Bert Swope
One of the best fishing techniques for striped bass is to fish after noon, on overcast days, or on rainy days, when the prey fish are more likely to surface to feed on insects. You can find many great flats in Texas that are easily accessible by boat, and shore anglers can take advantage of the easy boat ramp access. If you prefer to fish from the bank, try fishing near structures, such as bridges, or in areas with plenty of cover.
Look for thermoclines
Thermoclines are often overlooked and are a key to finding the best fishing spots. Using a fish-finding thermometer or depth-temperature gauge is the easiest way to spot thermoclines and determine the depth of the area where the bass are. While many fish will suspend above the thermocline, the majority of species will hang out below it. The best locations for locating thermoclines include ledges, points, bluff walls, and rockpiles. Deeper water is cooler and less affected by fluctuations in temperature. The formation of a thermocline in a lake or reservoir is a natural phenomenon. If the temperature is hot at the surface, fish will move toward the cooler depths of the lake or reservoir, and vice versa.
In addition to using a thermocline finder, anglers can also use a graph to mark fish staging areas. While trollers are working open water, they should also monitor thermoclines for a better chance at hooking stripers. These fish are often located near thermoclines, so paying close attention to these areas is important for catching more fish and catching more.
Although hybrid striped bass are not naturally reproducing, they may be present in some reservoirs. In this case, the fish may migrate upstream or into reservoirs. Although they cannot reproduce naturally, they may still attempt to spawn in order to survive and reproduce. However, hybrid striped bass can’t reproduce, so the number of spawning hybrids in reservoirs depends on the amount of striped bass stocked in the reservoir.
In Lake Travis, anglers can target these fish by using sonar and satellite imagery. These are great areas to target pre-spawn bass. The temperatures are currently around 70°F, and forecasts for 80°F next week. This temperature is crucial, because it is the threshold at which shad will spawn. Look for thermoclines while scouting to avoid being harmed by shad.
Another area that has potential for striped bass is the deep part of a lake. Many lakes and reservoirs hold large baitfish schools that attract predators. These baitfish schools can be found by spotting fish busting on the surface and using a forward-facing sonar. Accurate casting is the key to success! It will pay off in the end. You’ll be surprised at how many fish bite your lure.
Look For Structures
If you want to catch big stripers, you must first look for structures that contain these fish. You can try artificial lures that imitate white perch. These lures are effective on striped bass, but you can also use live bait or cut bait. Stripers are not very picky about their bait, so you should have no problems finding a large one if you know where to look. The most common place to find big striped bass is around structure, which makes these fish quite hard to miss.
While you’re looking for stripers, remember to target these areas in the spring when the water temperature is near 60 degrees. Stripers will flock to these areas because the clear water attracts spawning stripers. The key is to look for points and humps in the middle of the lake and work your way up until you find some schools of stripers. Some stripers stay on long points or even spawn there.
While fishing for bass in the surf, you should also look for structures that hold baitfish. Big bass like to feed on baitfish and swim around these areas, so it’s important to look for structures that hold these fish. In addition to structures, you can use sonar and chartplotter to identify the areas that contain these fish. Surf troughs are particularly productive at night, and you can use jigheads and weighted soft plastics to catch them. You can also try fishing with a black darter if the surf is calm.
In addition to using lures with baitfish, you should look for structure. You can also try fishing in clear water, near creeks, and in the shallowest parts of a lake. In addition to bluffs, you can also find spotted bass along the edges of deep rocky areas. Use slab spoons and crayfish imitating baits. In some cases, striped bass may also swim in deeper waters.
Fish early and late in the day
If you are looking for the best striped bass fishing in Texas, there are a few important tips to keep in mind. Fishing early and late in the day will help you catch more stripers. This is because stripers feed in the early morning and late afternoon when the water temperature drops. The cooler water also attracts more bait fish, which will lure stripers to bite. Also, the cooler water will increase the amount of insects that will attract stripers.
The eels will take a few seconds to reach the bottom, so you may want to add 1/2 ounce of weight. If you have strong currents, you may want to use a rubber core sinker. You should also reel slowly, letting the eel do most of the work. When the striped bass grabs the eel, you should bow your rod parallel to the water.
Live bait is an excellent way to catch trophy striped bass. These fish feed on a variety of live baits, including shad, eels, and free lined pogy. Cut bait can be squid, chunks, and fresh fish. If you prefer artificial lures, you can use jigs and heavy vertical jigging spoons.
One of the most effective ways to catch a striped bass in the morning and late in the afternoon is to use live bait. The bait must be properly presented and be in the right depth for stripers to strike. You should also use split shot to add more weight to your lure. Lastly, you should use a barrel swivel with a 1/4-ounce sliding egg sinker above the baitfish. Remember, weight is important and vary your weight based on the depth and current.
Striped bass prefer warm and cool water and will migrate to colder waters. As a result, it’s important to know the weather and ripe times to fish for striped bass. As a rule, stripers feed more aggressively at night and during warm weather. If you’re able to catch a fish early in the morning, you’ll be rewarded with a trophy of the highest quality.
Keep the bait fresh By changing it often
In late winter and early spring, striped bass feed on deep humps, making live shad an excellent choice. The stripers also tend to head toward tributaries. In late fall, stripers can be found in Texoma Lake, where flocks of seagulls act as fish-finders. While most lures will work for striper fishing, the best bait is live shad.
For the best results, keep the bait fresh when striped bass fishing in the state. Intense stocking by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has helped the lake bounce back from the negative effects of golden algae. Fishing guides can follow this aggressive plan for years to come, and it will make a difference in the amount of fish you catch. For more tips, read our striper fishing guide.
Stripers aren’t able to reproduce naturally in most reservoirs in Texas, so you must maintain a good population through consistent stocking. However, striper reproduction is still possible in the Texoma River, which is considered a prime spawning ground for the species. Fish in this reservoir have high spawning rates and a double statewide limit of stripers.
While striped bass aren’t native to Texas, they have been introduced into a few large reservoirs and have become a top predator in largemouth bass country. Several of the top striped bass fishing lakes in Texas are listed below. Depending on the area, stripers can grow to be as large as fifty pounds. A TX state record was 53 pounds, but most fish are between five to ten pounds.
