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Hooked on Stripers Part 2

© Louis Bignami

Small skiffs can put you on good fishing too. Protected bay waters, canals and rivers all hold smaller "schoolie" stripers that offer excellent catch and release action on streamer flies and single-hook spoons.

Bank fishermen can usually find fish at the tight spots along straits, off breakwaters and from piers in bays and on ocean beaches. Strong incoming or outgoing tides usually mean better fishing than slow, low or high tide slackwater periods. Try to fish early in the morning if possible, onshore winds tend to muddy up shallow water in the afternoon In freshwater reservoirs, go with a guide on your first day and you usually double or triple the number of fish you catch during a week's stay. STRIPER tournaments offer a superb Friday night free seminar before the weekend action. This normally includes a tackle auction to raise money for a local charity. Check these if you head south.

If you bank fish in freshwater on your own cast minnow plugs off long points or in live stream inlets at first light. If you own a fish finder look for suspended fish and jig spoons or sink live bait deep. Early in fall you can find fish in the deepest section of reservoirs over submerged river channels.

Since stripers fight fairly without running for cover and attack plugs, spoons, spinners or bait you can use your favor-ite method and gear. Just make sure you have plenty of line!

I often cast streamer flies or topwater poppers and held fly rod striper records for a short period in the 1950's. My wife Annette casts to swirling stripers with spoons and trolls when fish aren't swirling on top. Both methods work well in fall. tripers chasebaitfish in bays until water temperatures drop and you must use bait, for, as with other species,fish activity depends on water temperature.

In water above 50 degrees fish foggy mornings or pitch black nights where regulations permit. This is also a good plan where you have constant boat and beach action that puts fish down during daylight hours. You hear fish blasting bait before you see them. Then ease the boat in or rush along the bank or beach and cast as far as you can. A pause to take up the slack on plugs and allow spoons to drop, a couple of turns on the reel and, "whammo" you haul back and hold on for the powerful first run. Keep itchy fingers from cranking down the drag and the fish should be yours as all following runs are shorter.