Login

FishLanier · 10-04-2001, 11:05 AM

STRIPERS ARE ON THE PROWL AT LAKE LANIER by Bill Vanderford Cooler nights have dropped the water temperature at Lake Lanier just enough to make the ravenous striped bass population hungry. For those who relish the brute power exhibited by one of these big line sided predators on the end of a fishing line, explosive battles are on the horizon! Unlike largemouth and spotted bass, which are really members of the sunfish family, striped bass and white bass are the only true bass found in Lake Lanier. The striped bass is an eating machine that can convert useless shad into highly desirable game fish pounds. In Lake Lanier, stripers seem to grow even faster than at other lakes. Great water quality and a tremendous baitfish supply are responsible. In addition to the speedy growth rate, striped bass exhibit a fighting strength and stamina which far exceeds that of black bass. Their only negative quality is the lack of aerial acrobatics when hooked, although stripers often leave the water when attacking a surface plug. When no surface activity is seen, many anglers fish points using lighter bait casting outfits with 10 to 12 pound line. These outfits are used to cast plugs like Storm's jointed Thunderstick, Bill Lewis's Slap-Stik, Normark's #13 and #15 Rapala, Cordell's Redfin, and Bomber's Long-A. The best method is a slow steady retrieve with these lures that leaves a little "V" wake when the surface is calm, or a slightly faster retrieve to take the lures 3 to 5 feet deep when the water is choppy. Though topwater lures are fun to use, jigs of different types are often more productive. Favorites include the 1/2 ounce Blakemore Road Runner with bucktail hair, a 1/8 ounce leadhead jig dressed with a 4-inch, white Fluke, or a 1/4 ounce Swirleybird spinner. Even with this knowledge, one must often make hundreds of casts to be successful in Lake Lanier. The catch of a lifetime, however, may be only one cast away. More than ten stripers over twenty pounds are often caught on a single outing, and it only takes one of those big fish to make a trip worthwhile. Live bait is another great method for catching big striped bass, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that something alive on the end of the line is going to automatically draw stripers from all over the lake. Angling with live bait often has almost as many variables as fishing with artificial lures. The size and type of bait are very important, but none of it works if you’re not around the fish. Locating the big linesided predators can be as easy as discovering their food supply. Always look for baitfish first, and stripers will usually be nearby. After shad have been found, try to ascertain the predominant size of the shad, and use that size for bait. As a fishing guide, I use a cast net to catch shad that are seen near the surface or those that I observe on my front-mounted Lowrance sonar unit. This method allows me to have fresh bait of the proper size for the striped bass in any particular area. These can easily be kept alive in any round container with a small battery-powered aerator. A good way to fish live bait, especially while casting with artificials, is by using a flat line. This is simply a #2/0 hook tied at the end of the line with a minnow hooked up through the lower jaw and out through the nostril. Feed the line out until the minnow is behind the boat 50 to 100 feet, and use the electric trolling motor or the wind to keep the boat drifting slowly. Engage the reel with the drag set light enough to allow line to be taken from the spool after a strike, and place the rod and reel in a rod holder. The depth of the minnow can easily be controlled with this method by the speed of the drift. This first cool snap is the beginning of the striper season, and few fishing experiences can match the excitement of battling a huge striper on any type of tackle. Muscles will strain and hearts will pound, but one will not soon forget the electrifying adventure of landing one of these linesided silver bullets! Guide service for striped bass is available by calling (770) 962-1241. Also, excellent additional information about these methods and marked maps of exact locations can be obtained by purchasing the book, SECRETS OF FISHING LAKE LANIER. The book sells for $12.95, which includes all postage and handling and is available from: Fishing Book P.O. Box 1222 Lawrenceville, GA 30046 Bill Vanderford has won numerous awards for his writing and photography, and has been inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Guide. He can be reached via his website at http://www.fishinglanier.com/. Living to Fish and Fishing to Live Bill Vanderford www.fishinglanier.com 770-962-1241

Login
Username:
Password:	Lost Password?
	Remember me