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try this it might help
As striped bass begin their migration from winter to summer quarters, they encounter forage that differs greatly from what they were feeding on during their fall relocation. All of the forage species have added weight during the winter. The peanut bunker have almost doubled in size, with the same being true of hickory shad, American and blueback herring, mackerel, sand launce and most any other fish on which stripers dine.
A change from fall tactics is called for, most noticeably switching from smaller to larger lures. Included in my spring tackle is a selection of plugs, spoons and leadhead jigs. Properly presented, these lures will bring you success whether used from boat or shore.
Among the most popular lures are subsurface swimming plugs, bottle plugs and rattle plugs. These plugs are designed to probe the depths, swimming enticingly with a pulsating action.also try a parachute jig.
Then the work begins, as you've got to jig the lure to give it action. Point your rod tip downward to near vertical position, and then sharply snap the rod tip forward, causing the jig to dart forward and falter, much like a struggling baitfish. This is hard work, make no mistake about it, but on a cold spring day, it'll keep you warm as you troll the parachute jig and pork rind through a rip line or just above a rocky ledge where bait and stripers congregate. and good luck hope this helps a little.
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I think i know what that article is implying. I learned that last year at Willard bay in Utah. Well, i learned that smaller baits seemed to work real well when the fish first come out of their 'winter state'.
That 27lber that i caught a while back was caught on a 1/16 oz jig that was about 2" long. That is very small compared to what some folks suggest to use for catching stripers that size.
The other stripers that I have caught were mostly on small jigs as well. I'm guessing they may resemble small shad, or injured/wounded shad getting washed downstream on the bottom.
The steam plant has millions and millions of shad that hang out there. Some of the old-timers that i have talked too there say that when the shad are too thick it is very difficult to catch fish, as most of the fish are literally stuffed with shad.
Back to Willard...i caught a hybrid (or wiper) real early(spring) on a very small piece of carp meat. I was actually trying for catfish. Up at the fish cleaning station i was talking to another old-timer and he told me that wipers were caught very early on anything small. Then as other species spawned and the fry grew, your baits need to get bigger, since the primary forage fish are getting bigger. There was also a period sometime during mid-summer that another species in the same lake had a second spawn and folks were having better success by downsizing there presentations again.
i guess this all could be simplified by saying "match the hatch" [cool]
cyas
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yep it is a good day when the fishing is hot and the weather is right
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