Inland Stripes

[Peter E.]

Hey Folks,

I was wondering how many of you fish for striped bass in inland waters. I was also wondering if y’all might have any advice for these fish, especially when the move up into feeder creeks and small rivers to spawn.

I have always just found spots where the stripes could push schools of shad onto shoals and soap stone walls and feed on them fairly close to the surface. This works the best during our may fly hatch because in the evenings the large shad or skip jack, rise to feed on the spent may flies and the stripes take advantage of these fish.

The biggest problem with this is that our water is over 80 degrees during this time and we have an 80% mortality rate on these fish. So I’m trying to find better ways to catch these fish.

Thanks guys,
Peter E.

[craig phillips]

When our rivers don’t get blown out by spring rains, as it looks like they might have been this year, we get a hybrid stripers on a false spawning run.

I fish them with an 8wt TFO Signature Series (a little slower) and an SA 250g streamer express sinking line.

[Gary Sundin]

I really enjoy fishing for spring running linesides, though I don’t claim great expertise.  An obvious place to fish is behind total or partial barriers like shoals or dams.  In rivers with steep, rocky shoals the fish will tend to stack around the base of the shoals right beneath the runs with the greatest volume of flow.  I like to stand upstream and swing and dangle down along the edge of the fastest water.  Another typical hangout on southern flows is behind a flat or sandbar where the river runs over a shallow bar into a deep pool.  Swing a fly down to come tight just beyond the edge of the bar and fish will come up from the deep to grab it.  Stripers respond better to slow retrieves in my experience.  When you find fish in a place, remember it forever.  I’m always impressed with how some little eddy or chute will always hold fish, when other similar-appearing habitats nearby never do.  I usually use 2-4” white and dark clousers, with gray/white my favorite.  In slower water I like EP baitfish-style flies in gray/white.  While running fish can be a little less picky, stripers don’t like sun as a rule.  Fishing is always better dawn and dusk.

G

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