Lake Lanier is a well-known hotspot for striped bass fishing, often using live bait. Other gamefish in this lake include spotted and largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, walleye, bluegill, white bass, long nose gar, and trout—brook, brown, and rainbow. Its 59 square miles of water and 690-plus miles of shoreline offers plenty of great fishing spots for anglers.

driving directions

The spotted bass are in good supply and condition in Lake Sidney Lanier. The local population has fattened the spotted bass and they tend to reach one to four pounds. Spotted bass like to swim around the rocky channel-banks and hang around other natural covers such as logs and brush. Artificial lures work throughout the year when catching spotted bass. If you want to use live bait, try crayfish, nightcrawlers and minnows.

The striped bass here range from two to fifteen pounds, with trophy-sized individuals reaching twenty to thirty pounds. They can be found in the winter and summer seasons. For the best results on these impressive bass, try herring, bluegill, shad, shiners, and small trout. Super flukes and bucktail jigs will get the job done. You’ll find stripers around the lower end of the reservoir and the river’s shallow coves.

You can catch a good number of crappie by fishing with minnow and minnow-tipped jigs. Lake Sidney Lanier crappie can be found in Thompson and Taylor creek under downed trees and other submerged structures. The crappie population is fair from February through early April.

Lake Sidney Lanier does have a high level of boating and tourist traffic during warm months. Visiting on weekdays, or weekend evenings, could give you a better chance at peace and quiet.

Lake Sidney Lanier boat ramps:

The following boat ramps provide access to Lake Sidney Lanier.