Use Boat Motor Or Trolling Motor For Stripers?

[mchunter]

It's been a while since I've been on the striper forum. I tried striper fishing several times last year and the year before at Beaver, but never done any good, so I just gave up. I have went out with Ed Chapko a couple times since and it is roughly the same expense (if I have a partner) as me pulling the boat over from Tahlequah, Ok. Lately I have resigned to trout fishing, which is something I can do!

I've been reading all the information Feathers and Fins has put out and it has given me the fever to try it on my own again! Even though you catch some with a guide, there is still nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when you do something on your own.

A question I have, that I haven't seen addressed is:

When trolling (shallow or deep) should you use your motor if it is a 2 stroke or your trolling motor? I know Ed trolls in the summer using the boat motor, but his is a 4 stroke. Always heard these fish are jumpy, so I am wondering?

Last year I tried trolling umbrella rigs using my boat motor and didn't do any good, then went out with Ed later the same day and bam! we were catching fish doing everything exactly as I had been and in the same places!

I gather from Feathers and Fins info that drifting is good also.

Can anyone give me some specifics on trolling or drifting? I certainly appreciate the help. Thanks so much for all the info for us newbies to Striper fishing. If there was just a Striper Fishing For Dummies book!!!!

[Stump bumper]

Fin puts it out there pretty good but the easy time for beginners is about over IMO. When the water is 50 and below the stipers are all over the lake and easy to catch.. In the summer a run to the tailwaters at the first generation of the day will fill a livewell with shad just scoop the off the top of the water as the cooler water hits them. Then head to Lost Bridge South or North and set up a drift near some deep trees if you don't pick up a fish move and repeat. Also if you are not going to keep shad over night a few dozen will live in a livewell with ice just no where to put a striper so carry a big cooler for fish you plan to keep and keep those fish on ice to prevent spoilage during hotter months.

If you are mid lake go to the water intake area with the cast net, if you can't find shad there hire a guide..lol go to any long deep point and drop a shad down just like a drop shot and drift for a while there are always small stripers and hybrids around it is just how deep as the water warms. People see them feeding on top and then fish shallow but those fish will run back down to 30-60 feet first time a big motor runs through them.

As more people start taking their boats out of storage the deeper the fish will go and its my belief it is the sound of the motors, I don't know if it is the shad that gets run deep and stripers fallow or the stripers just hate the sound of big motors.

I don't target stripers a lot but have learned some basics from getting the need to bend the big poles a few times a year in the past 12 years of living on Beaver and they are totally different fish in June then in March.

[mchunter]

Thanks for the tips Stump Bumper! Not sure when I'll get to come over again, but I believe I'll have to try it on my own again before long.

[Feathers and Fins]

I just saw this post sorry I missed it. Im working on a couple articles that will give much more information on trolling vs drifting. Not sure when I will have them posted. But the short answer is unless you are in water over 50ft drifting will beat trolling all day long. And even at that trolling the big motor you need to set your baits back much further then most people think. Minimum 100 ft.

[mchunter]

Thank you for the insight! I really appreciate all the info you give us. Looking forward to those articles!