I need help on Lanier...please

Skunked by crappie on the last 2 trips. I live close to the lake so I'd love to figure out how to catch crappie there. I have no trouble finding bass!

Today I tried long-lining up at Thompson Creek ramp, up north on Chestatee arm of the lake. Never been before. Caught a couple dink spotted bass and one tiny crappie. Gave up trolling and started throwing (BG and Brewer0 jigs at the likely-looking spawn cover on the banks, trees and bushes. Caught a couple more buck bass - no crappie. Tried a few different colors and they seemed to like blue ice. Water was stained a little and lots of pollen & tree petals on top.

Then I started shooting docks. I need the practice, but I finally figured out which rod worked for me, got my aim and started cruising docks and shooting jigs. I made a real good shot down a pontoon, and BAM, fish on, but - 18 inch spotted bass. Fun on 4# test crappie rod, but not what I'm after. The bass were knocking the heck out of a blue ice Bobby Garland baby shad on a 1/32 oz 4x4 jig head.

Threw in the towel at 2:30 PM. At least I got some good dock shooting practice, and had fun with the bass, but I ain't picking the right docks. I tried using sideVu on my Garmin but I never saw any crappie on it (duh, didn't catch none, neither).

I would appreciate a PM of any advice on which area on Lanier to try next. I don't want secrets, just which ramp to go to and basic things to try to get on some crappie! I was thinking of going up the Hooch arm at Thompson Bridge ramp, and fishing up Wahoo creek, or the river channel. Would that be the acme of foolishness?

Help a po' boy out, y'all. :cheers2

No one? Anyone? Beuller? Beuller?

Oh well, guess I'll go try some more ramps up north maybe. :dono

PM gapeeps. He fishes there a lot. Not a whole lot of us fish there.

Although you can do a search for Lanier on CDC. Right hand side near the top.

I'm reading posts with Lanier in the title, I use search a lot.

I've caught a lot of fish in 2,4,6 mile creek,the back of baldridge and up the chestatee. Wahoo also and up past the rowing center. There's a lot of places that produce good catche's on Lanier. You just got to use your electronics and go find them. That's what I do.

Thanks, that's the plan: fish hard! I'm off to Thompson Bridge & Wahoo creek this morning. Just waiting for this coffee to start working and I'm off!

Wow got skunked again at Wahoo creek on the crappie, but the spots were biting again. Back to Thompson Creek ramp and up the Chestatee, or maybe Charleston Park ramp tomorrow and fish 6 mile creek. Still looking! I know I could drive to Oconee and catch 'em, but I need to find some closer to home.

jjtek, are you fishing in the mouths of creeks or shallow? I caught some 1.5-2# spawning fish 3/26. One was dripping eggs when I pulled out of the water.

I tried dock shooting, both deep and shallower docks, and also was casting to shallow cover, trees, etc. I also long-lined up the creek a pretty long way without a single strike, running double 1/16 oz jigs from 8-15 feet in 20-ish FOW.

Sorry you struck out. I have a friend that has been catching crappie in wahoo the past 3 weeks longlining. The reports I'm getting from Lanier is that a lot of fish have not gone to the banks yet. Go up the chestatee and fish the last creek on the right. I have never struck out in that creek. I can't remember the name of it and don't have my map handy. The community dock is good in that creek and right past that dock about 20 yards is a under water tree that always holds crappie,you will have to find it on your graph. Spawning flat in back. If you strike out there I don't know what to tell you. Good Luck

The last big creek on the right going up the Chestatee is Yellow Creek. I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the tip. I am going to be taking advantage of the wind and storm free days here and fish hard. I'll keep after them.

I'm no good at crappie on Lanier or at all but here's where i have caught crappie on Lanier, Yellow Creek way up north on the Chessatee, the very back of 2, 4, 6 mile, the back of Taylor Creek, the first creek on the right going down from toto park ramp, the community dock on the right from Clarks bridge boat ramp, the creek right across from Clarks bridge (limestone creek), going up from clarks bridge the area on the right where the s turn begin where the community dock is sitting in the creek to your left..

According to scuttlebutt around the lake, the guys at Hammonds, and Dan's report on Ken's Lanier report page updated today, the crappie spawn on Lanier is basically OVER, and the fish have moved to deeper docks and brushpiles near creek and river channels. Guess I blinked, and missed it when the water was so high. I'm just going to have to test that theory and change my tactics. Never fished Lanier on a weekend, but I am going anyway.