Lake norris striper report???????

[tglass]

Have the fish started breaking yet or is the water still too warm. I heard from a guide last year the he was going and foloowing the gulls and catching a bunch of fish casting. I could not go last year but i am going to make it this year for sure. Any help would be appreciated. If you do not want to broadcast it on here you can email me at [email protected]. Thank you very much.

Tom

[STONEWALL]

I have seen the stripers busting the shad on the Clinch side above Hickory star. I do not fish for them but it was clearly the stripers. Gulls are also working the area.

[Fish2win]

I have seen them surface feeding between Point 19 and Stardust. In Lost creek about 1/2 way back and in the bay in front of Big Ridge. The gulls will tip you off but they will come fast and go fast. Some of the fish are Smallmouth mixed in. I dont fish for linesides either but I have seen them busting. The surface temp at Bull Run is about 68. The shad are there and the stripers should be soon, Fish2win

[Dover]

what's the average size striper at Norris?????

[Fish2win]

I think most of what they catch these days are 8 to 10 lbs. I do know of a guy catching a 35 about 3 weeks ago from the breaks. Two years ago all the bigger Stripers died for the most part. It was some type hydro oxygen problem and they were caught at a depth with no air.A few big guys survived but not many. In the mean time the shad have really come back in the lake. The fish are once again feeding well on shad and not just not alewifes. The fishing for everything has improved. With the shad starting to re-populate the stripers will hit a growth streak soon.The big smallies are getting very common due to the increased size limit. The real surprise is the number of 3 and 4 lb Kentucky spotted bass that were caught this last year. Fish2win

[Dover]

Wow --- I wouldn't mind fishing for some of those 3-4 pound spots....... thanks for the info Fish2Win ... Happy New Year to all...

[STONEWALL]

I caught a 29 inch striper last spring year on a spinnerbait up above lone Moutain fishing for post-spawn smallies in the river. On the next trip my dad caught a 37 incher. But like fish2 win said most of the big ones died out but they will return.