04-24-2013, 07:57 PM
[font "Calibri"]Springtime Stripers[/font]
[font "Calibri"]March is when the big Striper are still able to cruse the shallows and eat the hand size Gizzard Shad. [/font]
[font "Calibri"]April Starts the early spawn for Shad and they will be easy targets for Grebes and Stripers.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Everything is changing as the weather itself changes. We get rain and wind then a day with highs around 90, next a cold front, more wind and the temps drop to the 70’s.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]The larger fish will be heading north to spawn at the end of May and be finished by June.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]So what do you plan for the next 3 to 4 months of spring or as we call it the nice weather before it gets HOT![/font]
[font "Calibri"]Cut bait, trolling and possible early morning top water. You can still fish with live bait but your time getting bait will be during the bite of early and late of the day.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Last weekend (4-12-13) cut bait was out fishing live bait 5 or 6 to 1. [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Try trolling umbrella rigs loaded up with Berkley or Storm brand swim baits with only two having hooks.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Lucky craft lures like model #100 that runs 5 to 7 feet, rattle traps are a good choice in chrome and blue 3/4oz to 1oz.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Bait rigs for cut bait are the Carolina rig (1oz egg weight, swivel 18 inches of line and a 2/0 hook)[/font]
[font "Calibri"]To keep it simple a 1/4 or 1/8 ounce lead head hook can be cast out and let sink.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Cut your Anchovy or Sardine into chunks, heads and tails are discarded as chum.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Keep a can of attractant spray like Jacks Juice in salty shad or garlic.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]After 15 about minuets re-spray or change your bait, the lake water will bleach out your bait of any flavor or scent.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Where to go:[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Most of the Stripers will be in the Vegas wash due to the location of the shad and prime water structures.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Points and the mouths of coves at 40 to 60 feet deep. Areas like 33 hole Government wash and the channel marker near it. From Government all the way to Gypsum wash are producing fish. There will be fish suspended or just off the bottom so pick your rig to get the bait to where the fish are (two pole stamp is good for this type of fishing)[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Later towards the end of spring and early summer Sand Island will hold fish. Drift is depending on wind direction from the island to government wash. The fish will be about 60ft down (Carolina rig, may need heavier weights) the bottom depth is really not a factor.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]You may need to change you depths as the day progresses but that’s the basic Striper techniques for the area.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Echo bay and just south of that, north thru the Virgin basin narrows, use the same rigs but the night bite is the best. Gregg Basin: Temple bar, Striper Bay, mile marker 42-45 and by channel Island and into south cove on the left or west side.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
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[font "Calibri"]March is when the big Striper are still able to cruse the shallows and eat the hand size Gizzard Shad. [/font]
[font "Calibri"]April Starts the early spawn for Shad and they will be easy targets for Grebes and Stripers.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Everything is changing as the weather itself changes. We get rain and wind then a day with highs around 90, next a cold front, more wind and the temps drop to the 70’s.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]The larger fish will be heading north to spawn at the end of May and be finished by June.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]So what do you plan for the next 3 to 4 months of spring or as we call it the nice weather before it gets HOT![/font]
[font "Calibri"]Cut bait, trolling and possible early morning top water. You can still fish with live bait but your time getting bait will be during the bite of early and late of the day.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Last weekend (4-12-13) cut bait was out fishing live bait 5 or 6 to 1. [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Try trolling umbrella rigs loaded up with Berkley or Storm brand swim baits with only two having hooks.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Lucky craft lures like model #100 that runs 5 to 7 feet, rattle traps are a good choice in chrome and blue 3/4oz to 1oz.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Bait rigs for cut bait are the Carolina rig (1oz egg weight, swivel 18 inches of line and a 2/0 hook)[/font]
[font "Calibri"]To keep it simple a 1/4 or 1/8 ounce lead head hook can be cast out and let sink.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Cut your Anchovy or Sardine into chunks, heads and tails are discarded as chum.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Keep a can of attractant spray like Jacks Juice in salty shad or garlic.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]After 15 about minuets re-spray or change your bait, the lake water will bleach out your bait of any flavor or scent.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Where to go:[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Most of the Stripers will be in the Vegas wash due to the location of the shad and prime water structures.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Points and the mouths of coves at 40 to 60 feet deep. Areas like 33 hole Government wash and the channel marker near it. From Government all the way to Gypsum wash are producing fish. There will be fish suspended or just off the bottom so pick your rig to get the bait to where the fish are (two pole stamp is good for this type of fishing)[/font]
[font "Calibri"]Later towards the end of spring and early summer Sand Island will hold fish. Drift is depending on wind direction from the island to government wash. The fish will be about 60ft down (Carolina rig, may need heavier weights) the bottom depth is really not a factor.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]You may need to change you depths as the day progresses but that’s the basic Striper techniques for the area.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Echo bay and just south of that, north thru the Virgin basin narrows, use the same rigs but the night bite is the best. Gregg Basin: Temple bar, Striper Bay, mile marker 42-45 and by channel Island and into south cove on the left or west side.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
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