Lake Lanier
Georgia's best-known striped bass and spotted bass lake, north of Atlanta.
Depth & Structure
38,000 acres, nearly 700 miles shoreline, depths over 160 feet; clear water with rocky points, submerged timber, deep creek channels and flats fed by Chattahoochee and Chestatee rivers; spotted bass use 10-30 feet on points/timber
Best Lures
Drop-shot rigs, finesse worms and jerkbaits for spotted bass, bucktail jigs and jigging spoons for stripers, swimbaits, topwater walking baits/poppers early, crankbaits and spinners
Best Baits
Live blueback herring and shad on free-lines, planer boards and down-lines for striped bass — primary striper pattern; live herring also for trolling umbrella rigs
Gear to Bring
Medium-light to medium spinning with 8-12 lb line for spotted bass finesse, medium baitcasting for jerkbaits/swimbaits, medium-heavy striper trolling/down-line rods
Local Tips
['Spotted bass peak on points and humps in fall as bait scatters; stripers follow shad back into creeks in November', 'Crappie suspend 10-15 feet over 12-30 foot bottoms around brush/docks — minnows and jigs']
Shop the Rig
Related Water
Fish photos: striped bass — Wikimedia Commons · spotted bass — Wikimedia Commons · largemouth bass — Wikimedia Commons
Fishing regulations, seasons and limits change — always check the current rules for this water before you fish. Spot pins are approximate area markers, not launch or access coordinates.