Lanier 12-16-19 - starting to figure 'em out

Caught some good slabs today on Lanier, finally. I found them suspended at 20-25 feet in 40-50 FOW over structure, but they wouldn't hardly bite. I managed to get a couple thumps and caught a few nice ones after changing colors a bunch. Jigs all over the bottom of the boat. Spotted bass were being pesky, too.
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I gave up on the suspended fish, and decided to try my hand at dock-shooting. The first couple docks had a few fish, and I wasted a good many jigs on snags before I figured out that a lot of these floating COE-mandated docks had underwater lift racks and other hazards. I fired up my SI and started cruising past docks looking for fish. Then I hit the mother lode dock - loaded is not a descriptive enough word. I made an instant U-turn, switched to Livescope, and got spot-locked.
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The dock (an older one) had a pontoon boat I could shoot under without snagging. First shot - THUMP! Slab on. This is fun! I caught a bunch, and they were all very good fish. I only kept 4 for my supper, since I have plenty in the freezer from other lakes like Oconee. I had to change colors often, but finally the school got wise and clammed up. At least now I know what to look for, and got some valuable experience shooting Lanier floating-type docks, which can be tough compared to docks on pilings. I did lose a lot of jigs today. It seems the bigger fish aren't on brush, they are under docks right now.
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Dang spotted bass, but fun as heck on a JDM UL rod with 2 lb test.
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Jawjawtech you have the necessary tools to get great. Lanier can be tough, but with electronics like you have. It is getting the skill to fish lanier. Good luck and tight lines.

Now that's a good report. It has been interesting to follow your success. There was a lot of hard work involved in the process. All I can say is "way to go Joe"!

Jawjatek,
Nice post with a great fishing report with screenshots. You’ll find the floating docks will hold fish year round by moving with the water levels. The closer to the river channel they are, the better they are. And you’ll also see that they will be there throughout the summer on deeper docks. With the boat traffic, the fish will turn on when a boat passes and rocks the floats and starts and chain reaction.

Great fishing report! Keep up the great work...

Thanks, y'all. I'm thinking I could have caught more if the water wasn't so clear. Maybe some rain will improve the fishing, but not too much like last year!

I have been trying out dock shooting rods trying to find one I like, and I am collecting quite a stack of them. Two ACC, the 5-1/2' and 6'6", two Denali dock rods, the 6' and 7', a BnM Speed Shooter, and just ordered the Ozark 7' because it was on Christmas sale and someone here said it was the best. I haven't found one that works better than the Cadence 6'3" CS7 MLXF 1-piece rod, and it isn't even marketed as a crappie rod or shooter, it is my "finesse" bass rod. I'll try the Ozark next. Soon I will have most of them for sale, or I will just give them away to young anglers. I used to practice archery in the yard for deer hunting, now I am shooting jigs at buckets working on my aim game! Oh, and plastics skip WAY better than hand-tied jigs, especially the Bobby Garland 2" Slab Slayer, which the crappie preferred yesterday.

Great fishing report and really cool to see how you have been figuring them out. l have been following your posts on Lanier as I also live close by (but not taking the time to go out) and its great to read. Yeah those lifts with chains hanging of them are hard to fish around. I will try and find funds for a spot lock trolling motor (only have a tiller model TM now and its a pain). I bring my 11 yr old son the few times I do go out and its hard to help him, stay on a spot in the light aluminum boat (its always windy), and all that at the same time (poor multitask skills I guess) :-). Keep the reports coming as they are very inspiring.