WHAT DO I DO?????????

Fish-Aholic · #1 01-02-2005, 09:08 PM

Ok, Scenario, Lake Anna, VA, water temp around 47-50, Found the birds, also found the baitfish. Damn if there weren't a ton of them. Threadfin Shad so thick the sassy shad I was cranking felt like it was bouncing the bottom. Saw fish on the finder, but only landed 2 fish today. I tried fishing in the school of baitfish, didn't have any luck. Fished the outside of the baitfish and landed 2. I know the striper were there just not hitting anything I threw at them. The large school of shad have been in the same location since at least friday, I know because I fished them that day too. Any suggestions on how to coax these stripers into biting artificial with all the shad running around. By the way, the school of shad was about 40' wide and 150' long.

kkevvy · #2 01-02-2005, 09:17 PM

Thats alot of baitfish. Ever tried using a cast net and cathing some of them then casting them on the outside of the school? If the fish looks injured or is seperated from the school its more likely to be attacked.

Fish-Aholic · #3 01-02-2005, 09:44 PM

I tried live, couldn't get anything to hit them...tons of injured fish in the water from the birds, no stripers hitting them.

Stripersteve · #4 01-02-2005, 09:46 PM

I'll bet those were some fat, dumb and happy stripers, probably just like me after thanksgiving dinner, couldn't eat anymore and needed a nap

Riddler · #5 01-03-2005, 11:59 AM

How big were the shad? When the bait was real thick, I'd take a pearl Storm shad body and choose the size closest to the bait - in my case it was the 4" size.

Just cast into the area and retrieve. If you don't get hits, try letting it sink, or a faster retrieve, or retrieve-pause-twitch.

I found the soft plastics coaxed them to hit way more than in the past, and pearl was the best option. I caught plenty on other patterns too, as long as they were the same size. If I went to 3" or 5", very few hits. Put the same pattern in 4" back on and fish every cast. (when they were in thick this November).

Good luck.

BIG COUNTRY · #6 01-03-2005, 12:15 PM

Try throwing something that does not look quite like the shad. Like a bucktail with a white or chartruse curlytail grub. Sometimes I find that the stripers will strike because it is different and gets there attention. If you ate frosted flakes all week and someone threw a 20oz steak on the table, Would you stick with the flakes or checkout that steak?....

mix it up alittle. You'll be suprised what they hit.

Fish-Aholic · #7 01-03-2005, 02:33 PM

I tried a Pearl and Chartruse 4" shad and a Pearl Shad. They hit the pearl, but nothing on the pearl and chartruse. And I plan on trying it again this weekend so I may try and mix it up a little. I did see people trying rattle traps and buck tails, no one was catching a thing.

briggs · #8 01-03-2005, 04:04 PM

what we got here is, failure to accumulate. what i like to do is use a squid teaser, on the end of a speargun hahaha.

alright alright, i'll stop.

I think i'd also stay with the light colored shad....5" always seems to work for me. try changing the way your presenting it like CharlieA said, i'll go with that.

if all else fails, throw a clambellie to the outside of the school. make it sink to the bottom so the birds wont eat it.

:twisted: craig aka briggs :twisted:

aka surfcastermaster

8) MASTER OF HIS OWN DOMAIN 8)

Riddler · #9 01-03-2005, 04:06 PM

I fish the ocean, so I may be way off, but have you tried FinS?

Pick a pattern that matches another preditor (maybe rainbow trout if you have them in that lake) and jig it around/under the school. A big bass may mistake it as a wounded fish and slam it.

http://www.lunkercity.com/

Also try jigging the shad on the bottom, as it will look like a dying shad

briggs · #10 01-03-2005, 04:24 PM

Yea i feel like an idiot when it comes to these lakes and marshes. i'm strictly open ocean too.

:twisted: craig aka briggs :twisted:

aka surfcastermaster

8) MASTER OF HIS OWN DOMAIN 8)

Linesidesonthefly · #11 01-03-2005, 07:05 PM

I think its time for dynamite..............

Fish-Aholic · #12 01-03-2005, 07:48 PM

Yeah, lakes are new to me as well. I'm usually surfcasting for monster rock. but Hell, the fish are off of hatteras right now and that is 6 hours from me, the lake is just over an hour away and regularly produces 15lb fish, so I figured I'd learn how to do it. I appreciate all the ideas and can't wait until Sat to go try it again. Its supposed to be 68 deg on Sat and 78 on Sun WOOOHOOOO can you say hell yeah to not freezing your ass off. what a welcomed change. Well comon guys, keep the good advice coming as I can't wait to try it....hell, anyone near me wanna drop by and help me work the stripers? LOL

Tight lines guys

sea sea rider · #13 01-04-2005, 05:08 PM

Try a weighted jig, throw it into the school snag one and keep it in the school. They will fine it ,believe me Thats the way we do it down the cape.

Stripersteve · #14 01-04-2005, 10:06 PM

78 degrees and catchin stripahs...... hasn't been 78 here since about Septembah

Can't wait to hit the watah in the spring........

Jigman · #15 01-06-2005, 02:54 PM

don't be a bit surprized if the stripers are eating the dead that sink... seen it a zillion times.....

pick a light jig, and a rubber a bit smaller than the real shad, but match the color as close as you can .... work the side of the school, feel it to the bottom (braid line) keep trying lighter and lighter jigs... you prolly won't feel a solid take, they'll just pick it up so the take is gonna be real mushy and hard to record... downsize the gear for the jig that works.... I like a 7ft fast action spinning rod 1/4-3/8, 10lb braid, use some smelly jelly cuz it's a slow moving rig... watch your line for sudden slack.. set the hook reeeeaaal quick-like...

ifn' that don't work? git the dynomite :roll: