Never fished this early in the year...Striper Questions

[screamingreels26]

Hey guys down here this week for spring break and looking to do some striper fishing...but i have never fished this early in the year and have a few questions. I usually fish a week or two during the spring spawn and the maybe a week in the summer. I have a buddy or two coming with me who has never been striper fishing, or really done any fishing at all, and I would really like to put them on some fish. Ive tried to look through past archives, but the only info i can find is on spring fishing or winter fishing(chasing birds) and I feel like we will be in the middle of both.

1.)Whats the general fishing technique right now? (I mean i wouldn't think yall would be fishing planar boards on the banks yet? or am i way off? I would think trolling of main lake points around 25-30 ft down?)
2.)Are they hitting alewives or the big bait?
3.)How deep is bait right now?, can u catch bait at the typical lights?
4.)And finally...How are the stripers behaving right now and their general locations? (I'm assuming they haven't started to move towards the dam, but I guess my question is there a stretch of water to focus my search on the Roanoke Side?.. my house is near the state park. Should I look off of main lake points, secondary points in the creeks, and kinda what times are the fish active or when are people having good luck)

I plan on burning some gas searching for fish the next day or so, but any help you guys could give me to speed up the learning curve and getting my buddies on some fish ..I would really appreciate it, because I'm definitely lost this time of year hahah

If you see us out there (center console with red folded up Bimini top and couple guys having a good time) come on over...we would love to say hello and maybe learn a few things from you guys.
Thanks beforehand, for any tips,
Go Hokies!

[striperjohn]

Check the past years posts for March and you'll get all the information you'll need.

[screamingreels26]

okay Thank You, I'll post pics or a report if I have any luck trying some of those things from last year, should be nice weather the next few days
going out to catch bait this evening

[screamingreels26]

what time are you catching bait though? pretty easy to find some big bait balls during the day..or is evening and nighttime under lights better?

[mwardncsu]

I expect things will change a lot in this coming week. Water temps today were 42-47 depending on location. We'll see mid-50's I have a feeling by end of next week - at least in certain parts of the lake. That will cause a major change in the activity.

As to when to catch bait..... Been catching gizzards during the day. Alewifes are probably easiest at night under lights

[jmr04]

Bait is everywhere. Lots on the light, pulled over schools 100 yards long in the creeks today. Had to throw on one of them just to see what it was as we were pulling boards. Pulled up a net with close to 50 dollar bills.