# stripers in blackwater?



## JV22 (May 11, 2013)

Anybody seen any stripers in Blackwater yet? Never caught one but hear they turn on in colder weather. Thinking about stopping in the way to work in the morning


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## PompNewbie (Oct 1, 2007)

Nephew caught one about a week ago on blackwater 10.5 lbs.. And a few smaller ones


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## JV22 (May 11, 2013)

Do they bite at night? Heard spoons at sunrise but the sun didn't come up as early as I thought so didn't have to time to go before work but go after. What will they bite in the dark?


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

They bite very well at night.


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## JV22 (May 11, 2013)

What do they bite on? Most of my fishing knowledge is walleye fishing and reds and specks since I moved here so I tried a few different crankbaits but they weren't going for it


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## PompNewbie (Oct 1, 2007)

Nephew used top water, and a rapala jerk bait, black and silver


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## bare bones (Oct 2, 2007)

We were at the state park 3 weeks ago and got 4. They ate 4 or 5" live bream. They were about 8 lbs.


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

I love to fish with live finger mullet when I can catch them. Otherwise, I have caught many stripers on rattlin rogue type baits. I prefer anything with a silver or blue and silver back. I am going to try swim baits this year for the first time.


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## JV22 (May 11, 2013)

I tried a couple different paddle tails and a black and silver rattlin rapala but had no luck. I've got a bunch of rapalas just like that rattlin rogue I'll have to try


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## Amarillo Palmira (Jan 2, 2010)

Usually, I catch them when I see them blowing up bait and then I just cast in their vicinity with a jerkbait or topwater. Sometimes crankbaits work, but jerkbaits and topwaters are better, IMO. I like the big floating rogues. Any jerk bait will do though. I just jerk them like crazy through the bait school. I also like the Zara Spook as well. If you walk it over the school, one of them will crush it. On all of the lures I make sure the hooks are good quality and very sharp. I am using 20 b. mono and my drag is set so they can take line. Cheap hooks or cheap gear will get you broken off. They will expose the weaknesses in your gear. Sometimes I catch them while bass fishing or speckled trout fishing. A lot of times the fish pushing bait will have both stripers and trout in it, so you could end up catching either one. If you put the school down from activity or noise or whatever, just wait a bit and it will probably reappear.


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## JV22 (May 11, 2013)

Well I guess I'll have to make a run to the store and try some of these out this weekend. On a related topic, are cast nets legal in brackish water? I know it's illegal in fresh but is it in brackish? Or would it be one of those only legal to take saltwater fish from brackish deals?


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## Amarillo Palmira (Jan 2, 2010)

I don't know about the legality of cast nets in brackish water, but I will tell you what happened today and why I mean you should never be undergunned for stripers, or how they will expose the weakness in your tackle. I went out on Blackwater this morning in the hopes of getting a few trout or maybe a nice striper or hybrid in open water. The trout were not cooperating, so I went into this little creek and started throwing the Rogue. I think it was my first cast when an enormous striper took the bait right by the boat. We had a great battle, but he took me to the bank and won in the end. I could not turn him in that little creek. I was using what I would call heavy trout gear (14 pound line and a nice inshore rod with an Ambassadeur 4600C reel), but too light for stripers. I think he was around 20 pounds. He just smoked my lure. Anyway, this is the result, front hook and split ring GONE. No fish for me. AP


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Sorry about losing the fish. Stripers are a tough fighter! How far up blackwater did you find him? North of hwy 90? Thanks


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## Amarillo Palmira (Jan 2, 2010)

He was in an area near that little bridge that goes to Bagdad from Milton. That is the best I can explain it (or want to, LOL). I got several smaller ones in that same spot all on Rogues. I had one about 3 pounds or so also take it by the boat, but he was easy to manage. They looked like pure stripers and not hybrids. I also managed one small speckled trout but he came on a Gulp. AP


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## JV22 (May 11, 2013)

So as compared to something like a 30" or so red, more or less fight? I know my smaller rod I use for everything is probably close to its limit there but could handle it if need be. Going back out tonight hopefully finally hook one myself and not have to wonder about em anymore


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## Amarillo Palmira (Jan 2, 2010)

about the same. if I had caught a 15-20 lb red in the same area, the same thing would have probably happened, except the red may have not run for the bank like the striper did.


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