The stripers have been very very deep all Winter here on Lanier but they are finally making a move into shallower water. The water temperature has been in the high forties but is finally climbing into the low fifties. The recent rains stained a good portion on the lake and as a result the stained shallow water has started to warm with the sun. The stain from the rain progressed all the way down to hwy 53. As a result, freelines will most likely become the primary tactic in March. Rig up a Penn Fathom Linecounter reel with 15 pound Trilene Big Game line, a 12 pound Trilene 100% Flourocarbon leader, a Spro 80 pound Power Swivel, and a Gamakatsu 1/0 Octopus hook tipped with the herring. This setup is the Lanier staple. The Penn Fathom Linecounter really helps your success rate as you are able to know exactly how far Bank your baits are behind the boat. Start at 120 feet and make changes as necessary. Some days a small split shot or an additional 30 feet of line can make a huge difference from day to day. Pull the freelines at 1 mph across humps and points and in some cases over open water. This bite will be lake wide. Keep your eyes open for any signs of fish on the surface to help find the most productive areas. Also don’t forget about gizzard shad. With more big fish starting to show up, do not be afraid to pull a dollar bill size shad on a 4/0 Gamakatsu octopus hook right on the bank using a Perfect Planer planer board. Some of the biggest females will be in the warmest shallow water they can find.
With some of the fish moving shallow, keep a Penn Battalion 7’ medium light spinning rod paired with a Penn Conflict with light line on the deck. Tie on a Capt. Mack 1/4 ounce bucktail in white or chartreuse, or a Berkley Fusion 1/4 ounce jig head tipped with a white jerk shad and beat the bank. Some days the plastics will outperform the live bait. Also start thinking about a Berkley Surge Shad in Bone later in the month. The topwater bite will be around the corner. If you can’t tell, I am already looking forward to April.
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