Thread: Winter Striper Tactics?

So...at what temps do you guys get back on the lake after the linesides? Are you live bait, cut bait, or lure fishing? Planerboards, tightlines, or trolling with the bait on/near the top? Also, what is the tipical speed if trolling is the name of the wintertime game?

This will be my first year of going after the stripers during the winter. June and July we did alright mainly fishing tightlines down near the bottom in 30' of water. Caught some freelining live bait aabout 25' or so behind the boat while slow trolling too. I'm just wondering if the tactics change much after the water temps change. I'm assuming I will still be looking for the fish in the same areas as during the summer months or do I look shallow? Thanks guys!

I plan to slow troll a " Rattle Trap , shad " , worked for me off the dock casting.........
don`t know if they are up in the river or not but trying today..........

i didn't get to go a lot last year but when i did we used an assortment of different lures but the ones we did best on we had painted our self's we painted them white and red the front 1/4 red and the back 3/4 was white clear coated them then after the dried really well we would spray them with attractant usually shad scent and just retrieved them slow same as summer to us it seemed cloudy overcast days produced more and bigger fish we most always fish a lock/dam roller system they really like the high concentration of oxygen we also used black salty s a live bait i ordered and kept in the bait tank made from and old broken freezer i acquired at a recycling place near me and when we could we used shad whole and cut any part they didn't seem to be particular picky like they are in the summer the only thing was SLOW SLOW SLOW SLOW hope this is of some kind of help i know i will be doing this again this here soon hoping to break the 30# mark this season

the ones in the Chesapeake Bay really turn on on mid 50's water temp- cant really say for the landlocked ones

Here is how they stack up in just about 3 more weeks.........

Where do you look for them in the winter time? I know we catch them here on the Tn river. Until the water temps hit 55 degrees then the bait leaves the dam. And so do the striper's.
In a river system, where would everyone look for them?
Also anyone fish for them with floats? I have been using one of these 4" floats and under them Wild Wolf Products

the 4" fatkat bobbers will hold up a 2 lb shipjack or shad and plenty of sinker also.
They work great fishing the turbines at Pickwick dam.
pete

Originally Posted by RACN35

the ones in the Chesapeake Bay really turn on on mid 50's water temp- cant really say for the landlocked ones

Here is how they stack up in just about 3 more weeks.........

About all I can say from those pics is....WOW!!!!! Finding fish like that would make me forget about hunting!

So I guess you will really crap when you see whats on its way to my front yard.......

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Yo Dn.liner here. I use two main tatics in winter months. Early morning I will pull freelines, or on a overcast day I will fish the free lines all day mainly in water 1 to 20 ft. deep. My main attack is down lines with live bait. I like to put out at least 6 live bait rods when down lining.

Originally Posted by RACN35

So I guess you will really crap when you see whats on its way to my front yard.......

Fishing Blog Fly Fishing Blog by Lateral Line, Saltwater Fishing Blog covering Fishing Reports, Striped Bass Fishing, Fisheries Conservation, Fishing Travel, and Fishing Journal Montauk Fishing Reports

Holy crap talking about busting the surface.

We stayed just long enough to get 3 fish last night. 42,44 and 45 1/2 .........