JASON, SOMETIMES, LOCAL FISHERMAN STAY OFF THE 2 WAY. ITS NOT LIKE SALT WATER FISHERMAN. SOMETIMES, LOCALS JUST SAY SMALL STUFF. ON SALT WATER, IT SEEMS THEY GO BALISTIC. WHAT EVER HAPPENS, EVERYONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHERE ACTION IS TAKING PLACE. I LOVE TO FISH KERR. HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR AT LEAST 35 YEARS. I LOVE TO CATCH FISH, BUT IF I DON'T BIG DEAL; I'LL TRY ANOTHER DAY. SOME LOCALS LOVE TO LIVE BAIT FISH. GREAT!!!!
I LOVE TO TROLL.I FEEL, IF I CATCH STRIPERS TROLLING WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IS LIVE BAIT FISHING, JUST MAYBE I PRESENTED A BAIT THAT A STRIPER THINKS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE REGULAR SHAD. ON MY BOAT, I USUALLY PULL 8 RODS, 2 BAITS PER ROD. IT MAKES ME THINK MAYBE A SCHOOL OF BAIT IS COMING THROUGH THE AREA.I'VE HAD ONE FISH ON, AND I'VE HAD 16 FISH ON AT ONE TIME. IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, FISHING IS A SPORT. YOU WIN SOME, AND YOU LOSE SOME. THE BIGGEST THING I ENJOY IS BEING ABLE TO FISH WITH A GROUP OF GUYS THAT WILL WORK WITH YOU. MOST STRIPER FISHERMEN WILL. THE EXCITEMENT WILL DRIVE YOU CRAZY. IF IT DOESN'T, PLEASE STAY HOME. PERSONALLY, I LOVE IT. SETTER

Well said!

wow setter thats a bunch of lines and i just cant imagine 16 fish at one time what a heart attack but sounds great how do you keep all your lines seperate and what kind of different plugs or jigs do you use? and how far is each line from the boat? but i am with you when i catch a fish i hollar on the 2 way an let everyone know where the fish are at i just like being friendly but yes i can troll all day no fish o well enjoyed a nice day on the water i dont get to go often as i would like i have a boat with nothing to pull it with so i make it up to kerr at least once a year i love it there i go to badin lake which is local to me but again not many times a year in fact havent been at all this year but the Lord will provide some day i love them striper i troll with 4 rods and have been tempted to add 2 more with planers on them but sometimes i like to use the kiss method (keep it simple scout)well any info you can share is much appreciated thanks

Rowboat,
I use 4 downriggers and 4 leadcore. When I pull that many rods, I'm pulling double bucktails. One rod may have a 1/2 oz. and a 1 oz. bucktail. I start the first leadcore at 4 colors, the next rod at 5 colors and so on. Do the same with the downriggers. Maybe I'll start the first at 20 feet and stagger them to maybe 35 feet depending on the water depth. Once in a while, I'll catch a small catfish and sometimes they start to spin, especially on a downrigger. Thats when sometimes I have a problem. I fish out of a old 21'Dixie that I bought in 1987. Set it up for striper fishing and still love doing it to this day. Like you, I haven't been this year. I'll be going hopefully in a week or two. If I catch one great. If not, I still enjoy the water and the fellowship. To me it doesn't get any better.

Setter,

For the most part I agree with you (I think). I love to catch fish. It doesn't matter if I am trolling, fishing live bait, topwater, etc. There is nothing better than being outdoors and enjoying what God has given us. For the most part I fish live bait, but I also troll umbrella rigs on lead core.

I typically won't call someone over to where I am, but I will more than freely tell you or anyone that asks how I am fishing and the type of structure I am fishing. I learned to striper fish from several people who shared their knowledge with me and now I will share with others just as was done for me. To me fishing is not about who catches the biggest or most, but more about enjoying what we have been given.

I think I will be at Kerr the second weekend in June (2 weeks). I'll be sure to give you a shout.

Jason