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

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