06-20-2003, 02:22 PM
[cool]I haven't personally pursued stripers on Silverwood, but I do know a couple of tubers who have. Like all waters that serve up hatchery pet rainbows for the dining pleasure of stripers, your best best for big stripers is a large plug or plastic that resembles a troutski. Also, the biggest stripers tend to be caught at night, or in the low light conditions of early morning or late evening.
During the daytime, about the best way to get stripers is vertical jigging in deeper channels...or yo-yoing a big jig up through them if they are suspended over deeper water...to stimulate a reaction bite. When they move shallow to feed, they will sometimes chase trout, shad or other baitfish right onto the bank. If you need a heart stimulant, just position your tube somewhere near where a big old striper kills a rainbow on the surface. It's like someone throwing a Volkswagen into the water.
As I understand it, there are some big stripers in Silverwood, but the average is not too big. If you are after a trophy from your tube, go north. There are many areas in the Delta, where the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems converge to the east of San Francisco, that can produce good sized stripers...at certain times of the year. Timing is important. Usually the "spring fling" is your best shot at a 40 plus pounder. I have taken several in that bracket from the mouth of the American River, in Sacramento, down to Rio Vista.
The problem with fishing the rivers is that you have to find a spot to get out of the main flow to fish them with your tube. Either that, or float them with a two vehicle buddy system. Casting big-lipped jointed Rapalas next to the bank, while floating downstream on the Sacramento, can get you into some gorillas in the spring.
Probably your best shot at big stripers from a tube is the ONeill Forebay, a holding reservoir on the California Aquaduct system near Los Banos. There have been quite a few stripers over 50 pounds taken from there...from float tubes and pontoons. Some of the biggest have actually been taken on flies.
Hope this helps. Stop over and visit us on the float tubing board of BFT.
TubeDude
[signature]
During the daytime, about the best way to get stripers is vertical jigging in deeper channels...or yo-yoing a big jig up through them if they are suspended over deeper water...to stimulate a reaction bite. When they move shallow to feed, they will sometimes chase trout, shad or other baitfish right onto the bank. If you need a heart stimulant, just position your tube somewhere near where a big old striper kills a rainbow on the surface. It's like someone throwing a Volkswagen into the water.
As I understand it, there are some big stripers in Silverwood, but the average is not too big. If you are after a trophy from your tube, go north. There are many areas in the Delta, where the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems converge to the east of San Francisco, that can produce good sized stripers...at certain times of the year. Timing is important. Usually the "spring fling" is your best shot at a 40 plus pounder. I have taken several in that bracket from the mouth of the American River, in Sacramento, down to Rio Vista.
The problem with fishing the rivers is that you have to find a spot to get out of the main flow to fish them with your tube. Either that, or float them with a two vehicle buddy system. Casting big-lipped jointed Rapalas next to the bank, while floating downstream on the Sacramento, can get you into some gorillas in the spring.
Probably your best shot at big stripers from a tube is the ONeill Forebay, a holding reservoir on the California Aquaduct system near Los Banos. There have been quite a few stripers over 50 pounds taken from there...from float tubes and pontoons. Some of the biggest have actually been taken on flies.
Hope this helps. Stop over and visit us on the float tubing board of BFT.
TubeDude
[signature]