experience lake lanier’s fly and light tackle fisheries
seasons
October - November
When winds from the north start to cool the lakes surface temps we see our stripers begin to slowly slide out of their deep summer holding water into the shallows to feed. In the beginning of fall we see small to medium groups of fish surfacing sporadically on the south end of the lake. It is at this time where its best to utilize both fly and conventional tackle simply because the fish are moving extremely fast. Early fall can also offer some great topwater spotted bass fishing to help fill the down time between schools of stripers. Typically by the third week of October, topwater is in full swing and we see very large schools of fish feeding on the surface. This can last anywhere from a few weeks up to a month depending on water temperatures.
December - February
Winter is arguably the best season to target stripers on the lake. During this time stripers congregate in large schools feeding on small young of the year thread-fin shad which are typically 1-2 inches in length. This, accompanied by migratory birds such as seagulls and loons, makes for some tremendous fly fishing. Electronics also play a major role in finding fish during the winter for times when fish aren’t feeding on the surface. These patterns will last from late November until the fish start staging for their annual spawning run up the rivers in March. Nothing beats rounding a bend and seeing birds diving, bait spraying, and stripers eating on the surface like it’s their last meal.
March - June
Coming out of winter, stripers will enter their pre-spawn phase before running up both the Chestatee and Chattahoochee arms of the lake. During March, you can still find good groups of stripers but as spring progresses you will slowly start to see these schools break up. In conjunction, you will also see the birds (seagulls and loons) gradually leave as they continue on their migrations. Now we will switch gears to blind casting structure for stripers. After the spawning run most stripers return to the south end of the lake in anticipation for summers warmer water temperatures. While stripers can be hit or miss in late spring, inversely, the topwater spotted bass fishing can be great. Once the lake’s surface temperatures get north of 75 degrees, stripers will go deep until cooler fall weather returns.
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