fly rod for strippers

[Brian Sloss]

Anyone have any info on fly rodding for strippers. When is the best time and where is the most likely good spot to give it a try?

[Rusty]

Anyone have any info on fly rodding for strippers. When is the best time and where is the most likely good spot to give it a try?

Brian...any local establisment would be fine, most generally after dark. Be sure to take some dollar bills though.

Sorry man, but that was a loaded question. It's all in fun, ok.

[Brian Sloss]

thanks. No idea if upper lake, lower lake, spring or fall though?

[Bill Butts]

Anyone have any info on fly rodding for strippers. When is the best time and where is the most likely good spot to give it a try?

Brian,

Russ was just giving you a hard time for misspelling "Stripers".

I've seen many folks do it accidentally and my way of kidding them is to suggest they Google search both "stripers" and "strippers".

Do you live anywhere near Norfork Lake?

Norfork Lake contains all three of the great Striper species, including Hybrid Stripers and Whites. You will consistently find more of the Stripers and Hybrids in the lower, main lake area most of the year. Most area guides fish very deep with live shad and catch large fish. A few guides, like Darrell Binkley of Bink's Guide Service, offer exclusively artificial and fly fishing.

Any or all of the 3 species will push shad to the surface to feed which creates awesome opportunities for surface action. The Stripers are known for surface feeding in the winter months, too, usually in the main lake area.

In the spring, all 3 species can be found at slightly differing times in the lake's primary tributary (the North Fork on the MO side of the lake), but several other tributaries also receive spawning runs of Whites, however I am not sure about the other two species.

My best suggestion if you are serious about learning the lake and its tributaries related to the Striper Family is to talk with everyone you can possibly meet, on this Forum, in tackle shops, on the lake and streams and don't forget one of the best resources, area game wardens (MO calls them Conservation Agents). They are an awesome source for current info because they are watching the local waters and know where and when fish are being caught. I've never talked with one that wasn't helpful and courteous.

Catching these great fish in the lake or in streams is more about finding them. They aren't usually very difficult to catch if you know right where they are. There are exceptions to this, of course.

If you'd like more info on fly tackle, please look at the Striper Family category in this Forum for some guidelines and suggestions.

I hope you will share your successes and frustrations with the Forum, over a period of time.

Good luck and I hope you will find some of this helpful.

[Brian Sloss]

Thanks for the help.

[gonefishin]

I have an idea. We could start a topic here on the forum about strippers fishing for stripers. Of course we would have to have photos. It could be an educational topic in the casting section showing and discussing the pros and cons of the various casting forms. Should create a lot of interesting conversation.............I think.

Of course the 'flyrod for strippers' question would have to be a totally different topic. With all the different speeds, actions and weights I am sure there would be some heated conversations with a lot of opinions of which rod is best for different purposes.

What do you think?

Bud

[Fox Statler]

Brian,

I have a friend that fishes for them in the dam area quite often. He often goes with Binks. Next time he comes in I will ask him to keep me informed. I'll keep you and the board posted if something is happening.

After the striper kills we had in October, 2004, I hope there are some big ones left.