North Lake Stripers

[Wickerdave]

When do the Stripers show up in the North end of the lake, I've been told they won't show up around the Starkey Marina area till around June, I was hoping for April. What do more experienced people than myself think.

[Quillback]

There are others on here that are more knowledgeable about their movements, I primarily will only target stripers when they are on top.  My personal opinion is that for top water fishing on the dam end, the prime time is all of May into about mid-June.  

Every year seems to be a little different, I never know what I'll find when I go out looking for them.  Get a nice warm May morning with flat water and you can see them from a long ways off when they come up on top.  It really helps if you can get out and look for them, usually a good indicator is seeing some guide boats in the area.  

I would not surprise me to see some stripers around Starkey in April, might be a bit early, but who knows?  

[Bassmeister]

4 hours ago, Quillback said:

There are others on here that are more knowledgeable about their movements, I primarily will only target stripers when they are on top.  My personal opinion is that for top water fishing on the dam end, the prime time is all of May into about mid-June.  

Every year seems to be a little different, I never know what I'll find when I go out looking for them.  Get a nice warm May morning with flat water and you can see them from a long ways off when they come up on top.  It really helps if you can get out and look for them, usually a good indicator is seeing some guide boats in the area.  

I would not surprise me to see some stripers around Starkey in April, might be a bit early, but who knows?  

Do you typically use walking baits or plopper/popper types?

[Quillback]

8 hours ago, Bassmeister said:

Do you typically use walking baits or plopper/popper types?

I like these Evergreen 125's.  They walk and spit some.  Solid piece of plastic that casts a mile and distance is important.  Super sharp hooks right out of the box.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Evergreen_SB_Topwater_Plugs/descpage-EGSBS.html

These Yellow Magic poppers are pretty good too.  Smaller bait, but the 1/2 oz casts pretty well.  May not get you any giants, but works well for the 4-12 lb. fish.   

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Yellow_Magic_Japanese_Popper/descpage-YELLMJP.html

A buddy of mine throws Storm Wild Eye shads and does well with those.  

Redfins work well on top, they aren't the best bait for distance and you should change out the hardware, but one that swims well will get them.

Whopper Plopper does not do well for stripers, don't know why but they don't seem to like it.  Had a guy in the back once throwing a plopper and I was throwing a walking bait - he couldn't get a bite on the plopper and they were tearing up the walker.  

[bferg]

Similar to Quill I only target them when they are up top.  And I agree with Him about May- I think that April- May is prime time across most of the lake.
 

 I do think you can find them in the back of Indian creek earlier.  Last year we got into a school of whites and stripers mixed in on April 15.

 

As for topwater lures- I have caught them on all of them.  I haven’t done as well on dog walkers but they will eat the Plopper for sure.  By far the most consistent for me is a 6 inch cotton cordell Pencil Popper in black and silver.  They are relatively cheap and have solid hooks.  I like to replace the rear hook with a feathered Owner treble hook.  
 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cotton-Cordell-6-Pencil-Popper-1-oz-Fishing-Lure-Pearl-Blue/43347712