[Sammy Mickel]

Hey guys, I had a chance this past weekend to get out on the 'yak and do a little fishing. Mainly I fish the lakes in spring till the smallies crank up in the rivers. I have to say I had a great time even though we didn't hook anything. Are any of you guys trolling for stripers, or are you casting behind raceways?

 

[Druminator]

I've never fished for stripers before but a group of us are meeting in New Bern Saturday to do some striper fishing. Several people going are familiar with techniques and it will be a good learning experience for the rest of us. If you'd like to come we are leaving from Lawson Creek Park. Some are going out at 630 and others are meeting us out on the water at later times.

 

[carpenter334]

Fishing for stripers on Lake Norman is challenging and fun. We utilize a variety of techniques. Watch for birds and bait. If you see them, don't rush in. Let the wind ease you within range. Have a heavy white or chartreuse bucktail ready to throw at all times. They like white in line spinners, poppers, and other plugs both hard and soft that look like the forage. We catchem mostly drifting live baits on down lines. I like to fish a two hook dropper rig of flourocarbon with a weight on the bottom of the rig. Two rigs on each side of the boat. Out the back goes a freeline live bait flatline. These baits get nervous when striper come close and the rod tip begins to vibrate erratically. If you troll under power, the down lines must go out the back of the boat rather than the sides. On the sides, we use planer boards while trolling. The planers pull the bait out and away from the boat. Use one 1/4 oz split shot per 10 ft of depth to weight the bait properly and set the planer accordingly. We sometimes troll diving plugs like Rapala Shad Raps when the stripers are holding in water less than 20 feet but not coming near the surface. The bite is best early and late in dim light. How all this pertains to fishing from a yak, I have no clue. Good Luck.
Andy

 

[Sammy Mickel]

Thanks for the invite but New Bern is a little far this weekend. What we were trying the other day was a "tube rig". It was about a foot long with a single hook. Looks great in the water. I think you get a great trolling speed in a 'yak.

 

[Dudd]

Let me know how you do. I'm in Ga and not been able to get out. Hope to get some weather soon, been blowing and cold here.
I've talked to a few people about techniques, but I think it is going to be a matter of finding them and hoping for the best. A little luck would help!

Good luck
Dudd

 

[Druminator]

4 of us braved the nasty winds Saturday to go out and show off our masculinity in the Neuse. We almost died in the process Anyway, we left and went to a smaller creek with a ramp and it was a much calmer paddle. We caught two stripers that included my first ever. Neither was over 18 or 19 inches. Both were caught downcurrent of structure on a swimbait and a white bucktail. One other guy caught a bass against some structure.

I can't remember the name of the creek but we passed a small airstrip and launched across the street from a gas station. I was also told that heavy winds can blow the stripers right out of the river and back into the sound. Hopefully that was the reason and not my fishing skills

Anyone want to get together and do some more sometime when the weather is better?

 

[lefty]

Anyone want to get together and do some more sometime when the weather is better?

"Want"? You bet.
All I gotta do is find some time. And a little money. And maybe a boat.

Seriously, I'd love to have a chance every now and then make to some new friends while hunting marine life. I'm feeling particularly whelmed by family responsibilities at the moment -- but that's why I wanted to take up fishing in the first place! So while I can't tell you "I'll be there", I guess the point I wanted to make was, please continue to ask! Maybe one of these days I'll get lucky!

Kevin

 

[CoachKinsey]

Druminator,

I wanted to get to New Bern for the fishing Saturday but it sounds like I made the right choice in staying here (Cary). I have been out on a local lake with big winds blowing in and know the "joy" of working against that!

On a different note, I did go to the motherland of the tackle monkey on Saturday ... the Bass and Saltwater fishing expo. While there was apparently every bit of bait and tackle ever invented there, nothing caught my fancy enough to invest some hard earned dollars.

Keep us in touch with when you are planning another trip onto the water (with better weather). I think a trip to Dawson Creek or some of the other creeks around Oriental in the spring would be a good thing.

 

[Druminator]

I'll keep everyone in touch. Right now I'll be fishing in Wilmington Saturday morning. We'll have to plan a trip to somewhere that's easy for everyone to get too. Lefty, I have extra kayaks you're welcome to use.

I missed the boat show. I want to get involved with one and do a kayak fishing booth like I did in Morehead last year.

 

[lefty]

That's mighty generous, Drum. Thank you.
My wife's been under the weather quite a bit lately, but aside from that, she's very supportive of sending me out for some fish-hunting. She figures she's got vested interest in making sure I don't carry around too many unnecessary blood-pressure points. So hopefully after this season of convalescence passes (and weather, for that matter) I'll have more opportunity to tag along sometime.
Lefty

 

[ptorresb]

Fishing Triangle lakes this weekend for stripers?

I'd be interested in fishing the triangle area lakes this weekend for stripers, if anyone else is. I am looking for someone (or more) who would know where to go and where the fish may be.

Pablo
316-3990

 

[Sammy Mickel]

re: striper tatics

If the weather permits we might get out. I'll drop a line later in the week when I find something out.

 

[ptorresb]

How about fishing for stripers (in Kerr?) this saturday?

Weather looks good for 1/28. I have no knowledge of where to go, but it seems like we could ring up a marina and figure out where the fish are and how to get there.

Pablo

 

[CoachKinsey]

I was at the Roberson Creek boat ramp recently and the rumor off the water is that there were stripers at the mouth of the creek where it empties into Lake Jordan. That may be an interesting spot to try.

Keep us posted as to whether you are going out. Sunday may actually be a good day for me.

 

[CoachKinsey]

Here's an attempt at posting a picture (in this case, a map to the Roberson Creek area of Lake Jordan). May be useful, maybe not!

 

[Sammy Mickel]

You could try behind the Tuckertown **** on Badin Lake. You could come across stripers or white bass and the structure aroud that area keeps the wind from being a pain. I'll be tied up till March getting ready for the Show. Good luck guys, I hope you stick a big one.

 

[ptorresb]

Kerr Lake report 1/28

Fished the western end of Kerr Lake on 1/28.
I got local advice from Buggs Island Bait & Tackle (nice folks), who indicated the fish were supposed to be up in Rudds Creek, a couple of miles from Clarksville, given the clear water and warmer temps.
There is a convenient boat ramp there, and the creek area is about 20-30 ft deep.
I any case, I didn't catch any stripers. I tried hard, but couldn't find them. Tried live bait, top and bottom, jigging vertically, etc. The fish may not have been there. There were power boats in the area, but they were fishing for crappie and largemouth.

pablo