Today the air temperature was to start in the high seventies at 7am. We got our 3 dozen herring at Oakwood Bait & Tackle on McEver Rd. My plan was to use Downlines early then change off to Lead Core. While it was a little early in the season for Lead Core the late May and June temperatures were well ahead into the eighties so that meant pushing the methods in my monthly logs forward. We launched at East Bank and pulled a couple of herring on Freelines from the ramp to the mouth of the bay. The water temperature was 82.7 degrees. We did see some marks but there were no takers. Reaching the mouth of the bay I added a couple of Downlined herring and headed out to the main lake humps. Our first Striper hit on a Freeline. The next couple of Stripers came on the Downlines so we switched the two Freelines to Downlines. This Striper was 26 1/2″ long. We used the Seaqualizer to release this fish as we had it out too long for pictures and his survival rate was slim in the now 83 degree surface temperature. He was released 40′ down.We saw a multitude of marks beside the humps but only on the west side of them. After getting a couple more into the boat the Downline bite shutdown. It was time to get out the Lead Core. We targeted the 24 to 28 foot depth and let out one Lead Core at 5 colors and the other at 7 colors at 3 mph. Within minutes it was Fish On.

Gary pulled this 23 3/4″ Striper in on one of the Lead Core lines that had a 2 oz. Capt Mack’s jig with a chartreuse swim bait trailer. We pulled the Lead Core for another hour and a half but the bite was over. Gary had to leave by noon so we headed back to the ramp.