"While resting on a sandbar, the gulls send out a scout to search for shad. Increase a lure’s effectiveness by pairing it with the ideal reel speed. "That's the deadliest bait that I've every used on a downrig," Parramore noted. Downlines produce best in this situation. Planer boards enable the guide to control the bait by simply maneuvering the boat without ever having to fear spooking fish swimming in water 2 to 5 feet deep. Last year (2017) October was by far the best October striper fishing on record for us after we had several weeks of almost a non existent bite. Before dams stopped the migration of striped bass from the Gulf, the species spawned in the unimpeded current of the Tallapoosa River. The strike from the 30-pounder came at noon while fishing water 60 to 70 feet deep, with the downriggers set at 45 feet. Spring Bass Spawn Basics at Brandy Branch Texas - Southeast. It's a target-rich environment with no fishing pressure. While he has taken advantage of other productive Nashville fishing locations, he has always remained focused on Percy Priest. They herd shad like dogs work cattle.". Fishing starts to pick up in March and can continue through the summer for stripes and hybrids when the power company generates water. If successful, he will return and alert the others. Whether its to traditional stlye trip or a fly fishing trip, you'll find all the information you need to choose the kind of trip your looking for. As mid-June approaches, Parramore finds striped bass deeper, and in the middle of the lake around the Sail Club, Chimney Rock, Long Branch and Blue Creek. They may be on the bottom, or 10 feet off the bottom. When I pull in the back of a slough, I never know if it holds fish. Southern-Style Fried Shellcrackers Recipe, Baitfish for Bass: Search, Suspend or Sink Crankbaits, 5 Fall Fishing Tips on How to Earn Your Stripers, Destinations: Fishing Fun in the Southern Sun, How to Catch Stripers Year-Round on Lake Martin, Hobie MirageDrive 360 Kayak Propulsion: Amazing Control and Power, Catch More Bass on a Jerkbait in the Cooler Months, Action and Power Ratings- How to Choose the Right Bass Rod, Understanding Reel Retrieve Ratios and How it Affects Lure Presentations. We still caught fish, but I never found the location of those big fish.". == BOAT. Fishing for Striped Bass on Lake Martin with Capt. "It seems when the water temperature reaches 53 to 55 degrees, the stripers metabolism increases to the point where they switch from a winter diet of 'chicken nuggets' to 'T-bone' shad.". It's a sight! Lake Martin Fall Bass Fishing Lake Martin is an excellent lake for fall bass fishing. Usually, though, they hold at depths between 20 to about 35 feet. The former require you to cover a lot of water to find them; the latter move too fast for downlines to do their job. "When I see large shad, it's time to change fishing techniques and switch to the big jumbos" -- those being gizzard shad weighing 1 1/2 to more than 2 pounds. "When they are staging," the guide remarked, "sonar may show a very loose group of fish. David Hare, owner of Alex City Guide Service, specializes in live bait fishing for trophy-size stripers and is based out of Lake Martin. Call Early For Best Dates - 1-205-647-7683. It is a reservoir located on the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River that covers over 21,000 acres in Cullman, Walker, and Winston counties. We Catch'em Big!! When anglers ask guide Jim Parramore about the best time of year for catching striped bass at Martin Lake, his reply's always the same: between right now and this time next year. "Last year," the guide continued, "for the week before Memorial Day we caught 30 stripers weighing 20 to 30 pounds and eight weighing more than 30. Close proximity to International Airports Atlanta, Montgomery, Birmingham & Nashville. "The planer allows anglers to freeline shad away from the boat and are especially effective in shallow water.". Want to tangle with giant striped bass during the fall months? In this video, outdoor writer and tackle specialist Shane Beilue breaks down the difference between a rod blank’s action and power and discusses what the various ratings of each mean. Winter is one of the two seasons of the year during which artificial lures produce well at Martin. Four years ago, he quit his job to guide full-time at Martin Lake. Share. The surface area is 41,500 acres with an average depth of 41 feet and 31 miles in length. "Not only is it an awesome lake for producing numbers of fish, but it also produces unbelievable numbers of trophy fish. Bass feed by sight and fooling them often involves downsizing lures and fishing a little deeper than normal on Lake Martin. The only way you are going to know is to put that big bait out and start working it down one side of the bank going in and the other side coming out. |   Last year we averaged more than 25 fish per trip, with one trip producing 54 stripers: That's in winter. Fishing pressure is greatest at Martin in winter, and the use of downriggers is on the rise there in summer, in great part because of a dearth of baitfish. We are a striped bass guide service. If the current remains strong, river fishing continues until the end of April, when rising water temperatures induce the bass to abandon their desire to reproduce. Subscriber Services. But in warmer months, the bacteria is a problem, so it's important not to stress the shad. Here's how Parramore deals with the changing temperatures and seasons to find and catch striped bass. PATHFINDER 2200-V boat Fully equipped Lowrance electronics 50 gallon Creek Bank bait tank Commercially insured "Good Fishing." Shad caught from the lake would have 100 percent morality within three days. In the fall, the Kowaliga and Blue creek arms yield substantial numbers of fish to anglers using downlines. "Cool water with adequate oxygen is critical for striped bass," Greene explained. Mike Walker is the owner and head fishing guide. Tweet. About the Author & Lake Texoma Fishing Guide Marty Zamora. Then a marine biologist at Dauphin Island researching baitfish and their immune system discovered a bacterium that becomes active within the shad when stressed. "I fillet my customer's fish and always check stomach contents," he explained. Plus, he can cover a lot of ground. THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME. As for size, last year we caught 145 fish weighing between 25 and 40 pounds.". If you want to catch big fish, Parramore said, you'll find them holding on the outer edges of the school. 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