Indian Creek area, May 13

[Quillback]

Got to the launch early, foggier than heck when I got there.  Didn't have much choice but to idle over to a nearby point and start fishing, started out swimming a Keitech with the idea of catching smallmouth, but wasn't out to long before I started seeing a blow up to out in the deep water.  There wasn't a lot of top water striper activity, but it got to be enough that I couldn't take it any longer and had to give them a shot.

Had one blow up about 100 yards away, stood on the TM, got within casting distance, tossed the walking bait at the spot where the blow up occurred, gave it a twitch and man I tell you a stinking HUGE striper blew up on it, but missed, started walking the dog and it was like a pack of hungry piranhas were after that thing, had three quick explosions and misses and BOOM finally got one to grab it.  Went through the usual  tug of war and boated one that was in the 13-15. lb range.  Wrecked the front treble on my lure, so tied on another one, and when I tied it on I noticed my hands were shaking.  Many years of fishing but I guess I can still get excited at times.

Anyway, caught another one that was in the low teen range and a couple of 3 pounders to boot, all on the top water.  Also caught an 18" smallie that was near to the bank.  That dude grabbed about 4 feet of air a couple of times which was pretty neat to see.

For burned off, stripers went to parts unknown so I did some bass fishing, caught 10 bass, mostly smallies with a couple of spotted bass.  3 of the smallies were keeper sized.  Had the best bite on the c-rig with a UV Speed craw as bait.  Had quite a few bites, but they were just not eating it right - I think they have spawned, and are guarding nests or fry and are just messing with the baits.

Surface WT 66, water has a bit of a stain to it.

 

 

 

 

This post has been promoted to an article

[snagged in outlet 3]

Stripers are the most violent fresh water fish.  I love to catch them...

[dan hufferd]

Alright i am getting an Arkansas fishing licence !

I bet a big spoon would be good too !

[chi0082]

Thanks for the report. Quite nothing like a topwater striper blitz. I've never had one yet on beaver, only at the beaches of Delaware. And it sure can give you that adrenaline rush we all dream about. 

[bferg]

Dang man- that smallie is a toad!!

But the top water striper deal is about as much fun as you can have with your pants on!  

 

It never ceases to amaze me how they can blow up a lure with 3 treble hooks and not get hooked!  If that same lure comes within an inch of my pants or shorts I get hooked!

[Johnsfolly]

@Quillback great report and great fish buddy! Striper bites around us have been slow to say the least. Lots of rain messing with the salinity. Have never caught any the size that you have been catching in Beaver. Looking to get some like that later this month😁. 

[Notropis]

Thanks for the post and pictures, Quillback!  I can verify that stripers are hitting on top on the lower end of the lake.  Caught two this morning, nothing big 8-10 lbs, but what fun!  Both almost yanked the rod out of my hand!

[navery]

What brand of net and top water lure are those? 

[Quillback]

That's an Ego slider net and the TW lure is an Evergreen Shower Blow 125.  Also caught one on a IMA Skimmer.  I think any walk the dog type lure will work as will poppers and pencil poppers.  That Evergreen is a solid piece of hard plastic and really casts far.

The hoop on that net is a little small for stripers.