# Stripers



## Redtracker (Dec 28, 2011)

With some cooler weather coming Wednesday evening do you think the Stripers will start hitting? it was mid October last year when they blew up. Can't wait till they blow up this year.


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## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

Where can Stripers be found in this area ?


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Redtracker said:


> With some cooler weather coming Wednesday evening do you think the Stripers will start hitting? it was mid October last year when they blew up. Can't wait till they blow up this year.


yes, last year around this time frame they started their run. 

EG, BW/Yellow River/East River delta's/rivers will have stripers


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## Seatmech86 (Mar 8, 2011)

Oh, stripers, I was thinking... nevermind. If it wern't for the gutter my mind would be homeless.


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Pensacola area guide Brant Preacher is a striper guide. Give him a call for a charter. It's worth the cost.


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## Fishermon (Oct 19, 2007)

what's the best way/technique to catch stripers.


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

With my little experience jerk type rapalas early in morning before sun is up. Fish the banks and look for bait being pushed.


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## Fishermon (Oct 19, 2007)

so mainly artificials?....


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Yep artificials 


+ 1. On Brant Peacher. Learned a lot from him! Worth the cost


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

I use artificials but if you can find live finger mullet I've heard it's the best.


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## jbs_bama (May 24, 2010)

I've never caught them down here. When I lived in NC I used to catch them with spinnerbaits. If you can find bait fish just throw around them and hold on!


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## snakeman14 (Apr 17, 2008)

Brant is definalty one of the best guides when it comes to stripers. 
The majority of stripers and hybrids you will find will be either on blackwater or escambia. My dad is a biologist with the FWC and he raises them up at the hatchery in blackwater. They typically stock a couple hundered thousand fingerlings every year on both escambia and blackwater. When we target them we typically use large rapala or smithwick suspending baits in either a silver/black color or gold/black. Another great bait for them is white deer tail grubs tipped with shrimp. I'll post a pic later of some of the jigs and baits we use for them. Once you locate the stripers or hybrids I would suggest switching to live bait if you can. The big stripers can be very picky at times around here and their eyes are huge, unless they are in a frenzy they can generaly tell when a bait is fake. PM if you have any more questions.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

Just for drill: How big are the stripers running? C2


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

You can start catching the smaller stripers and hybrids now, but the bigger ones are more prevalent and active with much colder water. I use suspended rapalas early and late and even into the night hours. Live finger mullet is by far the best bait.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

redtracker, caught a good size one for this area awhile back. Ive caught them bream and menhaden before.


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## Fishermon (Oct 19, 2007)

great tips... 
Do i need to have a fresh water fishing license if I'm fishing escambia river up 87?...where is the line drawn btw...between salt and fresh water...


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## Redtracker (Dec 28, 2011)

Fishermon said:


> great tips...
> Do i need to have a fresh water fishing license if I'm fishing escambia river up 87?...where is the line drawn btw...between salt and fresh water...


You need a fresh water license to fish for Stripers. Forget about a line drawn. Same for speckled trout and reds you need saltwater no mater how far up river they go.


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Redtracker said:


> You need a fresh water license to fish for Stripers. Forget about a line drawn. Same for speckled trout and reds you need saltwater no mater how far up river they go.


Yep Its based on the type of fish (striper is freshwater )not really where it was caught I always get the combo .


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

A buddy caught these back around the end of June in the choctawhatchee. They were 35lb and 28lb.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

skiff89_jr said:


> A buddy caught these back around the end of June in the choctawhatchee. They were 35lb and 28lb.


them are some nice Florida stripers, I don't think old Escambia can poop fish like that


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

CatHunter said:


> them are some nice Florida stripers, I don't think old Escambia can poop fish like that


I have seen fish of about the same size caught in both the Escambia and Perdido Rivers. C2


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

Those fish were released so they could be a record in a few years.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

skiff89_jr said:


> Those fish were released so they could be a record in a few years.


Did he catch those at the mouth a of choctawahatchee?


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## Redtracker (Dec 28, 2011)

skiff89_jr said:


> A buddy caught these back around the end of June in the choctawhatchee. They were 35lb and 28lb.


Emerson nice'uns


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

jcoss15 said:


> Did he catch those at the mouth a of choctawahatchee?


Nope. Actually no where near the bay to be honest.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

skiff89_jr said:


> Nope. Actually no where near the bay to be honest.


The BIG! Stripers that I've seen caught were caught in the deep, well-oxygenated holes well up the River(s).

Most of them caught in the Deltas were a tad smaller, but probably just coincidental. JMHO C2


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