When is the best time to catch a trophy striper on Lake Lanier?
As you can see from the pictures below, trophy stripers show up year round on Lake Lanier. In the old days, it was believed that the winter months were the only time to catch a trophy striper. While this is still a great time to catch a trophy striper, improvements in electronics have made it possible to catch just as many trophy fish in the summer months. The striper fishing in georgia is good year round.
David Stephenson
April and May are very similar to the first three months. Big baits are still in use and the stripers are more aggressive due to the warmer water temperatures. Large topwater plugs like the Cotton Cordell Redfin come into play as well. If you look hard in the middle photo below, you will see a redfin hanging out of the mouth of the striper. Some years the action is better after dark so do not hesitate to plan a night trip. At night the stripers bust large bomber plugs like the pink Long-A bomber that are cast right up on the bank.
With the improvements made in electronics the last ten years, the summer months are quickly becoming more popular for catching big Lake Lanier stripers. Some of the big fish will be 70 to 100 feet deep. A live herring on a downline is the typical tactic. The other tactic is to use large bucktails tipped with shad bodies and live herring. Due to the large profile of the large bucktails, some would say the bucktails out catch live bait for large Lake Lanier stripers.
The early winter months are a mixed bag of tactics. Some of the big fish will come on topwater lures. Some will come on big baits, some will come on large trout, and some will come on umbrella rigs. The reason for the variety of tactics is most rapidly changing weather that is associated with early winter. Don’t be surpried if you even catch one on a spoon.
