Questions about Lanier

[likestofish]

Have never really fished Lanier, with my last time there being 3 years ago with someone who actually knew what was going on. Planning on going this weekend with a buddy who also doesn't head out there much either. We want to go after striper but honestly anything with fins would be fine.
Is live bluebacks on down or flatlines the ticket or chasing fish busting on top the way to go.

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

There are a number of Lanier threads on here from the last few weeks giving applicable advice for Lanier recently. Read them.

Strategy this time of year can depend on your equipment and skill sets. If you have good electronics and know how to use it, live bluebacks can almost always be made to produce something with fins. But you need to put the bait where the fish are, and on any given day, there are vast areas of Lanier without many fish. Right now, lots of fish are moving back into the coves, and your electronics will tell you where they are in the coves.

I'll probably fish Lanier twice this week, and I'm on the fence between my usual trolling techniques and soaking bluebacks in a cove where I'm marking plenty of fish. I keep a topwater rig or two handy for fish busting bait on top, but the action has been slow and outside of casting distance my last few trips. My boat isn't fast enough to cruise large sections of the lake looking for that kind of action. But with the right boat and casting skills, it might work on the right day this week.

I like trolling because I learn more by watching the Lowrance for hours on end while covering tons of water. But if I were going to put all my eggs in one basket trying to succeed on a single trip, I'd fish bluebacks in a prime cove location.

 

[likestofish]

Ok so probably going to go with live bait then. We're taking a pontoon with a 90hp mercury on the back so not slow per say but definitely not a v-hull bay boat. I have gear from finesse bass to slow pitch-jigging rods and bottom rods with saltists and saltigas.
So pretty much im rigging up like this is a offshore trip with lighter tackle with a couple pitch rod, a few down rods and jigging/spoon rods. Just don't know the fine details, like leader weight and length, lead choice, and hook choice. I'm just assuming longer 8ft leaders with a #2 octopus hook or similar sized circle, 1-3oz egg sinker, and 15-30lb flouro.

 

[RamblinWreck]

Caught my first Lanier striper last week (a dink in every sense of the word, but hey, my first), while slow trolling crappie jigs up the north end. I am NOT a Lanier expert, just kinda like y'all, learning the lake after living near it for 20+ years and always fishing elsewhere, in my case. Right now is probably a good time, except for a pesky cold front to fish after. Good luck, listen to LDB an SnS, read everything they've posted in the last 3 weeks.

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

I like to keep my leaders to 5 feet or so. I prefer thin 1/0 J hooks. The bluebacks live longer on thinner hooks, and J hooks provide more hook ups. 1/0 is a good size. Octopus hooks are too thick. I'm a fan of 1 oz egg sinkers in this application. Lots of folks prefer splitshot, but I've caught more fish with egg sinkers fishing bluebacks over the years. Splitshot is more for drifting when the fish aren't very deep. Let your electronics tell you how deep the fish are and keep the bait in front of the fish.

 

[likestofish]

Ok, do you think the leader # test is fine? And on spoons is a heavier leader fine?

 

[Scout'nStripers]

Do you have a good bait tank for those bluebacks? If you're going to use bluebacks they will need a aeration system and a good average for a bait tank is 1 bait per gallon when it comes to bluebacks. Be sure and chat with the guys at the bait shop about keeping bluebacks alive and what you will need.

 

[Teh Wicked]

Ok, do you think the leader # test is fine? And on spoons is a heavier leader fine?

Personally I use 10-12lb Flouro leader on striper, #1 octopus circle hook.

You can also take an old plastic worm and cut a small puck off it, put that on the hook before the blueback, this will prevent the blueback from walking up the hook shank and hooking himself in the eye. Just a small piece of plastic right in the belly of the hook, the hook barb will prevent them from getting off the other side.

AS for keeping the bait alive, its very important and hard with BLuebacks. On my Kayak I run an small oxygen tank that holds about 6-7 gallons of water, with two dozen backs I can usually keep them alive nearly all day and only loose maybe 4-5. Water temps this time of year are great for just recirculating lake water into the tank.

 

[likestofish]

I got a 40 gallon drum which I just use with air, that i use for shad at my local lake. Going to add a pump onto it for better O2 and to get circular current.

 

[dank1296]

5 gallon insulated bait bucket with aerator kept 2 dozen bluebacks fiesty all day yesterday.

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

5 gallon insulated bait bucket with aerator kept 2 dozen bluebacks fiesty all day yesterday.

My experience has been that this approach works better on cool days than in the heat of summer. Sure, one can keep the bait well cooler even in the hottest summer, but then the bluebacks will have some temperature shock and not live long once they hit the 80+ deg water in the lake. The better approach in summer is to maintain the bait well water closer to the lake water in temperature, but this reduces oxygen in the water as well as increasing the rate of oxygen use in the bait well and increasing production of nitrates in the bait well. Thus the benefits of an oxygen tank, larger bait wells, and exchanging water with the lake.

 

[Fullnet2]

Personally I use 10-12lb Flouro leader on striper, #1 octopus circle hook.

You can also take an old plastic worm and cut a small puck off it, put that on the hook before the blueback, this will prevent the blueback from walking up the hook shank and hooking himself in the eye. Just a small piece of plastic right in the belly of the hook, the hook barb will prevent them from getting off the other side.

AS for keeping the bait alive, its very important and hard with BLuebacks. On my Kayak I run an small oxygen tank that holds about 6-7 gallons of water, with two dozen backs I can usually keep them alive nearly all day and only loose maybe 4-5. Water temps this time of year are great for just recirculating lake water into the tank.

That's a good idea about the plastic worm. I fish live bait infrequently,but have experienced the eye hook and appreciate the tip to avoid this irritation.I
Good Luck Fishing

 

[dank1296]

I dont even try that method in summer believe me might get two hours before all belly up. I fish a solo skiff so my area is limited on the boat.