A buddy I go to school with and I have been going to Martin and putting in at Alex City and fishing a little We have had some success by using sonar to locate wads of baitfish and using jigging spoons and bucktails in them. Yesterday we caught a 6lb stripe, a 3lb white bass, a crappie and a largemouth. We are both really new to the striper game but trying to learn. Anyone got any tips for some rookies? The old retired guys at the ramp aren't giving us much of anything ha.

The cheapest option is to hire one of the guides and learn from them.
it may cost you up front but in the long run it's cheaper than the trial and error, fuel, bait, time, etc. that can go along with trying to consistently catch them.
my buddy and I chased them for years before he finally decided to hire a guide and learn from him. Now he helps guide for one of the guides down there.

Thanks man, we did see several boats there we thought were guiding. It's a lot of fun and different than alot of fishing I have done. Anyone you recommend? A professor at AU I used to work for was big into it and guided some. I'll contact him too.

Alex city guide service
David Hare
256 401 3089

He taught the Professor
That's another of the problems down there. A lot of guys come fishing, learn to do it then turn around and start a guide service taking people to your spots. Cost of doing business I guess.

A round live bait tank, preferable 30 gallon, several freshly caught shad, some heavy duty equipment and a damn good sonar. That is about all you need to catch big stripers at Lake Martin.

Call Steve Smith.. He's a guide on Martin. He'll get you on them.. 205-365-5226.. Great guy. Good friend of mine and I have caught MANY fish on his boat...

Yep, Steve is a good one too.

We got a good sonar, and a good bait tank. Where do you go to catch shad? I usually catch them in the marina on the Alabama, but don't know where to throw for them on martin.

Hard to catch shad on Martin stay on the Alabama or go to the coosa & bring them with you... I've fish with David hare a couple times good guy knows his stuff

You aren't going to find any on Lake Martin. That my issue with trying to keep them alive from point A to point B and beyond.

that's what we had heard. we have been buying shad when we are able to find them, and using artificial when we can't.

live, energetic, feisty shad is def the key to catching fish consistently down there . Not saying you can't catch them with other things, but they can make life easier. I would say the bait tank may be as or more important than your sonar.

Do most people use any additives to the bait water, or just constantly keep it circulating with fresh water?

this time of year you can circulate the water with fresh and do ok. in the hotter months additives are about a must since you are trying to keep the shad cool. circulating warm water over them and then dropping them down 30+ feet into the thermocline will shock and kill them.
Having a bait tank that can filter is also a plus. The tanks and additives, etc can get expensive but you get what you pay for.
What those additives are, I don't know. Im sure you can do a google search though.

You pay a guide to take you on a fishing trip and put you on fish, you are not paying for infinite future use of the spots he takes you to. That is exactly why I quit doing it and posting pics on here.

I agree. 100%

Went with a guide on Guntersville years ago when I first started fishing it. All we did was fish community holes ( Big Waste Of Money) But how can you say one can't have infinite use of spots when your on public water? Not trying to be smart just trying to figure out what you mean.

You can fish where ever you want... Whenever you want... Guide spots or not.. That's what the word "public" means... As for posting pictures... I see guys blurring out the background... Come on... Seriously? Like the fish live in an apartment complex right at that exact spot...

So if a guy gets in your hunting club and bird dogs you all year and only hunts out of your tree stands that you worked hard to put up and find the spots for, you will be just fine with it because he paid for a membership? Please. That fishing guide is also using those spots to feed his family.

Yeah I've got spots that are like apartment complexes for stripers.