Newsletter - March 15, 2011

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I. Current fishing conditions. The moon is waxing and is 77% full. The Lake level is 1071.20. Water temperatures range from 50 to 60 degrees F. The five day forecast is reporting above-average temperatures. Water clarity is an issue in Little River and the backs of some creeks. Some portions of the Chattahoochee River are heavily stained. (It was 60 degrees in Wahoo on Monday).

II. Fishing Patterns. It is becoming slightly easier to pattern Stripers - look in the middle of creeks right now. The preferred fishing methods include: In-Line Planer Boards, Flat Lines, and Down Lines. During the past five days, the favorite bait is the Blueback Herring. Some folks are requesting and using the largest Herring they can find. More good news, with water temperatures returning to normal, we are seeing significantly fewer dead Shad and Herring. No more Fee Lunch!

III. Equipment Requirements. As stated above, you will need your Planer Boards and rods/reels that are rigged something like this: the line on your reel should be 20lbs; run a bead through your main line. Tie on a sturdy swivel. Tie on a six ft. fluorocarbon leader - 12 to 14lbs. A favorite among many fishermen is the number one Octopus hook. In the event you see fish getting deeper, attach one or more split shot to the line near the swivel. As Don Brown writes in his March Article (on our Web Site), don't leave home without your Umbrella Rigs.

IV. Tricks and Techniques. Read and review our February Newsletter (Issue 2) to learn more about "tricking-out" your boards! (Authored by Brett Wendell).

V. Bait and Bait Maintenance. Are you a "Herring Head"? Many of us are addicted to live bait when fishing for Stripers. Years ago, when the Georgia DNR first allowed the use of Blue Backs, no one had a "grip" on how to maintain the Herring in their bait tanks. Some folks continue to struggle with this issue. Without going into a lot of detail, here are some general rules to follow:

  1. Water temperature in your tank should be around 65 degrees F.
  2. Assuming you are buying bait, please ask the attendant to bring no more than two dozen per bucket.
  3. Use rock salt (one cup for every ten gallons of water) to reduce the effect of regurgitation and poop.
  4. Do not reduce the water temperature more than three degrees F. per minute.
  5. If you must add ice to your bait tank, use the brand that has no chlorine in it.
  6. Limit the number of baits in the tank: two baits per gallon of water.
  7. If you have not already done so, consider using Oxygen with a regulator and diffuser.
  8. Baits having dark-colored backs and red noses should be removed from the tank immediately.

VI. E-10 - Yikes, it has the potential to make my life miserable! E-10 gasoline refers to ten percent ethanol content. Unfortunately, E-10 has a shelf life of just 30 to 45 days. After this, the ethanol and gasoline separate. The rest of a very long story is that this is not good for your boat engine. You can minimize this potential problem by adding fuel additives such as Star Brite, CRC, and K100.