The lake level is 1064.42 (6.58 feet below pool), water temps are 49-53 degrees and water clarity is clear on the main lake to a slight stain in the backs of the creeks. This January will be like the last few years with small bait being the key to catching numbers of fish. Downlines on an Okuma 7 ½ Striper rod with an Okuma Coldwater 203 line counter with 15 lb mono main line will be the most used rod this month. Attach a Capt Mack’s 1.5 oz swivel sinker or 1.25 oz Striper Tackle Pro Pencil Swivel weight to the main line and then tie on 3-4 feet of 10-12 lb fluorocarbon leader with a #2 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle at the end. January stripers can be very finicky and reducing your hook and leader size to match the small trout, herring, or medium shiners you will be using will keep these baits moving around more naturally and will get you those extra bites. We are seeing a good population of 28-32 inch (9-12#) fish this winter and these 4.5-5.5 year old fish will eat a bigger bait quicker so switch up at least one downline to a 1/0 or 2/0 circle and pin a medium trout or medium Gizzard Shad in the 7-9 inch range on. Oakwood Bait and Tackle keeps a great supply of all these baits as well as any tackle you will need. All of these fish, as well as the smaller fish, will be around large concentrations bait in 30-60 feet of water, and you will be fishing your baits anywhere from two feet to about 15 feet off the bottom. Use your Humminbird SOLIX to find these large concentrations of bait towards the backs of any creek on the lake. Favorites will be Bald Ridge, Shoal, Flat, Ada, Little River, Thompson, Yellow, and Johnson. Artificials for this month will be Capt Mack’s Mini Macks for searching for spread out fish and Super Spoons on schools of fish you find around the bait. Most of these deep fish will be caught using your Minn Kota Ulterra and utilizing the Auto Pilot and Cruise Control features to move around these schools of fish at up to about 1 mph or using the Spot Lock feature to sit on top of the schools. When you mark these schools of fish relating to the bait then put your Mini Macks out 20-30 feet down and stealth troll on the trolling motor around the area till you find them again. This is becoming the go to technique for the top guides during the winter because we can cover more water running 1 mph than we can sitting still. The white 5/8 or 3/4 oz Super Spoon with silver or blue foil are the same size as the shad that you will see these fish spit up so keep one tied on to drop down to any fish you see on the bottom around the large concentrations of bait you will find with your SOLIX. I said it at least three times so far….find the bait, the fish will be close by.
As we start this New Year remember that God has always been with us. We began our journey with God from the creation of Adam and Eve. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent in our lives. This has always and always will be, and we cannot hide from him. He is here for us and his primary goal for us is grace (receiving something that we do not deserve). Start 2024 knowing that it is possible for us to live without shame because he came, he died, and he rose so that our sins would be forgiven if we just trust in him.