Feathers and Fins

Don't forget J-doc loves pictures of stripers while he is at work

I have rain gear and the fish are already wet, whats your next excuse

The striper parade just keeps going. I got out for a little while today not even planning to fish, I was actually scouting for ducks when I came upon this! 20lb class stripers busting shad and birds working over them. Even got to meet Larson today. Both of us casting from shore. Enjoy the Video. http://youtu.be/IamaN6Vpyn4

Thanks for the Jinx

John that's the best portable blind I have ever made, its light weight and simple to set-up and very spacious inside. throw some brush in the front to blend in better and your done. It lays flat in the boat so takes up almost no space.

SUCKY YEAR... I might go out tomorrow if the rain is out early enough, But hey on the side note its been the best December striper fishing I can remember and ill take it. Heck any reason to be on the water I take.

Oh I wouldn't fish for one species in the cold but then again I am a multispecies angler. People who target one species are missing out. And also being a duck hunter the ride in the boat ( not trailering ) is a great way to find birds Oh and lets not forget this time of year when its cold getting to watch Bald Eagles pick off some fish is well worth the day out even if you never get a bite.

40 surface makes me start seeing Crappie in my dreams, I know several places I don't talk about but is you have a clear day you can have a great day on superslabs. you have to start out deep and move shallow but its some great fishing. If an Angler is mobile it could be 40 in one area of the lake but run 20 miles the other way you might be in a flowing river arm and its 48 surface and 52 down 20 feet. You just have to be flexable.

Its not a Mallard and its not a Black Duck... So it counts as one of your 6 bird limit unless a Warden counts it as a Mallard then its part of your 4 bird mallard limit

Decided to get out yesterday with a friend, not much has been on the lake so we decided to get out later than most would. Met at the ramp at 7am and went to a spot I like to shoot in a NW wind and set up. No sooner had we got set the birds came in Redhead and Bluebills and then while my friend was out collecting a long floater I had to visit nature which is a no no and sure enough 20 mallards land in the decoys and my guns 20ft away. I gave them the Human Bird Salute Anyway not a bad day 3 redheads, 1 bluebill and 2 goldeneye, we both agreed had we been out earlier then limits would have been had and had someone not drank 2 cups of coffee certainly more would have been down lol. Anyway here is the blind, took a whopping 3 minutes to set-up And tonight's dinner is soaking

Yes below 40 air temp and water temp would be cold to people and fish. However not so much as they will just go down to warmer water or on sunny days come up in shallow flats to sun themselves. Remember surface temperature and temperature deeper in the lake is very different. But the average range for most our fish is between 50 and 70 degrees. So where surface temps may well be only in the 40's or below it doesn't mean the water deeper is that cold. I would like to know if the article discussed temps at surface or throughout the water column.

On Beaver I see them mixed in at the smaller classes but finding the larger ones is difficult and when you do they are near stripers of the same size. The biggest ones I have ever seen on the lake was about 3 or 4 years ago there was a massive crawfish molt going on and I saw fish tails out of water, I thought it was carp till I got close and saw they were hybrids tailing getting craws. Never seen it before or after but it was great and reminded me so much of being back in FL chasing tailing reds. The fish were all 7 to 12 pound class. A very rare day for certain but makes me wonder what would happen if someone went out with live craws.

Simple, with the confusion many are caught and kept in the 1 to 3 pound class never making it to maturity. I get maybe 3 a year in the 10lb class. They would be better off stocking Walleye, Crappie. Largemouth Bass or even more Striper than stocking a fish that is easily confused and harvested far below its potential because of that confusion.

I have caught hybrids all over the place not any specific area but this time of year they are on the bait pretty good and headed up river. Most people cannot tell the difference between hybrids and whites though when they are the same size odds are many people are keeping them not knowing. This is why I wish AGFC would stop stocking them. I typically only get 3 to 4 good hybrids a year 10+ pounds and numerous in the 1 to 4 pound range which is the size of many whites and where they get mistaken.

Ditto here, birds are sitting on cattle ponds and not using the big water, a few goldeneye around and some buffleheads but the vast majority are on the ponds. Where is this super cold winter? If id doesn't freeze soon this season is a bust, but on the other hand its one of the best Decembers I have had for stripers.

Very nice, I haven't seen enough birds in several weeks to even make me want to put out decoys.

How true a statement that is... They could be in one spot for 3 days go back and leaves you scratching your head where they went. But at least this time of year its typically up river so just go up it till you find them.

For a Christmas present for the entire family might I suggest going to Beaver Shores and catch as many white bass for the Christmas Dinner this year and save a turkey and pigs life... EAT MORE WITEBASS.

5.85pnds and very toothy as well, must have gone to the dentist a lot now it wont need that no more... Big congrats on your PB

You want Whites ( BEAVER SHORES ) I DONT WANT TO SEE ANOTHER ONE AFTER TODAY..... There are walleye as well but they got Nosetoclosetotail disease, stripers are there as are a few crappie. But please please take your limit of whites and THERE ISNT ONE on Beaver.

HEY I don't lead people astray just to the Light Launch at Prairie Creek, its a much nicer ramp and doesn't have little brats throwing boulders on the ramp that bend props! Stripers are from Prairie Creek area to Horseshoe bend. try trolling baits 30 to 40 feet deep over the old channel

Started out yesterday morning with Mr SoarThumbs, I will just say the morning was slow He did manage a white and hybrid out of PC. Not much action until 3;30 except for a white and small hybrid here and there, then the sun came out for a bit and I managed 2 nice stripers ( Released unharmed ) and a few whites then when the cloud came back the fish went back to sleep. I had many calls throughout the day of people getting stripers from Prairie Creek to Horseshoe bend but the theme was the same they would find them on bait and have to sit on them until they started feeding and when they did it was 1to 3 fish then a shut down. The lake is really turning on right now for many species. Get those winterized boats out of storage and get out there, Stripers to 40+ pounds, Crappie and Walleye biting good and enough whites and small hybrids to make any child smile.

Nice mess and that is one of my go to colors. The lake has really been turning on lately.