Lake Lanier Fishing Reports

Water Temperature:  69 degrees

Lake Level: Approx. 1065.49 and rising

Stripers:  The lake looks great and the striper fishing has really turned on the last few weeks. The topwater bite has been strong and the average size of the fish has been excellent. Look for the topwater bite to disappear once the water temperature hits seventy-four degrees for the stripers. With the increase in water temperature, the stripers will head deep and set up on the points that have access to deep water. Look for the stripers to be twenty to thirty feet deep on these deep-water points. The north end will be the most consistent fishing. A downline will be the primary technique to catch these fish deep on the points. A downline is basically a Carolina rig with a live bait hook on the end instead of a worm hook. Blueback herring will be the primary baitfish on the downline. Use a one and a half ounce sinker for the weight and use a four foot twelve pound P-line fluorocarbon leader. Be sure to match the size of the bait hook to the bait not the size of the fish you want to catch. A 1/0 Mustad Octopus hook is usually sufficient for herring. If you pull into a point and you do not get bit in the first ten minutes head to the next point.

Bass:  June is a great month for the spotted bass on Lake Lanier. The topwater bite has been strong and will continue to be a good pattern until late in the month. As the water temperature rises, look for topwater baits that will “pull up” the fish from the deeper water. Baits with a loud rattle like the Heddon Super Spook and Reaction Innovation Vixen will be the better baits. Once these fish move to the deeper brush, the spottail minnow on a dropshot rig or small Carolina rig will be very effective. Catch the spottail minnows on a sandy beach with a 3/16 mesh cast net and you are ready to go catch some fish. Drop the minnows around the edges of the deeper brush and hold on to the rod.  This is a great pattern to take the kids. The action is fast and furious.

April 2009
Water Temperature: 60 degrees
Lake Level: Approx. 1062.93

Stripers: The striper fishing on Lake Lanier has been slower than normal. The biggest reason has been the colder than normal water temperature. However, with the recent sunshine the water temperature is warming fast and the bite should get back to normal. Look for some of the fish to be up the rivers performing the spawning run. The fish do not reproduce in Lanier but they do go through the act. This occurs when the water temperature reaches 65 degrees. Freelines using big gizzard shad will be the ticket for this area of the lake. Using planer boards like the Water Bugzs are also a great tool for getting your baits up close to shore. This way you can fish with four to eight lines. If you find yourself fishing on the south end of the lake be sure to take some redfins. A redfin is a large 7-inch surface plug that v-wakes across the surface. It is some of the most exciting fishing of the year.
Bass: Looks like May is going to be the key month for the spawn on Lanier this year. Most of the bass will spawn around the full moon in May this year. If you just want to catch some fish, pull freelines using herring across main lake points up and down the lakeand you will catch a mixed bag of spotted bass and stripers. If you would like to learn to use artificials to catch the spotted bass be sure to call Lanier Spots Guide Service.
770-356-4136.
Crappie: The crappie fishing has been better than normal this year. The better fishing has been on the north end of the lake due to the stained water. The number of crappie per acre of water is higher on the north end as well. Every year Thompson Creek, Wahoo Creek, and Yellow Creek do very well. The best jig this year has been a 1/24oz. Yellow/Yellow/White Hal-Fly. A close second has been the 1/32oz. White/Chartreuse popeye jig. The fish have been under the shade of the docks but now that the water temperature is getting into the low 60s, be sure to check any shallow brush. Once you find one there will be more. This is easy fishing and a great way to start the kids out how to learn to fish.

Stripers: The big fish bite for the stripers is here. As always for this time of year, we are not catching as many fish as later in the spring but we are making up for it in size. Early spring is by far the best time to catch a trophy striper on Lanier. The big females are getting ready for the spring spawn and they need to consume lots of calories. It is not uncommon to pull 14-inch gizzard shad this time of year for bait. Large rainbow trout work good this time of year as well. If the bait is very large it is not uncommon to run a treble hook in the back of the bait as a stinger. Pull these baits up shallow in the back of the creeks. The back of the creeks will be full of bait. Just remember when you are pulling these big baits you are only going to average a few bites a trip. The bucktail bite still has not taken off so it could happen any day. We just need several days of good sunshine to warm the water. We have already had some warms days but the problem has been the cloud cover. The fishing will change quickly with sunny days that are calm.
Bass: Like everything else on the lake, once the water temperature finally warms into the mid-fifties the bass fishing will begin to change significantly. Late in the evenings, be sure to keep a crankbait like a Bomber 6A Baby Bass or a shad colored SR7 Rapala Shad Rap ready to cast to shallow areas. This technique is usually better later in the day when the shallow water has time to warm from the sun. Stained water is a plus. Jerk baits will begin to be effective as well. Be sure to rip the bait and let it pause and the fish will bite on the pause. The expensive Lucky Craft and MegaBass jerk baits are well worth the money when it comes to jerk baits. Some of these baits are as high as thirty dollars. If its cloudy, try the shell white Lucky Craft Flash Minnow. If it is sunny, try the Clown color or Aurora Black. If the sun is bright, do not hesitate to fish the docks with a 3/16oz. Spotsticker jighead with a finesse worm. On Lanier, green pumpkin is the primary worm color.
Crappie: The crappie are already concentrated under the deep-water docks and moving shallower as the water temperature increases. . The better fishing for the most part will be on the north end of the lake due to the stained water. The number of crappie per acre of water is higher on the north end as well. Every year Thompson Creek, Wahoo Creek, and Yellow Creek do very well. The stained water is very important to the crappie fishing on Lanier. The crappie are too spooky in the clear water. Not that they can’t be caught in clear water. You just have to catch a few and leave for thirty minutes and then come back and start again. The lure of choice is any 1/32 ounce chartreuse and white jig. You really need the very lightweight jig for the slow fall. If the water is very stained go to a red and chartreuse jig. The fish will almost always be in the shade of the docks. The best docks will be the ones that hold brush. Look for rod holders and minnow buckets on the docks to help narrow your search and save you time. If March is warmer than normal, look for the crappie to go ahead and pull shallow on the brush to spawn. Anchor near the brush and cast crappie minnows as close to the brush as possible. Use a size 6 or 4 light wire hook with an extra long shank. To be exact, use a 202ELR hook by Eagle Claw. If you are close enough to the brush use a weightless float. If you have kids with you, be sure to use the weighted floats. Most of the weighted floats will be orange or chartreuse with a small ring of lead on the bottom. One last thing, be sure to use 4 pound test line and a limber rod for the crappie. The crappie are very line sensitive and have very delicate mouths. Good luck out on the lake.

Finally, the news about the lake is encouraging. The lake has risen several feet over the last month and we are now five feet ahead of last year at the same date. The lake is still not where we would like but at least it is an improvement. Several more boat ramps are now open and a few ramps were extended. After a brutal January, it looks like the fishing is on the upswing. The cold nights in January really dropped the water temperature and hurt the fishing in early January. Some of the backs of the creeks were even covered in a thin sheet of ice.

Stripers: If we continue to get mostly sunny weather in February, look for the water temperature to quickly rise. With the bright sunshine, any stained water will warm faster than the surrounding clear water and the fish will seek the warmer water. The stained water will be up in the creeks. One of the most consistent patterns is casting bucktails in February. Be sure to cast the bucktails right up on the bank. Some of the fish will be cruising tight to the bank line. If the water is stained, go with a 1/4oz. chartreuse bucktail tipped with a chartreuse grub or fluke. If the water is more on the clear side, go with a 1/4oz. white bucktail tipped with an albino fluke or shad body. Remember the water is still cold so keep the retrieve on the slow side. Concerning live bait, free lines tipped with threadfin shad and medium shiners will do the trick. However late in the month, do not be afraid to use a large bait like a 12-inch gizzard shad. The big female stripers will be preparing for the spawning run and looking for a big meal.

Bass: Same as the stripers, the spotted bass will be up in the creeks with the bait. Early in the mornings, some of the big spots will be cruising looking for food right with the stripers. Cast 1/4oz. or 3/8oz. jigheads tipped with smoking shad fluke jrs. or white pearl fluke jrs made by Zoom. The locally made Fish Head Spin is also a good choice as a jighead for the flukes. Another dominant pattern for early season spotted bass is jerkbaits worked real slowly around docks. Work the jerkbaits with a jerk-pause-jerk retrieve. Make sure the pause is long. It is not uncommon in cold water for the pause to be ten to thirty seconds.

Crappie: The crappie fishing is already starting to take off this year. The crappie are already beginning to load up under some of the deep-water docks. Look for older docks that offer plenty of shade. With each passing sunny day, the crappie will move into shallower and shallower water. Small 1/32oz. jigs will be the lure of choice. Some days it is not a bad choice to tip the jigs with a crappie minnow. Be sure to “shoot” the jigs into the darkest corners of the dock and let the jig slowly fall into the darkness. Stained water is a big plus when it comes to crappie fishing. In clear water, the crappie will be very spooky and shut down after just a few bites. If you find yourself fishing in clearer water and the crappie shut down after a few bites, leave the area for thirty minutes and come back and try it again.

Water Temperature: 51 degrees and falling
Lake Level: Approx. 1052.55

Finally seeing the lake level come up a little. The lake has come up approximately a foot and a half with the recent rains. Still only a few boat ramps open. Charleston Park, Tidwell, Shoal Creek, and Clarks Bridge are now all open. Hopefully with the recent rains we will not surpass last years record low.

Stripers: The striper fishing has been more consistent with the cold weather. The baitfish have pulled up into the creeks and the stripers have pulled up into the creeks with them. The north end of the lake is producing the most fish. Areas like Ada Creek and Gainesville Creek are good starting points this time of year. Two tactics have been working best depending on the amount of cloud cover.
If it is cloudy, fish with smaller baits to match the hatch of the threadfins that they are eating. The threadfin that they are eating are about an inch and a half long. If you see the fish visibly rolling on the surface freeline a medium shiner or an extra small trout 100 ft behind the boat or 15 feet behind a planer board. Be sure to use light line on these smaller baits. You can also cast small ¼ oz. jigheads to these fish tipped with a Zoom Smokin Shad Fluke.
On the sunny days, the fish have been deeper and will readily take a larger rainbow trout. Drop the larger trout on a downline 30 feet under the boat using a Carolina type rig used in bass fishing with a 1½ oz. swivel sinker and a five-foot leader. Be sure to use12 to 15 lb. P-line fluorocarbon on the leader. Look for a large pod of baitfish on your electronics that is around ten feet thick before dropping the downlines. Good electronics are crucial this time of year. Seagulls in the area are also a good sign.

Bass: If you are out early, throw a white 3/8oz. Fish Head Spin tipped with a Zoom White Ice Fluke Jr. up in the coves. Some of these bass will be very shallow up on the banks. It is a good way to catch a “toad” spotted bass on Lake Lanier. Keep your eyes on the electronics for any bass cruising along the bottom while you are fishing the Fish Head Spin. If you see these fish on the bottom, drop the spoon. The spoon bite is improving daily with the early cold weather. The threadfin shad in the lake cannot endure the cold weather very well and are beginning to die off. Try a Cotton Cordell C.C. spoon or the .6 white foil Flex-it spoon. Most of your bites will be on the fall while using a yo-yo type retrieve. Lastly, be safe with the falling lake levels. The Corps. Of Engineers do a great job marking obstructions but still take care. Hopefully in the next few months, the lake level with make some improvement. The lake level usually starts to climb in early January.

Water Temperature: 55 degrees and falling
Lake Level: Approx. 1051 and Falling

Same as last month and the month before, no good news on the lake level. The lake continues to fall and close in on last years record low. If we do not break last years record low I will be amazed. A few boats remain open and a fair number of people continue to fish with great results. Charleston Park, Shoal Creek, and Clarks Bridge boat ramps continue to be open.

Stripers: The striper fishing has become more consistent since last months report. The baitfish have moved into the larger creeks on the south end and all of the creeks on the north end. The problem on the north end is the lack of open ramps in the area. You will have to travel a fair distance to get to the fish. The seagulls have arrived on the lake and are a great indication of where to fish. The gulls are always near the larger concentrations of baitfish. Early in the mornings, start with a freeline using a live trout about 100 feet behind the boat. A freeline is simply a hook on the end of the line with no additional weight. If there is no indication of surface activity, look for the stripers on the graph and drop a downline. The downline consists of Carolina type rig used in bass fishing. Be sure to use a 15lb. P-line fluorocarbon leader on the Carolina rig and a 1 1/2oz. swivel sinker for the weight. Trout have been the best bait on the downline and I expect it to continue to be the best bait throughout the winter. Be sure to use a larger hook like a 3/0 or 4/0 Mustad octopus hook on the downline. Do not use the smaller hooks used on herring. Small bucktails tipped with a Zoom white ice or smoking shad fluke are also accounting for a few fish. December is usually one of the better months for stripers.
December is also one of the better months to catch striped bass on the fly rod. The number of people fishing with the fly on Lake Lanier would most likely surprise you. Local guide Henry Cowen fishes exclusively for striped bass on the fly. The picture of the month was on the fly by Hal Coleman on a guided trip with Henry Cowen. If you are interested in catching a striper on the fly give Henry a call at 678-677-5382. I promise you will have a great time.

Bass: December is also a great month to go spotted bass fishing on Lake Lanier. Some of the best places to catch the spotted bass will be right with the striped bass. Everything will be right with the baitfish. Early in the mornings, try a 3/8oz. fish head spin tipped with a Zoom white ice fluke. Make a steady retrieve with an occasional hop. If you are seeing fish under the boat on the graph, drop a .6 oz. white foil flex-it spoon. Always have a spoon tied on in December. Day in and day out, the spoon will account for the most fish. If you have a hard time getting the bass to bite the spoon, drop a Texas-rigged plastic worm. The best color on the plastic worm is the old reliable green pumpkin. Most of your bites will be close to the bottom. Lastly, be safe with the falling lake levels. The Corps. Of Engineers do a great job marking obstructions but still take care.

November Fishing Report
Water Temperature: 70 degrees and falling
Lake Level: Approx. 1053 and Falling

Well, no encouraging news on the lake level. The lake continues to fall and close in on the record low of last year with almost no media coverage. The list of boat ramps closing continues to grow. Be sure to check with your local tackle shop as to which boat ramps are still open. At this time, the only boat ramps open are Tidwell, Clarks Bridge, Charleston, and Shoal Creek. The Charleston boat ramp will be the last one to close.

Stripers: The best way to describe the striper fishing is to call it a yo-yo. Some days the fishing has been great and some days the fishing has been very hard. When the stripers are feeding, they are highly visible. The fish are schooling in groups of ten to twenty fish for the most part all over the south end of the lake. The best bait has not been the traditional redfins and super spooks. The best bait has been a newer swimbait called the Sebile Magic Swimmer in chrome or white lady. Retrieve the lure with a slow steady retrieve so that the bait swims about a foot under the surface. Over the last few weeks, we have caught more fish on the Sebile than live bait. The birds will begin to show up with each passing week to make the search easier for the schooling fish. If you do not want to chase the schooling fish, pull free lines with herring across main lake points on the south end of the lake. The pattern is slowly developing and will get stronger around Thanksgiving. Be sure to put the free lines out at least 100 feet behind the boat. A free line is simply a hook and live bait dropped out behind the boat and allowed to run free using the trolling motor to slowly move across the point. The status of the night bite using large Bomber plugs up shallow has been hit or miss. Be very careful if you venture out on the lake at night with the low lake levels.

Bass: The bass have been schooling on the surface throughout the day. Same as the stripers, the number one bait has been the Sebile Magic Swimmer in chrome or white lady. If you want to try a different bait, try the five-inch chrome and blue redfin and reel it just under the surface. On the windier days, try an old time favorite the chrome and blue half-ounce rat-l-trap. With the rat-l-trap just cast to the windy points and reel. If the water is calmer, go to the plastics. The dropshot rig will continue to work as it did in September. Look for the fish on the graph and drop it right to them. A good worm to try is the Spotsticker RC Watermelon Pearl worm. If you do not like the dropshot, be sure to keep a spoon tied on the line. Try a Cotton Cordell C.C. spoon or the .6 white foil Flex-it spoon. Most of your bites will be on the fall. Start on about a 20-foot bottom and work deeper. This pattern will get stronger as the water temperature drops. Overall, be versatile this time of year and try different things until you hit a good pattern. With the changes in weather, the pattern can change quickly. Lastly, be safe with the falling lake levels. The Corps. Of Engineers do a great job marking obstructions but still take care.

Water Temperature: 74 degrees and falling
Lake Level: Approx. 1054 and Falling

The lake continues to struggle. We are still behind last year on the lake level. I have been amazed that there has not been any talk that the lake could become lower than last year and reach a new record low. Last year at this time it was around 1059. On a more positive note, the lack of boat traffic on the lake makes it feel like we have went back twenty years on the lake.

Stripers: The fall topwater pattern for the stripers has started earlier than normal. With the changes in weather, some days have been excellent and some days have been tough. The cool nights have dropped the surface temperature down into the low 70s which is perfect for the topwater bite. The most consistent topwater baits every year are the chrome and blue 7” Redfin by Cotton Cordell and the Houston Bleeding Shad Super Spook by Heddon. Do not hesitate to try any other brand of topwater bait. Finding one that the fish have not seen very much will sometimes increase your bites. A personal favorite the last few years has been the Vixen made by Reaction Innovations. Later in the month when stripers are a little more finicky, try a smaller presentation with lighter line. Try a 1/4oz. white bucktail jig or white lumaflex Georgia jig tipped with a white fluke. Clear casting bubbles tipped with a 12 lb. fluorocarbon leader and a live herring work as well. The great thing about the clear casting bubble is that you can add water to it to increase the weight. With the increased weight you can cast the live herring a much farther distance. The fish will be very easy to spot. Some of the schools will have fifty to a hundred fish or more. Sometimes the fish will stay up for hours and some days for 5 seconds. A good pair of binoculars is handy this time of year. If you do not want to chase the schooling fish, pull free lines with herring across main lake points on the south end of the lake. Be sure to put the free lines out at least 100 feet behind the boat. A free line is simply a hook and live bait dropped out behind the boat and allowed to run free using the trolling motor to slowly move across the point. The status of the night bite using large Bomber plugs up shallow has been unknown. Very few people are venturing out at night on the lake for the obvious reason.

Bass: October is usually a good month for the bass fishermen. The largest spotted bass I have ever caught out of the lake came in October. A variety of techniques will catch the fish depending on the weather. Some of the better days will be the windy days out on the main lake points. A white or dull gray Mini-Me spinnerbait will work great in these windy conditions. Jerkbaits like the MegaBass Vision 110 will catch their share of fish as well. Be sure to use a jerk-pause-jerk retrieve with the jerkbait. Do not be afraid to get out in the windiest part of the lake. Swimbaits continue to gain popularity as well. The Triple Trout swimbaits continue to sell as fast as they arrive. If the water is calmer, go to the plastics. The dropshot rig will continue to work as it did in September. Look for the fish on the graph and drop it right to them. A good worm to try is a Zoom watermelon meathead or a baitfish meathead. If you do not like the dropshot, be sure to keep a spoon tied on the line. A .6 white foil Flex-it spoon is the standard spoon on Lanier. It is a soft lead spoon that you can bend to change the action. It is fairly cheap and will work on any species of fish in the lake. Most of your bites will be on the fall. This pattern will get stronger as the water temperature drops. Overall, be versatile this time of year and try different things until you hit a good pattern. Be sure to pay attention to the wind. With the changes in weather, the pattern can change quickly. If you want to learn more about the bass fishing on the lake a great guide and teacher is Ryan Coleman of Lanier Spots Guide Service at 770-356-4136. Lastly, be safe with the falling lake levels. The Corps. Of Engineers do a great job marking obstructions but still take care.

Water Temperature: 84 degrees

Lake Level: The lake level continues to drop. Looks like the worst is yet to come for Lanier. The lake level has dropped below 1054’, which is seven feet below what it was at this time last year. The number of boat ramps open continues to dwindle. Charleston, Tidwell, Shoal Creek, and a couple more continue to be open at this time. The lake is still safer than people realize so do not hesitate to go out on the lake. With the lack of boat traffic the fishing has been excellent.

Stripers:  The striper fishing continues to be on fire. The stripers are still in very large schools all over the south end of the lake. The next few weeks will be some of the best striper fishing of the year. Start down near the dam for the larger fish. The farther north you go the smaller the average size of the fish. The big fish prefer the deeper colder water near the dam. Be sure to stay in the main channel of these creeks. Most of the fish will be 30 to 50 feet deep over 80 to 100 feet of water. Starting to catch a few fish as deep as 90 feet deep. The best tactic to catch these fish is to downline herring straight under the boat. The downline is basically a Carolina rig used in bass fishing. You need a 1/0 or 2/0 Mustad octopus hook tied to a seven or eight foot 15lb. P-line fluorocarbon leader. Tie the leader to a 1 1/2oz. swivel sinker and you are ready to go.

Trolling is another good option, if you are not equipped with a bait tank to keep the herring alive. Trolling is picking up good numbers out on the main channel. Trolling in the creek channels has been more difficult due to the standing timber being closer to the surface due to the drought. For trolling you will need a reel with lead core line. Lead core is a fabric type line with a lead center to help it get down to the appropriate depth. The lead line is color-coded and with every color you let out it will get your bucktail jig or lure down approximately four feet. This line does require a fairly large reel like a Penn 320. An Abu Garcia 6500 size reel is not sufficient. With the water temperature being in the mid-eighties be sure to get the stripers back in the water as fast as possible. The hot surface has very little oxygen. Drop the fish head first in the water. This will give the fish the best chance of survival.

Bass: The spotted bass fishing has been hit or miss. Been getting a few good reports on topwater early in the mornings with smaller Heddon Zara Spooks and larger Heddon Baby Torpedos in shad colored patterns. Most of these will be under three pounds but they put up a good fight on a light rod. All of the bass tournaments on the lake have been canceled due to the lack of available boat ramps. However, now is the best time ever to learn the lake. With the lake being down, some of the structure that has not been visible since the early fifties is now beginning to become visible. The individuals who take advantage of this will be well rewarded in the future.

National Hunting & Fishing Day.

On September 27, 2008 residents do not need a fishing license or a trout license to fish on any public waters in the state. State fishing laws and area limits still apply. For more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com. There will also be Kid’s Fishing Rodeo below Buford Dam on September 27, 2008 from 9:00 to 1:00. The river will be heavily stocked with trout for the youngsters. Poles and tackle will be provided. This is a great opportunity to introduce kids to fishing. See you there.

Water Temp. 84 degrees

Lake Level: Same as last month and the month before and the month before, the lake level continues to be a great concern. The lake level is approximately 1055 and falling. A few more ramps have closed. At this time, the boat ramps at Charleston, War Hill, East Bank, Tidwell, and a few others are open. The fishing really has been some of the best ever this summer with the lack of boat traffic. Spoke to one of the marinas the other day and they said gas sales on the lake were only about 50 percent. The lake is still safe just be sure to use extra caution and stay in the main channel.

Stripers:  The striper fishing is on fire. The stripers are in very large schools all over the south end of the lake. Some of these schools have several hundred stripers in them. Some popular areas include Vanns Tavern, Bald Ridge, and Shoal Creek. Be sure to stay in the main channel of these creeks. Most of the fish will be 30 to 50 feet deep over 80 to 100 feet of water. Starting to catch a few fish as deep as 70 feet deep as well. The best tactic to catch these fish is to downline herring straight under the boat. The downline is basically a Carolina rig used in bass fishing. You need a 1/0 or 2/0 Mustad octopus hook tied to a seven or eight foot 15lb. P-line fluorocarbon leader. Tie the leader to a 1 1/2oz. swivel sinker and you are ready to go. During the summer months, herring are the preferred bait to the stripers. It is very crucial to take good care of the herring during the summer months. A good quality bait tank is very important.  If you do not have a bait tank trolling is also a good tactic. For trolling you will need a reel with lead core line. Lead core is a fabric type line with a lead center to help it get down to the appropriate depth. The lead line is color-coded and with every color you let out it will get your bucktail jig or lure down approximately four feet. This line does require a fairly large reel like a Penn 320. An Abu Garcia 6500 size reel is not sufficient. With the water temperature being in the mid-eighties be sure to get the stripers back in the water as fast as possible. The hot surface has very little oxygen. Drop the fish head first in the water. This will give the fish the best chance of survival.

Bass: The topwater bite has diminished for the spotted bass except for a few schooling fish early in the morning. With the hot water, the bass have moved to the deeper brush. Once the bass move to the brush, the graph and GPS coordinates are crucial to catching good numbers of fish. Now that the bass have moved  to the brush, live bait fishing with spottail minnows has become an excellent tactic especially if you have kids. Rig up a dropshot rig with a small light wire live bait hook on eight-pound P-line flouroclear line. For details on the dropshot rig visit your local tackle shop. They will save you a ton of time and you will catch many more fish. To catch the spottails you will need a cast net. Use a 7 or 8 ft radius 3/16” mesh net to catch the spottail minnows. The minnows will be on every sandy beach on the lake. The boat ramps are usually a good place as well but most of them are dry. Lure the minnows in with cracker crumbs or grits and throw the net. Be sure to practice throwing the net ahead of time in the yard. It is much easier to learn to throw the net at home on dry land. If you want to use artificials, use the drop shot rig with a 4-inch Zoom watermelon seed meathead worm or similar 4-inch green plastic worm.  Small shad colored worms are an excellent choice as well. With artificials, bass fishing this time of year can be some of the most challenging bass fishing of the year but with the spottails it is some of the best.