You folks in N. Ga. are lucky!!!

[Chad Dwyer]

After talking with a few members of this board, I finally got the nerve to get on a plane and go see Georgia.



We flew into Atlanta, stopped at Hooters in Duluth, Bass Pro just a few exits up and then on into Cumming and Buford. The next morning, we headed out to Lanier Islands and then off to Athens, Macon, Albany and a brief stop for a tour of the Pebble Hill Plantation before we made way to Orlando and Disney World.



Buford, Flowery Branch, Cumming...that whole area is just plain beautiful! Lanier reminds me of Lake Shasta here in Nor Cal but much greener. Do you folks get to enjoy that lake at full pool year round? Is there much water fluctuation?



We didn't think much of Athens, hated what we saw of Macon (I think we went through the South East and Southern tip of Macon, is that where 129 comes into town?) and Albany was...I don't know, didn't like that much either.



Man, Northern Ga.. You guys and gals sure have a nice place to call home!!!



Hope we get to go back soon, I'd still like to have the time to go thru Canton and that area too. To those of you that sent me e-mails with opinions and recommendations, thanks a bunch! Every one of them recommended the Northern part of the State and I would agree 100%. Beautiful.



Georgia on my mind,



Chad L. Dwyer

Nitro Team

 

[Rich Stern]

Chad, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you, but I'm glad you enjoyed your time here.



I couldn't agree more. It's a great place.

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

Hooters and Bass Pro in the same day.... WOW, talk about sensory overload!

 

[Dan J.]

I agree with you Chad! I left Palm Beach, FL over a decade ago and haven't missed a thing. Thanks to the normal weather patterns and the constant squabbling between GA, AL, and FL over Chattahoochee River water rights, Lanier has held, and should continue holding, full to near full pool levels for a while. Prior to the water level legal wrangling, about five years ago the lake level hit an all time low of 22ft. below full pool during the most severe drought the South had seen. (On a positive note, it provided me with an incredible deal on my current residence! LOL!) Preferably the USACE would like to see no more than a 6 ft. yearly swing on water fluctuation, all dependant on the weather. If you want to see some really beautiful countryside, head up to the North end of the lake and also tour through Helen, Tate, or many of the other tiny mountain towns an hour-ish drive from Atlanta. I can see no reason for my family to live anywhere else, at least until my boys hit college.

 

[TrepMan]

Chad - Yup great place and you just saw the SLUMS of Gwinett and Forsythe counties, over here (West of those folks) in Canton, Woodstock, Cartersville and Lake Allatoona its even BETTER!!! 30 min run to Carters Lake too!!



I'm with Rich and Dan, Love this part of Georgia!

 

[Bill McElroy]

How are the Banjo lesson's coming along??!!..BWWAAHHHAAAAAAAAAA

 

[Rob LaMoy]

LUCKY???? Man, it's 90+ here and I'm dieing. Down there, it's gotta be about 100 and "cool" water is in the low 90's! PLUS they have Trep aka JarJar. What's lucky about that??? LOL You go outside....you melt, end of discussion. Try to jump in the lake to cool off and you might as well be jumping into bathwater.

I don't know how they do it. Oh wait, I know, LOTS of ice cold beer and AC! You guys down there probably have to wait out the summer like we have to wait out the winter.:wacko:

 

[Dan J.]

I just came up from the clear cool water of Lanier! (I had to jump in after the rigorous lawn mowing session I just had! LOLOLOL!!) Surface temp was almost 78 deg., but cooled off sharply just a few feet below the surface from all the creeks and springs feeding the lake. It's hot and humid though, should hit 85 today. We can fish down here year round without too much discomfort (or snow-shovelling! LOL!) The best part of the spotted bass fishing is that nine months of the year or more is topwater time all day!! As for the Trep part...well, we just learned to live with him! (LOL!!)* Rob, you just have to come down and experience it. Ask Mickey and he'll tell you it ain't so bad!



*Just kidding you Michael! You know we love ya!!

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

LMOA @ MAC, "you sure gotta perty mouth", and "hey that's a nice tooth you have"



:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:



Yankee MAN

 

[TrepMan]

Rob - 90+? It was a nice mid 80's today, lake was about like Dan on my side, low 80's on the surface and COOL below! Heck on Sun am I caught 3 nice Spots on a buzz bait around 7am, and that was 50 yards from the ramp!!! LOL HECK that's almost your total BFL livewell!!! LOL!!!



Ya'll can keep that 6 month fishing/boating season, i'll stay south!!!



Eli and I decided to take one day off from boating, tomorrow night were hitting his fav place, Burger King, for dinner, and then the pool.



You want Hot Rob, i lived in Houston 4 years, july/aug were upper 90's, 100% humidity and NO RAIN forecast!!!



Trep - Out to the Hot tub for a nice cool GA summer evening and cold beer!!!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

HOT TUB???? HOT TUB????? WHAT, is your little noodle totally baked? Dude, hot tubs are for when it's 40 degrees outside, NOT 85! Now I KNOW you're not right.



And as for BFL livewell Trep, I couldn't get to my fish, cause we don't fish on puddles up here, we have BIG water. And that small weight was probably STILL more weight than you'll pull this season! Difference is, that was a bad tourney for me. The 2 before weren't stellar and I still managed about 14-16 lbs each with my 5 best fish. But on Champlain, that just ain't enough!



Dan,

Mickey told me not to move because Champlain spoils us and I would get frustrated trying to make spots bite as well as Champlain smallies. It can be done and I'm sure I could do it, but why leave bass heaven, for a bass "vacation"? LOL



Pat Fisher told me that if you fish any other GA lakes in the heat of summer, you can fish ALL day for 5 bites and that happens a lot. I couldn't deal with that. I get that once in a while on Champlain and Erie, but never for an entire month. Besides, I couldn't concentrate on my fishing if it was in the high 90's all day. I get physically sick when I'm stuck in that heat all day. Up here, I just jump in the water every couple of hours or so to cool my core temp down.

 

[Dan J.]

Pat's right on the Central and Southern end lakes in the state. (He tends to fish West Point, Oconee, Sinclair and other shallower, stained, "typical" southern lakes more when around home.) However, the upper GA lakes (drawing a line from Lanier to Allatoona then going North) are 99%, steep banked, deep, clear water impoundments, full of bass (lgmth., spotted, and even smallies), stripers, walleye, perch, and even trout. (No pike, just an occasional chain pickerel.) It's quite an opposite type of fishing compared to the rest of the state, more similar to the clear Great Lakes type of fishing, in tackle choices and equipment. When it does get hot, I do like you and take a quick dip. (The Corps keeps asking me to let them know when I do so they can adjust for the lake level!! LOLOL!!) This time of year, when fishing alone or with a buddy, I'll take a topwater rod and a soft-jerkbait rod and fish all day catching big spots and "albino racing carp". Don't let Mickey fool you. He may just be trying to keep another competetive "stick" out of his back yard. (LOL! As if he has much competition at home other than Tom, Jr.) I know what you mean about Champlain, but you don't get much rod bending between Nov. to Mar. (Ice rig tip-ups don't count!) I'm heading to Lac Seul and Minnitaki tomorrow for a Canadian brownie fix! If you ever get the chance to swing through our area, give a holler. You won't regret it!!

 

[Shannon Daves]

Chad, glad you enjoyed our area. I live in Cleveland, which is around Helen. I live less than 15 minutes from about 4 ramps on the north end of Lanier. It's a reat fishery, when you can dodge the jetskis and skiboats. Next time you're in town, let me know. I've lived in N. Ga all my life (McCaysville/ Blue Ridge and now Cleveland). I can give you some places to visit that'll make you never wanna go home.



On a side note: The area of Gwinnett you were in is only minutes from my fire station. Not an insult to those that live in Gwinnett, but Gwinnett county is about 80% CRAPHOLE!! My fire station is on Jimmy Carter Blvd/I85. It is home to nightly drive-by's and no English. It would surprise many to know the amount, level and violence of crime that occurs in the area where "Success Lives Here" and "Gwinnett is Great"...LOL..yeah right.

 

[TrepMan]

Dan - "Corps keeps asking me to let them know when I do so they can adjust for the lake level!! LOLOL!!)" WAY too funny buddy!! Eli and I just finished 6 days alone, with no wife and no older son, we hit the lake 5 out of 6 days, mostly swimming and jumping waves!! we did manage to tie on the crappie bite!!!



Rob - A Pro tells you "you can fish ALL day for 5 bites and that happens a lot. " and you give me crap about pulling in 3 spots in the first hour i'm fishing!! Man i'd LOVE to fish those northern lakes if they are THAT easy!! LOL I don't fish the "dead sea" and catch fish 'cause it's EASY!!!! BWWWAAAAAAAA



Trep