One Grand Summer

StriperrHunterr

Senior Member
Even though the official project is closed for the year, I'm still fishing until I have word from my doc as to what's going to happen.

Got out with Coenen last night for some evening fun.

Water temps were 86 and clarity was remarkable. We got out about 6PM and went to one of my favorite south end spots to scout for striper and found a half acre of fish just going nuts on top chasing bait. Since I stopped the project I was just fishing for fun, so I broke out the Sebile while Coenen threw anything else I had trying to mimic the success of the Sebile to no avail. I ended up with around 6 spots, including a new personal best at 4.25lbs, with at least that many coming unbuttoned due to non-committal hits. They'd swipe it more often than not and going dead stick on them when you saw it was the key to a real hookup.

That action died as the sun broke under the remnants of the storm clouds when I noticed some other topwater activity well behind me, what I thought was on top of another main channel hump. I was wrong. This was a hump that topped out in the high 60 to mid 70 foot range, with close access to deeper water with a sharper wall and that's where things got interesting.

While we are waiting for the topwater fish to come up again, knowing I'm in the right area, I'm watching the graph when 1, then 4, then innumerable fish show up on the graph. We start banging on the deck to get their attention while dropping spoons. On the second drop I miss a solid, and I mean solid hit. On the 4th I hook up and it's on. This one behaved much differently than other fish I'd caught doing this in looser schools. I could tell this one was being chased by his school mates because he was laterally all over the place, at depth still, but wasn't as focused on bird dogging me into the trees to break off. That's when Coenen says he's hooked up and the possibility of a double makes us giddy. Until we realize that as I pull up he's pulled down and vice versa. I can still feel the fish so we know it's at least crossed our lines. Coenen goes slack line and I'm able to bring the fish to board with his help on the net. Sure enough we're tangled. A quick unhook and appreciation, no pic or weight taken though I'd have to guess either 7 or 8 based on how it felt, and back in the water he goes, angrily swimming off leaving us to undo his mess.

A few minutes later Coenen sounds off he's hooked up, I can see the rod pump a few times, and it comes unbuttoned.

All in all it was a great night, with great company as always with jokes being told, and fish being caught.

The screen shots of this school are something I've never seen in person in my life. I hope you all enjoy.
 

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StriperrHunterr

Senior Member
add ya a heading sensor. it will fix that donut

I've thought about something like that, as well as remoting my GPS to over the transducer, but that's well down the line. Right now I use triangulation off reference points on the banks and islands and I can get pretty close. It's not been so much of an issue that it's hampered me in any real way, so far. But thanks for the advice.

If things fall into place I will probably look at adding another finder up front.
 

Nitram4891

Flop Thief
Went out with Striperr Hunterr on tuesday night and had a great time. Man knows how to put some bend in a rod, that's for sure. We started by looking around for an active school of striper and after some looking were met a with a surprise guest. We were fishing spoons down deep when Striperr Hunterr told me to stop my drop and start burning it as he saw one on the graph going for it. Sure enough not two reel cranks and I was hooked up with something taking line from my 20lb set drag. Got the fish to the boat and it was a huge spot but unfortunately, she shook the spoon 2 feet from the net. I didn't get her in the boat but I'll never forget seeing that fish broadside in the water, it was a goodun for sure. After that excitement we only found "window shoppers" until we got to a point and the top water spot action was on. Nothing like seeing fish chase a fluke and swipe at it 3 or 4 times over a 60 foot retrieve all the way to the boat. Gets your heart pumping for sure! We caught a few this way including my first boated Lanier fish! When the action turned off we went back looking for stripes and ended up finding a decent school working some bait. It didn't take long and I was hooked up on a fish, as I was bringing him to the boat our other buddy hooked up on one too. “Cookie cutter” fish as SH called them but that’s the biggest striper I’ve ever caught. Thanks for the opportunity Striperr Hunterr, cant beat fighting stripers and watching a nice sunset over the lake on a school night!
 
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Teh Wicked

Senior Member
I have yet to experience a day like that on Lanier...My best so far is a 4 striper day out of Little Ridge, ironically it was the first time I took my Kayak out fishing for striper.
 

StriperrHunterr

Senior Member
I have yet to experience a day like that on Lanier...My best so far is a 4 striper day out of Little Ridge, ironically it was the first time I took my Kayak out fishing for striper.

That's the way it is when striper fishing. Especially for us recreational anglers. Unless you can keep on them day to day they'll move around on you and you have to spend a lot of time re-locating them.
 
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