooling fish has been very effective. We have been tipping a 1/2 oz SuperSpin with a Little Dipper or a Swimming Fluke. Steady reel the bait with an occasional rod pop to trigger strikes from followers. We have also found a good jig bite on rocky points in the 15-20 ft range as well as in the brush. Slow drag a 3/8 Chattahoochee Jig in PBJ on rocky points for some nice fish. A 5" Yamamoto twin tail in Cinn/Black Flake is my trailer of choice. Also, work the same jig slowly through brush when the fish will not come up. A drop shot has been effective also in picking up those less aggressive fish in an around brush in the 20-30 ft range. I am looking forward to trying Lanier Bait's new selection of Drop Shot worms as they have been getting a bunch of attention on social media recently. I think Jimmy has some on the way to me now... I have some great pics to share this week with some great stories. Up top, the three on the right are Jason and his son Jackson. They were out with me on a topwater trip recently and just POUNDED monster spots. 9 year old Jackson caught the first one a gunfish all by himself. He is one awesome little angler. Watch out gang, this kids coming!! On the second row, we again have Tom D with his very own highlight reel, as usual. Tom has been out with me on several trips this year and on his last trip had the best fishing trip of his life on topwater. He came back 2 weeks later and came close to doing it again. We started on a bream bed bite that morning and caught 2 big LM first thing, and when the sun got up we ran the brush for some big spots on a chug bug. He has come so far this year with me, his progress really makes me proud. Great job Tom!! On the bottom set of pics are some results from a couple of recent spot tail trips I have done. Campbell and Smith are pictured on the right, and on the left side, young Nicholas. He was out with me on a very successful spot tail trip a few years ago which we caught on video and is still up on my website. Well, a much more grown-up Nicholas came back for another round and had another great day. It was awesome to see how much he had grown up and advanced in his fishing. Spot tail fish is a great way to just catch fish. Young, old, experienced or not, it's a blast. Make sure to schedule your spot tail trip for this summer! Here is what I have open for the first part of July: 2, 6, 14, 15, 16, and 17. Also have a few dates open later in the month. July is a great time to work on the SuperSpin bite, Deep Water Dropshot, and jig bite, not to mention some topwater here and there. As I mentioned above, it's also a great time to spot tail fish. Give me a call and let's go catching!! Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Fishing Guide Report: 5/25/2015

Hey Gang - Happy Memorial Day to everyone! I hope y'all have enjoyed time with family and friends, and more importantly, taken special time to remember our fallen heros who have, over many years, paid the ultimate price for the continuing freedoms we enjoy today. God Bless our Service Men and Women, both past and present. Now, onto fishing. In a word, the fishing on Lake Lanier has been AWESOME the past couple of weeks! While there are several patterns working, the only one that matters to me is topwater! LOL. It's just hard to beat watching a big spot, or any fish for that matter, crush a topwater plug. Fishing at its finest. Check out the top set of pictures - those are just a few of monsters Tom D and I hammered this past Friday - all on topwater. Too much fun! It was Tom's best day on Lanier and maybe his best day of fishing ever. He said I made him feel like a HERO! LOL. I was honored to be able to provide that experience for him. Tom has been coming out with me all year, and I think this was his 6th trip so far. He has learned a bunch and been able to apply it to fishing on his own to really improve his catch rate. We has booked another trip for next week to enjoy some more topwater fun. Great day and super job Tom!!! We have been fishing flat rock, humps, and points with brush for most of our topwater action. The depth has varied from very shallow all the way out to 25 feet or so. Again, it just depends on the day and time of day as to where you will find the best action. Several different baits have been working, it just depends on the day as to what bait they prefer. A list of some of the top producers: Spook, Gunfish, Chug Bug, Redfin and a G-Splash just to name a few. For the periods when the fish are not active, a drop shot and a Davis Shaky Head/finesse worm combo have been great options. We are fishing the same type areas as noted above and just going down to them when they won't come up. A swimbait has been working on some days also, as well as a spinnerbait, especially on the windy days. The bottom line is that several fish have gotten past their post spawn funk, and they are strapping on the feed bag! It is a great time to be fishing on Lake Lanier! My June open dates have shuffled around a bit, so here is the latest list of what I have open in June: 9, 10, 11, 18, 22, 29, 30. Don't miss this great season of topwater on Lake Lanier. It is an experience like no other. Give me a ring and let's go bust 'em!! Thanks to all, Happy Memorial Day, and May God Bless - Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 5/11/2015

Hey Gang - My apologies for the delay since my last report. You guys have been keeping me VERY busy, and I am grateful. Thank you! Other than Mother's Day and my little junket to Guntersville a few weeks ago, I have been on the water every day. I am going to switch to only half days on the weekends at this point as the lake has became quite busy in the afternoons as I am sure you can imagine. The fishing has been excellent over the last couple of weeks. There are plenty of patterns working and lots going on, so you can take your pick. First and foremost, the herring spawn has started and offers some great early morning action. Look for shallow, flat rock or sandy areas to be holding the herring best. A variety of baits will work on these fish - spinnerbaits, wakebaits, swimbaits, flukes, jerkbaits, and the list goes on. Pick a moving bait and throw it. A spinnerbait is the best search instrument. If you have herring following your spinnerbait back on the retrieve, you are in the right place! The action on these fish only lasts about the first hour or so of the day. Get out early and enjoy! There are still plenty of spots on the bed, and a few left to go. You can catch these spawning fish with, among other things, a 4" worm on a 1/8 oz Davis Shaky Head. Move the bait very slowly. Drag it, don't hop it. Sandy pockets and the areas near them seem to be best for this bite right now. Lot's of fun and plenty of fish if you have the patience. There are some post-spawners showing up as well. The topwater bite has been getting better on these fish. Rocky points as well as brush piles have been holding these fish. Topwater poppers and walkers of all sorts have been productive, along with the wakebait as well. This bite can go throughout the day with some wind. A big swimbait has been working well out over the brush when the wind is really up. A medium steady retrieve seems to be working best. We have been catching some big pre and post spawners on this for several weeks now. This and the topwater bite should only get stronger in the weeks ahead. Late May and June should offer an excellent topwater bite. This is not to be missed! You haven't lived until you have seen a wolf pack of 4 pound spots chasing your topwater bait! Off the chain baby! If you have not yet, take the opportunity to make your qualifying GLoomis and Shimano purchases so you can qualify for the big owners tournament out of Little Hall on June 6th. This will be an awesome event with lots of great prizes, don't miss it! See the fine folks at Hammond's Fishing or the Dugout for details. Upcoming I have May 20, 21, and the 27th available for full day trips. I have May 28 and 30 available for half days as well. My June is filling up quickly with the anticipation of the coming topwater bite. Call me soon to get a date, this bite is incredible!! Thanks to everyone and May God Bless - Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 4/15/2015

Hey Gang - Well, I got a "snow day" today with all the rain this morning. My customer hit the "abort" button just before we launched, and I can't say that I blame him. Apparently, we have entered the monsoon season here in Georgia. We decided to depart from the ramp and forge ahead on the matters at hand - he went to build an Ark, and I went to gather animals two by two....LOL. Even with the rain, however, the bite has been steadily improving and there are lots of techniques working right now. If you like to bed fish, there are LM bedding all over the lake right now and have been for a couple of weeks or more. There are some spots bedding now as well, but I look for a greater progression to the beds over the next couple of weeks. It's hard to beat a 1/8 oz Davis Shaky Head for numbers right now. Focus on points or docks on or near rocky areas that have a spawning flat somewhere adjacent. Steeper areas seems to be better, but the flatter stuff is starting to work as well. We have been fishing this rig on a GLoomis NRX 822 Shaky Head Rod. It is super-sensitive and really lets you feel those light bites. A weightless fluke around the fresh pine blow downs (from the ice storm) has been good for some fun too. When the wind is up, a 1/2 oz Davis Spinnerbait with white blades has been a good offering, as well as a Spro Little John MD in the Cell Mate color. Focus on those same rocky points mentioned above. A jerkbait or a swimbait over the brush has been spitting up some donkeys lately, as evidenced above with Craig proudly 'splaying Spotzilla (2nd from right) - she weighed 6 flat on the digitals - heckofa fish Craig! I believe she was a round as she was long... Another quick reminder about the upcoming GLoomis Owner's Tournament on June 6th out of Little Hall. Make $300 worth of qualifying purchases in the GLoomis/Shimano line at fine local tackle stores like Hammond's Fishing or the Dugout, and you are in! Visit the stores for details! I was tinkering with the idea of holding another seminar in May, but honestly I am too busy running trips to create and deliver a quality product to everyone, so I have decided to wait until August for my next round of seminars. I will have the dates confirmed and be ready to take sign ups shortly. The August seminars will focus on Fall and Early Winter fishing on Lanier. As before, we will have a range of topics to cover in that arena. Techniques, locations, Lowrance Screen Shots, proper rod and reel set ups, and much more will be covered. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again for a great learning experience and some fun fellowship! I will announce the dates and location soon. In April, I only have the 23rd open, as well as the afternoon of the 29th. Here is what I have for May right now: 6, 7, 11, 12, 16, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28 and 30. Lot's of fun bites to come during that time including topwater! Give me a ring and let's go get 'em! Thanks to all, and May God Bless! Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Fishing Guide Service Report: 4/6/2015

Hey Gang - It has been a busy few weeks for me. I just wrapped up my second 5-boat corporate trip of the week today, and we had a blast! I have been blessed to work with some really great people and today was no exception! I'm not sure if its a good thing, but I was on the water every day in March. Every day. I had a couple of days off....and fished anyway. LOL. I just can't seem to get enough. Its just too much fun. A huge thanks to everyone for keeping me so busy. I love it and please keep it coming! The fishing has improved a bunch in the last few days. The warm sunny days we had before today really made for a great bite out there. Above Browns Bridge has been more consistent, but the south end has had its days and is improving steadily. We have been focusing on pockets of late. There are large schools of blue backs hanging in the backs of several pockets, and some big fish are there chasing them. The bait and the fish have both been very shallow. often in 5 feet of water or less. Docks in those same areas have been productive as well, much more so when the sun is high. The fresh pine blow downs from the ice storm in these pockets are also holding fish on many days. We have caught a few fish on the points, but they just don't seem to be holding the quantity or quality of the fish the pockets have yielded consistently in recent days. As far as bait choices, in the mornings, a McStick, a War Eagle spinnerbait, and fluke have been best. As the day progresses, pretty much the same baits have been effective, particualarly on the fish chasing bait in the backs of the pockets. The fluke bite around the docks, when the sun is up, is really starting to improve as well. The Davis Shaky Head HBT Series with a trick worm or senko has been a good bet around the docks and the blow downs as well. Of course, the weightless senko is always a good bet around the docks throughout the spring. There were several fish starting to bed before the cold front hit, and I look for a good wave to go on bed with the upcoming full moon, particularly the largemouth. I look for the south end to get consistently good over the next few days, and look for some more big sacks, like the one Scotty and I are sporting above, to show up. Don't forget about the upcoming G-Loomis/Shimano Owners tournament coming to Little Hall on June 6th. $300 in qualifying purchases and you're in! See the folks at Hammond's or the Dugout for details. For April, I only have the 22, 23, and the afternoon of the 29th open. Other than a day off on Easter, I am booked solid. My May is starting to fill up quickly as well, so please let me know as soon as you have a date in mind. Thanks to all, and May God Bless - Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Bass Fishing Report: 3/23/2015

Hey Gang - Well I think Spring has finally "Sprung" as they say and the fish are moving after that tough February. I hope you have all had the opportunity to get out and enjoy the great weather. The bite has been improving steadily. We have had some good days lately and I expect them to get better. We have mostly been fishing creek arms and pockets the past couple of weeks looking for that faster warming water. Docks have been a great target for us within those places, although the areas around the docks and open areas without any docks have been productive as well. We have started most days with a Spro or Megabass Jerkbait and a rattle trap. These baits worked on flats in the back of creek arms have been productive for some early morning bites. We have then been shifting to the deeper creek arms and focusing on steeper banks with the jerkbait. Once the sun gets up, the docks have been very productive. We have focuses on docks that are in 20 feet or less. Some days the deeper docks are better, and some days the shallower docks seem to be more productive. You can definitely find more largemouth consistently around the shallower docks near the back of the creek arms, but the spots are back there on some days too. The deeper docks are a better bet in terms of consistent spot production. As far as bait selection, a jerkbait, a fluke, and various plastics rigged on a 3/16 oz Davis Shaky Head HBT Series Screw Lock Head have all been very good producers. Trick worms, finesse worms, and creepy crawlers skipped around docks are all working well right now. Experiment each day to find what the fish prefer. We have had some decent days on a jig as well, but I look for the jig bite to become a staple soon. I recommend stocking up on your favorite Chattahoochee Jigs now! I have mainly been fishing up North, but the lower lake is starting to come around and you will find me below BB much more often over the next few weeks. Look for the main lake bite to heat up soon and some big sacks to come from down south. It's just time for that to happen. Any day now... If you haven't heard, make sure to mark Sunday, March 29th on your calendars for the Lowrance Lake Lanier Mapping Party and Big Bass Bash. The event will be held at Little Hall Ramp that day and will include food, prizes and giveaways, as well as free Lowrance instruction and seminars. Catch the biggest bass that day and win a FREE Lowrance HDS 7 Gen 2 Touch! Also, there is an ongoing Lake Lanier Mapping Challenge that offers an HDS 9 Gen 2 Touch as its grand prize (March 6-28). Check out all the details by clicking HERE. A special congrats to my man Bo Pierce who is pictured above in the 2 photographs on the right. I had Bo out on a trip with me earlier this week while he was having his brand new HDS 9 Gen 3 Touch units installed by Tim at Hammond's Fishing. We caught a good sack the day we were out, and I was able to show him a few things he could apply on this own during future trips (Pic 2nd from right). The picture on the far right is the result! I met up with Bo on the water at the end of one of my trips later this week to tune his units he had installed on Wednesday, and was happy to celebrate his results with him. I love to teach and Bo was an outstanding student! It was very gratifying to me that he took what he learned and was able to immediately apply it to his fishing. Congrats Bo! I have Thursday and Friday open this coming week (March 26 and 27). I also have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, March 30th, 31st and April 1st open as well. After that, my first open days are April 13, 14, and 15 as I am fully booked the first 2 weeks of April. I anticipate some excellent fishing over the next few weeks. Give me a call and book your dates now! Let's go catch'em!! Thanks to all and May God Bless - Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Bass Fishing Report: 3/8/2015

Hey Gang - I hope everyone has enjoyed the recent warming trend. It was sure beautiful out there today! It is really great to see Spring arriving as we have all had about enough of old man winter! Who's with me??! I have been out on the water every day since last Saturday, and the fishing has been tough...in the lower lake. I spent 2 days down there last week and determined it was just not worth hanging around anymore. I have not been below Brown's Bridge since. LOL. The water temps are trending much warmer up north as with daytime warming today we found 53 degrees in the back of some pockets. The fish are biting up there as well, and we have had decent limits every day this week. The bite has seemed to get better each day. Don't get me wrong, you have to work your tail off, but the fish are there and will bite with some patience. We have been working jerkbaits, rattletraps, and Super Spins for some good early morning bites. We have mostly been focusing on shallow flats in the backs of creek arms and pockets in 10 feet or less. A 7 second pause on the jerkbait seems to be important for a bite. A Spro McStick and a Vision 110 have been our choices. The trap bite seems best on a steady retrieve for us, vs a yo-yo presentation. We have been working a 1/4 oz Super Spin tipped with either a Super Fluke Jr or a Kitech trailer. A slow presentation of the Super Spin with some hops and pops seems to be best on most days. A chatterbait has also given us a few bigger bites through the day as well. Slow and steady has been the best presentation. Through the day, docks back in creek arms and pockets have been our best bet. We have been working small plastics rigged on a 3/16 oz or 1/8 oz Davis Screw Lock Shaky Head, HBT Series. SLOOOOOOW is the key. And I do mean painfully slow. Move it an inch, make a phone call, drink a soda, move an inch, shake slightly, take a nap, read the paper, return emails, then....tick! The bites are very light and hard to detect. Often you will just see your line start to move after a pause of the bait, if you are not napping of course. LOL. The best docks seem to be in 15 feet or less. Often times, even on sunny days such as today, the fish are not under the docks, but just around them. Work the areas thoroughly and as discussed above, take your time. The DVD's I had produced from my January Seminar on ditch fishing have been selling well. Thank you! I still have a few copies left, and I will mail next day USPS, so you will receive them quickly. Please call me at 770-542-7764 to order your copy or email me at: jim@laniermapped.com The cost is $39. I have recently had a short preview from the DVD produced. Click on this link and take a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIbZMiBMlA&feature=youtu.be I also wanted to share a couple of tournament announcements. I will make a separate post for these tournaments on this forum as well. First, I am excited to report that Shimano/GLoomis will be hosting a series of owner tournaments this year, and one of the stops on the tour is Lake Lanier! Mark down June 6th at Little Hall (SL-3 PM) on your calendars for this awesome event. Entry fee is purchase of $300 or more in qualifying GLoomis, Shimano, Jackall, or Power Pro equipment from your fine local tackle stores such as Hammond's Fishing or The Dugout. Only GLoomis Rods and Shimano reels will be allowed in the tournament. The series covers Lake Lanier, Logan Martin, Smith Lake, and the Classic will be held at Guntersville. This is sure to be a fun and rewarding tournament trail. Make sure to check out the details and buy some Shimano/GLoomis or other qualifying product and come fish!! Also, I wanted to share some info on a tournament being held on Lake Allatoona for a very worthy cause. Fishin' for a Mission will be held on March 29, 2015 out of Gatewood Park (SL- 3PM) and proceeds will benefit Children's Healthcare. I will share the flyer for this event on a separate post as well. Make sure to put this on your calendars and come out and support Children's Healthcare. I am full this week and looking to wrap up a 16 day run of days on the water this coming Sunday. Here are the dates I have open the remainder of March: 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, and 31. Call for your April dates soon as those have been going quickly as of late. The warm weather this week is sure to get the fish really moving and making their push towards the spawn. The next few weeks are sure to hold some excellent fishing with some STUDS to be caught. Now is the time folks! Give me a call and let's go bust 'em!! Thanks to all, and May God Bless - Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Fishing Report: 1/27/15

Hey Gang! It has been awhile since my last post. I have been busy on some other fishing-related fronts and it has been an awesome January. I hope you all have been out and enjoyed some of the good days we have had recently, when we have had 'em. It is January after all, not all the days are good! LOL As many of you know, I have been running a Seminar Series this month. We held one on January 17th and I have another one coming up this Saturday, January 31st. My buddy Dan W. has graciously offered his company's state-of-the-art meeting facility down at Dekalb Office, where we are holding he seminars. This place is unbelievable and it has been a true pleasure to work with Dan. I can't say enough about his generous hospitality. Thank you Dan - you are the man! The January 17th Seminar was a HUGE success. We had over 90 attendees and discussed some of the particulars of ditch fishing, timber fishing, and tackle set up. In the January 31st Seminar, we will have an in-depth reveiw of electronics - how to read them and interpret them to catch more fish. In addion, we will discuss fishing the winter to spring transition, tournament preparation and game planning, as well as seasonal patterns on Lanier. Thanks to Dan, we have been able to add some additional chairs for this Seminar to meet the growing demand. We sit at 101 attendees, and can grow it to 110. So I have 9 spots left if you are interested in attending. This will be an extremely valuable course as we will help prepare you for fishing the coming months on Lanier. We will welcome you with refreshments such as coffee and donuts, raffles, giveaways, in addition to some great vendors such as Chattahoochee Jigs, SuperSpin by SuperFish, and Spro Lures. Please contact me directly at 770-542-7764 to reserve your spot. First come, first serve of course. Class starts at 9 AM, doors open at 8 AM. Registration is $85 and we will close the class at 110 participants. I hope to see you there for another great lesson on Lanier. I have also been playing in the tournament scene this month. We wrapped up the Hammond's Winter Trail on Saturday with a 16.92 lbs sack and a 2nd place finish in the Classic on a very tough day. My partner Joe and I were further honored to secure 2nd place in the points race for top team of the year. We were fortunate to have fished very consistently all year. Our strengths were planning and decision making, along with execution of course. These are areas that we will be discussing at this Saturday's seminar. A big congrats to Mark Hardin and Chad Spivey for their incredible year and 1st place honors in the trail. Also, a big thanks to Hammond's Fishing for running this highly competitve trail that consistently attracts Lanier's best. Joe and I then rolled into the first H&D Tournament of the year out of Little Hall on Sunday with a 15.74 lbs sack and a solid 6th place finish out of a 61 boat field. Conditions were much nicer Sunday, but the fishing was just as tough. Over the weekend, we focused our efforts in the 45 feet range on timber edges for most of our fish. A Chattahoochee Jig, a Shaky Head, and a drop shot were our main weapons. We did make some deviations on Sunday after we got our limit in the timber as we then went hole hopping for a couple of upgrades on the Chattahoochee Jig. Overall, a fun weekend and a pleasure to be fishing in January! Check out the PIG above that I caught last week on the SuperSpin from SuperFish Baits. This is a fairly new release to the market and in my opinion a great addition to the UnderSpin market. A longer blade arm, bigger eyes and a unique head design highlight the competitive advantages of this bait. The longer blade arm allows for a consistent free spin on the fall which is how I caught spotzilla above - on the fall. I am honored to be working with Kevin Stowers and his team helping to promote this new product. I encourage you to give this bait a try - I think you will like it!! Lastly, I want to announce that I have officially split from Sworming Hornet Lures. I enjoyed my time with Rick and certainly appreciated the opportunity to represent his company. I wish him all the best with his future endeavors. I have Thursday and Friday open this week for guide trips. The weather looks good so let's get out and catch 'em! Give me a call! Thanks to all, and May God Bless. Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spots Fishing Report and Seminar Reminder: 1/2/2015

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope y'all enjoyed a safe and happy holiday season with family and friends! I want to wish everyone a fulfilling, healthy, and prosperous 2015! We made the trip back to Indiana for Christmas in a most excellent 11 hour downpour all the way there....and back. We enjoyed the time there anyway, but I am glad to be back in Georgia where at least we see the sun every once in awhile! I want to start by thanking everyone for registering for my upcoming seminars on Jan 17 and 31, 2015. The response has been incredible and I am grateful. There are a still a few spots left, but not many. These Lanier-intensive, winter fishing-specific seminars will cover such topics as: Ditch Fishing, Deep Timber Fishing, Ledge Fishing, Fishing the Winter to Spring transition, Reading Electronics, and much more. I invite you to call or email me to register for these valuable classes while there is still space available. The seminars will be held at the Dekalb Office Conference Room which is conveniently located just off of Exit 12 on GA 400. These facilities are top-notch with a beautiful, spacious break room and outstanding conference space. If you register and pay before January 14, 2015 the price is $99 for both classes or $69 for one. The pay at the door price will be $85 per class, if space is still available by then. Refreshments will be served, and there will also be Vendor/Sponsor tables and we are working on a raffle as well. I encourage you not to miss this wonderful opportunity to learn more about fishing our awesome lake in the winter time, as well as enjoy some great networking opportunities with your fishing peers. The fishing since my last report has been good. Aside from the few days around Christmas, I have been out on trips every day. Thank you all for keeping me so busy! I love it! The fish have been spread out with a good concentration of fish deep, as well as mid-depth ranges and even shallow. We have been starting our mornings in the back of creek arms/pockets and fishing 20 feet deep or less. We have had several 10-12 fish stops on our first hole, often accumulating a 13-15 pound sack and then moving out deeper for some bigger bites. We have been working an underspin, a jerkbait, as well as a Chattahoochee Jig and a Shaky Head worm in these areas for our bites. As the day progresses, we have been moving out to the ditches with timber and working a Chattahoochee jig, Shaky Head worm, and a spoon for our catches. Fishing the baits slowly is key. There are some big girls out deep right now, and I look for the fishing to improve out there as the weather gets colder later next week. This should concentrate the bait and fish a bit more in the deeper water. Isolated timber in 40-45 feet has been most productive for us of late, but there are fish along the timber rows/edges as well. Rock bluffs have been a good option as well on some days. The key here is chosing areas that have deep water close. The fish may be 15 feet or less in some situations, but there is always deeper water very near. Again, work the bait slowly, particularly on those areas with ledges combined with steep drops. This coming week, I have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday open (Jan 5, 6, and 7). With the full moon phase and a cold front coming later in the week, these should be good fishing days. Give me a call or drop me an email and let's go get 'um!! Also of interest, I will be presenting at the 2015 Atlanta Boat Show again this year. I will be on the Bass Tank at 5:30 PM on Friday, January 16 and again at 3:30 PM on Saturday, January 17th. I will be demonstrating some principles that I will be covering in my fishing seminars, so come on down and join me for some fun and learning at the 2015 Atlanta Boat Show! Thanks to everyone, and May God Bless! Jimbo Jimbo On Lanier - Jimbo's Spotted Bass Guide Service Call: 770-542-7764 Website: www.jimboonlanier.com