by Tom Becksted

T.J. is writing the main report on Lake Lanier itself because that’s his neck of the woods.  What I can tell you is that Greg of Lanier Striper Guide Service and Rick of Chattahoochee Tailwater Guide Service both who are advertisers and quite nice gentlemen belong to the South Lake Lanier Striper Club.  Rick says the striper fishing on the lake has been pretty good.  August is here and that means the dog days of summer are here so now is a good time to head to Lake Lanier. The lake is 1.5 feet above full pool and the water clarity is clear. The spotted bass have migrated into their summer pattern and holding areas. The top water bite for spotted bass is in full swing and the best time for this action is during the middle of the day under sunny skies. So start sharpening the hooks on your Sammy’s and Spook’s and hit the main lake humps and long points from Van’s Tavern, south. You can still catch spots early in the morning and late in the afternoon and they are hitting Flukes in the pearl color.

The largemouth are suspended under docks and are holding very close to the banks. They can be caught early in the morning and late in the afternoon throwing buzz baits along any wooded structure and dropping a Texas rigged Zoom trick worm should do the trick!

Crappie fishing is fair and the best place to find these fish are at night.  Fishing around lighted docks, around bridges and fishing under lanterns will be your best bet with live minnows.

Now if you’re like a lot of folks I know who love to go after some nice trout, North Georgia has plenty of trout fishing action to offer.  Now between the state and federal government fish hatcheries, there are plenty of stocked fish.  You also may catch some holdovers and some native fish as well.  The scenic Chattahoochee tailwaters below the Buford Dam holds all kinds of trout including some trophy size monsters.  You trout folks know what I mean when I say monsters.  They are the ones that make the drag on your reel start singing!  Now if you wanna experience some great trout fishing with some guys that really know how it’s done, then you need to call 678-455-5258 and book a trip with the Chattahoochee Tailwater Guide Service.  Ricky tells me unfortunately with the recent rains the Chattahoochee tailwaters were very difficult to fish due to the constant release of water from the Buford Dam.  However, all is not lost.  They have some other spots they go including the Hiawassee River in Tennessee.  The last time they were up there they caught 112 fish in two float trips. 

For more information on the Chattahoochee Tailwater Guide Service you can log onto www.chatttgs.com. 

While you are up this way swing by Davis Trailer Sales and let Phil Davis hook you up with one of his many trailers. Phil Davis can custom build you any trailer you would like to suit any need you have. He can build you a trailer for your 4-wheelers, boat or just a trailer for hauling. Phil does quality work and his trailers are very durable and dependable so give Phil a call today at 770-354-5028 or swing by and check him out at the corner of Gaines Ferry and McEver road.

I don’t know of any better person to take you out striper fishing than Greg Robinson of Lanier Striper Guide Service.  Whether Greg is fishing in a tournament or taking someone out for a full or half day trip, he knows how to find fish and I’m not talking about bait size either.  To go out with Greg on his Fishmaster 23 ft. center console with 225 hp Suzuki motor, you had better call today at 770-962-5998 or 678-462-2161.

When I’m way up in North Georgia the place I go and recommend you go is Larmon Outdoors on Cleveland Hwy. in Dalton, Georgia.  Larmon Outdoors has a great selection of trout fishing lures and baits, also bass fishing gear, firearms, ammo, outdoor clothing, knives, tree stands, rods and reels – all kinds of stuff.  The last time I was up there they were having a great sale on camo clothing and boots.  Check out the picture of Brittany Larmon with that big striper!  For more information and directions call 706-226-3108.  During the dog days of summer when the heat and smog of the city has got you thinking about sitting in your house or wearing an oxygen mask, go up to the North Georgia mountains for a day or so where the air is a little cooler and a whole lot better to breathe.  There are miles and miles of dirt roads and trails to explore up there.  The main dirt roads are not too bad but if you want to explore some of those side trails, you may want to make sure your 4 wheel drive vehicle is up to the job.  The best place I know to get repairs on your 4 wheel drive or off road system is Rylee’s 4 Wheel Drive on Rockbridge Road in Conyers, Georgia.  Rylee’s is the differential specialist.  You may not need repairs.  You may just want to get your vehicle customized by putting on a lift kit or changing your gears for more power.  Whatever you need done to make you king of the mountain or pull the king up the mountain, Rylee’s is the place to go.  Tell Milt I sent ya!  For more information or directions call 770-929-0986. 

Some people prefer to do their fishing from a boat out on the lake.  With all the ups and downs in water level in some of the lakes around here, damaging your propeller is not that hard to do, but not to worry.  The folks at Georgia Precision Propeller can fix you right up.  They also do customizing, pitch changing, cupping lower unit repair, etc.  They work on all major brands, stern drive, inboard, outboard, whatever you have they can more than likely fix you up!  They are located in Buford and have many pick up and drop off locations in Georgia and across the border.  For more information call either 770-945-1961 or tell free 1-800-831-7767 or log onto www.gaprop.com.  Whether you like fishing from the boat or the bank, you’re not going to have a very good day if your reels are not working properly.  I recommend you get them repaired or cleaned, lubricated and adjusted by Paul F. Bennett, The Reel Mechanic.  Paul works on all kinds of reels and has a good turn around time.  He’ll have you back on the water with your reels in no time.  The Reel Mechanic is located in Oxford, Georgia and has several pick up and drop off locations including mail order service.  For more information on The Reel Mechanic call 770-787-5305 or log onto www.Thereelmechanic.com.  I’d like to welcome Lake Lanier Big Fish Professional Guides Service to the Georgia Fish and Game Finder Magazine. Mark Beverly, Lake Lanier Big Fish owner, spirited experienced fisherman and guide has over 20 years experience fishing Lake Lanier and over 15 years as a full-time professional guide. He’s completed over ten years on the B.A.S.S. and U.S. Tournament trails. Lake Lanier Big Fish guide services operate 12 months a year due to the great year-round fishing the lake has to offer. Mark offers guided trips for Striped Bass, Spotted Bass and Crappie on Lake Lanier. He offers great rates and even corporate trips and has done so for corporations like Coke, UPS, and Panasonic, just to name a few. No party is too big or too small so, take the time to give Mark a call today at 404-358-5733 or look him up on the web at www.Lakelanierbigfish.com and schedule your next fishing trip with him. Mark won’t let you down and he’ll show you how to get into the Big Fish at Lanier.

I’ve been doing a little trout fishing myself.  Last month I took several trips up into the Chattahoochee National Forest near the Blue Ridge area and my partners and I did quite well.  My grandson Cody went with me on one trip and we caught some nice rainbows (see photo of Cody with fish).  We usually bring some kind of dough bait and 1/16 oz. rooster tails or panther martins.  I have recently been doing a little test or experiment with some of the dough baits.  In the experiment I’ve been using Berkley power trout bait, Berkley power bait trout turbo 42% stronger, Crave from Crave fishing research and Exude Erupt from Mister Twister.  I’ve got a little more testing to do so I’m not going to give any results yet, but I’ll definitely let you know what I come up with.  Until next time, enjoy the rest of your summer, follow the rules and stay safe.