Now I have to be reel with you guys (see what we did there?). We pulled these reports from our good friends over at Have Fun Fishing, who update weekly. They post on Thursdays, ostensibly because you serious fishing fellows tend to fish on the weekends. So we’re going to do that, too, except we’re aiming for Fridays.

www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764

Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On Service, 404 561 2564. www.bigfishon.com

LAKE LANIER IS UP 2.41 FEET, THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR AND THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND & 71 DEGREES

This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764

Bass fishing is fair. The fishing this past week has improved a good deal and we are now having consistently good catches each day. Based on the recent activity, it looks like we will have several fish spawn on the full moon coming up this week, particularly those fish on and around the main lake. For numbers, a 3/16 ounce Shaky Head worm as well as a fluke around humps and reef poles in creeks and on the main lake is working well. Also, the wake bait has been good for a number of fish each day, particularly in the morning. The top water bite in general however has been rather sporadic this week, but the fluke and jerk bait continue to shine when the fish will not come up all the way for a surface bait. Those shallow humps and reef poles are also starting to produce some quality fish as well. We have had several fish in the 4 pound class, and we are catching a good mixture of pre and post spawn fish. I have May 29 and 30th open next week, and I am booking for June as well. Give me a call and let’s go fish.

This Lake Lanier Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On Service 404 561 2564. www.bigfishon.com

Striper fishing is good. This is a great time to take kids fishing. There is plenty of action with spotted bass, catfish and stripers biting while pulling herring. Keep a fresh bait on every 20 minutes. The fish have been on points with deep water nearby and clay banks off the river channel. The primary technique remains free lines with herring deployed 100 feet behind the boat and 50 feet behind your planner boards. Free lines with a single split shot out fished the un weighted lines this week. Add weight to a couple of your lines as the day progresses and vary your speed form .5 mph to 1 mph. We are casting a Captain Mack’s buck tail jig with a small fluke to points and picking up a few spotted bass while we are pulling baits. The top water bite continues to be slow. The umbrella rig is working. We use a 3 ounce umbrella with 9, 1 ounce Jigs with shad bodies 90 to 120 feet back for deep water trolling and 1 ounce umbrella with 9, 1/2 ounce jigs 50 to 70 feet back for shallow water applications. One day white shad bodies are working better than chartreuse and the next day chartreuse works better than white. Start each day with one white and one chartreuse rig and let the fish tell you which one they prefer. The fish are post spawn and moving. The key is to cover as much water as possible with a focus on points. The North end and mid lake is working better than the South end. Call Ken Sturdivant about the ON THE WATER SCHOOLS for SONAR and Rods Reels and Lures for Bass or a full day STRIPERS School. Call 770 889 2654 for details.

Friday: DJ at Sunset Cove (5pm-9pm)
Live music at Gianni’s – Don Law (5-9pm)
The Jesse & Aaron Show

Saturday: Live music at Gianni’s – Johnny Summers (12-4pm)
Big Beach Party featuring the American Flyers (5-9pm)
The Jesse & Aaron Show – Pre-Dive-In interactive games and songs by the wave pool (6-8:30pm)
Dive-In Movie – Flipper (8:30-11pm)

Sunday: Live Music at Gianni’s – John Amoroso (12-4pm)
Sunset Stage Band – Bama Gamblers (2-6pm)
Live Music at Gianni’s – Don Law (5-9pm)
Full Moon Party – 7pm-fireworks after dark

Monday: Live Music at Gianni’s – Riley Biederer (12-4pm)
Live Music at Sunset Cove – Johnny Summers (1-5pm)

The Fun Time Players and the Fun Patrol will be performing daily for fun family entertainment as well!

First, the blood alcohol content for boat drivers has been lowered from .1 to .08, which is the same level for drivers on land.

“From .08 to .1 is a big jump in the level of impairment so it will be really nice to have that law consistent with what we have on the highway,” said Jason Roberson with the Department of Natural Resources.

If you’re planning on partying on the lake, then plan on a designated captain as well.

Second, kids up to age 13 are required to wear a life jacket. That’s up from the old law, wear kids up to 10 had to wear them.

This one is important, too, according to Gabriela Panasiuk of West Marine, because “Even at the age of 13 you really aren’t a fantastic swimmer. You don’t have lung capacity to hold breath for a very long time. You don’t really have the strength to swim to shore if you needed to.”

The safety event also covered refresher topics like applying adequate sunscreen, boat maintenance, and keeping safe distance between boats.

“We’re reminding people of the 100 foot rule. It seems simple, but you would be surprised how many people violate it. If people would just stay a hundred feet away from stationary objects and people in the water it would solve a lot of problems here,” said Joanna Cloud with the Lake Lanier Association.

So stay safe out there, boaters! Designate a captain, keep that blood alcohol content below .08, wear those life jackets, apply that sunscreen, keep those boats up to code, and remember the 100 foot rule!

To read more about the event, check out CBS Atlanta’s story here.

First off, The Ralph Roddenbery Band is playing at our Big Beach Party this Saturday, from 5-9pm, on the Coca-Cola Stage.

The Ralph Roddenbery Band is a dynamic blend of Americana, roots rock, and a twist of the blues. By combining four part harmonies with energizing riffs, captivating lyrics, remarkable stage presence and a driving rhythm section, RRB is able to connect with their audience in a way that makes them feel as if they are having a one on one conversation about life. The Ralph Roddenbery Band consists of Ralph Roddenbery (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Ted Norton (lead guitar/vocals), Richie Jones (drums/vocals), Tommy Jones (bass) and Samantha Alessi-Jones (vocals).

Ralph Roddenbery isn’t a paid motivational speaker, but he very well could be as his music is uplifting and heart felt.  Roddenbery’s lyrics often focus on the perseverance of life’s scrappers and underdogs, but his musical style varies from folk-rock to americana to blues.  By combining four part harmonies with energizing riffs, remarkable stage presence and a driving rhythm section, RRB is able to connect with their audience in a way that makes them feel as if they are having a one on one conversation about life. His shows are intimate, even in a large arena setting, and guaranteed to leave you with a positive feeling.

There’s really no reason NOT to come out this Saturday to hear these guys play.

Masterpiece Mondays: These are SO MUCH FUN. Here’s the skinny: you show up, you pay $35, you get instruction from a legit instructor who teaches you all how to paint a super pretty picture (see below). And since you can paint a different picture every week, you can easily rack up a pretty impressive gallery of your own art! Or, you could sign it and tell people a famous artist painted it! (We won’t tell!)

See how they’re the same picture, but different? These two people went to the same class and came out with two unique and beautiful pictures.

The Details: 6pm every Monday at Sunset Cove; $35 includes food and drink from a select menu, all painting supplies, canvas, and instruction.

Volleyball Tuesdays: Do you love to dig, bump, set, and spike? Then we’ve got the event for you! Where else on Lake Lanier can you go play outdoor volleyball on a pristine sand beach with your friends? Enjoy pick up games at the Sunset Cove volleyball courts, and when you’re ready to take a break, check out our food and drink specials at the Sunset Cove Beach Cafe & Club!

The Details: Tuesdays, all day at Sunset Cove! Our courts are free to play on, just be friendly!

Wake ‘N Surf Wednesdays: Come check out our BRAND NEW 5 for 5 Wake ‘n Surf Wednesdays! Every Wednesday from 6 – 8 p.m., experience our new Wake the Lake Cable Park with all of your friends! For ONLY $5, you get 5 laps or 5 minutes on the entire course. Wakeboard or ski across the Cove, showing off your water sport skills! Marine Max will sponsor the event the first Wednesday of every month. Join in with the interactive water sports, instructional rides and demonstrations in the Cove. You don’t want to miss this deal of the summer!

The Details: At Sunset Cove, 6-8pm every Wednesday; $5 for 5 laps, OR $5 for 5 minutes on the course.

Low Country Boil Thursdays: Whether you’re visiting for a day or you’ve lived in the South your whole life, you have GOT to come check out our Low Country Boils. It’s the ultimate feast, combining corn on the cob, boiled red potatoes, smoked country sausage, and delicious seafood. Throw in some Old Bay seasoning and some tongs and you have, without question, one of the very best meals the South has to offer.

The Details: 6pm every Thursday at Sunset Cove. $19.95.

Flip Flop Fridays: Come hang out at Sunset Cove, where there’s drink specials and DJ requests all night! The sunset is gorgeous every time, so put your feet up by our outdoor firepits and relax the night away!

The Detsils: Fridays, 6pm, at Sunset Cove.

Big Beach Parties: Chill with your friends from 5-9 pm on Saturday nights at Big Beach as your favorite local artists perform on the floating stage. Dance with your feet in the sand, dine on pizza delivered from Gianni’s, and jam to the sweet tunes and the sunset over Lake Lanier. You can see the band line up below.

The Details: Saturdays, 5-9pm, Big Beach by the floating stage.

So those are the weekly events here at Lake Lanier – each and every one of them is definitely worth checking out. In addition, don’t forget about our Full Moon Parties, Wine Cruises, and other special events like Memorial Day and Independence Day!

It was a fantastic weekend here at the Lake, and we were particularly excited to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Big Beach with our friends from La Raza 100.1 – Atlanta’s first Spanish-language FM radio station! The Wave Pool was rockin’, the Ferris wheel was rollin’, and everybody had a great time! The DJ set up shop on our floating stage off the shore and we opened up the beach to swimming under the watchful eyes of our excellent lifeguards.

Now, a lot of us see Cinco de Mayo as a International Margarita and Tequila Day, but that’s actually not the case. I bet you never thought you’d get a little history lesson here at this blog, but strap yourself in because that’s exactly what’s happening right now!

First and foremost, Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexico’s Independence Day – that’s in September. Cinco de Mayo is actually the day that the Battle of Puebla took place between the tiny Mexican army under General Zaragoza and the twice-as-big French army sent by Napoleon III.

Hurray for Mexican heritage and culture!

What else is going on?

Great news, beach fans: LanierWorld is opening THIS WEEKEND!! Our Facebook and Twitter pages are giving out great prizes all week long, so be sure to like us and follow us on both of those.

What’s new this year?

We have new club membership programs, which you can read about here. The Boardwalk will be open, and features the brand new Sunset Cantina!  Check out Bucky’s Game Station to get out of the heat for a while and sooth your PS3 and XBox360 cravings! Stroll over to the Scoop Shack Lakeside Creamery for some ice cream, and watch the Fun Time Players perform one of their amazing shows! Spend your evenings at LanierWorld checking out one of our new featured events – a different one every night! Whether it’s Masterpiece Tuesdays, Wake ‘n’ Surf Wednesdays, Low Country Boil Thursdays, Flip Flop Fridays, or Big Beach Parties on Saturdays, you’re sure to want to come back again and again!

You know you’ve got chops when Rolling Stone Magazine throws a couple reviews your way. We’re talking about Georgia’s own Drivin N Cryin, and they’ll be playing right here at the Peachtree Pointe Amphitheater on Saturday, May 11. So come on over the opening day at LanierWorld, ride some water slides, soak in the sun on Big Beach, chill in the wave pool, stroll down the Boardwalk, and then head to the concert at 7pm for some great rock and roll. We can’t think of a better way to spend the day before Mother’s Day!

Ticket Info: $22.50 Section A Seating | $18.00 Section B Seating
Check the venue map here

Purchase Tickets Here

Oh, you’re wondering what Rolling Stone Magazine had to say about Drivin’ & Cryin’, aren’t you? Here’s the review:

“Crunching hard rock in the drivin part, brittle countryish balladry the cryin, with the two linked by a heavy dose of Led Zeppelinphilia. If Paul Westerberg had grown up worshiping Angus Young instead of Alex Chilton, the Replacements might have sounded something like this Atlanta band.”

Drivin N Cryin landed its first gig in October of 1985 at 688 Club in Atlanta, where local favorites Pylon and R.E.M. frequently jammed before they became famous. In fact, 688 Club had something of a reputation for launching Atlanta- and Athens-based bands who would go on to become headliners. That’s what happened with Drivin N Cryin too. The owners loved the band so much they signed a record deal and released their first album, “Scarred But Smarter” in the Fall of 1986, which was an immediate success on the college radio charts. After that, the band got snapped up by Island Records, and released “Whisper Tames the Lion” in New York City. That album gained them widespread acclaim, and with the music video for  “Can’t Promise You the World,” it looked like Drivin N Cryin were going to do just fine. It wasn’t until 1988, however, when the band returned to their hometown and played the Cotton Club that Atlanta’s long-term love affair really took off. Soon Drivin N Cryin was opening for R.E.M. at a sold-out Fox Theater and releasing another album, “Fly Me Courageous.” “Fly Me Courageous” the song became a massive rock radio hit, in no small part driven by the true story that Navy pilots were listening to cassingles of the song in their cockpits as they bombed Baghdad during Operation Desert Storm. Since then, Drivin N Cryin has been jamming and touring on and off, picking up new musicians, and reenergizing their sound. Critics and fans agree though, that Drivin N Cryin live is definitely a must-see event!

Have you seen the new venue yet? Peachtree Pointe Amphitheater offers great acoustics in the open air, right next to the water where boats can anchor and hear the concerts too! Section A offers normal outdoor seating, while Section B is allocated to lawn chairs. There’s even lawn seating around the sides! This is going to be one of the best places to watch outdoor concerts this summer!

Full Moon Party

On Friday, the first Full Moon Party of the year quite literally went off with a bang as our fireworks extravaganza delighted the crowd in and around Sunset Cove. It was a crazy fun event with our Man of the Moon, Sonic, representing Power 96.1, a stilt-walking clown juggling light-up bowling pins, a 16-foot tall puppet giving out really high fives, and a fire breather dancing to the mad beats laid down by the DJ! The Sunset Cove docks were full up, and a dozen or so boats were anchored offshore for a prime view of the fireworks. Even before the sun went down, guests played several games of volleyball and enjoyed the sun setting

Mark your calendars for next month’s Full Moon Party at Sunset Cove, Sunday, May 26th.

Squeeze the Clown

Jimmy Pyro and awesome party-goer

This guy had to dance RIGHT NOW.

And we mean RIGHT NOW!

Music, Beach & Brew Fest

These crazy guys were trying a sip of Sweetwater.

Saturday came and with it hundreds of guests clamoring for a taste, or rather, many tastes of a variety of craft beers from all over the United States. Vendors from Sweetwater, Ace, Aguita, Founders, Mad River, Victory, Lagunitas, Saw Tooth, Dale’s, Jack Daniel’s, Jailhouse, and so many more showed up and set up shop around Sunset Cove to water the thirsty crowd. We saw a forecast of rain, but it held off until the later evening, and it really ended up being a nice day, although a bit cool. There were live performances all day on our new stage by the OCD Band, Celebrity DJ Gary Braner and SMACK. We’ll definitely be doing this one again, so keep an eye out for next year’s Music, Beach, and Brew Fest!

Some of the beers featured on Saturday.

FULL MOON PARTY:

When? Where? Sunset Cove, this Friday (Tomorrow [April 26 {Tomorrow}]) at 7pm, and howlin’ until 11pm.

Grab your friends, tell your boss you’re busy, hop in the car and head on over to Sunset Cove for our NEW Full Moon Parties at Sunset Cove! Dance the night away with DJ Brian Grooms under the moon; complete with Stilt Walkers, Fire Eaters and dozens of Boardwalk Entertainers! And as always, we will have our signature fireworks to top off the night. Full Moons have been revamped and will never be the same… come check out all of the new activities going on!

MUSIC, BEACH, AND BREW FEST:

When? Where? Sunset Cove, this Saturday (The day AFTER tomorrow [April 27 {Tomorrow's tomorrow}]) at 1pm, and jammin’ until 5pm.

Put on those flippy floppies and dig your toes in the sand during our second annual Music, Beach and Brew Fest! This is going to be a party folks! Think Jimmy Buffett holds a Beer Festival with beach games and more.
In addition to unlimited samples of over 150 beers between 1:00pm and 5:00pm, Festival attendees will enjoy a beautiful day at Sunset Cove with games and top local area bands hosted by industry-leading DJ/Entertainer Gary Braner! Also on hand we will have amazing beer-inspired food and merchandise from over 20 vendors. Don’t miss out on your turn in the photo booth or your chance to win one of many prizes valued at up to $300.00 on our prize wheel (That’s easily the easiest prize you’ll ever win)!
This is a rain or shine event! Come early and grab lunch and plan to stay late as the Island comes alive at night.

Does it cost?

$38 in advance (make a note for next year, it’s a pretty big deal.)

$45 at the door

$49 early admission ticket gets you in an hour early at 12pm

Under 20? Come chill for free – if you can’t legally drink, we’re not charging you to come hang out.

Leave your pets at home (unless it’s a service animal), dogs don’t even like beer!

Designated Driver and Underage Admission: We encourage responsibility and Lake Lanier is a Great Family Venue, so we are pleased to make available this special ticket to accommodate everyone to a fun day on the Beaches of Lake Lanier Islands!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Anyone on the event grounds having entered the event under this ticket designation found to be intoxicated, in possession of, or drinking any alcoholic beverages will be escorted from the event. No refunds will be made and may be subject to arrest.