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Post by strippindrag on Mar 3, 2013 16:23:39 GMT -5
I am new to live bait fishing for Stripers. I have been Striper fishing for years using multiple lures. I am at a loss on where to capture live bait. I have heard that if you get to the lake before light that you could catch bait under a dock light. If I arrive at the lake after this time where should I head to find bait? I spent about 45 minutes this past Saturday morning in Campers trying to catch bait...caught nothing. I am mainly putting in at the public boat landing at the bridge. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
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Post by 2 oars & a trash can on Mar 3, 2013 16:52:08 GMT -5
Do you have electronics? I don't, but I got to fish on a boat that did and the bait showed on the sonar so we knew where to throw.
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Post by strippindrag on Mar 3, 2013 17:24:59 GMT -5
I do have electronics and marked baitfish...I was in 30 ft of water bait was 12 ft...what depth is suffice to throw a cast net? 30 ft was too deep I thought?
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Post by wishforfish on Mar 3, 2013 17:28:11 GMT -5
You can throw in 30 ft with no problem, just works better with a heavier net/bigger mesh. I was blacked out with big gizzards for a 250 yard stretch in Campers this weekend. Were you there before light? The light at the gas pump had some small bait on it Sat AM.
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Post by FishON on Mar 3, 2013 18:02:43 GMT -5
It really helps if you know where to look. Either from experience or maybe if someone tells you where the bait has been. Campers is usually a good place to find bait this time of year. Check in the back of the creek. Often times as your cruising toward the back of the cove you will see the bait flipping on the water. If you see them flipping you are good to go.... If you don't see them flipping make sure to watch your sonar because you can find them with that as well. What size net are you using?
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Post by strippindrag on Mar 3, 2013 19:04:04 GMT -5
Wishforfish and fishon thanks for the info. This live bait thing is all new to me. I have always wanted to get into more live bait fishing and I decided that I am going to commit to it this year. I know that it will be some growing pains as I learn but I believe that it will be worth it in the end. I did not make it up to the lake until after light so I headed in the back of campers looking for bait. I never saw anything flipping so I kinda trolled around looking for something on my sonar trying to stay fairly close to the bank in water between 12 and 15 ft of water. I threw and threw with no luck. I did mark bait off of the point prior to the no wake zone but didn't throw the cast net because I figured that it was too deep. Based off of your input that's probably what I should have done. I am throwing( or attempting to) throw an 8 ft net. So, if I do not see bait coming too the surface I should just try to mark baitfish and throw to them? Is there a rule of thumb on depth of baitfish that would trigger a throw or not? Thanks for all of your input I really do appreciate it!
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Post by mytoyzfishing on Mar 3, 2013 19:04:40 GMT -5
I normally catch a mojority of my bait at lights before sun up. Like FishON said look for bait flipping at the surrface. There was a ton of bait in the back of indian this AM.
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Post by mwardncsu on Mar 3, 2013 19:12:53 GMT -5
Also, it depends on what type of bait you are trying to get..... generally, your best bet for Alewives is going to be under the lights at night or just before daybreak. That said, HokieChad has been known to catch a sufficient number for fishing mid-day by locating some large semi-deep schools and throwing on them.
Gizzards - well, backs of creeks (or sometime out in the main part of the creeks/channel) during the day where you see them flipping, or they will be at the lights as well - sort of depends on the water temperatures as to if you are better looking at shallow or deep lights.
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Post by wishforfish on Mar 3, 2013 19:21:03 GMT -5
I usually do the night thing also and primarily fish with alewives because of it. I have a couple of spots for gizzards that are my go to's but like these guys said, backs of creeks and look for the flips. No rule on deep water I know of but the 8 ft net is fine, bigger is better but it is more about mesh size and weight when throwing in deeper water. I usually don't throw in anything deeper than 30 or when bait is past 20...that is just me.
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Post by dogsbestfriend on Mar 3, 2013 20:11:41 GMT -5
strippindrag, your are not alone. i to throw a 8 ft 3/8 mesh. i can not catch bait in water over 18 ft. i have tried many,many times with NO success. i am going to get a 10 ft 1/2 mesh. hopefully things will change.
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Post by kzigmond2 on Mar 12, 2013 11:24:31 GMT -5
Do any of you guys go to Leesville dam and try to get bait when they release the water? We used to do that years ago. When the water is released it would push the bait fish against the rocks and walk-way. All you had to do was throw your net over the railing and you could get 50+ gizzard each time you went. Haven't done it in years probably just over 10 years. We are just getting back to fishing the lake and was curious to see if folks still did that or if it is still even legal to do?
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Post by mytoyzfishing on Mar 12, 2013 11:51:27 GMT -5
Ive heard of a couple of folks making trips down and loading up down there.
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Post by striperseeker on Mar 12, 2013 11:54:39 GMT -5
Catching bait in campers this time of year can be frustrating. I may pay you to go up to the back of Indian. the water is not as deep all the way back. An eight foot net in 12 feet of water is problematic. Shad can swim pretty fast and a net can fall pretty slow. You may need a bigger net in twelve feet of water. Not really sure, but try all the way back in Indian River I think you may have better luck or not. It is just plain hard to catch them this time of year
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Post by grasscutter on Mar 12, 2013 13:04:37 GMT -5
Do any of you guys go to Leesville dam and try to get bait when they release the water? We used to do that years ago. When the water is released it would push the bait fish against the rocks and walk-way. All you had to do was throw your net over the railing and you could get 50+ gizzard each time you went. Haven't done it in years probably just over 10 years. We are just getting back to fishing the lake and was curious to see if folks still did that or if it is still even legal to do? Just remember they release the water for 20 minutes at the top of each hour....if you have never been before the siren sounds for 2 minutes and then the water releases
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BentRod
Global Moderator
Posts: 2,252
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Post by BentRod on Mar 12, 2013 13:18:40 GMT -5
There are gizzards in every creek in the lake. I know without a doubt it's thick in Campers, Stoney, Indian, grimes, jumping run, beaver, and Lynville. May not be easily obtainable in every location yet but the bait is there. We've got a tremendous gizzard population right now and I see it in every creek I go into. It's not always easy when it's deep, but it'll get easier as the water warms up here a bit. In my opinion, the only way to truly learn how to catch it consistently is to just get out there and pay your dues with that net. It's not always easy and there's no secret locations or times that are guaranteed for successful bait catching. Every day is a new day and you have to adapt to the conditions and the bait...same as Striper fishing. When I think of great bait catchers, I think of guys like CatsNstripers. He's put in the time and paid his dues through what I bet are some miserable and frustrating experiences, but it pays off in the end and he knows that. Not everybody has the time to put into it that some do, but unfortunately that's just the way it is.
Kenny, welcome to site! I have heard of guys going down below Leesville. I've never personally done it as baits usually easy enough to get around here, but if you're close enough to the dam and have the ability to transport them, it may not be a bad idea.
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