Striper Timing

[fishindoc]

I will be chasing stripers on our lakes this winter. Is there a pattern (timing) when the fishing is better...ie. morning, evening, sunny, overcast, full moon, new moon...etc?Any of you striper fly rodders have a favorite fly pattern...size...color? Thanks in advance for the help.

[njfish]

doc-

I would like to hook up with anyone else, including Chris England, to chase them this fall. I've got two boats at Aqualand...a 24ft hardtop/cuddy/downriggers etc. and a 20 ft Hewes that I usually bass fish out of. Send me an e-mail.....

P.S. Came upon a "floater" Friday near Six Mile that looked to be bait/gut hooked. She weighed 21 pounds on the Boga-grip. Nice fish to waste...


[This message has been edited by njfish (edited 09-24-2001).]

[GUTHOOKED]

I've never FFed for stripers, but I've been casting plugs for them for a while. The shallow bite at Lanier should start up in the next few weeks and continue through May. I always had the best luck between 6 and 10 PM until around Thanksgiving or so. After that I've had better luck in the AM. On a cold overcast day they may hit all day long.

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"A good gamefish is too valuable to be caught only once," - Lee Wulff

[oyster]

doc,

I have been fly-fishing for stripers on Lanier for the last 5 years or so. The season for us is from around now until May or so. The fishing should get more and more consistent the closer we get to Spring with about March or so being the hottest time. Early mornings are usually the best bet (from first light until about 9 or 10:00). I have caught more fish between 7 and 8AM than any other time. Check the fishing report in the Gainesville paper for tips as to where to go. Finding active feeding fish is 90% of battle. If your not showing fish on the graph, large schools of bait, or large surface boils...keep moving. I have spent many days on the lake looking without ever casting a line. An intermediate and a fast sinking line are definitely the way to go. Get your fly down where the fish are. Any fly will produce so long as it mimicks the previlent bait fish (thread-fin shad and blue back herring). A deep bellied WHITE streamer of 3 or 4" will put you in business. Check out Lou Tabory's snake fly, my personal favorite. If your interested I can put you in touch with the one and only fly fishing guide on Lanier, he knows his stuff better than anyone and can get you pointed in the right direction.

Good luck!
Bill

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