Finding fish on lanier...electronics a must?

[NickJ0381]

So I have always grown up fishing in a john boat 10hp or less 'lakes' or for trout or bank fishing and have had a ton of success -- i have to admit i did get lucky on a pontoon boat in lanier ans catch a 12lb striper with a tiny hook, crappy minnow, and 6lb test line - needless to say its on my wall --

so i have a bowrider, 4.3, typical play boat although im over playing and just want to fish. problem is i try every technique i can find, dropping spoons, drop shots, "trolling" obviously hard to do with my boat etc...will spend 12-14 hours without a bite!

Are electronics a MUST? Im broke so if they are whats best bang for your buck...i should take that back whats the chea;pest one that simply works? if they arent necessary someone pls tell me where the fish are!!! haha

ty
-NJ

 

[j_seph]

We used to catch a lot of bass on Lanier without a graph back when I was growing up. A good start would be the navionics map app on your phone. Least then you could see a good representation of what the contours were like in the area you were in and narrow down areas that would be more likely to hold fish. I have wasted a lot of money and time with stripers and from what I have learned is until you find fish on your graph you are spending time and money when you are fishing in areas that you hope there may be some around.

 

[Lanier Jim]

Honestly....for the next 3 months....you could probably stay off points and pole markers 100' and throw a shakey head. All pole markers on points, reef poles, etc. Rock and wood a plus ....most likely, doing this - you'll catch some fish.

Just my 2 cents -

LJ

 

[littlejon]

Finding fish on lanier...electronics a must? Absolutely not. Many fish caught before modern electronics came out.

 

[33788]

When I first started fishing Lanier without any modern electronics I'd just throw some sort of 20+ ft diving crank bait on shoals, main/secondary points, and humps. I'd slowly crank it to dig into the rocks/dirt and catch a nice mess of 2-5+ # spots mainly after just grinding the bottom or when it comes off the ledge before dropping deep. I upgraded electronics just so I'd have more options to finding locations to fish and of course the fishes. So one doesn't really need modern electronics use your phone for navigation as Lanier can get confusing/dangerous as the sun is setting or before safelight

 

[jerseycat9]

I had heard about spotted bass before I moved down here but never caught one since I grew up catching largemouths in lakes and ponds smaller than 100 acres. I just attacked Lanier in sections and broke down whatever bay or creek arm I was fishing just like I would a pond or small lake. No surprise I caught mostly largemouths and a few spots here and there most folks didn't believe me due to the low population of largemouths about 8 years ago. I'd usually get about 5 to 1 largemouths verses spots using largemouth tactics fishing shallow coves and pockets.

 

[NickJ0381]

thanks for the replies...went to my buddies pond and boosted my ego a little this afternoon haha...my 2 Year old (almost 3) caught her first fish and reeled it in herself amazingly...a very small largemouth then she told me what lure to use on my next cast and got a 2lb bass about the time the lizard hit the water lol...maybe i should take her with me to lanier....

 

[TroyBoy30]

you can catch fish without electronics sure...but if you want to find brush and timber and catch fish during the summer and winter, you absolutely need good electronics

 

[Worley]

Electronics

Electronics will help as many have said, but when I fished for green fish I fount many a brush pile on points with 1oz carolina rig set up...drag that along a long point and find a brushpile, it won't take long...With the price of electronics now Hummingbird helix would be a good buy at a low entry price range....Basic helix 5 or 7 and u would be good to go with GPS and good sonar for relatively cheap.

 

[jzFish]

Navionics on your phone has helped me find mid lake humps that others drive right by.

 

[NickJ0381]

Thanks again...

JZfish - Go Jackets!

 

[jzFish]

Thanks again...

JZfish - Go Jackets!

No problem and you know it.

 

[larsdm11]

Electronics are great. However, they can also be frustrating when you don't mark fish for a long time and drive all over the place. Even though you probably past thousands of fish but because you don't see them on your fish finder you don't fish the area. Or if you do mark fish and you can't catch them then that will CensoredCensoredCensoredCensored you off. I've just started fishing lake lanier from a boat. It was a bit difficult for me in the summer to catch fish. I tried everyone advice found the humps, points, brush piles in all the right zones. If I saw fish Id drop shot. Didn't have much success. I've done really good in the spring, so I'm looking forward to the fall bite. I deffinitely need to get better at summer and winter fishing on Lanier. Like previously mentioned knowing the contours and were fish should be is the best thing to have. Also, in a smaller boat I would never go out on the main lake in the summer. Trust me don't do it.

I've got two Humminbird Onix on my boat, and I use a Humminbird 598 side image, down image and if you can afford the side image I would highly recommend it. That has caught me so many fish because you can see so many fish from off both sides.

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

Lanier is harder than most lakes I've fished.

We've taken to chasing mostly catfish in the coves and creeks. We can catch them reliably.

As others have said, the fish finder can be misleading and cause wasted time.

 

[riprap]

$99 can get you a sonar to help you mark brush and fish. Just fish along and when you see it on your sonar, stop and fish it.

 

[NickJ0381]

All great advice just found a buddy that has a 3 year old basic sonar hummingbird w trans he says I can have for a case of beer. Sweet.

 

[Zebco 33]

Nope... Yo dont hve to have electronics to catch fish on lanier.

They do help and do not mislead. The only thing misleading is the mind of the person using them. If you know what the habits of the fish you are out for are. Go to those areas, find fish and chances are they will be what you are looking for.

In my experience, you should get somethin that shows contours. Poins on lanier can run out a hundred yards or more. Thise are the most productive when lookin for bigger fish. So unlees you want to spend all day searchin with a lure...... Get something cheap turn it to manual and larn how to use it. It will cut your time down searching so you can spend mor time catcing.

 

[Scout'nStripers]

I spent 6 days fishing last week and caught a bunch of fish over that period. Once I found a pattern, the only thing I used my electronics for was a check of the depth every once in a great while. Basically the electronics were a waste of battery power. We just fished points, small rock shoreline and outcropping or secondary points. All you need to do is get out and beat the banks with the cranks.