use a lure that is about 6 inches long.
The retrieve would also be very slow,
with your rod tip down (very important
to the action in both methods).
I can feel the lure dig against the
side of the point as I retrieve it. If it
hangs, I just stop the retrieve and
let the rod tip ease back; the lure
will float out of the hang, and then
I continue the retrieve. When the
strike comes, you won’t see or hear
it, but you will certainly “feel” it! It will
seem as though the fish was trying
to pull your arm off -- a great strike!
As a seasoned angler, you might not
expect to get so worked-up over yet
another Striped Bass. Trust me, it
never gets old.
You must be careful when landing
the fish because they thrash around,
and if you are not careful, you can be
“hooked”, and not in a good way. I
had a client that was hooked (by the
hook), and I could not get the hook
out of his finger. He was so excited
that he told me he was not going to
leave this kind of fishing, so I cut the
hook in half with my wire cutters, and
let him continue fishing until the fish
quit hitting. Then we took him to the
hospital to get the rest of the hook
removed. That’s passion!
Another time there was a woman
in our party who was on her first
fishing trip. A fish struck, and shot
right at the boat! The night was so
quiet that when the water exploded,
she almost jumped out of the boat.
Fish have exploded next to the boat,
following a lure, and I have heard
men called it “heart-attack time”;
this will get your attention! Many have
told me that this is the most exciting
fishing they have ever done! On more
than one occasion, I have heard the
experience compared favorably to
romantic intimacy. That may be a bit
enthusiastic, but it underlines the
point!
Try “Stripers on the night shift” in
the spring – you’ll never regret it!
Nighttime Techniques
• Be aware of the safety and
legal risks-but most anglers go after
nighttime stripers in total blackout
conditions. But remember the fish is
only a fish and - although some might
seem to disagree-it is hardly worth
risking one’s life over. Stay out of the
main flow of traffic and be ready to
turn on your lights when you hear a
boat approaching
• Minimize your disturbance of
the Striper’s environment. “The more
you run your trolling motor-the more
you are going to spook the fish.
• On dark nights retrieve with
a top water lure. On a moonlit night,
retrieve a deep running lure. Always
retrieve slowly. Dark nights cast to the
shore. On moonlit nights cast to the
side of a point to deep water.
• Spring floods keep many
anglers off the lake. You need to
be careful of floating trash, but the
fishing is good – I have caught fish off
people’s lawns.
Don’t forget daytime stripers!
Nighttime fishing is fantastic,
you can also have success in the
daytime. When the fish are hitting on
the surface, use the same Redfin that
you would use on a dark night or use a
“broom stick” lure like a Rock Buster
(popper) to make for some good
exciting fishing. The same deepwater
plugs would also be good along the
banks and points at dawn! Of course
a bucktail jig (dress it as you like it)
is a worthy opponent to the striper.
I like 3/8 or 1/2 oz. size with white
hair and a green, red or chartreuse
feather. You’ll find some good lead
head jigs dressed with soft plastic of
many types at a well-stocked tackle
dealer.
A last thought: The technique
used for nighttime stripers works also
for Bass and Walleye. Once again, the
best time is April 21 to July 1. Fish
from 9 PM until 2 AM ( the best time
is usually between midnight and 2
AM). After that, fish a top water lure
(such as a Redfin) along the shoreline
for bass until dawn.
Good luck and take
a kid fishing!
~Bob King
Fishing Continued...
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