Please advise if anyone is catching Stripers up in the Clarksville,Bluestone area.
I thought that Kerr lake was renound for the Striper fishing.
I came up once 15 years ago with a 25'WellCraft 454
above water exhaust trolled Rebels and caught a 12lb'er and several White Bass my first time out....
Now I bought a new decked out Center Console and 13 new Penn and Ambassaor Reels I can't buy a Striped Bass......Dude what gives.
I read this report everyday and it seem's no one really talks about this illusive Trophy Fish.....
Please give this old Army Vet some advise.
And Thanx to you wheen you do!!!!
Can't help ya much with the plugs and rubber stuff, but if you was to get a castnet, and a bait tank, Stripers will be coming back (already are) from the rivers and will be in the area of Clarksville and Bluestone coming back into the main lake. A lot of Stripers never leave the main body of the lake. From there onto Grassy, Ivy Hill and then to the Dam area. Mark schools on your graph and downline shad 1-2 ft above the marks. Pull freelined shad on planer boards right against the bank over shoals and shallow points at first light until the sun hits the water, then drop bait down to marked fish. Hope this helps.
Striper fishermen are very tight lipped. But I understand. They travel extensively and you have to really stay after them to be able to consistently catch them. Linesider gives great advice on general locations and techniques.
If it were me, I would use shad, shad and more shad. Look for main lake points and fish freelines in the mornings. Shallow is the key. Don't expect to mark stripers in <10 feet of water. Look for structure. Later in the day look in deeper water and use down lines. I would look for fish in 20-30 feet deep water. If you find bait balls, start looking at that depth on points. Stripers will follow the bait.
99% OF THE TIME I TROLL. I HAVE NOT BEEN THIS YEAR, BUT FROM PAST YEARS, I'D START ABOVE IVEY HILL TROLLING TOWARDS GOAT ISLAND. I'D TROLL REBELS, CISCO KIDS, WHITE BUCK TAILS WITH GREEN OR BLUE TAILS. WHEN YOU FIND OUT WHAT THE FISH WANT, SWITCH EVERYTHING TO THAT BAIT OR IF YOU PULL ENOUGH RODS, LEAVE THEM MIXED UP. WITH THE HEAT PREDICTED FOR THIS WEEKEND, THE FISH SHOULD START SCHOOLING UP. IF YOU HAVE A VHF RADIO, USE CHANNEL 68 AND THE STRIPER FISHERMEN SHOULD HELP YOU OUT. I KNOW IF I WERE FISHING THIS WEEKEND, AND I GOT ON FISH, EVERY PERSON THAT HAD A RADIO WOULD KNOW WHERE I WAS. GOOD LUCK. SETTER
We were up Wed PM in Grassy Ck. Caught one striper - a keeper. a few other folks around us caught one as well. They seem to be starting to show up, but not a lot of action yet. We were using large minnows and trolling (didn;t have a chance to get shad). I may be up near buffalo and bluestone this weekend and may try again. Good luck!
I HAD A REPORT THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF SHAD AT THE NEW BRIDGE. IF THAT IS TRUE, SOMEONE SHOULD BE CATCHING THEM THERE THIS WEEKEND. GOOD LUCK TO ALL. SETTER
Do most moniter 68 on Kerr or Gaston? I have heard very little chatter on the radio at these lakes. But then again I mostly fish around Virginia Beach and the radio is jammed with people talking.
JASON, AS FAR AS I KNOW MOST FISHERMEN MONITOR 68. SOME LOCALS GO TO 72 OR 71. AT GASTON, THE LOCALS DON'T PUT THERE BOATS IN THE WATER UNTIL SOMEONE CATCHES A FISH. IT'S CRAZY, WHEN THINGS GET GOING, ITS ALMOST TOO LATE. BELIEVE ME, IF I GET ON THEM, WHETHER GASTON OR KERR, YOU WILL KNOW. I DON'T FISH AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE, BUT WHEN I DO, I TURN IT ON.
I GIVE IT EVERYTHING I'VE GOT. THE GOOD LORD HAS GIVEN ME A GIFT OF FINDING FISH AND EVERYONE IN HEARING DISTANCE WILL KNOW WHERE I'M FISHING. IF I SAY COME, YOU'D BETTER BELIEVE IT. ASK FIREBALL.
GREAT FISHING, SETTER
