First Striper

[Jim Clevenger]

Finally caught my first Striper Sunday on Lake Ouachita. Although it was only 6lbs, it was an awesome fish. I have caught lots of Hybrids and was always impressed by their stength but I think the Stripers are even stronger. Can't wait to catch one up in the teens or twenties range.



Jim

 

[Barry Loos]

Congrats Jim. They are truly a great fish that is strong as an ox.



Bear

 

[TrepMan]

Congrat's Jim, so tell us the details? What did you catch it on? Depth? Water Temp?? Feed me semoyre!!



Going out myself on Saturday afternoon for Stripers!

 

[Jim Clevenger]

Mike, It was on Lake Ouachita in Arkansas. Clear water, 86 degrees, sunny, and calm winds, and about 6:30am.



Couldn't find any breaking stripers so tried some fishing about 30' in a spot where they had been seen before.



Caught them on 1/2 oz Kastmasters. We catch a lot of bass, Hybrids, etc on these lures. If you can find the Kentuckys or Hybrids breaking, just toss one of these on the boil and hold on. It looks like a dead shad floating down to the bottom. Since the Hybrids and Stripers run through a school of shad first to injure or kill them and then come back to eat them, it's irresistable to them. I've caught every Hybrid that had broke the surface as long as I put the Kastmaster on the boil. It's a lure that has been around for a long time and gone out of use. Try it out.



Jim

 

[Jim Clevenger]

Actually I am really blessed here. I live in Benton Arkansas which is 20 miles SW of Little Rock. I fish the following lakes:



Ouachita-----1 hour

Hamilton-----40 minutes

Catherine----20 minutes

These 3 lakes are all on the Ouachita River



Hot Springs Village 7 small lakes-----20 minutes



Lake Norrell----20 minutes (small lake)

Lake Millwood---2 hours

Lake Maumelle---30 minutes

Lake Conway-----45 minutes

Greers Ferry----1.5 hours

Arkansas River--30 minutes

White River-----1.5 hours

DeGray Lake-----45 minutes

Lake Dardanelle-1.5 hours

Clear Lake------45 minutes (Oxbow lake)



So many choices!