Lake Lanier

Georgia's premier spotted bass fishery — a deep, clear 38,000-acre Corps reservoir on the Chattahoochee.
Georgia38,000 acresMAX DEPTH 160 FTIMPOUNDED 1956
WATER TEMP73°Fsteady over 13 daysWHEELER CREEK AT BILL CHEEK ROAD, NEAR AUBURN, GA · 12 mi
Measured Monday, September 14, 2026 · refreshed daily · the guide report reads these for you
Lake Lanier depth contours — shallow flats bright, the creek channel and deep basin dark
Lake Lanier surveyed depth — open the app for the live, zoomable map

The fishery

Lake Sidney Lanier is a 38,000-acre U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Chattahoochee and Chestatee Rivers north of Atlanta, formed by Buford Dam (completed 1956, full pool 1,071 ft NGVD29). Deep (160+ ft at the dam) and clear, Lanier is the Southeast's signature blueback-herring spotted-bass fishery — offshore, electronics-driven fishing on brush, points, humps and standing timber. Spotted bass dominate; largemouth hold in the creek pockets and shallower upper arms; a strong striped/hybrid fishery roams the open lower lake. Key patterns: herring-imitating topwater and underspins early, drop-shot / jigging-spoon / jerkbait on offshore brush and channel swings midday. Major arms: Chattahoochee (upper north), Chestatee (upper northeast), Six Mile, Flat Creek, Flowery Branch. USACE maintains hundreds of brush/Christmas-tree fish attractors lake-wide.

Species

Spotted bass · Largemouth bass · Striped bass · Hybrid striped bass · Black crappie · Bluegill

On BassHawk

Everything below points at one goal — finding the most, and the biggest, largemouth bass on Lake Lanier.

Sunk habitat

297 mapped brush piles and habitat sites on Lake Lanier, marked on the map with the depth each sits in.

TYPESITESDEPTH
Brush Pile1356–87 ft
Brush/Trees791–57 ft
Artificial225–57 ft
Cane/Bamboo2110–76 ft
Fish Attractor1813–78 ft
Pallet127–15 ft
Unknown6
PVC Structure410–20 ft

Exact coordinates for every site are in the app.

Mapped on BassHawk

Traced from pre-dam survey sheets — the roads, foundations and creek beds that were there before the water.

Getting on the water

American Legion
Aqualand Marina
Aqualand Marina
Aqualand Marina
Aqualand Marina
Athens Boat Club
Bald Ridge Creek Campground
Bald Ridge Marina
Bald Ridge Marina
Balus Creek
Belton Bridge
Big Creek
Big Creek
Bolding Mill
Burton Mill
Charleston
Chattahoochee Country Club
Chestatee Park
Chestnut Ridge Campground
Clark's Bridge Ramp
Don Carter State Park
Duckett Mill
East Bank
Gainesville Marina
Gwinnett Park
Habersham Marina
Happy Medium TEST
Hideaway Bay Marina
Holiday Marina
Holly Park
Keith's Bridge
Lake Lanier Islands
Lake Lanier Sailing Club
Lanier Harbor
Lanier Islands Maint.
Lanier Park
Lanier Point
Laurel Park
Laurel Park
Lazy Days
Little Hall
Little Ridge
Little River
Little Shoal
Longhollow
Lower Pool West
Lula
Lumpkin County
Mary Alice
Medium NEW
Mountain Ramp TEST
Mountain View
Nix Bridge Park
Old Federal Campground
Old Federal Day Use
Old Federal Day Use
Port Royale
Port Royale
Port Royale
River Forks Campground
Robinson
Sardis Creek
Sawnee Campground
Shady Grove Campground
Shoal Creek Campground
Simpson
Six Mile Creek Access
Sunrise Cove Marina
Thompson Bridge Access
Thompson Creek
Tidwell
Toto Creek Campground
Two Mile Creek Park
USACE
Valley Ramp TEST
Van Pugh North
Van Pugh South Campground
Vann's Tavern
Wahoo Creek Ramp
War Hill
YMCA Bethel
Young Deer

What a guide report looks like

A complete, real report for Lake Lanier — nothing held back. It ran on that day's conditions; open the app for today's.

SAMPLE GUIDE REPORT · MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2026

Early fall schoolers and scattered deep brush bite, expect choppy water and cloudy skies to keep fish looking up all day.

WATER 73°FAIR 70°FWIND 7 MPH ENESEASON FALL

Water's at 73 degrees and right in the sweet spot for active feeding. We're in that early-fall window where baitfish start roaming and bass chase them, but before the lake really locks down for winter. The pressure is climbing after a drop, so they'll be willing. Overcast skies and a light breeze mean the shallow bite can stretch longer than usual, and fish won't be forced deep early. Work the points and brush piles on the main lake first, then shift to scattered shallow stuff if the afternoon stays grey. This is a numbers day, not necessarily a size day.

The day's game plan

EARLY MORNING · 7:13 AM to 9:30 AM
Main-lake points in 15 to 25 feet with brush or standing timber. Long-running secondary points where structure drops off sharply.
Walking topwater bait like a Spook Jr or Ima Skimmer in shad colors (silver, chrome, ghost), 3 to 4 inches. Walk it deliberately over the structure. Also have a 3 to 4-inch weightless fluke rigged on a 3/0 hook in pearl or smoke standing by to cast directly at any boils or follows.
Bass feed aggressively at first light when baitfish start moving. The overcast skies let them hunt longer than they would on a sunny day. Topwater triggers reaction strikes even if they're not fully hungry, and schooling activity often starts within the first two hours.
MORNING · 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Same main-lake points and brush piles in 20 to 30 feet. If you're seeing surface activity, stay with it. If not, drop to the adjacent brush or timber on the point edges.
Switch to a drop-shot with a 2.5-inch finesse minnow or fluke in watermelon or natural colors on a 1/16-oz jighead. Work it vertically or with small hops over the structure. Keep the line almost vertical. Also keep topwater as a backup if baitfish push up.
The early window dies out but bass are still actively feeding. Schooling may continue in fits and starts, especially around midday solunar periods. Cloud cover keeps the sun low and gives you more hunting time. Finesse presentations work the cover more precisely and stay on bottom where stragglers hide after the school moves on.
MIDDAY · 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Work the same points but fish them deeper. Shift focus to the transition edges where the point drops into 30 to 40 feet of water. Look for brush or rock at those depth changes.
Shaky head with a 3 to 4-inch worm in green pumpkin or watermelon, 1/4-oz jighead. Drag it slowly along the contour and pause on any change in bottom. Alternatively, a small crankbait in a crawfish pattern (brown or natural) worked around any shallow brush sitting next to deep water can pull fish up from below.
Even with clouds, the middle of the day is the toughest window. Bass pull off the shallows into deeper brush and near channel edges where they feel secure. The shaky head is a proven fall pattern for picking off fish that aren't chasing anything. The pressure is still climbing, so they're less aggressive than early morning, but they will eat if you put something right in front of them.
LATE AFTERNOON · 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Creeks and inside bends of creek channels in 8 to 15 feet. Rock banks and docks if present. Anywhere with shade and near-deep-water access within casting distance.
Small squarebill crankbait in crawfish or natural shad, 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Crank it steadily, letting it deflect off any rock or timber. You can also work a 1/4-oz jig with a small craw or fluke trailer, pitching into shade under overhanging cover and letting it sit for a few seconds before dragging it out.
As the afternoon wears on, some fish start sliding shallower again, especially in creeks where they can get shade and cooler water without going full-deep. The cloud cover helps this shallow bite last longer. Creek channels are natural highways that concentrate fish moving between deep and shallow zones.
EVENING · 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Shallow flats and the mouths of small creeks where they open to the main lake. Docks and any remaining bright-water banks. Depth 3 to 8 feet.
Walking topwater again, a Spook Jr or smaller fluke walker in shad colors. Work it deliberately but not frantically, giving it room to hunt. If you see any boil or follow, immediately slow down and repeat the same path.
The light is fading and baitfish move shallow to feed on insects and bream. Bass key on this movement and push shallow for an evening bite. Cloud cover means there is no hard transition at sunset, so the bite can stay active through early dusk. This is your second topwater window and often produces willing fish.
DUSK · 7:00 PM to 7:53 PM (sunset)
Same shallow flats, dock pilings, grass lines if any, laydowns or timber in 2 to 6 feet. Any structure within casting distance of open water.
Small walking topwater or a dark finesse bait like a 3-inch black or junebug worm on a light drop-shot, 1/16-oz. If you're throwing topwater, work it with slower, longer pauses between pops.
Final feeding window before dark. Baitfish and insects concentrate in the shallows, and bass follow. Low light makes them aggressive to noise and vibration, especially darker colors that create silhouette. The solunar minor at 6:00 PM can also spark a brief bite.
NIGHT · 7:53 PM onward
Shallow transition zones between open water and thick cover. Docks, grass lines, laydowns, any edge with depth nearby. Stay 2 to 6 feet deep.
Black or dark junebug finesse jig, 1/4-oz, with a small craw or fluke trailer. Fish it slowly around cover, pausing on every strike. A dark topwater or a rubber worm on a Texas rig also works if you're feeling it out. Rely on feel and occasional thumping from your sounder.
Most anglers leave the water. Bass continue to feed at night on shallow structure and around docks, especially in fall when the cooler water brings them shallower. The 11:14 PM solunar major can spark activity, but it requires patience and a willingness to slow down and stay put rather than cover water.

Where to fish

What to throw

How to work it

Pro tips

If conditions change

If clouds break and the sun comes out bright, abandon shallow topwater by 10 AM and fish deep brush and structure all day. Downsize everything and go to finesse. If the wind picks up to 15+ mph, the shallow bite gets better because chop breaks up the light, so extend topwater and shallow work longer. If a front moves in tonight and the pressure drops, expect a feeding blitz before it arrives, then prepare for a shutdown tomorrow with tiny presentations and tight-to-cover fishing. If the water gets stained from runoff, switch to darker colors (junebug, black) and wider-thumping blades like a 1/2-oz jig with a colorado-blade spinnerbait to displace more water.

FISH THIS REPORT ON LAKE LANIER

Find more fish. This is a real report from that day's conditions — open the app for today's · free account

Get the Lake Lanier report on Friday Conditions and the pattern for the weekend, before you hitch the boat. One lake, one email. Unsubscribe any time.

FISH LAKE LANIER WITH BASSHAWK

Find more fish. Free account · works on your phone at the lake