Lake Lanier Fishing Report November 2025

Lake Lanier is looking good.

The water temperature has been slowly dropping into the upper 60s and the water clarity is overall not that bad. Turnover is still lingering but overall most areas look good. If the topwater bite happens this Fall, it is now. The stripers have stayed deep like middle of Summer most of October and are just now showing signs of schooling on top.  They did school some late September but that was short lived. The stripers have been schooling on top at random times this past week. Early morning and late evening being best opportunity. Look for these schools to be very large in size. You may see them from several hundred yards away. All types of topwater baits will work but each day a different one will be the key choice. Two key baits are the Berkley Magic Swimmer and the Berkley Driftwalker. So far this Fall, the Magic Swimmer has been the bait due to the wind. Two great colors are perfect ghost and olive bone. That being said, we have boated fish on every color they make in the past. The 110 and 125 size are the two key sizes. Spool up a Penn Battle III 4000 spinning reel with 12 pound Trilene Big Game line on a 7 foot medium heavy Fenwick spinning rod and you are good to go. Start with the 125 and as the month progresses go to the smaller 110. If the water is calm, pick up the Berkley Driftwalker. This bait will zig zag across the surface. If any wind, throw the Magic Swimmer.  The south end of the lake will most likely continue to be the key area but the stripes may quickly be found further north on the lake. Some are already being caught on the north end.