Trophy Striped Bass

Trophy Striped Bass are not ordinary fish. In some lakes, a 15 pound striper is a trophy fish. Lakes like Lake Ouachita in Arkansas, known as the Trophy Striped Bass Capitol of the world, produces 30+ pound stripers on a frequent basis.

To me the weight is not as important as the adventure. Whatever your definition of a trophy Striped Bass is remember the big stripers have different characteristics than the smaller fish.

Learning these different characteristics can be the most valuable tool to catching a memory of a lifetime.

Yes there are always unusual exceptions.

For example, I was Fishing a large school of 8 - 10 pound stripers one morning. My clients were using spinning reels spooled with 12 pound test line when suddenly a 40 pound trophy inhaled one of the gold fish we were using. Using redfins in a large school of smaller stripers one morning a 42 pounder blew a hole in the lake with the lure embedded in its jaw.

These unusual catches will happen, but compared to the vast numbers of hours spent by many striper anglers in search of a trophy size fish, the unusual catches are rare.

One characteristic that will improve your odds on a trophy striper is if you see large arches on your depth finder in spring or have action from a large striper but don't catch it return to the same area the next day around the same time and you will have some sort of activity from the same fish. As with any style of fishing, it is a must to establish some sort of pattern to become successful on a regular basis.

When approaching a good area use rules which are simple and effective.

Never disturb the surface area of the water where you are going to fish.
Never wash any waves up on the point you are approaching.
Stop 50 yards out and go in with your trolling motor.

In the spring trophy stripers run together in smaller pods, if you catch a large fish chances are very good their is another around the same size in the same area and as long as forage is available they will use the same area up to several weeks showing up about the same time each day.

When you come across striper feeding and breaking on the surface which also happens about the same time each day the larger fish will be on the outside and below the smaller more aggressive fish.

A pattern will continue until a change in weather or the baitfish moves and leaves the feeding striper no reason to return to the area. When you have discovered the presence of a big fish on a point or area don't give up on it after one strike or one day. Return to the same area the next day around the same time and you will probably get some sort of activity from the same fish.

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