Posts: 85
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2006
Reputation:
0
I had plans to take one of my sponsors striper fishing on Lake Texoma last Sunday so I went to check it out on Saturday and see what the fish were doing. I had intended on the trip including me and my husband. Plans changed when we talked to two of our male friends that wanted to go as well. I only have three seats in my bass boat so someone small had to ride the step on the front deck…me! The wind was blowing really hard but I love adventure and thought “no problem…we’ll just be careful and I’ll have to run the trolling motor non-stop”. Well, about 100 yards away from the marina, we started experiencing waves…large waves…then about four foot swells. The guys (each weighing in at around 200+ pounds were all seated in the middle to balance the boat out. Needless to say, that made my boat ride REALLY low in the water! We push forward, the waves almost cresting the top of the boat and getting soaked when the 34 degree water splashed us at every wave. We decided to turn back and that was a feet in and of itself…if you’ve ever surfed, you know how exciting and scary that can be. We rode the waves in, the three guys getting soaked and 100 pounds of me catching air at every bump we encountered!
We didn’t catch any stripers that day much to my disappointment but I had a very educational fishing trip on Crazy Lake Texoma! I will make another attempt at a later date when I have my own seat to sit in and the wind is down..just a bit!
Anyone have any suggestions for striper fishing on Lake Texoma…or the lake in general?!?!?!?!
[signature]
Posts: 3,336
Threads: 0
Joined: May 2005
Reputation:
0
[black][size 3]Hey Jen,[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]My tip is this ... Stop by my place and pick me up on your way to go fishing ! LOL ! My gear is always ready for that kind of adventure.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Stripers are a blast ! So are thier little cousins the "Wiper" (hybrid striper/white bass).[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]If it is warm enough, watch the gulls or whatever sea type bird you have out there. When they are hovering or diving to the water, glide (as quietly as possible) over to where they are and toss surface or shallow running plugs that look like shad and hang on to your rod ! Stripers tend to herd the shad towards the surface. At that time, they will take artificials right on top that look like the local forage (usually gizzard or threadfin shad). Fishing does not get any faster or better when schools of 20-30 pound stripers are taking your offerings left, right, and center.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]If it is cooler there on that lake, slow down and go to the bottom and use live bait. It is possible to troll with either live or dead shad. Or, even on occasion, they will take trolled artificials in shad patterns. During the "colder" weather using live bait fished on the bottom is better. The bigger and fresher the bait, the more effective it will be. [/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[size 3][/size]
[signature]
Posts: 26,682
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2003
Reputation:
0
Hey Jen, in addition to the good advice given by my partners, I would like to add something as well.
I have a few lakes near me that I striper fish too. These aren't anything in the big range but the lake is record is barely 58lbs. My best is 48lbs which brings me 2lbs shy of getting in the 50 pounders club.
Anyways, I'm sure you won't be using live bait in a touney, nor the frozen bait either. We hit them on live Shad, Shad imitations, Frozen Anchovies, Frozen Sardines and Trout imitations.
I'm not sure how your tourneys run out there but since the Stripers used to be anadromous at one time, it is still in their instincts to go after saltwater baits as well as their imitations.
The Hudelston lure company makes a nice 9" Trout that is simply irrisitable for the majority of stripers.
I managed to wrangle a few dozen nice stripers in the 25 to 45lb range. There were hundreds of the smaller, under 20s that still gave me a good tug too.
Rapala Shads, Castaic Bait Shads, Rapala Anvhovies and Hudelstons will rule on the top water.
When they have gone down deeper, you need to change up and go with a drop shot rig and the MegaBait Goggle eye dark chub.
If you like to cast or slow troll, you can also use the Mega Bait live Jig in the Anchovy color. That's where you get the better ones.
Good luck and stay dry![cool]
[signature]
Posts: 85
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2006
Reputation:
0
[center][font "Times New Roman"]Texoma Striper Challenge[/font][/center] [font "Times New Roman"][#800000]March 16&17, 2007[/#800000][/font] [center][font "Times New Roman"]Highport Marina, Lake Texoma[/font][/center] [center][font "Times New Roman"][/font] [/center][font "Times New Roman"]
[size 3][#000000]Thank you for all of your advice guys! I have learned a lot! I will be attending the tournament listed above. The Challenged Sportsmen of America is an incredible organization with rockin’ members. These guys are hard core outdoorsmen that love fishing, hunting and shooting. Many of them do it all from a wheelchair! It is a humbling experience to watch so many fantastic sportsmen continue to live their dreams no matter what physical challenges may come their way. This striper tourney will be my first with them so I am really excited about it! Thank you for all for your advice, I know it will come in handy for the tournament! [/#000000][/size]
[#000000][size 3] [/size][/#000000]
[#000000][size 3]I just got an email this morning saying they wanted to talk to me about becoming their National Spokesperson-wow…what an honor! My father in law will be so proud (he is an awesome sportsman with limb girdle muscular dystrophy).[/size][/#000000] [center][/font] [/center]
[signature]
] 