THE BAMA SLAMMER
Unable to find a fly that accurately imitated a shad, Schneider set out to build his own. After two years of experimentation, he created one of the more unusual flies I have ever seen.

This 3- to 4-inch bait, which Schneider has named the Bama Slammer, looks like a threadfin shad. Schneider makes it from Metz Sili Skin material and builds it on a No. 4/0 Kahle hook.

When cast, this fly provides two chances of catching the striper. About 80 percent of the strikes occur as the Bama Slammer falls from the surface down to the feeding fish. The wobbling action of the fly mimics a dying shad perfectly. Once the streamer reaches the desired depth, if you have not gotten a bite, Schneider suggests that you strip in the line. That is when the rest of the takes occur.

"I make small, quick strips, taking up about one foot of line at a time, stop the line, let the bait fall and then strip the line again," he explains.

Using this technique, Schneider can cover the water down to about 20 feet. To catch any stripers holding deeper than that, Schneider recommends fishing with conventional bait-casting or spinning tackle.

If it is necessary to make that change, Schneider suggests using 10- to 14-pound-test line and putting on an appropriate amount of weight to deal with any current being generated. With all turbines running, you need at least a 1/4-ounce sinker on the line. Next tie the main line to a barrel swivel, and on the bottom eye of the swivel add 2 feet of 16-pound-test fluorocarbon leader. Tip the rig with a 1/0 heavy-wire hook.

Schneider finishes out by adding a Baby Shad made by Bass Assassin, preferably in the white or silver phantom salt and pepper colors. This is cast upstream and allowed to wash down the current to the depth at which the stripers are holding.

STRIPER FACTS
The Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries has stocked stripers into Lay Lake at the rate of 25,000 since 1969.

"I believe that some of Lay Lake's stripers are coming downriver from Weiss Lake," Schneider also offers. "Weiss has a natural striper spawn."

The average size of the stripers Schneider encounters is 3 to 5 pounds, but occasionally a 7- to 13-pound lineside is caught. Schneider has brought a 29-pound striper to his boat on conventional fishing tackle and a 19-pound striper on a fly.

"In a day of fishing in May, we have caught and released as many as 35 stripers, hybrids and spotted bass," Schneider explains.

WHY FLY-FISH?
"I find much more enjoyment catching any fish on a fly rod than I do on conventional tackle," Schneider revealed.

Fortunately, you do not have to have any experience as a fly-fisherman to learn to catch these big stripers on a fly rod.

"A large number of people who fish with me are first-time fly-fishermen," Schneider states, adding that it is possible for him to teach them enough about casting to catch a striper on a fly on a single trip.

"Once they hook their first fish, they become hooked on fly-fishing," Schneider adds.

MAKING CONTACT
To learn more about fishing for stripers at Lay Lake, and especially about fly-casting for these fish, contact Tom Schneider at Sunrise Anglers at (205) 669-2110 or (205) 410-0964. The e-mail address is kingfisher@sunriseanglers.comYou can also visit his Web site, located at www.sunriseanglers.com