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2B I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, December 26,2018
LAKE LANIER FISHING REPORT
Deep winter patterns prevail for stripers and bass
Water Conditions: Lake
Lanier is presently at 1,070.32
feet, or .68 feet below the nor
mal full pool of 1,071. Expect
that to rise with this week’s rain
inflow. Lake surface tempera
tures are right around 50
degrees.
The main lake and lower lake
creeks are clear in mouths, but
expect some stained to muddy
inflow in the backs. The upper
lake and rivers are slightly
stained, but expect the same
muddy inflow to cloud things
up after the rain. The
Chattahoochee below Buford
Dam is clear at the dam and
muddy down past Highway 20.
Check generation schedules
before heading out to the river
below Buford Dam at (770)
945-1466.
Merry Christmas and Bass
Wishes to our readers this
Christmas! Count your bless
ings and I bet they will out
weigh your troubles!
Bass: The past weeks warm
er weather did little to affect
the deep bite. In fact, we sel
dom caught a bass shallower
than 35 feet this week. That
being said, we didn’t fish shal-
ERIC ALDRICH
Columnist
low because the deep bite has
been so good.
Quality electronics — like
my Lowrance Carbon 12 and
16 with good mapping — are
essential to find the sweet spots
out deeper. The bass have been
both in the deeper ditches and
also stretched across deeper
flats where bait is present.
Find the bait and drop a
spoon to any concentrations of
fish you see. These schools of
fish are often glued to the bot
tom, so drop on anything differ
ent that you see and the screen
may light up with schooling
fish. Our targeted depth has
been 35 feet to as deep as 60
feet, with most of our bites
occurring from 45 to 55 feet
deep.
A drop-shot rig is a great sec
ond option for these deeper
fish. Also try working a jig
across flat bottoms as a backup
to the spoon or drop-shot.
My favorite lure to use is still
the jig, and it has yielded the big
gest bites. I have been stair step
ping this crawfish imitator down
the sides of ditches from 35 to 50
feet. Ledges, bluff walls and
steeper rocky banks have also
yielded some decent bites.
Striper fishing remains
decent to very good, and the
guides have been catching them
consistently on down lines
from 40 to 60 feet deep. Not
surprisingly, these are the same
depths that the bass are being
caught. That’s because it is the
depth that most of the bait is
located.
A down line is basically a
Carolina Rig or a small
Gamakatsu Octopus or Circle
hook and long leader attached
to a swivel with a 1 to 2-ounce
sinker attached to the main line.
I also like to attach a small
plastic bead between the sinker
and the swivel to protect your
lines.
Herring and trout seem to be
working the best, but I also
suggest getting some medium
to large sized shiners as an
alternative if fish are present
and you are not getting bites.
Use your electronics, and
explore areas in the middle lake
areas. Keep moving until you
see bait and stripers on the
screen. There are also some
very big spotted bass roaming
around with the stripers.
The second technique to con
sider while fishing down lines
is a jigging spoon or a SPRO
Bucktail. Watch your lure on
your Lowrance Electronics, and
keep it slightly above the level
where you mark fish. Hop or
jig these lures up and down,
and you may get your arm bro
ken as a big striper attacks your
lures.
Also keep an eye out for div
ing gulls and loons to give
away the best locations. These
birds, in addition to your quali
ty electronics, will help to
unlock the secrets to the best
areas.
Trout Fishing has been good
directly below Buford Dam
with the clearer water, even
during hard rains. That being
said, expect the rivers and
streams to be blow out and
muddy or stained with this
weekend’s rains.
During high water periods
use bright colored spinners and
flies for your best results. It is
hard to beat the old reliable
earthworm if you are fishing
trout waters that allow live bait.
Bank fishing: Fish in
pounds, smaller lakes and on
Lake Lanier often react to rain
inflow because it washes bait
and nutrients that attract min
nows. Look around rain inflows
and try bright lures that vibrate,
like a Colorado Bladed Spinner
Bait or a Rattle Trap.
Live earthworms are also a
great choice, but try fishing
them on the bottom rather than
under a bobber. Other bait like
cut shiners or even chicken liv
ers will attract a variety of fish
to your lines.
Eric Aldrich is an outdoor writer,
marketing specialist and bass
angler. Reports are based on per
sonal experience and permission
from a close network of friends.
Contact him at esaldrich@yahoo.
com or visit his website at aidrich
fishing.com.
DABDEUOIIDES1GH5
DAWSON FOREST
ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Bob Christian Dawson County News
Senior Anna Lowe puts a shot off the glass in the game against the Lumpkin
County Indians on Dec. 18.
FROM 1B
Wrestling
won the 126 division via
a Lumpkin County for
feit.
Next up for Dawson
County is the Amicalola
Classic, a two-day event
taking place at DCHS
Dec. 28 and 29.
Friday will feature
teams from across north
Georgia competing
against each other in a
dual-style format, while
Saturday’s event comes in
the form of a traditional
meet pitting individual
wrestlers against each
other in the 14 weight
classes. Both day’s activi
ties get underway at 9 a.m.
The Tigers are also cur
rently raising funds via
their annual raffle featuring
a $400 gift certificate to
the Appalachian Armory.
Tickets are $5 each and
can be purchased from
any high school wrestler
or coach with all pro
A New Beginning
TRINITY CHURCH
of DAWSONVILLE
An Eco Presbyterian Church
“The most loving small church
I’ve attended lately.”
Isn’t it time you came back?
FROM 1B
Overtime
lead of the night at the
end of the half as the
teams headed to the lock
er room with the score
sitting at 30-26.
Lumpkin County
opened the third period
with an emphasis on
passing and was able to
create several shooting
opportunities to tie the
game early in the quarter.
More turnovers from the
Lady Tigers allowed the
Indians to continue scor
ing as they doubled up
Dawson County 17-9 and
took a 1-point lead into
the final quarter.
With momentum on
their side Lumpkin County
built up their largest lead of
the night, 45-41, at the
halfway mark of the
fourth. The Lady Tigers
refused to give up and with
just over two minutes
remaining fought their way
back to even. The teams
exchanged buckets to
remain tied until junior
Sophia D’Oliveira found
the net from the 3-point
line to give the Lady Tigers
a 3-point advantage with
1:08 left to play.
During the final minute
of the game the Lady
Indians abandoned the
outside passing game and
aggressively challenged
Dawson County at the
net.
ceeds going directly to
the Dawson County wres
tling program.
The drawing will be
held during lunch the sec-
A foul called against
D’Oliveira with 0:44 sec
onds remaining sent
Lumpkin County senior
Ashley Wistoski to the
free-throw line where she
sank both her shots to nar
row the Dawson County
lead to a single point.
After she intercepted a
pass and began a run for
the open net, Lady Indian
Mackenzie Pulley, senior
and team captain, was
fouled by Townley with
0:12 seconds on the clock.
Stepping to the line with
an opportunity to give her
team the lead, Pulley only
hit one of the two and the
buzzer sounded on a
50-50 tie to send the
game into overtime.
The overtime period
opened with the Lady
Tigers taking possession
of the ball off the tipoff
and Sticker was immedi
ately fouled as she drove
to the net. Putting both
shots into the basket
Sticker gave Dawson
County the early lead, but
Lumpkin County fought
back with a quick 4 points
to regain the momentum.
Dawson County contin
ued to drive the lane and
forced Lumpkin County
into foul trouble as they
sent D’Oliveira to the line
for two shots to tie the
game, and Lowe gave the
Tigers the lead as she
went one of two on her
opportunity.
With 0:11.9 on the
clock the Lady Indians
ond day of the Amicalola
Classic. Winners must be
over the age of 18 but do
not need to be present to
win the prize.
were down to their last
chance when Sticker
intercepted the inbound
pass and was fouled one
last time. Calmly sinking
the last two shots of the
game she moved the
Tigers to a 3-point lead
and the buzzer sounded
on a final score of 58-55.
“What a game,” said
Head Coach Steve Sweat.
“Two rival schools going
head to head in a Region
7-AAA matchup.”
Sticker led the team in
scoring with 20 points on
the night while Lowe and
Siuta both scored in dou
ble digits at 11 and 10
respectively. The win
moved the Lady Tigers to
3-1 in the region and a
three-way tie for first
with North Hall and
Greater Atlanta Christian.
Dawson County was
back in action at home
against the Pickens
County Dragons on
Alumni Night, Dec. 21.
Results were not avail
able as of press time.
• 16 Colors in Stock
•Delivery Available
(706) 265-3099
www.metalroofingsalesinc.com
82 Etowah River Rd.
Dawsonville, GA
Donation items needed.
We thank you for your continued support.
Drop off locations:
The Shelter
633 Martin Rd DawsonvilleGA 30534
The Resale Shop
54 S Lumpkin Campground Rd DawsonvilleGA 30534
You can also drop off any donations to any of the Christmas for Critters boxes. Locations
vary around Dawsonville Georgia.
Firestation #2 Highway 53
Just Down from the Tractor Supply
Sunday School 9:30
Worship 10:30
Dr. Bob Strachan 706-216-5516
Form z^T ion Dawson County Humane Society
706-265-9160 | 633 Martin Road, Dawsonville
adjacent to the Rock Creek Sports Complex
Visit our RESALE SHOP & BOUTIQUE benefits the
Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | 54 S. Lumpkin Campground Rd. Humane Society
AM Collision
Bradley M. Maple
^Dawsonville
Specialists
CPA, PC
() Veterinary
706-216-0992
706-216-2362
Hospital
103 Industrial Park Road,
Dawsonville
2390 Thompson Road
Suite 100 Dawsonville
706-265-8381
