Alright, I'm stumped and need help. I have property on a lake in the Mountains of WV. The lake has no thermocline. The variation in temperature from surface (81 degrees) to 100' (78.4 degrees) was just over 2.5 degrees. The fish seem to be suspended anywhere from 30'-50' of water. This holds true in all depths from 60'-100'. We do however get some big markers hovering right off the bottom. The lake depths change drastically to as low as 20' in a lot of places, making trolling deep very hard to manage.

 

What would be the best tactics to get some of these big stripers to bite. Some anglers have lucked into one here and there, but doesn't seem that anyone has figured them out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

2 hours ago, Redrun said:

Alright, I'm stumped and need help. I have property on a lake in the Mountains of WV. The lake has no thermocline. The variation in temperature from surface (81 degrees) to 100' (78.4 degrees) was just over 2.5 degrees. The fish seem to be suspended anywhere from 30'-50' of water. This holds true in all depths from 60'-100'. We do however get some big markers hovering right off the bottom. The lake depths change drastically to as low as 20' in a lot of places, making trolling deep very hard to manage.

 

What would be the best tactics to get some of these big stripers to bite. Some anglers have lucked into one here and there, but doesn't seem that anyone has figured them out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Find the coolest water with the highest O2 concentration, and fish during cool periods early and late. Trolling will probably be your best bet during the hot months. Striped bass are cold water fish, and will go into a funk in the summer. Don't bother releasing any you catch, they will not survive when caught in warm water. Winter time and water temperature between mid 40s and low 60s around schools of bait is when you want to chase them. You can read them with most electronics, they paint solid arches on most FFs. How is it possible you don't have a thermocline? 

Use chicken liver and blood worm and do bait and wait, Thats the way we do it over here in that depth in that temp.

#1 presentation is the Alabama Rig.

 

If they’re that far down would it be better vertically fishing for them? Maybe squid jigging a spoon?

On 7/18/2021 at 12:32 PM, roadwarrior said:

#1 presentation is the Alabama Rig.

 

Oh the irony...

Try a 1/2 or 3/4 oz Scrounger head with a fluke or similar type swimbait.