Fall Striper Fishing
by Ken Sturdivant
Southern Fishing Schools Inc.
Stripers in the fall can be a great
way to have a chance to catch a really big fish. And yet with all the
information available on this great salt water giant, many anglers
give up. But during
the early fall and winter months, stripers are very hungry and will
attack almost anything that resembles food. As soon as the lakes in the
south
go through "turnover", the striper is already looking for lots of food.
The turnover effect occurs when the cooler water below the surface
of the lakes, floats to the surface. This cooler water mixes with the
surface
water and all the depths of the lake will be the same temperature.
Over the last few years, many striper experts and guides have learned
to pattern
these great fish. And what they have learned can benefit all anglers
looking for a really great experience.
The striper goes through a lot of stress
and looses a great deal of weight every summer. These are transplanted
fish and they are not accustom to such weight loss. Once the waters begin
to cool down, these fish being very sensitive to temperatures, and begin
to feed. But a lot of anglers may not know this is happening unless these
fish chase shad to the surface and marauding stripers are seen and caught
on the surface.
Stripers are also very sensitive to light and in the
fall and winter months, these fish will feed a lot a night. The striper
spends
almost all of the summer months in the deeper parts of the lakes because
these deeper waters are cooler. Once the cooling water moves in, the
males are the first ones to move shallow at night and early in the day
to feed.
The larger females will stay off the banks until the water temperature
drops in the mid to lower 60's. This is when the dinner bell rings and
lots of bigger fish move shallow to feed on any and everything in sight.
The striper will head from the standing timber in most lakes up to the
closest point of land. This point is almost always very long and they
use it as a highway back and forth looking for food. In the fall, there
are
lots of windy days as fronts cross the area. And the wind can be the
striper fisherman's best friend.
The huge schools of bait fish in most
lakes are
not capable of fighting the high winds, and the stripers know to look
for this to happen. The bait fish are pushed into coves, cuts and across
points
in huge schools. The days that the wind does not blow may not be as productive
as the shad will move from their forced locations. When the time is right
and the stripers head into the shallows for food, the shelter of darkness
gives these fish lots of advantages over the bait fish. The striper has
a very keen sense of smell and hearing. This fish can find food in the
dark just from the movement of a school of shad moving through the water.
And once the shad are located, these fish will tear a school up in short
order.
For the beginning striper angler after a great fish
there are a few important things to keep in mind. The nights in the fall
and winter
months offer lots of hazards on the water. It is bet to fish with a
partner, and never alone. Also the clothing for these cold nights needs
as much
attention as the tackle. Warm boots and socks and even a snow mobile
suit
can make this trip bearable. And don't forget a warm hat. The tackle
can be as simple as a strong heavy duty bait casting rod and 20 pound
test
line. These fish cannot see the line and the size of the line is not
as critical as finding the fish to start with. Lures can be large buck
tail
jigs
and large long lures for casting. The Bomber
Long "A" style lures in many colors can produce a strike.
Once all the gear
is ready, be sure the lights on the boat work. The rule is you must have
a light
on at night at all times. So hit the water an hour before dark and let your
eyes get use to the darkness as it falls and head for the windy blown banks.
Big stripers
are out there for the
avid angler.
