Summer, stripers need water about 70 degrees max to survive. Also, stripers must keep moving and cannot tolerate low oxygen content water. Meaning, that they will be trapped between about 6 feet below the surface off 100 degree water and 35 feet down where there is a thermocline. Most bait can tolerate warmer temperatures, but also share the need for oxygen. Bait will usually be in water above the thermocline and often flip at the surface for some reason. An important note is that bait can be killed by fishing it below the thermocline. Also, keep in mind that stripers always feed looking UP!
Kerr has maybe four bait fish of importance, gizzards (shad), alewives (herring), threadfin (shad) and blueback (herring). These baits have different have spawning and residence areas. Stripers may feed on specific size baits too. So, knowing where they are on the lake can put you into stripers.
It's obvious that stripers will be where the bait is easy to catch! Also, stripers will avoid bright light as their large eyes are too sensitive. So, look for stripers just before dark, all night, and not much after day break. Stripers will hit the shallows in subdued light and seek the deep when the sun is high. You may catch them throughout the day at the right depth. Keep in mind that the stripers must stay in their comfort zone. They will move towards the shore to feed, but they will stay in their comfort zone above where the thermocline meets the bottom. After feeding, they may move to the open water and remain in a comfort zone. I see them on the bottom in a comfort zone (temperature/oxygen) and drop live herring/shad on their heads! FISH ON! Others like Jigging. Some use trolling with "stretch 25s" and bucktails, etc.
Gizzards can be much to large for Kerr stripers, but 7 inch are long lived in the bait tank and in the water. These are usually in the very shallow coves where the water is very warm and stained (rich in zooplankton) not mud! Can be caught by cast net before day light. The green fluorocent lamp seems to attract best. Bill Fowler uses a 4 foot lamp that works the best of any I've seen. Before daylight, we usually launch on the up current side of Nutbush bridge. Some bait seekers park in the lot some distance from the bridge and carry buckets to and from the bridge. At the bridge, suspend a light to attract the bait. Use the down river side of the bridge because there is a sidewalk provided for the purpose. The upriver side of the bridge does not have sidewalk and you may be ticketed for blocking the road. Always a competitive spot for bait, be there early. My physical situation means launching my boat rather than tossing from the bridge.
There are many other areas where you can get bait at night. It will usually be I where there is artificial light. The Clarksville bridge or at a marina like Oconeechee under the US 58 bridge. Checking the Kerr Lake Pro board will often provide a location. Possibly on other lakes, like Falls in NC.
Kerr blueback and alewives , herring love moving water, like flows under the Nutbush Bridge. But Alewives and Threadfins seem to be very fragile and smaller sizes are the norm. Smaller baits take much smaller hook diameter (wire?).
To keep them alive in a bait tank, it takes aeration and water flow with frequent water change. Also, salt and calcium chloride added to the water help their respiration. Some dump the fish from the castnet into a sorting bucket that has added salt to start hardening of the bait. Temperature is critical and they must be kept cool. Some add frozen soda bottles or bags of ice when the bait tank water gets too warm in the summer (the pump, etc. add heat).
Some baits spawn in open water, and others only on the red banks of the lake, and others on the brickbracks. Could say, they spawn where ya find them. But, most move to deeper/open water during the day for protection.
Most all these baits start early in the year and become peanut size to clog the castnet in the summer. A nasty sorting session ensues. During the day, many baits move off the shallows into the deeper water and form bait balls or concentrations of bait. In the spring, live baiting size fish can be netted in Snake Holler, Palmer's, County Line, and Striper City to mention a few locations, during the morning hours, even after daylight.
In the fall, the baits can be caught during daylight most anywhere in a creek. Lots of flippers each evening and the stripers are having a feast.
As the water temp drops to 40 degrees, many of the baits die and settle to the bottom to be swept with the river and creek currents. Usually, Kerr has turned over and there is adequate oxygen in the depths for the stripers to chow down on the dead and dying baits. The blue catfish are always there for a free meal.
Kerr blueback and alewives , herring love moving water, like flows under the Nutbush Bridge. But Alewives and Threadfins seem to be very fragile and smaller sizes are the norm. Smaller baits take much smaller hook diameter (wire?).
To keep them alive in a bait tank, it takes aeration and water flow with frequent water change. Also, salt and calcium chloride added to the water help their respiration. Some dump the fish from the castnet into a sorting bucket that has added salt to start hardening of the bait. Temperature is critical and they must be kept cool. Some add frozen soda bottles or bags of ice when the bait tank water gets too warm in the summer (the pump, etc. add heat).
Some baits spawn in open water, and others only on the red banks of the lake, and others on the brickbracks. Could say, they spawn where ya find them. But, most move to deeper/open water during the day for protection.
Most all these baits start early in the year and become peanut size to clog the castnet in the summer. A nasty sorting session ensues. During the day, many baits move off the shallows into the deeper water and form bait balls or concentrations of bait. In the spring, live baiting size fish can be netted in Snake Holler, Palmer's, County Line, and Striper City to mention a few locations, during the morning hours, even after daylight.
In the fall, the baits can be caught during daylight most anywhere in a creek. Lots of flippers each evening and the stripers are having a feast.
As the water temp drops to 40 degrees, many of the baits die and settle to the bottom to be swept with the river and creek currents. Usually, Kerr has turned over and there is adequate oxygen in the depths for the stripers to chow down on the dead and dying baits. The blue catfish are always there for a free meal.
While live Kerr shad and herring are preferred, it is possible during the colder months to use Shiners from Bobcats on US 15.
Bill Fowler prefers a modified shrimp toss with an 8' net. I try, but can't hardly do it with a 7'. I have to use a modified Calousa toss that needs lots of room and the ability to balance on the deck. Bill's toss is very similar to what Greg Patterson employs. Both often cast from the aft deck and toss over the motor and miss the console seating.
OK, here I make a perfect taco toss!
I must rely on Bill Fowler to toss the net from the boat! This technique takes a lot of upper body strength. The load is quick in the dark, but hard to get away from boat obstructions and sometimes boat trailers.
OK, here I make a perfect taco toss!
Can Joy accomplish the modified Calusa toss? YES & NO to Shrimp toss.
I must rely on Bill Fowler to toss the net from the boat! This technique takes a lot of upper body strength. The load is quick in the dark, but hard to get away from boat obstructions and sometimes boat trailers.
And now, I wait for the critics to help me get the blog info correct!
Mike Smedley, Team Old School says the following technique by Shawn McNew will work for smaller nets. Looks good to me. I'm anxious to give my net a toss with this technique. Certainly beats my lack of expertise with the shrimp toss.
