by Steve Scott
The excess rains in late May from Alberto upset the striper patterns once again. The stripers remained scattered across the entire lake. June found us once again in the main lake searching and finding them, and as the summer heat began they were traditionally moving from the backs of the creeks early, out to the main channel by mid-morning. By late morning, water temperatures had been in the mid-eighties.
While we were using weighted flatlines with herring in the backs of the creeks beginning around 6am, we had some success. The stripers would begin to move out to where the creek mouth meets the channel for cooler waters. At this point you should use 4 downlines at staggered depths. Our best successes came while we were over 100-120’. We used blueback herring and some smaller gizzard shad (smaller than a dollar bill).
While in the deeper waters, we could see stripers in the trees. Here are some tips that could help you get them out of the trees and get a strike. When it’s cloudy and the moment the sun comes out, drop down on them just above the tree tops. When it’s sunny and then a cloud covers the sun, drop down on them. When it’s windy and then it calms, drop down on them, and when it’s calm then gets windy, you know the rest. Stripers get interested at the slightest changes, so be vigilant to these subtle changes.
Early in July you can start pulling Lead Core targeting 25-30’ depths over humps and flats near deep drop offs. Another place to try would be in the main channel in Flowery Branch from ‘H’ Buoy at 100’ deep following the south contour back to the first set of power lines. Flatlines 50’ and 80’ behind the boat weighted with a #7 split shot will also work for you on the east side of the Saddle Dike and in the mouth of Little River. Umbrella Rigs are a good choice, but you need to run them a little deeper than you did back in May, again targeting depths of 25-30’.
If you are not having much luck on your Umbrella Rigs, do a little change up on them. Instead of pulling the usual bucktail jigs with or without a paddle tail, try using willow-bladed spinnerbaits. It’s a lot of fun to try and fool the stripers into a strike.
Tip of the month: Be sure to have a blueback herring hooked on, sitting in your bait tank on a spinning rod in the event you run into surfacing stripers. See more details on my website at TeamLanier.com. Call me with your questions. Steve Scott, 404-273-3481.