Stripers on SML

[smythley]

Evening everyone.  New to the forum, but just posted something in the introductions.  Have enjoyed reading some of the threads here. 

I have done the majority of my striper fishing in eastern NC, fishing the Roanoke River in Weldon, way before it got so popular, and fishing both Roanoke Rapids and Gaston lakes.  I went this past weekend for the first time up on Smith Mountain.  For me the toughest part is figuring out catching bait!  I thought I had in figured out in the other lakes, because they will let you get right next to the dam (top and bottom) while they are generating, and you can always always find schools of big schools of threadfin along the dam wall.  If you are below the dam, there are always a few pockets that hold bait as well.

Well, we went out on Friday evening on SML and tried for about 3 hours to catch some bait.  We put in at the state park, and I headed up a cove to the back of the creek.  Found some schools of bait on the finder at about 20 ft, but could not seem to catch.  Tried hitting some shallow water and caught 1-10in Gizzard.  I had heard that catching alewifes under lights would work, but we didn't try that, mainly because I didn't want to make some one mad throwing a net right beside their lighted dock.

We were back on the water about 430am on Saturday, and caught a few gizzards in the back of a creek, but it was slow going.  Almost all singles, and we had to throw for about 3 hours to get about 20 baits...We looking for flipping on the surface, and saw some, but could never ease up on them without them going down.  Are there threadfin in SML?  I hear people talk mainly about alewifes, but we caught what I thought was one threadfin...real yellow tail.

It can't be that hard.  Not looking for your best bait catching places, just some general advice.  Are you guys normally able to catch schools of gizzards this time of year?  We found the few we caught in about 3-4 ft of water.  I like running planers with big gizzards, and while it may be a little late in the year for that now, I'd still like to give it a shot.  We tried for awhile to catch some balls of bait that we found that were 20-25 deep midday Saturday, but I'm not sure if my net isn't heavy enough or what, but we got blanked!

One more question on boards...is it too late this year to do much on them?  Do people have any luck running them at night?

Thanks for any help or advice you could give me.  Again, I'm not looking for the name of a creek or any super specific advice.  Just a general idea if I am trying the right things...Thanks again.

[BentRod]

I haven't seen any threadfin despite what bigun says! He's looking at alewives! Please do not bring any up here. Alewives are plentiful at most lights. Most people don't get mad either..a few may but most are fine with it. The lights around Hales Ford are usually pretty good.

[mwardncsu]

This time of year your best bet is at night under dock lights. Easy right now - as temps warm you'll need to find deeper water lights (20' or so) and have a fast sinking net.

Of course, today the family and took a cruise down the lake and anchored up in a cut at the mountain for a swim. As we were getting in the water we saw a big pod of bait coming off the channel headed into the cut we were in. The bait hung around with us, swimming around us and under the boat for an hour or more.



Confirmed as Alewife by my castnet

[2013skiff]

hey bentrod was wondering about 5 years ago thread fins was up here in the lake...why don't you wanna them back?...stripers years ago when I tried to catch them when I had gizzrds they hit alewise...then when I had alewise they hit gizzards....then then I had both and no threadies they was hitting them./...any reason why?

[BentRod]

They overpopulate and thin out the gizzard population. Then when we have a cold winter, they all die off leaving nothing for the stripers to eat. This was a factor in our major fish kill in 2003. Threadfin just aren't a good bait in regions that can have cold winters. Gizzards tolerate cold water much better, as do alewives. Alewives aren't probably great for putting weight on the fish, but they do offer forage in the summertime in cooler places than shad.

[2013skiff]

thanks for the input...was wondering why...like todd says....the money makers was hard to get in them days...thanks

[smythley]

Thanks for the input guys. Wasn't planning on bringing any t-fins up, just trying to figure out bait on this lake. How do folks catch gizzard this time of year?

[Deleted]

Whaaaa??

[BentRod]

I catch my gizzards under a light as well. You just need a heavy net with big mesh or you generally won't get many. 10ft 5/8-1" mesh will get through the little baits and get them. The further up the lake, the better for shad.

[smythley]

When catching bait under lights, are you guys talking about submerged light or just big flood lights? Also, do you have more luck catching bait by putting in in the evening at dark and trying then (10p-midnight) or getting up way before daybreak (3a-sunrise)?

[mytoyzfishing]

I catch most my bait at dock lights. Most dont care there a few that will try to run you off if they see you. the way I see it the lake is public access, not one person owns the water. And if they dont want people throwing on their dock don't put a light out. Just my opinion. There is one dock owner who has gone as far as putting out cane poles in a spider spread so only he can throw on his light. Typically if someone is standing on the dock I pass it by.

[BentRod]

Either light will work..it doesn't have to be submerged. Water Depth is key this time of year..15-20ft. As far as night or morning, it just depends on a number of factors and sometimes (or always?!) it's a guessing game. I would guess you could get bait from 11pm to 5am right now, but that may change as water temps continue to rise.

[FishON]

Bait is super easy under lights right now...One throw at 5:00AM right now and your ready to go fishing.

[smythley]

Looks like my next step is to ride around at night and find some likely docks!