Power-reeling with big, heavy baits has a track record for catching both big striped bass and big numbers of stripers during the summer at Lake Hartwell and other lakes. Guide Mack Farr said while the technique is not hard to master, there are a few advanced tips that can help your overall success.
“You really need some beefier tackle, and I’m talking about rods,” said Farr. “A longer, medium-heavy rod is best, because lengths of 7 feet or greater give you better leverage when working the bait. It’s also necessary to have the strength, because you’re reeling fish out of timber from the depths, and most of them will be better than average fish.”
Fishing in timber will result in hang-ups, not an enviable proposition for a bait that costs nearly $20 each. Farr said he doesn’t fear losing baits, because when fished properly, the big spoons are hard to lose. In four years of power-reeling, almost on a daily basis through the summer, he has only lost three spoons.
“The bait weighs 3½ ounces, so when you do hang one — and you will because your fishing in timber — the body of the lure will leverage against the hook, and you can almost always knock the hook loose,” he said. “In cases where the hook is just buried in wood or if you hang in a mass of fishing line, then you can put one of my umbrella rig retrievers on a length of nylon line and send it down there and get your spoon back.”
Farr said another tip for anglers not wanting to jump into expensive, line-counter reels is to use an Abu Garcia 6000 series baitcaster. He said he has used the distance of the worm gear crossing the face of the reel as a unit of measurement for years.
“One time across the reel is 10 feet,” said Farr. “That makes it easy to keep up with the depth. Another tip is to use a black sharpie marker on clear line and mark the depth on the line at intervals of 20, 40, 60, and 80 feet. It won’t be permanent, maybe only one trip, but it will save you buying all new reels for this tactic.”
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