About ready to give up on stripers at Lake Martin

About a month ago I acquired a center console Ranger. I then became obsessed with catching stripers. To date, I can't even start to tell you what I have spent on tackle, accessories, rods, reels with line counters, planer boards, live bait, etc etc and I still haven't hung much less boated a striper. I have tried trolling with devices that take your bait down to a designated depth 10 20 30 even 40 feet. Tried artificial and live bait, nothing. Watched one of the local charters load about 52 and 37 stripers each day. Went to that exact location and did not see but one or two large fish on Helix 10. I don't yet have the GPS trolling motor that can hover over an specific location but expect it have it installed within the week. The guy I bought the boat from had one ordered already and agreed to put it on. But short of dropping dynamite off the boat, I just don't know what to try next. I have convinced my wife to just give the stripe fishing a break and focus on catching a few spots and that I have no problem with as we have really enjoyed catching a few these past few weeks. But I know me and my determination to catch those stripers will return and I will likely continue being the coyote while they are the roadrunner. I feel like I have looked at enough pics and video trying to learn how to read the Helix that I would immediately recognize a school of stripers. My problem is that have not been able to find them. If I ever do, I think I have everything required to catch the damn things other than actually saying a caught one.

I had a friend tell me to change my set up on the down rigging to a pencil weight, red ball, leader and 4-5 feet fluorocarbon line with 1/0 hook. Did that same results. I know in order to catch them I have to find them so I guess that is the primary problem. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. My daughter went as far as to buy me a charter trip with the guide I spoke of but I am waiting to take that when my Dad can join us.

Have you tried pulling any spoons ? I mainly stipe fish below dams . Pulling planner boards around is a pain in the butt but my pb stripe came out of Smith lake pulling planner boards with live bait.

Hang in there muzziehead when I get my boat back we will figure them out😜

I have Trolled with jigged with spoons, 4” and 6”. Nothing. I just Feel like if I can Ever spot them on fish finder and have the ability to stay on that spot I have what it takes to catch them. I have Seen screens of what they look like at 30-40’ and I can Say with confidence that I havent Seen that screen yet in person

Stripers have been schooling for 2 weeks NNE of
Midway Island. See if they are still there. Throw a big Spook
at 'em. They will be up and down and they may be
in choppy water, but you can still see them.

Take a charter and mimic what they do.

They were schooling out from Dead Timbers road a couple of weeks back.

When we were getting on them, we used Hellbenders to go deep and then a large white rooster tail off a leader from the hellbender. Worked well for us.

Keep at it, it will click one day and the rest will be history

Haul butt around the place at daylight and look for topwater action. Start there.

Im with snakebit. Book a charter and see what you can learn. I have tried stripers a few times on smith and a few on neely henry, Same luck as you. I just live to far away to get serious with them.

I'm not real familiar with Lake Martin fishing but in the fall when the lake "turns over" the Stripers will be scattered so your not as likely to find that school that you're looking for. They're in transition and believe it or not even if you do find a pile of them, they may seem to have lockjaw. A little later in the fall and on through the winter you should be able to find some back up in the creeks and coves. I'd start then by freelining a live shad or setting them just above them on a carolina style rig with a 4-6' clear 30lb mono leader. Hook and egg sinker size should be determined by shad size and wind/current conditions. No shad? I'd chunk a 4" Pearl Sassy Shad or other swimbait on a 3/8 or 1/2 oz head. I have done well on a bucktail jig or 1/2 oz inline spinner in cold water a few times. Hope this helps.

Getting a guide is the best thing you can do. Ask them a ton of questions, especially about how they find them, and leave a good tip. I'd reccomend going with them more than once and at different times of the year. It will save you money and you will get years of experience in a mere few hours.

Spring is when stripers are easily caught on Martin. They are schooling on points and humps between the dam and Koliga bridge. Arm yourself with big topwaters and hair jigs.

Hey dude chill. Your best months are in front of you. Get your winter gear and coffee thermo ready and hang in there.

A buddy of mine got addicted to stripe fishing down there. He chartered the same guide so many times, that eventually he ended up working for the guy. I'm not sure how good the stripe fishing down there is, but he seems to do well there.

Years ago when I started to fish only for catfish in Texas, I hired a couple of guides. I told them I don't want to catch fish, I want to learn how to catch fish. If I come back to the dock with zero fish but lots if new knowledge I would be happy customer.

We live on Smith Lake part of the time and I have never fished Martin. On smith I use two things. Redfins and live bream. Both of which work well. When a stripe blows up that redfin, it is beautiful, and they will take a bream in an all out run. We use the wind to drift the bream.

Threadfin? What's a redfin?

I think he’s talking about Cotton Cordell Redfin lures. We use them on Lake Martin to catch a pile of stripe: Black Chrome, Bone Appetit, Smokey Joe color pattern.

Ah ha! Learned something new. I shall add it to my arsenal.

Every striper fisherman should have a few Redfins in his tackle box. And some Sassy-Shad, and some bucktails, and some Creek Chubs, and some Top dawgs, and some jointed rapalas, and some Spooks, and a castnet.

I think I could have the entire inventory of Bass Pro and still couldn’t catch a $@#*% stripe. Skunked two days in a row. Just got my Minn Kota GPS trolling motor installed and I will say it was a game changer but the score still ended up the same. I’m about ready to winterize and start doing what I know best, hunting.

Rig a 3-4in bream or other live bait with a circle hook just behind the dorsal fin and pitch it between the 1st main support and the rip rap on the North Side of Kowaliga Bridge. There’s guys that climb up from the bank and walk out in the bridge girders to fish the same spot. First or last light is best time to fish it or at night on a full moon.

I swore I read "strippers" when I glanced at the thread title.

Call Alex City Guide service and go with them. Look at the trip cost as an investment. There are numerous spots that produce stripe year round. It really shrinks the lake when you learn what to look for and when to look where. Take a trip each season to learn what they are doing that time of year. DONT follow them around poaching their spots

I have A trip already paid in full and booked with David but just not sure when we plan to take it. We were going a few weeks back but had to cancel due to weather so we may just wait till spring. My problem is just locating them. I have The correct set up in terms of equipment, rigging and bait.

Thanks for the info. I will Certainly give it a try. I hsve Been fishing with black salties and goldfish as I havent Been able to find any shad lately. I’m pretty sure my rigging is correct but can’t catch them if they aren’t there.

Did you ever catch some stripe? I am invested now, never fished on Martin for them I usually just lock in close to the dam on Jordan and cast into the swirling waters where the output is located.

Not a dang one yet. Headed back up this weekend to try again. Friend of mine fished up below the dam in his kayak when they have gate open and caught 7 stripers all around 8-10lbs.

FINALLY!!! We got on a few this morning. Ended up boating 7 and missed like 5-6. Certainly makes all the difference in the world when you find them.

https://i.imgur.com/e07TxEU.jpg

Awesome. Did y’all catch any this afternoon?

We caught 17 this morning. Could have probably caught more but ran out of live bait. Started with 20 and only missed 3. Heck of a day.

Nice catch. That's some good eatin too!!

Looks like you got it figured out sir

Im not sure if I just got lucky or what but we got on them two days in a row after not catching a single one in past 10 trips. I would have been happy just to catch one to be honest. Can’t wait to get back out there.

Tried to tell you! Your runt now son. Congrats

Thanks! The wife is thrilled because she loves to fish and hates me killing deer. Only been deer hunting once since now season opened and may just keep fishing till the rut kicks in.

That’s what I’m talking about. 😁

Good job Muzziehead. I'm hoping you already know to remove the red meat before you cook it. I like to rinse it in a bowl until the rinse water stays clear. It really makes a difference in the taste.

Congrats on a fine catch!

I tried to remove most of it when I filleted them but will probably need to touch them up a bit before they hit the skillet.

That's great, I'm glad you didnt give up

Love to deer hunt to but you can’t throw them back. Good women!

Now that's staying with it.
Bet Lesa caught the most, huh?

Congrats! Where are you at on the lake? Not fishing area, but your home? Looks familiar.

We are currently over at LMRV aka Bama Park. Have both our places fir sake now as we are planning to build just across main channel at The Camp. Been there for 20+ years and almost hate to leave our little nest.

That's where i thought you were. Parents have a place right by chimney rock in the harbor. In laws have a place up in little kowliaga creek. No prettier lake to be on in the state IMO. Summers are tough, but fall/winter/early spring make up for the crazies in the summer.

So glad you finally got into them!

Nice catch

Congrats on a fine haul


I truly love to stripe fish. Green heads are king for most, but I like the big fish.