First for me on Lake Lanier

[GAHUNTER60]

I've been fishing Lake Lanier for over 55 years. Yesterday, my son hooked and landed this fish while we were doodling a dock in 25' of water on the Chattahoochee River just north of Wahoo Creek.



It was a first for me in my 55-plus years on the lake, although I know lots of folks who have caught them before. I was beginning to believe those folks were seeing things, but apparently, they were not.

From my son's reaction, you would have thought that we had just caught a world record bass, as he was so excited that he was shaking all over when it came to the surface and were able to identify what we had.

BTW, we released it unhurt, as he decided that even though their reputation as table fare is legendary, they are just too rare a catch to kill, especially as big as this one.

 

[Mexican Squealer]

Man thats a niicceeeee one!

 

[chriswkbrd]

Congrats! He should have tossed this pullover in too!

 

[buckpasser]

Nice! That’s a bucket list fish for me. To do it in GA would be amazing.

 

[mizzippi jb]

That's just dang awesome other than the Auburn shirt ?

 

[GAHUNTER60]

Well, what can I say. He spent four years at Auburn on an ROTC, full-ride scholarship, and is now a Major in the Army with only seven years 'til retirement. At the moment, he's getting his Master's at Ga Tech on the Army's dime.

BTW, I put two more boys through Auburn; attended school there myself (along with my sister); and my Mom and Dad met and married there in the 1930s. Additionally, my granddaddy was employed at the manager of the school dairy in the 1920s.

You might say that Auburn is in our blood!

 

[ryork]

Awesome fish! Congrats

 

[Duff]

That is a nice one!! Congratulations!

 

[Worley]

Dang awesome fish and story. Congrats on the fish of a lifetime, great catch fellas!

 

[GAHUNTER60]

Also, can anyone identify this little guy? He's got the markings of a bream, but the shape and mouth of a bass. He's too light colored to be a warmouth, is he not?

Maybe a rock bass?

 

[antharper]

Congrats on the walleye ! For sure a Ga fish of a lifetime . I’m gonna say the last one is a warmouth . Just from clear water

 

[Alex from GA]

Either a rock bass or warmouth, I can't tell them apart. A few years ago I caught a 7-3 walleye near where you were fishing on a spoon. We called the DNR to inquire whether it was a lake record, it wasn't by a few ounces. If you spoon fish a lot you will catch a few every year.

 

[weagle]

I've been fishing Lake Lanier for over 55 years. Yesterday, my son hooked and landed this fish while we were doodling a dock in 25' of water on the Chattahoochee River just north of Wahoo Creek.


View attachment 1138278
It was a first for me in my 55-plus years on the lake, although I know lots of folks who have caught them before. I was beginning to believe those folks were seeing things, but apparently, they were not.

From my son's reaction, you would have thought that we had just caught a world record bass, as he was so excited that he was shaking all over when it came to the surface and were able to identify what we had.

BTW, we released it unhurt, as he decided that even though their reputation as table fare is legendary, they are just too rare a catch to kill, especially as big as this one.

Dang. That’s a hoss. War Eagle.

 

[GTMODawg]

Thats a nice 'un. And the Auburn shirt ain't nothing to be ashamed of....darn good school even if the football team and AD is a bunch of low down, snake in the grass water canon shooting meanies. Every school has them! Congrats on doing a fine job raising a fine man! When you're an Auburn family your good folks from November to about September, unless of course you are facing UGA after that and then all bets are off!

I'd call that smaller fish a warmouth. Lanier can produce some lighter colored fish at times. If that thing were in a black water river it'd be way darker. Just a guess though....to me they are all bream.

 

[GAHUNTER60]

The most surprising thing is how little fight the fish put up, especially considering its size. It took a few seconds to determine it was actually a fish and not a tree limb planing up from the bottom. I've read that what makes them prized to our Yankee cousins is their performance on the table, not on the line.

A three pound spot puts these things to shame in terms of tenacity on the hook!

 

[RWarbington]

I have fished that lake my whole life,
I didnt catch one until about 5 years ago. I had no idea what it was
Almost the exact same size
Greeat catch buddy!

 

[GTMODawg]

The most surprising thing is how little fight the fish put up, especially considering its size. It took a few seconds to determine it was actually a fish and not a tree limb planing up from the bottom. I've read that what makes them prized to our Yankee cousins is their performance on the table, not on the line.

A three pound spot puts these things to shame in terms of tenacity on the hook!

Walleye are not great fighters. I had the grave misfortune to live in the PNW where largemouth, small mouth and crappie are considered an invasive species and walleye were considered trophy fish and while I completely enjoyed eating them and catching them they are not much in the way of fighting. They get really big in the Columbia River eating salmon smelt. 10 pounders are almost the norm in early spring. 15 pounders not uncommon. None of them fight well, in my opinion. I wouldn't fight hard to stay in Washington State either...can't blame them....

 

[across the river]

Also, can anyone identify this little guy? He's got the markings of a bream, but the shape and mouth of a bass. He's too light colored to be a warmouth, is he not?

Maybe a rock bass?
View attachment 1138325

That is indeed a war mouth. You can tell by the dark lines radiating back from his eye and the dorsal and anal fin spines. The rock bass won’t have the lines like that around the eye and will have about twice as many spines on the anal fin. Will also have a additional dorsal fin spines as well, but the anal fin spines are much more obvious. Nice walleye as well.

 

[doenightmare]

I caught one back in the early 2000's in Flat Creek. Weren't near that big though - nice fish.

 

[Dustin Pate]

Very nice! I wouldn't be concerned about taking one or a limit home to eat. They are still being stocked. I think around 75,000 went in last year and some years have been as high as 125,000. They are there, but very few have cracked the code on routinely putting them in the boat.