Larry's Lucky Lures & Bait

WEEKLY

FISHING REPORT

04/11/2025

 

LAKE HARTWELL IS FULL, 60’S

Bass fishing is good. Road beds, points and docks have been the best producers. The #7 and #8 Shad Rap in the crawdad and baby bass patterns are working. Also the Rapala DT10 in the green tiger pattern also caught especially mid lake and up the rivers on points. Some top water activity is going on in the cuts and bowls and some bass can be caught but don't expect big fish right now. About a pound to a pound and three quarters are the average size. Look for shallow largemouth from the mouths of pockets to the very backs of up lake creeks. ChatterBaits are producing as are small, shallow running square bill crankbaits and spinnerbaits. If the bite seems slow, fish a Texas rigged lizard or a swim jig around shallow wood and grass that is starting to green. Docks are always good mid day locations. Skip a shaky head under docks, concentrating on back posts. When it slows go to the Weedless Wonder worm with a green pumpkin worm on the road beds and submerged stumps.

 

LAKE LANIER IS ONE FOOT OVER FULL, 60+

Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. The lake is currently one foot over full pool and the water temperature is running between the high fifties and the low sixties. Over all the lake is clear on the main and stained in the backs of the creeks and up the river. The high winds have some mud lines in different areas of the lake. It is close to the full moon and a lot of fish are either already on bed or preparing to go on bed. Lots of techniques are working right now with a lot of bass being in less than twenty feet of water. The Fluke bite has been consistent on many shallow areas such as the banks leading into the pockets, reef poles and flats. A Jerk bait will work in the same areas with a simple steady retrieve. The Neko rig has been a very effective way to wok a worm when used on rocky points. Often the bite is very subtle so watch for your line moving or if you simply don’t feel your bait it’s probably a bite. On windy days the spinnerbait bite is picking up on the wind blown banks and points by running the bait three to five feet deep. 

Lake Lanier Striper

Lake Lanier stripers are off the channel into the coves up and down the lake. Early morning in back of coves in the shallow waters start pulling planer boards and flat lines and once the water gets 20’ then put some down lines out. Use the trolling motor around.05-1.5 mph. The bait is blue backs and shiners and gizzards. The osprey are active so be aware that they may try to steal your bait and if you can use the dead bait to divert them. Baits should be 25 to 30 feet behind planer boards and flat lines 60 to 80 feet behind the boat. Remember to wear your life jackets. 

Lake Lanier Crappie

Lake Lanier crappie fishing is good. The water temperature are in the low 60’s the fish are shallow on structure in large groups under docks and on bridge poles. Small groups can be found roaming near the banks try casting a 1/32 jig and letting it fall right in front of them try not to go below the target. Crappie have been at depths of 5 to 10 feet above a 20 to 40 foot bottom. Minnows have been slow most of this week’s activity has been on curly tail jigs.

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LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN FULL, 70’S

Bass fishing is good. Fish the sunny coves in wind protected pockets. If the wind is up go to the mid lake pockets and banks. Find the warmest water lake wide with the Lowance Heat Map feature on the GPS mapping. The Zoom Super Flukes in pearl and the Rapala Shad Rap crank baits on rocks and wood is working. The Chatterbaits in all white and a spinnerbait with bright blades in stained water gold and silver in clear water are working. There are lots of fish on points and around all the lakes docks. These fish are in the man made and the natural cover and they will bite live or artificial lures. Continue to use the finesse style green worms on a Texas rig. Some locations to work on early and late each day will be the main lake reef markers. Small to medium chrome and blue top water lures can draw the spots but the key is to move around and make only a few casts to each location. Try the Berkley Digger in Irish Gold Blue Chartreuse. Slow down with a Carolina rigged Trick Worm or centipede worm. Shaky head worms drop shot worms and jigs worked slowly on docks in blowdowns and brush will be the key to the next couple of months.

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