Finding fish wasn’t the problem — getting them to bite was. Lake Lanier was loaded with stripers, but the full-moon bite made us work for every one.
Lake Lanier Fishing Report: Fast Hump Bite Before the Fish Shut Down
Some fishing days are all about catching numbers. Other days are about staying on the move, trusting your electronics, and figuring out how to get a few bites from fish that simply do not want to cooperate. Today gave us a little bit of both.
I had Cameron and his crew out for the morning trip, and we started on some of my favorite humps on Lake Lanier. The morning could not have started much better.
The fish were there, they were active, and everything happened fast. We immediately had good action and put some quality stripers in the boat. For a little while, it looked like the bite was going to stay wide open.
Then it came to a screeching halt.
Finding Lake Lanier Stripers Wasn’t the Problem
As the morning progressed, the bite became increasingly difficult. With the full moon, the fish seemed to become extremely finicky after that early feeding window.
The frustrating part was that we were still finding plenty of stripers.
Or a little stronger:
When the screen looks like this and they still won’t bite… you know you’re in for a grind.
There were places where the electronics were absolutely covered with fish. Schools of stripers were showing up exactly where I expected them to be, but getting those fish to commit to a bait was a completely different challenge.
It was a great example of why simply finding fish does not always mean you are going to catch them.
Changing Patterns and Searching the Lake
Instead of sitting in one place waiting for something to happen, I started searching.
We covered a lot of Lake Lanier and checked several different types of structure and patterns. I looked at humps, edges, deeper water, and other areas that have been producing recently.
After our initial bite on the humps, my best success came from ditches.
The bites were not easy to come by, but we continued working and were able to pick off some fish. On days like this, every bite counts. You have to stay focused, keep searching, and take advantage of every opportunity the fish give you.
Lake Lanier Water Temperature Continues to Climb
The surface temperature started the morning just below 85 degrees.
As the day progressed and the sun got higher, I saw temperatures approaching 88 degrees.
That warm late-summer water is another reason I spend so much time watching my electronics and searching for exactly where the stripers are holding. Fish location can change throughout the day, and sometimes the productive pattern from first thing in the morning will not be the same pattern that produces several hours later.
A Tougher Than Expected Evening Bite
Matthew joined me for the evening trip, and I expected the stripers to become more active again as we moved toward the evening feeding period.
Unfortunately, they had other plans.
The evening bite remained slower than I expected, and once again we had to work for our opportunities. We still found fish and put some in the boat, but it definitely was not one of those evenings where everything simply came together.
That is part of fishing Lake Lanier.
One day you can have rods going down everywhere, and the next day you can have a sonar screen completely covered in stripers that refuse to cooperate.
Making Memories on Lake Lanier
Even on a difficult bite, there is a lot more to a fishing trip than simply counting fish.
I want to thank Cameron and his crew, along with Matthew, for spending the day with Lake Lanier Striper Snipers. We caught some good fish, shared plenty of laughs, and were able to make some memories on Lake Lanier.
Those are the days that keep me searching, learning, and looking forward to the next trip.
If you are looking for a Lake Lanier striper fishing charter, come spend a morning or afternoon with Lake Lanier Striper Snipers and experience the hunt for yourself.
Lake Lanier Striper Snipers
Captain Matthew Haynes