Launched the boat around 5:45 and immediately it starts pouring. We stayed near the ramp and kept an eye on the storm and the radar. After about 45 minutes or so most of the danger was gone and we started fishing. We marked fish at the first spot we checked and dropped our bait. We hooked up fairly quickly and caught 3 there.

We noticed some surface strikes near us that appeared to be striper so we headed that way. Marked a lot of fish from 30-50 ft. We dropped our bait again, which was perch. With live bait in the water we started throwing artificials in the area. I was using a 5 inch Big Hammer Sassy Shad with a 1 oz jig head and that seemed to be the ticket. The traditional shad color seemed to outperform white, which my Brother was using.

This is one of the few days I have had at PK where we caught more on artificials than on live bait. At one point early on I caught 4 striper on 6 casts. We continued to catch some on live bait, including the big fish of the day which weighed in at 13 pounds on the Bogo. The majority of the fish were in the 5-8 pound range. 22 fish caught and all but 1 floater were released.

Normally we catch shad, but I also buy 2 dozen perch as a back up plan in case we cant find them. Its been a struggle for me to locate them this year. The last 2 years we have done good at catching the shad, but this year its been rough. If anyone has any tips, please send them my way.

Nice fish. We caught perch around the docks before daylight with a cast net. They were schooled up and easy to catch. Shad will be around lighted docks before daylight too. On most lakes around here shad are on the banks spawning now.

Great catch and report!

Nice work!

Nice post and fish. Good job.

Nice stripers. I can't wait until those guys make their way down lake.

As for shad, I only know of one spot that has any. I caught a bunch a few days back and fished the green lights trying to get some of those stripers that randy Wood has been catching waking redfins but only caught magnum sandies. At least those 6 inch threadfins kept all the little guys away. Even if we get a good shad spawn I doubt we'll see the big bait balls we had last year. In Neely and over at Bluff creek I've found huge schools of 12 inch stripers. Whatever fry the shad generate will be quickly eaten. I even caught a little 4-5 inch guy up in Neely so I assume the spripers spawned this year as well. Looks like I'll be fishing perch this year as well.

Too bad the stripers don't eat carp...

@jbobo Thanks for the tips. We normally hit docks and boat ramps before dark, just havent had much luck this year. Gonna try closer to shore and see how that works.

Nice fish.

Snuck out and caught a few more this morning before work got in the way. All on artificial.