GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Spotted bass used to be the runts pros caught to fill out limits. That may still be the case in some fisheries, but Lake Lanier is not one of them.
Arguably one of the top spotted bass fisheries in the country, Lanier is primed to showcase that once more at the upcoming Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Bulldog Division Super Tournament set for Aug. 23-24.
This year, BFL anglers benefit from an expanded slate of Regionals, which minimizes travel costs and provides more opportunities to qualify for the $120,000 BFL All-American while fishing familiar, closer-to-home waters. Click here to find out more.
What to expect
While late summer is typically the hardest time for anglers to catch big bags, that’s hardly the case on Lanier. And that’s in large part due to its large spotted bass.
Lanier was one of the first fisheries to see an invasion of blueback herring back in the 1990s, but it wasn’t until the last decade or so that their impact was truly felt – namely, in the bellies of the lake’s giant spotted bass.
“Maybe 8 or 10 years ago, you started seeing 4-pound spots, and ever since forward-facing sonar, now you’re starting to see plenty of 5- and even 6-pounders,” says local Matt O’Connell. “A 6-pounder used to be a unicorn. Now, it happens regularly in the winter.”
Of course, it’s not winter, which means one that big crossing the weigh-in stage might be a unicorn again at this event. But to say there will be no shortage of 4-pounders is an understatement.
O’Connell says the lake has been fishing great, with anglers finding solid blueback herring bites anywhere from brush piles and humps in the 20-40 feet range to over timber in 100 feet of water.
However, we’d be remiss if we didn’t note there’s also a sneaky good largemouth bite up the river. Jacob Wheeler actually won a Forrest Wood Cup there in 2012, and with a great size potential up there (albeit less consistency), you may see some pros head up that way.
Baits to bring
Which green fish anglers target will determine a lot of the tackle decisions.
For spotted bass, O’Connell says a pro could get away with throwing a walking topwater all day, especially in chrome if it’s sunny. However, soft-plastic jerkbaits, minnow baits, glide baits and underspins can also be players for deeper fish, as can a drop-shot.
Up the river, it’s mainly power fishing with vibrating jigs and spinnerbaits, with those anglers hoping for five or six key bites.
What will it take?
It’s worth noting there’s a possibility of the water temperatures dictating the shift from a five- to three-fish limit for the tournament. Obviously, doing so will adjust what it will take to win as well as anglers’ strategies.
Assuming the limit remains at five fish, O’Connell estimated the winning weight to be around 38-39 pounds across the two-day event. However, he wouldn’t be surprised if someone sacks up two big bags of spots and crosses the 40-pound threshold.