Lake Lanier Fishing Report: Bass Boiling, Crappie Crushing, and Stripers Showing Up

This is Artificial Lure coming at you from right here on beautiful Lake Lanier for your fishing report on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Sunrise kicked off at 6:37 am this morning, with sunset expected around 8:27 pm, so we’ve got a long stretch of daylight to wet a line. Tidal action isn’t much for us freshwater folks, but water levels are sitting just over a foot above full pool, so there’s plenty of water on the banks and structure[2][4].

Morning temps started mild and should climb into the low 80s by the afternoon, perfect weather with a light breeze. Water temps are holding steady between 71 and 73 degrees across most of the lake. Clarity is mostly clear in the main body, getting a bit stained up north in the river arms and in some creeks after last week’s rain[2].

Bass fishing is firing on all cylinders right now. Spotted bass are up shallow and aggressive—some still hanging on beds, with plenty chasing bait early and late. You can’t go wrong tossing a white spinnerbait with willow blades or a slow-rolled white chatterbait over main lake points, humps, and reef markers[1]. There’s been strong topwater action, especially on chrome IMA Skimmers and Gunfish, so keep a rod ready for those surface blowups in the low light hours. If it slows down, a jerkbait on a steady twitch or a green pumpkin Trickster Tamale worm on a shakey head around docks will put fish in the boat[1].

Crappie are still holding in tight schools, mostly 5 to 10 feet deep over 20- to 40-foot bottoms, especially around brush and dock pilings. The bite has been good on minnows set about four feet under a bobber or with tiny 1/32-ounce jigs—chartreuse or blue has been best. Anglers running side scan and Livescope have been able to really dial in those fish on brush[1].

Recent catches include solid numbers of 2 to 3 pound spotted bass, with a few over four pounds reported on moving baits near windy points. Crappie limits have been common for those working the brush piles, and a few stripers have shown up early around creek mouths on live bluebacks[2].

Best baits today:
- White spinnerbait, willow blades
- White chatterbait
- Chrome topwater plugs (IMA Skimmer, Gunfish)
- Green pumpkin soft plastics on shakey heads, especially for docks and rocks
- Minnows and small jigs for crappie

Hot spots to try:
- Main lake points near Browns Bridge for bass
- Rocky humps off the mouth of Flat Creek
- Brush piles in Six Mile Creek and around the docks in Balus Creek for crappie

Most anglers are reporting steady action through the morning, with another flurry right before dusk, so don’t pack it in too early. That’s your Lake Lanier report—get out there, keep your drag set, and good luck from Artificial Lure.