Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a manmade lake in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee River. The lake encompasses 38,000 acres or 153.8km² of water, and 692 miles or 1,114 km of shoreline at normal level, a "full summer pool" of 1,071.0 feet or 326.4 meters AMSL. It was named for poet Sidney Lanier, and was built and is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Lanier anglers can expect another excellent year for striped bass. Angler success during the summer months will depend on oxygen conditions at cooler depths (greater than 25 ft.) and the striper's habitat from July through September. The abundant supply of blueback herring, a preferred summer forage of stripers, plays a key role in maintaining a healthy population in Lanier. The lake supports an abundance of small (2 - 10 lbs.) stripers produced from successful stockings from 2003 to 2006. A good supply of 10 - 15 lbs. fish stocked from 2000-2002 will also provide plenty of action. An average number of trophy (20 - 30 lbs.) stripers are in the lake. Both winter (November-March) and summer (July-August) offer excellent striper fishing. Live bait (herring, shiners, bluegill and shad), soft-plastic jerk baits and trolled bucktail jigs will produce the best results.