Alright guys, as the title says ive got some questions about striped bass. I was at the lake the other day andsaw some huge topwater blow ups and im thinkin this isnt a normal bass. In this particular cove there are always dead slab crappie. (no idea why) But i see one and it all of the sudden goes under water and pops back up a second later. Then i see a pretty big striper up at the top trying to eat. Are stripers scavengers like catfish? any idea on how to catch them off the dock?

stripers like to school up a lot. when there is bait around you will see the water "boiling" on top from them feeding.

 

ive caught two stripers off a dock where i fish at Smith Mtn Lake. both were while catfishing at night). one on a chicken liver and one on a piece of white perch cut bait. both were mid-april when the stripers are going through their spawn phase, though they cant successfully spawn there. they were also following in spawning alewives to feed on them at night. both times i had a dock light shining in the water that attracted hundreds of alewives.

Alright guys, as the title says ive got some questions about striped bass. I was at the lake the other day andsaw some huge topwater blow ups and im thinkin this isnt a normal bass. In this particular cove there are always dead slab crappie. (no idea why) But i see one and it all of the sudden goes under water and pops back up a second later. Then i see a pretty big striper up at the top trying to eat. Are stripers scavengers like catfish? any idea on how to catch them off the dock?

They will eat quite a bit of different things but mostly seem to chase baitfish, whichever kinds you have in your water. They cover lots of water, and at different areas of the water column with sporadic feeding.  At this point in the year, you should find windblown areas would be the best bet.  I fish windblown points at dusk personally- not sure if you have that option though.  They can be easy to catch some days, more difficult others as they can disappear pretty quickly. I think large jigging spoons, lead head/swim bait combos work best as you can cover the entire water column. If they are busting on top, does not really matter what you have on, throw something near and pack mentality takes over and you should be able to get hits.  Timing is everything on these though, and a boat to chase them around helps...

also, if you want to use artificial. some of the popular baits i hear about, atleast for SML, are thundersticks and pearl white flukes on plain jig heads...

Thanks for the replies guys. I normally catfish off of the dock at night to catch some dinner for the next day. There are always a bunch of schools of bait fish busting a little ways off the dock and all around it. Never thought much of it until i saw the huge striper eating the crappie, now i just cant resist targeting them. Ill try tossing a fluke at the bait balls, i figure thats my best chance. Im fishin on lake sinclair, so i dont know if i could keep the cats from eating a liver or cut bait long enough for the stripers to find it. I've also heard that a big shad under a bobber works pretty well. any experience with that?

heres what i would try. at night, get a flood light and hook up to the dock and plug it in shining on the water off the end of the dock. i use this for a light: http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/42/4293c45c-7098-4ffa-8e91-6f3a543fa771_300.jpg

 

if the bait is there like you say, it will congregate under the light where its shining in the water. get a cast net and you can get all the fresh live bait you want, whether it be alewives or shad thats there. if youve never thrown a cast net for bait, its going to take some practice. youll wish you had a 3rd hand to throw it with...

Been trying to find a good light, thanks for the link. there is an over head light on the roof that shines down on the water and i have noticed some (very small) bait fish gathering under it. I have thrown a cast net before but i cant say im very good. Have to agree on the 3rd hand thing.