Lake Lanier locals woke up to a cool breeze this Thursday, November 13th, with morning temps hovering near 49°F and projected highs scraping 65°F by the afternoon. The sky’s clear and the humidity’s low, making it a welcoming day for anglers on the water. Sunrise kissed the water at 6:59 a.m. and sunset’s set for 5:30 p.m. Being an inland lake, Lanier isn’t tidal, so you can focus on finding active fish rather than worrying about a tide chart.

Bass are in their classic November patterns—transitioning between shallow and mid-depth haunts. Anglers are reporting solid action on moving baits, especially spinnerbaits around docks and long points, and fish head spins or underspins rigged with soft minnow-style trailers pulled along the bottom. Drop shot rigs with natural-colored soft plastics are also accounting for good numbers, especially off points and deeper brush in 20–30 feet. One local on BBC Boards said, “This time of year, I’m working spinnerbaits around docks early, then chasing ‘em deeper with a drop shot as the sun gets up.”

Striped bass continue their fall chase, following schools of blueback herring. The north end of the lake is holding big schools this week, especially early mornings near Browns Bridge and the mouths of Flat Creek and Six Mile Creek. Topwater walkers and big swimbaits make for heart-pounding explosions in low light. As the day wears on, live blueback herring or medium shiners presented on downlines around creek mouths at 30–40 feet have picked up both stripers and hybrid bass.

Crappie catches have picked up with the cooler weather. The best hauls are coming off brush piles and standing timber in 15–25 feet of water. Small jigs in pearl or chartreuse hues, as well as live minnows, are your best bet. Georgia Outdoor News and local shops have heard plenty of talk about limits coming in from docks and creek arms in the early mornings, with brush off the backs of Bald Ridge and Shoal Creek especially productive.

Bank fishing around Lanier is still solid, especially for spotted bass and the occasional catfish. Locals have mentioned that hitting the deeper, access-friendly banks like the park areas at Mary Alice and Old Federal can pay off with a couple hours of action. For catfish, cut gizzard shad or chicken liver works best after sunset.

The most successful lures this week have been:
- **Spinnerbaits** (white/chartreuse) around docks and laydowns
- **Fish head spins** or underspins with small swimbait trailers for near-bottom retrieves
- **Drop shot rigs** with small worms in green pumpkin or shad hues
- **Big topwater lures**—walking-style baits like a Zara Spook or Redfin for stripers
- **Small jigs and live minnows** for crappie on slips or brush

For bait: live blueback herring are still tops for striper, and crappie can’t resist a lively minnow under a float—especially just after dawn.

Hot spots this week are Flat Creek for both bass and stripers, and the cove north of Browns Bridge for multi-species action. Shoal Creek is turning out strong numbers of crappie on the timber.

Shout out to everyone who’s respecting the colder water—always wear your life jacket and stay safe with these chilly fall mornings.

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