striper live bait fishing questions

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Crosshairy

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I have little experience fishing for stripers in general. I've only targeted them specifically once, and struck out at that time. I've only caught them by chance while white bass fishing, and never bigger than a couple of pounds.

This week (probably Friday) I'm planning on going to the Pickwick tailrace with my brother (who tells a similar story about his experience with them). My general plan is to spend a big chunk of time on our trip going after the big ones, while trying to pull together the makings of a white bass fish fry on the side. On to the questions...

In my last attempt at fishing for them with live bait, we used 3-way swivels with heavier line running to the hook, and a ~1.5 oz egg sinker for weight. I was wondering whether anyone had better experience with that method, or a "carolina rig" style weight and a barrel swivel in-line with the hook.

Also, I planned on trying to bring a few small live bream along for bait, and do my best to catch some shad with a cast net while we're there (although I've never done that either!!). Is it a "must" that I get some shad, or have any of you had good luck with bream?

I'd welcome any other advice you can give. I'm mostly just wanting to try something new and have a memorable adventure with my brother.
 
They will hit the bream but prefer shad esp fishing tailwaters as its not really a bream dominate area. I would try what you have alread mentioned as well as just a plain hook with a shad. Good luck first light and last light is the magic time!
 
the bream will catch fish. generally with live bait, i use no weight and just free-line it. if you can catch some skipjacks, they are perfect for this. when it starts running on the surface, get ready because something is after it.
 
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Free lining shad works but we have had best success using 1oz or so sinker with swivel with 2-3 foot leader and circle hook and 5-6 inch gizzard shad..the more lively the better. drop to bottom and reel up 4-5 cranks and hold on drift in current.
 
You may want to check with TWRA, but if they're farm raised, your best bait would be small rainbows.
 
i free line shad when fishing in water with little to no current but in current i use 1 oz or bigger weight. i hardly ever use live bait though, i mostly use big swimbaits or big topwater plugs.
 
We've had decent luck below Ky Dam with herring we caught there.
We used long thin cigarette shaped weights, and just maintain contact with the bottom as we'd drift. Caught lots of 10-15lb stripes that way.
 
thanks for all the tips!

I can't wait to get away from Memphis and get on the water. I think I could live on the Pickwick tailrace...
 
As an update, I went to the Pickwick tailwater with my brother last Friday morning (early). It was raining cats and dogs most of the drive in, but it turned into a steady shower by the time we got there. The other folks stayed in their trucks waiting for the rain to let up.

We got on the water and moved to the dam, where the stripers were running like crazy busting shad on the surface. We never even got to fish with live bait, because the topwater action was nuts!

I'd never caught a striper over about 1.5 lbs before, but we caught ~ 15 in the 3 lb range, and I got two in the boat that weighed 5.5 lbs. All were caught on topwater baits with medium action spinning rods... FUN!

Thanks for the advice to all, though. I learned a lot about the water and structure in the area, and I plan to go back soon and try to target bigger fish with live bait that aren't necessarily at the surface as much.

My hope is to put some drift lines with shad on them in rod holders while casting to bass working on top. It should be fun!
 
Ypu hit it right, you are going to have a lot of broken rods if you use cheap rod holders. I use older ones that have some experience and canpay for their share of the gas.

ProperUseofShadgraphpictures1-37-6-11.jpg
 
take skipjack and cut his head off,,anchor out over a deep hole and use a BIG hook and try to keep all the guts you can attached to the head,,
 

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