Lake Lanier’s water level is at 1072 feet or exactly one-foot above full pool of 1071, and lake surface temperatures range from the mid-60s to low 70s.

The lake below Browns Bridge is clear in the creek mouths and stained by pollen in the pockets. The upper lake creeks are clear in the mouths and stained by pollen in the pockets. The rivers are clearing. Check generation schedules at (770) 945-1466 before heading out to the river below Buford Dam.

Bass fishing is good, and the fish are in all spawn stages. The bass are mostly under 10 feet deep and biting a variety of lures. Pick your favorite methods of catching bass and go fishing.

Active fish can be found around the docks in the coves. Some bass are ganged up ready to spawn, while others are fanning beds and laying eggs.

Several lures are working well around the docks, including plastics worms on a shaky head, Big Bite Jerk Shads and Flukes and moving lures like SPRO McSticks and small top water plugs.

I have had a strong main lake bite around rock and clay banks casting a SPRO McStick 110 or small crank baits like a Fat Papa 55, Shad Rap or a Bandit 200. Work these lures slow and steady for good action. You may be able to catch 20 or more fish in an 8-hour day.

The bass continue to bite well after dark. A Citrus Shad colored SPRO Little John DD is still my go to lure after the sun goes down.

Striper fishing remains good, and the fish are biting well throughout the lake. A lot of stripers are starting to migrate over main lake humps where they are feeding on blue back herring.

Start your day watching your Lowrance Electronics while pulling herring across the creeks and humps close to the creek and river channels. Herring on flat lines have been best but don’t be afraid to deploy lines anytime you see stripers and bait below 20-feet deep on your graphs.

Keep a SPRO Buck Tail on and make casts from the front of the boat to these same points and humps. Top water time is just starting so keep a Redfin or Spook ready to cast toward any fish on the surface.

There are still some stripers biting McSticks, Bombers and Redfins after dark. Cast these lures to regular lighted docks and to green Hydra-Glow lights.

Crappie fishing has been OK, but a lot of smaller fish are showing up as the spawn finishes up. Look for docks in 15 to 25 feet close to spawning coves. There will be bigger fish recovering deeper that will hit jigs under docks. There are still plenty of smaller fish that will strike a minnow under a float, around spawning coves and in the backs of the creeks.

Bank fishing: Rooster Tail on a light spinning outfit will catch a variety of fish during the spring. Make long casts from the bank and reel these lures just fast enough to keep the blades spinning. Use a 1/8th to ¼ ounce sized Rooster Tail on 6- to 8-pound test to catch bass, brim, crappie or stripers.

Reports are based on personal experience and permission from a close network of friends. He would love to hear from our readers so please email him at esaldrich@yahoo.com Remember to take a kid fishing.