Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Fishing Report: 4/9/2016

Hey Gang - I wanted to drop in a quick report from the Pond. The fishing has been OUTSTANDING the last 2 weeks! Here is what I have open for the remainder of April: 11, 12, 16, 26, 27, 30. Folks, this is the time to go. If you were waiting on an incredible spring bite, its here. Come get ya some!! THIS Monday and Tuesday are open. Call me and let's go wreck 'em! We have really gotten on a very consistent bite, and we have been smoking some monster sacks every day. It has been one of the most productive and consistent spring bites we have found that I can remember. These fish are VERY shallow right now. Sometimes unbelievably shallow. Areas with some kind of rock in shallow water is the key, and it does not have to be a point. As far as bait selections, pick your favorite and go to work. Here is a list of some the baits we have caught big fish on the past 2 weeks: Shaky Head, Drop Shot, Spinnerbaits, Wakebait, Jerkbait, Spro Crank Baits, SuperSpin, Swimbait,and the list goes on...it's just that simple. I had a great time yesterday speaking with the young men fishing the GA TBF Federation Youth Division Top 6 Tournament today out of Laurel Park. These kids are the future of our sport and I was honored to be able to share some time and information with them. Thanks to all of the parents that support these kids and all the others that support this important movement in youth fishing. Thanks also to Bruce Pilgrim for inviting me to the event, and I hope they all sack 'em up today! Here is what I have open for the remainder of April: 11, 12, 16, 26, 27, 30. Folks, this is the time to go. If you were waiting on an incredible spring bite, its here. Come get ya some!! THIS Monday and Tuesday are open. Call me and let's go wreck 'em! Thanks to all, and May God Bless!! Jimbo

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 4/5/2016

The fishing on Lake Lanier this past week has been excellent. Here is what I have remaining open in April: 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 26, 27. The spots are on fire! Don't miss out! Give me a call and let's go fishing! A wake bait has been our first choice in the mornings. The focus with these baits should be fairly shallow on flats and shallower rocky points and humps as well. When the wake bait bite slows down, switch to a worm on a 1/8 oz Davis Shaky Head in these same areas. Focus on points at the mouths of spawning pockets and on secondary points as well. A drop shot rig with a 4" worm cast to steep rock banks and points has again been productive this past week. Work the rig like a shaky head and watch for light bites. The fluke bite has slowed a bit this week. When it is on, focus on shallow wood such as blowdowns and twitch the bait slowly with 3 second pauses. Shallower, long running flat points are holding fish as well. Often these fish can be found in the 8-10 foot depth ranges on top of these points. Work a Chattahoochee Jig or shaky head worm slowly on these areas. A jerkbait has been productive on these shallower rocky points as well. Try a straight retrieve with this bait if the jerk, jerk, pause cadence does not work. Again, other than early morning, wind is important for this bite. The Largemouth are up shallow all around the lake. Look in the backs of creeks and pockets to find these critters. Docks in these areas are a good bet for these fish. A number of lures can work depending on the conditions, but all the normal fare are good choices. Thanks to all and May God Bless.

JImbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 3/30/2016

Here is what I have remaining open for April: 7, 9,11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 26, 27. The fishing on Lake Lanier remains good. The weather has stabalized a bit this week which has made it easier to pattern the fish in general. A spinnerbait has been our first choice in the mornings. The focus with these baits should be fairly shallow on flats in pockets and in the backs of creeks, as well as shallower rocky points and humps, both in creeks and on the main lake. When the spinnerbait bite slows down, switch to a worm and a Chattahoochee jig in these same places. Toss these around points at the mouths of spawning pockets and on secondary points as well. A drop shot rig with a 4" worm cast to steep rock banks and points has been productive this past week. Work the rig like a shaky head and watch for light bites. A fluke bite has also emerged this week as expected. Shallow wood such as blowdowns have been the best target for these baits. Work the fluke slowly with a couple of twitches followed by 2-3 second pauses. The dock bite is still there and dependable on most sunny days. Skip a worm or a creepy crawler on a jig head, or a weightless senko, around and under docks in 10-20 feet of water when the sun is up. Docks represent a classic staging area for the fish on Lanier. We have already seen several fish up shallow cruising and hanging around the docks. Shallower, long running flat points are starting to hold fish as well. Often these fish can be found in the 10-15 foot depth ranges on top of these points. Work a Chattahoochee Jig or shaky head worm slowly on these areas. A jerkbait has been productive on these shallower rocky points as well, especially for some bigger fish. Again, other than early morning, wind is important for this bite. The Largemouth are up shallow all around the lake. Look in the backs of creeks and pockets to find these critters. Docks in these areas are a good bet for these fish. A number of lures can work depending on the conditions, but all the normal fare are good choices. Here is what I have remaining open - April: 7, 9,11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 26, 27. The best is yet to come with the bite this spring! Don't miss out! Give me a call and let's go fishing! Thanks to all and May God Bless!

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Report: 3/24/2016

CURRENT OPEN DATES: March:31 April: 1, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 26, 27. The fishing on Lake Lanier remains good. We experienced a cold front early this week that really dropped the water temperatures. We had been averaging in the low 60's but now just the mid-50's in the lower lake. The Largemouth had started to bed, but now have pulled off and only a few remain. As the water continues to warm back up, I expect to see a return of the bedding Largemouth as well as a resumption of the normal prespawn spotted bass behaviors. Keep a close eye on your Lowrance electronics for water temperature readings and note the areas that are trending warmer and focus on those as we proceed with the re-warmup. The warmer water will attract bait and therefore fish to these areas. A jerkbait has been our first choice in the mornings. The focus with these baits should be fairly shallow in pockets and in the backs of creeks, as well as shallower rocky points and humps, both in creeks and on the main lake. When the jerkbait bite slows down, switch to a worm and a Chattahoochee jig in these same places. Toss these around points at the mouths of spawning pockets and on secondary points as well. The dock bite is still there and dependable on most sunny days. Skip a worm or a creepy crawler on a jig head, or a weightless senko, around and under docks in 10-20 feet of water when the sun is up. Docks represent a classic staging area for the fish on Lanier. We have already seen several fish up shallow cruising and hanging around the docks. Shallower, long running flat points are starting to hold fish as well. Often these fish can be found in the 10-15 foot depth ranges on top of these points. Work a Chattahoochee Jig or shaky head worm slowly on these areas. A jerkbait has been productive on these shallower rocky points as well, especially for some bigger fish. Again, other than early morning, wind is important for this bite. The Largemouth are up shallow all around the lake. Look in the backs of creeks and pockets to find these critters. Docks in these areas are a good bet for these fish. A number of lures can work depending on the conditions, but all the normal fare are good choices. I look for a fluke to play a big role for the shallower fish and the dock fish in the next few days as we once again warm up. We found a good spinner bait bite shallow in the pockets late last week before the cold front hit. I look for this to return soon as well. Keep testing the blade bite, it should be here again soon and should be good. Here is what I have remaining open - March: 31. April: 1, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 26, 27. The best is yet to come with the bite this spring! Don't miss out! Give me a call and let's go fishing! Thanks to all and May God Bless!

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 3/15/2016

Hey Gang! Its been awhile since my last post. The fishing on Lake Lanier has been good. The incredible early spring weather we have been experiencing has definitely caused the surface temperatures to rocket up. The temperatures in the backs of some creeks are even warmer than the main body with temperatures in these areas approaching the mid to upper 60's in the afternoons of bright sunny days. Remember, the shallower, stained water will warm faster than the clear water either in the backs of creeks or on the main lake. The ditches and pockets off the main river and creek channels should remain productive in the areas where the water has warmed or stayed warm. Keep a close eye on your Lowrance electronics for water temperature readings and note the areas that are trending warmer and focus on those. The warmer water will attract bait and therefore fish to these areas. Several standard spring patterns are emerging, and they are welcomed! It had been tough to pattern the fish of late with the very quick warm up we had experienced, but the spotted bass are now starting their spring migrations to the shallower water. They have definitely become more predictable. A jerkbait and a crankbait are my first choices in the mornings. The focus with these baits should be fairly shallow in pockets and in the backs of creeks, as well as rocky points and humps, both in creeks and on the main lake. The main lake bite will be a little slow at first, but it will soon come on strong. The creeks are a little more consistent for this bite right now. For the crankbait, a squarebill would be my choice for the shallow pockets - something with a tight wobble that dives to 4 feet or so. Out on the points, a Spro Little John is a good bet. Cell Mate is my favorite color for the morning bite. When the moving bait bite slows down, switch to a worm and a Chattahoochee jig in these same places. Toss these around points at the mouths of spawning pockets and on secondary points as well. The dock bite has really improved this week as well. Skip a worm or a creepy crawler on a jig head, or a weightless senko, around and under docks in 10-20 feet of water when the sun is up. Docks represent a classic staging area for the fish on Lanier. We have already seen several fish up shallow cruising and hanging around the docks. Shallower, long running flat points are starting to hold fish as well. Often these fish can be found in the 10-15 foot depth ranges on top of these points. Work a Chattahoochee Jig or shaky head worm slowly on these areas. A Spro crankbait has also been working on these same areas and can be productive if there is some wind. A jerkbait has been productive on these shallower rocky points as well, especially for some bigger fish. Again, other than early morning, wind is important for this bite. The Largemouth are up shallow all around the lake. Look in the backs of creeks and pockets to find these critters. Docks in these areas are a good bet for these fish. A number of lures can work depending on the conditions, but all the normal fare are good choices. Here is what I have remaining open for March: 18 (AM), 21, 22 (PM), 25 (PM), 29, and 30. With the warming trend we have going, fishing should really be good in the second half of the month! Give me a call and let's go fishing! Thanks to all and May God Bless!

Jimbo's Lake Lanier Spotted Bass Guide Service Fishing Report: 1/27/2016

Hey Gang – LAST CHANCE SEMINAR REMINDER: We still have a few spots open for my Spring Fishing Seminar and Expo this coming Saturday, January 30th. There will be tons of great information about fishing the on Lanier along with some excellent guest speakers sharing insight on their areas of expertise. We have a Fisheries Biologist coming and he has an awesome presentation prepared with some excellent information about understanding the science of how our lake works. The Raffle Prize list has grown and we have some outstanding items to give away including: a GLoomis IMX Shaky Head Rod, $500 Outboard Service at Perry’s Hi-Tech, Costa Sunglasses from SuperSpin, Gift Cards from Hammond’s Fishing, Lanier Baits Prize Pack, a Free Retrieval Dive from ScubaMan Dive Services, a Kickin’ Their Bass TV Prize Pack of signature apparel, a 25 Quart Engel Cooler from John Megel Chevrolet, a Chattahoochee Jig Prize Pack, and much more! Don’t miss this fun and informative event! Call or text me directly to register: 770-542-7764. Fishing Report: The lake sits at 1.80 feet over full pool and the surface temps are hovering around 49 degrees in most areas of the lake. The Corp continues to pull water and the levels continue to drop daily…until the next rain. LOL. I have heard the cold rain last week really did a number on the upper lake, lowering temps up there into the low 40’s, but I have not been up there to check. The main lake below Browns Bridge is fairly clear, with the main body up above the bridge stained. Backs of creeks all around the lake are stained, but starting to clear up a bit. As has been the case for most of the winter, there are fish from shallow to deep right now. Before the cold rain, there was an awesome shallow ditch bite going on, but the conditions pushed a lot of the bait out deeper and the fish followed. There are still fish shallow in and around the ditches however, and these type of areas are where we generally start our days. A SuperSpin, a Chattahoochee Jig, and a jerkbait have all been productive of late in these areas. I look for the upcoming sunshine and warm weather to put more fish back shallow in these areas, so keep checking your good stuff. Steep rock has been another productive pattern for us of late as well. This pattern is better when the sun is out, but still works in the clouds. When the sun is out, particularly in the afternoons, look for the fish to be 15 ft or less in these steep rock areas. When the clouds are prevalent, look more in the 20-30 foot range. A ¼oz or 3/8oz Chattahoochee Jig has been the deal on the rocks. Use a Zoom Fat Albert twin tail or a Yamamoto 5 inch twin tail to give the bait a slower fall. Work the bait slowly on the rocks and instill periods of just letting it sit. Don’t be in a hurry and really pay attention. Many of the bites are difficult to detect. Lastly, don’t be afraid to fish timber lines right now either. There are still plenty of fish committed deep. We have been working a drop shot and a jig in the 40-55 foot range in and around outside and inside channel bends in the creek arms with consistent success. The fish size seems to vary every day, with good ones on some days and other days just keepers, but the fish are there and represent dependable bites. I also wanted to highlight the second group of pictures above. I had Tyler and Joe out with me on a Sunday morning in January. These young men made some memories with me that day – they wrecked ‘em! A SuperSpin and a Jerkbait was the ticket that morning in shallow ditches. I caught one on my first cast to show them the technique, and then turned the show over to them and they took the stage. It was fun to watch these boys go to work. We finished with 15 fish that morning, with some giants getting off at the boat. What a great day for all – congrats Tyler and Joe – super job! Here are the open dates I have in February: 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, and the entire last week of February as it stands. It’s a great time to learn a bunch of different styles of fishing right now, as well as time to start preparing for the BFL in late February. Give me a call and let’s go fishing! Thanks to all and May God Bless! Jimbo

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