Just not for me

I down and free-lined trout and med shiners while casting flukes to the bank. I fished from 70 ft to 5 ft of water. Really did not graph anything, but witnessed a ton of dying shad. 

However, 50 yards from me a bass boat was trolling by and fought a 15-20# striper on a planer board. this fish' stomach was full of at least a hundred shad. It looked like it swallowed a whole watermellon. That guy looked stunned when he got him in the boat....it may of even surpassed 20#....i shouldve made a pass where he had came from, but i went back to the back of the cove on the other side and hung out and waited to see if anything would show up with the warming water. Of course nothing. 10 trips in the boat and not one fish has entertained me. At least it was an awesome day.

Spots were feeding on the shad right on top.
Temp hit 50 in the very back. That fish was caught @ 430 

I fished Friday and Saturday in Flat Creek. I caught fish both days using small threadfin shad or small 2-3 " Herring. Matching the hatch seems to be working somewhat. All of the fish I caught were bloated with shad (spitting them out in the boat). It makes you wonder, with all of that food, how will they find my bait. Somehow they do. The bite seems to be 1st thing in the morning and late in the afternoon (typical Winter pattern for Flat).

i was there to no go for me too. I was there from 7:30 to 4:00. didnt catch nothing didnt really even have a bite fished freelines and downs all different depths saw fish deep and like 10 ft nothing even got bait nervous. fished mud and flat and balus

I cruised Flat Creek Saturday from 3PM until sun down. Had the kids with me which meant it was more of a joyride vs a striper hunt. The most I can do with a boat of small girls is drag u-rigs. Ran them from the mouth all the way to the far back. Didn't find anything of interest until hitting the far back. Lots of bait back there and about 6 other striper guys (probably some of you guys) downlining and planer boarding. I didn't see anybody land anything but I regret not grabbing a few small trout or shiners and joining the party!

Thanks for the great reports, I am trying to learn the lake better and y'all are a great help. Better fishin times will be here soon.

I moved to the area this summer. I have been on Lanier just a few times. I cannot find Flat Creek on my map. Can someone please help.

Hi Chris,

Get the lake map here and look at sections 15 and 18. That is flat creek. I hope this helps.

Find Brown's Bridge crossing the lake. Going south, look to the left (East). You will find Balus Creek and Flat Creek. There is a good ramp at Balus.

Hey Chris. If you travel by buoy, then look for markers with FC on them.