School Me on Stripers

[BigBass123]

I’ll be moving back to Georgia and my biggest regret last time I was here was never targeting stripers. Definitely need to catch one this time.

I’ll be fishing out of a 14’ Jon boat, has electronics, and have pretty much any and all bass tackle you could imagine.

Based on what I’ve read, searching for humps near creek channels/main river channels and then locating schools with electronics seems to be how I would approach it. Is there a specific depth they like to stage or does that change with the seasons?

Once I found a school I’d try dropping spoons or yo-yoing rattle traps. Is this a good approach or would y’all recommend focusing on trolling with live bait or maybe even an A-rig?

Will my heavier bass rods work or do I need to step up my gear?

I’d be within an hour of Allatoona, Carters, and Weiss so those are the three I’d probably fish the most. Seems like Carter and Weiss are the better of the three.

 

[Dustin Pate]

That’s a ton of information to unpack at once. I’ll go ahead and say that spending the money on a trip or three with a local guide will put you well on your way. There are also tons of good videos on YouTube.

 

[Liquid nails]

My vote would be stop now while you’re ahead. All the hours researching, waking up at 3am, money blown on bait, money blown on tackle, money blown on boat, money blown on rods, money blown on reels, gas to get there, there’s always a new invention to buy, build a home bait tank, then you need a chiller for home bait tank to cool it in the summer,

It’s a disease and I love every minute of it. Time on the water is my vote. There’s no right or wrong way to catch them. I’m a live bait guy. I could hold all my artificial’s I have for these fish in one hand. But, I’ve seen studs caught on them also. Fished for them for 35 years and still haven’t figured them out.

 

[ryork]

Agree with all the above. Would also suggest given you've got a 14 ft jon boat that spending some time in the rivers and/or upper ends of reservoirs targeting them would be time well spent. I prefer fishing rivers for them, seem to be larger fish on average and for me anyhow easier to pinpoint locations.

 

[BigBass123]

Agree with all the above. Would also suggest given you've got a 14 ft jon boat that spending some time in the rivers and/or upper ends of reservoirs targeting them would be time well spent. I prefer fishing rivers for them, seem to be larger fish on average and for me anyhow easier to pinpoint locations.

When targeting them in rivers, what are you keying in on?

 

[Rabun]

I like winter Striper fishing. Usually this time of year I freeline medium to large shiners middle to backs of larger creeks. Put split shot on a couple of lines to cover more water column. Shiners are easy to keep alive this time of year. I fish Lanier

 

[charlie81]

Fish dock lights at night with a crankbait

 

[ryork]

Do

When targeting them in rivers, what are you keying in on?

Creek mouths, sandbars, deep holes and current breaks like bends that deflect the flow etc. I like lake fishing too.

 

[kennybryan]

Got ro find BAIT. Side Scan technology can see 300 feet each way and this makes hunting schools of bait and Stripers. Stripers swim 4 to 7 miles a day looking for food daily.