This year I have been trying a new technique for catching stripers. In the past I have always used bait that I could catch in the area that I was fishing, most of the time it was 4 to 6 inch threadfin or gizzard shad. The new method involves catching large hickory shad (river herring) some weighing in just under 2 lbs. and up to 16 inches long with a rod and reel from one area, usually below Ft. Loudon dam and transporting them to another body of water to fish. These fish are very finicky and will usually die quickly.
The new technique involves a large bait tank usually 50 gallon with a filter system. This by itself will keep the smaller bait alive. But for these bigger baits some addition precautions must be made. First salt is added to the water: 1 pound per 25 gallons of water. Next an oxygen tank is required to add additional oxygen to the water. Then a fish tranquilizer is added to keep the bait from getting stressed. Last an ammonia neutralizer is added. If the water temperature gets above 78 degrees ice must be added. This sounds like a lot of trouble, but from what I have experienced it is well worth the extra effort.
We generally fish with a 7 foot heavy action bait casting rig spooled with 30lb test or heaver, so that you are able to turn the fish from the structure that they are hidden in. We often use a balloon as a float to be able to keep up with the location of your bait or free lining your bait seems to work as well.
On several of the trips I have been amazed by the number of smaller fish averaging 12lbs, that will follow the bait around, causing the bait to become active and jump completely out of the water trying to escape, this chase can last several minute. The smaller fish will strike the bait with no intensions of eating it, almost like they are playing. Just when you are about to give up your bait it will disappear into the belly of a large striper or get tossed a foot out of the water. Most of the fish you do catch will weigh over 20 lbs.
A new technique that has been very successful and named by my friends from Ohio, is called Pay Laking. It is given this name because of a practice that is used in the small lakes up north, which you pay to fish in. If someone catches a fish or two in one area of the lake all the other fisherman will move as close to them as possible casting in the same spot. Our version of this is for one person to have an artificial lure tied on to a rig ready to be casted towards the fish chasing the live bait. The fish are so tuned in on feeding that a lure placed close to the fish will usually provoke a strike.
The last several trips using the live bait method we have boated on average 5 fish per trip, with several strikes and a few breakoffs. Recently some friends from Ohio came in to visit family. We managed to fish 3 times. Two of the times we used live bait boating five fish per trip. On the third trip we fished from daylight until 8:30am with top water lures. We boated 11 stripers averaging about 14 lbs., with a few pushing 18 lbs.
Take someone fishing, Greg
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