Striper -- Hooked for Life!

Now to get down to my first striper. I had just started a new job and had met some of the old hands in the company you know how the topic comes to fishing. Well everyone has a story, but the fellows I met I knew they fished because everyone told me they did. But they did not talk about it. So one day I followed them from the bait shop where they had just bought all the Crappie jigs the man had. Any way I followed them down the road from the plant where we worked about 2 or 3 miles to the bridge that crossed the Arkansas River. I saw they parked the car on the side of the road and walked down under the bridge and down river a little. I noticed that it was not very much room on the bank for it was very steep. So you could not see where they were fishing. My plan was to watch by driving back and forth across the bridge and find out where they were fishing and then sneak back when they were not there. I didn’t want to bother them if I was not invited. So I finally saw what the big deal was about where they were and what they were doing. About a half hour or an hour before dark the Stripers would come through this narrow place in the river and what they did was run the shad in schools from the deep water to this bottle neck and feast on them. Man the water would be just beat to a foam there were so many of them chasing shad right out of the water on to the bank where you stand. By the way you didn’t need a boat it is crazy how close they come to the bank running those shad. When I finally found out how to catch them, I learned how great bank fishing here in Oklahoma is. I have so many stories to tell I can’t wait to tell of some of the hot spots along the river banks and tail water of this state. 

Back to the first striper. I finally got to see where they were fishing and how they got there. Very steep and rocky along the bank so there was no way you could use a big rod and reel most people think you need to catch Stripers and Hybrids with. So we used Crappie rigs with crappie jigs. It was the only thing you could throw. If you had a boat you spooked them after you caught the first fish also the sand bars of the Arkansas River tend to run shallow and they are not good to walk on or try to get a boat in and out of. The sand bars are just heaven for the big Stripers to chase shad up on but you have to sneak up on them and a boat won’t do it. Then you had to chase them, and in the river you could end up running miles to catch a few fish. But we found out if you fished from the bank they would not spook very easy and if they did they would make a loop and come back because of the bottle neck in the river. Also a wealth of knowledge was learned from fishing this spot off the bank. 

1. Thing I learned was heavy line is not the best way to catch Stripers, and that they are really nocturnal. Which means they feed better at night. As soon as the sun went down all the top water fishing was gone. Man you should have seen the guys along the river bank with those big rods and reels trying to make casts and chasing the fish up and down the river. Everyone would arrive at the same time. And only a few would catch one or two. It would all be over in about on hour. The second the sun went down, it was over. It was like the fish all left. No top water explosions like before the sun went down. So they all left. All but those guys with the crappie rods and jigs. 

2. It seems that after the carnage the stripers throw up the shad they gorged themselves on and then turn around and pick up the little pieces. Which means red, green, and yellow jigs were on the menu. All night long. Where the guys fishing for stripers in the daylight might catch one or two before they run back out of the sunlight, after dark they bite your jig right at edge of the bank. Short string you they will. 

3. The third thing I learned was loosen the drag because of how hard they hit when you get short strong. They are so close to the bank you have to be careful not to stumble over the rocks or they spook. Then it might be an hour or so before they come back. 

4. I learned that stripers being big fish and good fighters they have a weakness. After 300 yards they get tired. A striper will fight himself to death. Unlike a hybrid that never gives up. A 30 lbs. Striper can be caught on 6 lb. Mono. If you learn to turn them around. 

5. To turn a striper around using a jig and 6. Lb. Mono while he is running, pluck your line like you are playing a banjo and the line slapping him up side the head will make him turn around and come back to you as fast as he left running. 

6. Keep a pair of plyers because when you finally get him to the bank you will be to tired to pick him up. Also fishing at night you don’t know what is in a fishes mouth or that you might have something other than a striper. I have caught 10 lb. Walleye. 

I first started out with 2 jigs because I wanted to get out where I thought the big ones were jumping. But all I did was get broke off. Man what fun it was to take my children and wife out and watch them try to catch 20 and 30 lb. Stripers. 


My first striper was caught on a spinning rod and reel. Rigged for crappie. My first striper was 15 lbs. And I was out of my mind. Since then I have found many places along the river banks and low water dams. I have fished in places where the stripers have been in water knee deep. So shallow that you couldn’t even use a 16th oz. Jig head. 

Secret #1. Stripers love rock piles, and rocks so you have to out smart them. I had a friend who loved to fish the low water dams. One year it was very dry and dams did not run much water. So we had to use rubber white grubs with true turn hooks Texas rigged with no sinker. So that the grub floated over the rocks. Man those stripers couldn’t stand it. It would be nothing to see us fighting those big Stripers for 15 or 20 minutes. And no you would not break off that many with that light line. As a matter of fact some nights I would use the same line and hook and lure all night and catch as many as 5 big stripers before I go home. I have come home with over a hundred pounds of fish and have only 4 or 5 fish which is the limit. I didn’t tell you about fishing on and around bridges and rail road trusses.

Will Ryte