Striper Guides Lake Lanier
Private Trip
Lakes/Reservoirs/Ponds Fishing
Target striped bass, spotted bass, catfish, and largemouth bassFourhour afternoon charter accommodates two guests maximumExpert guide provides access to productive fishing locations
When you book with Pullin' Tail Fishing Charters, you're signing up for some serious bass action on one of Georgia's most productive waters. Lake Lanier's got a reputation for producing monster stripers, and our afternoon trips put you right where the fish are biting. This 4-hour charter kicks off at 1:00 PM – perfect timing to catch the afternoon bite when the water temperatures start to shift and the fish get active. You'll be fishing with a captain who knows every creek, point, and drop-off on this 38,000-acre lake, and we're targeting the big three: Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, and the lake's famous Striped Bass.
Lake Lanier's crystal-clear waters and diverse structure make it a bass angler's paradise. Your trip starts at one of the lake's main ramps, where you'll meet your guide and get a quick rundown of the day's game plan. The afternoon window is prime time – the morning pressure from other boats has settled down, and the fish are ready to feed again. With just two anglers max, you'll get plenty of personalized attention and coaching. Your guide knows exactly where to find the thermoclines where stripers suspend, the rocky points where spotted bass ambush baitfish, and the shallow coves where largemouth patrol for their next meal. The beauty of Lanier is its variety – one minute you're working deep water for schooling stripers, the next you're pitching to shallow cover for chunky largemouth.
Your guide comes loaded with all the tackle you'll need, from live bait rigs to an arsenal of proven lures. For stripers, expect to work everything from downlines with live herring to umbrella rigs when the fish are schooled up. The spotted bass respond well to drop shots and small swimbaits worked along the rocky banks and points. Largemouth fishing means getting into the grass lines and timber with everything from topwater plugs to Texas-rigged soft plastics. Lanier's structure is legendary – submerged roadbeds, standing timber from the old town sites, and natural creek channels create endless opportunities. The north end of the lake offers pristine mountain scenery and excellent spotted bass fishing, while the main lake points and humps consistently produce quality stripers. Your captain reads the electronics constantly, looking for bait schools and marking fish so you spend more time with your line in the water and less time searching.
Striped Bass are the crown jewel of Lake Lanier, and for good reason. These silver bullets can reach 20+ pounds in Lanier's fertile waters, and when they're feeding on the surface, it's pure chaos. Stripers are most active during low-light periods, but the afternoon trips often catch them as they move up from deep water to feed in the evening hours. They're constantly on the move, following schools of threadfin shad and gizzard shad. When you hook into a good striper, get ready for runs that'll test your drag and a fight that can last several minutes. The Georgia record striper came from Lanier, so you never know when you might tie into the fish of a lifetime.
Spotted Bass in Lake Lanier are scrappy fighters that love the lake's rocky structure. These bronze-backed beauties average 2-4 pounds but fight like fish twice their size. They're most active around points, bluff walls, and anywhere you find chunk rock and gravel. Spots are sight feeders that respond well to smaller presentations, and they're often the most consistent biters throughout the day. What makes them special is their aggressive nature – they'll often hit a lure multiple times if you work it through their territory. The cooler months see them schooling in deeper water, while spring and fall find them shallow and feeding heavily.
Largemouth Bass complete the triple crown of Lanier fishing. The lake produces quality largemouth in the 4-8 pound range, with plenty of opportunities for double-digit fish. They love the creek arms and protected coves, especially areas with standing timber, brush piles, and grass lines. Lanier's largemouth are known for their aggressive strikes and aerial displays – nothing beats watching a 6-pound largemouth clear the water trying to throw your hook. Spring sees them moving shallow for the spawn, while summer finds them relating to deeper structure and shade lines. Fall is prime time as they feed heavily before winter, making them some of the fattest fish you'll catch all year.
Lake Lanier fishing with Pullin' Tail Fishing Charters delivers the kind of bass action that keeps anglers coming back season after season. Our afternoon trips maximize your chances at multiple species while avoiding the morning crowds. With top-notch equipment, expert local knowledge, and access to some of the Southeast's best bass fishing, this 4-hour adventure offers serious value for both novice and experienced anglers. The intimate 2-person capacity means you're not fighting for rod time or missing out on prime coaching from your guide. Whether you're looking to learn new techniques, catch your personal best, or just enjoy some quality time on one of Georgia's premier fisheries, this trip delivers. Don't wait – prime dates fill up fast, especially during peak season when the bass are most active.
Hop aboard the XPLOR X24 from Androsby Boatworks for your Lake Lanier fishing adventure. This 24-footer is built for serious angling with everything you need to land those stripers and spotted bass. The fish finder will help locate schools while the wireless trolling motor keeps you positioned quietly over the best spots. GPS navigation gets you to productive waters fast, and the livewell keeps your catch fresh. Store your drinks and snacks in the icebox, and enjoy tunes on the multimedia system between bites. With room for 4 anglers but taking just 2 guests, you'll have plenty of space to cast and fight fish without getting tangled up. This boat handles Lake Lanier's waters smoothly, letting you focus on what matters most - getting lines in the water and reeling in bass and catfish all afternoon long.
Micropterus SalmoidesThese green-bodied bruisers with the telltale black stripes average 12-24 inches and 1-4 pounds, but Lake Lanier grows some real tanks. They love hanging around structure - fallen trees, docks, and weed lines where they can ambush prey. Spring through fall are prime time, especially early morning and late afternoon when they're actively feeding. What makes largemouth special is that explosive strike when they hit your bait, followed by those head-shaking jumps trying to throw the hook. They're good eating too if you want to keep a few. Here's a Lanier tip: work a Texas-rigged plastic worm slowly along those steep rocky banks in 8-15 feet of water. The bass stack up there waiting for crawfish and baitfish to drift by.
Micropterus PunctulatusSpotted bass are the scrappy cousins in the bass family, running smaller than largemouth at 12-18 inches but fighting way above their weight class. You can tell them apart by the connected dorsal fin and those dark spots along their belly. They prefer clearer water around rock piles, points, and steep drops rather than the weedy areas largemouth love. These fish school up more than largemouth, so when you find one, there's usually more nearby. They dive deep when hooked instead of jumping, putting serious bend in your rod. Fall and spring are best when they're chasing shad in 15-30 feet of water. Pro tip for Lanier: drop a football jig down those main lake points where the bottom transitions from rock to gravel - that's spotted bass gold.
Morone SaxatilisStripers are the powerhouse of Lake Lanier, with those distinctive dark stripes and silver sides. Most run 3-8 pounds, but 15-20 pounders cruise these waters too. They're structure fish, loving deep humps, creek channels, and dam areas where they herd shad. Best action happens spring through fall, especially when the shad are thick. Summer finds them in deeper, cooler water during the day. What guests love most is the raw power - these fish pull drag and stay deep, giving you a real workout. They're also excellent table fare with sweet, white meat. The key on Lanier is finding the bait. Watch your electronics for shad balls in 20-40 feet, then work live bait or big swimbaits just above them. When stripers are feeding, the action gets wild fast.
Lake Lanier