Striper Fishing in Alabama
Published by host September 19th, 2007 in Fishing Vacations Tags: Fishing Vacations, Striper Fishing.If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
By Barry Brasher
Let me start by saying these are the meanest fish in the lake. Stripers school just like all others - except these fish are eating machines. They will eat anything that crosses their path if presented the right way, so let’s start out in the winter.
Stripers love cold water and in the colder months of winter these fish can be found all over lakes in deep or shallow water. When located, one of the best ways of catching these monsters is a simple sassy shad rigged with a quarter ounce or half ounce jighead depending how deep the fish are. The best way to locate stripe is to be there early in the morning or late in the afternoon, because they will surface to feed on shad. Be alert to the seagulls. They will feed on the shad and the stripe will run to the top. If you see a bunch of these birds diving into the water there will probably be stripe schooling there. Be careful when running to this action because the stripers will go down and be a lot harder to catch. Get close with your big motor then get in closer with your trolling motor. If they are still surfacing, throw the sassy shad where they are, and just use a stop and go retrieve. Be ready when you stop and let the bait drop, that is when the stripe hit. If you didn’t get to the fish before they went down, throw to where you saw the fish and let it go to the bottom. Work it in the same fashion, stop and go, and be ready on the fall. I have seen these fish school in fifty feet of water, so be patient. It might take a while to locate the school again because they are always on the move to find food. When you have located an area that stripe are in, they will stay close for weeks. So go back often to these spots at the same time of day and you will be amazed.
As the water gets warmer during early spring, which is around February through April, it is time to move upriver to the mouths of creeks and below the dams. The technique we will be fishing is basically the same except with a twist. If I were fishing the mouths of creeks it would be with crankbaits and sassy shads. As you move closer to the dams then live shad come into play. So when stripe fishing be prepared for anything. Run up to the tailrace water running through the dam. See how many turbines the power company is using that day. This will determine where the fish will be located. Basically, what you will be doing is what everybody else is doing - running up toward the dam and drifting back. This is a very interesting way of fishing and very dangerous. You have to wear a life preserver at all times when fishing below a dam. Now having said all this lets rig for fishing. You will need: a three-way swivel, a number 2/0 or 3/0 hook, and anywhere from a half ounce to one ounce weight. You want to use a two-foot leader from swivel to weight and about a one-foot leader to a hook. Now all that’s left to do is put the shad on, let it fall to the bottom, and wait for the bite as you drift. I’m not real big on this type fishing unless I go with someone very knowledgeable about it.
So lets move on to summertime. This is where I am most proficient. From June until September we will be fishing the creeks. The main thing to this type of stripe fishing is to be able to keep your shad alive. The best combination I have found that is simple and easy to do is rock salt and ice. Always use a round tank to keep them from butting into the walls of the tank and killing themselves. A good pump will keep the tank oxygenated. So, let’s go fishing! All we’re going to need is hooks and corks. I like to use number 2/0 or 3/0 hook and a cork colored cork “brown”. When using just a hook, stick the shad in the nose holes and throw it out toward the bank. The fish can be located in 20 foot of water up to3 foot of water. I like using a cork in any water less than six foot deep. This keeps the shad from burring up in the bottom of the river and killing themselves or tangling up on rocks or limbs. When fishing these creeks you want to move to the upper ends of the creeks or the shoals where the water will be cooler. Like I said, stripe love cold water. They move into these creeks in search of food and cool water.
Barry Brasher is an avid fisherman on Logan Martin and other Alabama lakes. He is also co-owner of BamaBassFishing.com, a popular website devoted to bass fishing in Alabama.
Thanks for the great article. Never fished in Alabama but this info will be helpful when I go there in the future.
MESQUITE, TX — Cover Your Bass introduces “The Bassroom” the complete portable privacy system that allows you to spend more time on the water fishing by eliminating those inconvenient moments.
Cover Your Bass is the culmination of research and development from innovators Matt and Kirk Smith, a father/son team of fishermen from Texas, who have created the ultimate portable bass boat bathroom. The Bassroom system fits on most fishing boats.
Aptly named “The Bassroom” this ingenious product fills the need for a portable bathroom system in a market that has been overlooked and neglected for years. With privacy concerns and today’s current “eco-friendly” movements, the Bassroom virtually eliminates the possibility of over-exposure from your boat while providing an environmentally safe alternative to lengthy trips back to the loading dock.
“We’ve created this product to fill a void that currently exists in today’s fishing arena” said Matt Smith, owner and creator of The Bassroom. “In today’s world you never know who has a camera or video phone and would enjoy the 10 minutes of fame by posting a video of you “caught in the act” on YouTube or similar social network websites. The price, privacy, and function of The Bassroom provides security and comfort for much less than the cost of embarrassment or possible legal fees for over-exposure while on the lake.” says Smith.
The entire Bassroom system is stored in a handy transportation bag that can easily be tucked away in your boat until needed. With a total setup time of approximately a minute, you can quickly construct your Bassroom in times of an emergency and leave the unit assembled while you continue fishing or simply fold down and store.
Although created specifically with fishing in mind, the Bassroom is gaining popularity with hikers, campers, bikers, and tailgaters who find the ease of transport and privacy a welcome addition to their trips. The Bassroom can be set up on a boat, the back of a truck, or on the ground - providing a portable bathroom almost anywhere.
“The feedback we have received from customers has shown a wide demographic range from young adventurers to Pro Anglers. The Bassroom is great for privacy, shade and rain shield for the entire family, including pets.” says Smith. Customers say the Bassroom is also great to take to tailgate parties and may become the must have
tailgating accessory.
The Bassroom system itself consists of 190T polyester material with access doors on both the front and back equipped with over-sized zippers for easy handling. The polyester is waterproof and flame-proof to assure safety and comfort. The waste disposal bags contained in the full Bassroom system are convenient zip-up bags constructed of a sturdy 2 mil plastic material which effectively and safely handle the waste storage and transporting.
Currently priced at $119.95 plus $10.00 shipping U.S. for the entire system, the Bassroom will provide years of service with proper handling and storage. Visit www.coveryourbass.com for more purchase details, videos, and product reviews from the experts.
Cover Your Bass (www.coveryourbass.com) Home of the Bassroom is located in Mesquite, Texas providing portable privacy for your boat. 1-972-849-4868.
One of the purposes of the Bassroom System is to protect and improve the quality of our waters by providing recreational boaters and anglers with a convenient alternative to the overboard discharge of boat sewage.
Clean water is important to all of us. Two ways for recreational boaters to improve water quality is to stop the overboard discharge of sewage and never use lake
shoreline as a bathroom.
Sewage discharges are unsightly and contain disease causing microorganisms. Bacteria and viruses can contaminate areas used for swimming, skiing, and fishing. The decaying sewage can also degrade aquatic habitats by reducing oxygen levels.
Be part of the solution:
Do not use lake shoreline as a bathroom.
Use the Bassroom System when out on the water.
Dispose of waste from portable toilets and on-board holding tanks properly.
Don’t throw anything overboard.
Bring cut fishing line ashore.
Avoid discharging bilge waste into the water.
Be careful in fueling — try to prevent oil and fuel spills.