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Sorry for asking a question about an oversized crappie, but I'll be taking my Dad to Beaver Lake this weekend for his birthday. We'd like to catch some stripers on our own before we hook up with our guide on Monday. Does anyone have some tips or tackle suggestions for us? We're not new to fishing by any means, but we're definitely new to stripers so your advice is much appreciated.
Thanks! :D
PointerMan, here's a good pointer.....(from J.T. Crappie Guide)
If you troll umbrella rigs with 3"-4" white curl tails at point 8 near rocky branch park you should catch some big stripers. :D
Now, I have caught many in my days as an "novice striper fisherman" on Beaver Lake, I've always had luck with those HUGE brude (brood) minnows and trolling them in and out of the edge of the river channel where the drops are near Hickory Creek (south of hwy 12 bridge as far as point 12) just troll in the mouth of the coves and back out and you should be sure to get a good fish or two....(might even catch some white bass this time of year....5 to 6 lb. sow sure is fun to reel in!!!) Good luck, we'll be having crappie camp, why don't you swing by horseshoe bend and say hello??? We have sites already reserved, bring a tent and make a camping w/e of it?
Minnowman
Umbrella rigs with 3" white curl tails on 3/8 oz jigheads should do the trick.
Fish have been by fords creek and ceder creek as of late.
good luck!
Wow, thanks guys! We've heard about the umbrella rigs, but I've never fished them myself - yet! Do the stripers hang out around the surface, or are they deeper by nature? I'm guessing that they're like every other fish and are unpredictable.
I read about the crappie camp and we may swing by. We're staying in a cabin down there because my dad has had his share of tents... :D
Thanks again!
If you get there early enough the Striper bust the surface. Use a shad lookin red-fin or a large zara spook ad cast toward the bank around the large point and ajacent gravel flat across from point 8 just west of Fords Creek.Quote:
Originally Posted by PointerMan
Most fish should be 10' to 25' deep later in the a.m., perfect for umbrella rigs!
Post your pics, I'd love to see them!
YES! Post pictures....if you get the chance swing by the camp...if you cannot find us give me a call.....(479) 212-0724.....my name is Caleb and I wish you luck! (Striper are VERY boatshy....if trolling it's not likely they'll be up around the boat much!)Quote:
Originally Posted by J.T. Crappie Guide
I'll try to post pictures when we get back. Thanks again to all of you for your detailed tips. They have given us a MUCH better start than you can imagine! One last question - do you troll with your big motor or your trolling motor? If the fish are THAT shy are there any other tips I should know about? Do crankbaits or spoons work with/without dipsy divers?
Minnowman, thanks for the invite. I'll try to find you guys once we get settled and get our bearings.
This place rocks!
Most of the guides use trolling motors with live bait and big motors with umbrella rigs. You may have to play a bit to find what works best!Quote:
Originally Posted by PointerMan
J.T. are they using down riggers to get the umbrellas down or letting a lot of line out
No, they haven't been that deep.Quote:
Originally Posted by barn dog
Well fellas, I'd post pictures of the stripers we caught, but we didn't catch any. Zero, zilch. We even had a guide take us out on Monday and we trolled live shad, but we couldn't get the fish to bite. We did catch a few spotted bass and a white bass, but that was all.
Even so, that's an incredible lake. Water clarity & depth left me in awe the whole time I was there. I'll be back, that's for sure.
Thanks again to everyone for your tips and info. You guys were a huge help and it's much appreciated.
Sorry about your misfortune with the stripers. I hope that doesn't deture you from coming back and trying again. I have always had good luck in October. Who was the guide that took you out?
Well....you win some you lose some....we probably passed you a few times. JT and I were out last night and we were using livebait under lights up until about midnight thirty.....I caught one TINY striper on a live minnow....fished about 20 feet down in a calm pocket (not really a cove)....it was fun....wish you would have had more luck fishing. I bet the cold weather over last w/e has gotten the eating patterns off....that's what I figure. Who did you use for a Guide Service? You are right about Beaver Lake, I've been a TON of places but this place is just almost majestic, really it is. MM
We went out with Beaver Fever striper guides. It figures that yesterday morning they caught a 42 pounder... :eek: Oh well. That's why they call it fishing and not catching.
We ended trolling around marker #8 and the flats across the lake from it. We also fished along the bluff next to Rocky Bridge marina. We marked the fish, but they just weren't biting.
We'll be back as soon as we can figure out our vacation schedules.
Thanks again!