Go to striper lure.....

[RICHYD4U]

Hey guys, I thought I would ask since I know there are a lot of avid striper fisherman on this forum, what is everyone's go to lure to catch stripers? I'm trying to get as much info as I can before I attempt to take my father-in-law striper fishing on the CL week after next, and I need help! I consider myself a well rounded fisherman, but when it comes to striper fishing, I've just never done it! HELP PLEASE!!!
It seems like over the years, I've heard you all talk about doll flys' and these GIZZ 3/4 lures. Are doll flys the same thing as bucktail jigs? Are these GIZZ lures worth the $12 a piece? Just looking for anything to help a brother out, thanks.

[fishincreek]

I lost my alltime favorite a few years back and my catching went downhill since that loss. It was a chrome 7" Redfin. The newer Redfins just don't catch the fish that one did.(My friends named that bait "Lucky"). My go-to baits now is a chrome 5" jointed Thunderstick or a 4-5" Manns Suspending +8.

[HoskiFishin]

I know that one of my go to baits for Hybrids at Rough is any strike king crankbait in sexy shad. I have caught them both casting and trolling. Hope this might be a little help! Have fun fishin and good luck!

[vmky]

My favorites are: Top water; Xj13 and super spook both in shad color: mid depths (5 to20ft.) Cumberland pro lures dollfly(bucktail) in 1oz., 5/8oz.jighead shad bodied bait in Gulp Smelt; Below 20ft; 1 to 1 1/2oz. jigging spoon or bucktail jig in 2oz. These are my favorites but the one thing I'm trying to do is match the size of bait they are eating at that time. One thing I have been doing here lately to catch fish; after the school goes back down from the surface bite, grab my jigging spoon and finding the school on my graph then drop it in the middle of the school. Caught several nice-sized fish doing this.

[cumberlandguy1]

I ALWAYS have a Gizz 4 tied on this time of year. I've got so many fish on it, that it's about the only crank bait that I use. I got up this morning to go, but looked at the rain and went back to bed. Jigging spoons work well when the fish are down.... especially a certain prototype blade bait. Some of you know which one. LOL.

[apb]

If I could only have one lure for stripers it would be a bucktail jig (also called a dollfly). Very versitile lure. Can fish them shallow or deep. Change the size and action by using a different trailer. Work year round, day or night, anywhere you have stripers. I love catching them on top either walking a spook type plug or pencil popper or waking a swimming type plug. Those are fun to fish, but you are limited in the times of year that they'll catch.

Andrew

[RICHYD4U]

Thanks guys, lots of good information. I'm gonna have to go stock up on some bucktail jigs and I guess take out a loan for some of those GIZZ 3/4's! I bet if you loose on of those you can actually feel your pockets burning! But if they work, I'm all for them. I can't wait to finally get out and do some fishing. It feels like all I do lately is work. Not a good feeling! I'd much rather feel a 10+ lb striper ripping line off my drag! Now that sounds nice! Thanks again!

[tglass]

For this time of year i would go with a bucktail jig in white with a curly tail trailer. I would use 1/2 oz and 3/4 oz. If the fish are up on top you can catch them and if they are a little deeper you can catch them. Like APB said this is the most versatile striper lure. It also helps that you can really throw them far to reach fish surfacing.

[RICHYD4U]

Well, I got a $100 gift certificate for Christmas to the local Gander Mountain store here in Bowling Green, so I went today. Ended up browsing for hours trying to find some of the things mentioned on here. Gander had a pretty limitted selection, but I ended up with some white doll flys, a couple heavy jigging spoons, a bill dance spitting image crank, and I looked really hard at the Strike King "King Shad" lure. If it hadn't cost $19.99, I might have gotten one. What do you all think of the King shad lure? Anyways, I'm gonna order 2 of those Gizz 3/4 lures online. Sounds like they work. Thanks again for all the input guys. I can't wait to get out!!!! Have a good day.

[Fisherjoe]

Rapala Sliver and Jointed RedFin or Thunderstick at night. 3/8-1/2 oz bucktail w/curly tail trailer most other times.

Joe

[JUSTINHALL]

Thanks guys, lots of good information. I'm gonna have to go stock up on some bucktail jigs and I guess take out a loan for some of those GIZZ 3/4's! I bet if you loose on of those you can actually feel your pockets burning! But if they work, I'm all for them. I can't wait to finally get out and do some fishing. It feels like all I do lately is work. Not a good feeling! I'd much rather feel a 10+ lb striper ripping line off my drag! Now that sounds nice! Thanks again!

The only question is why you fishin for the babies??? A 10 lb striper is a baby in my book, try doubling the weight for a good time nothing like a 20+ on your bass rod. All jokes a side I use a doll fly white and chartreuse with chartreuse trailer more than anything with out the blade though I have less action while using the spinner arm. When they are hitting the surface I use the Rapala X-Rap 13 which works really well but this year top water has not been the best yet. The 1 oz doll fly works when they are in the jumps as well. Rapala jerk baits work great as well but you need to upsize the rear hook or you loose a lot of them.

[Boat Bums]

Big baits catch BIG fish!!!!!! 5-8" sassy shads or the 8" misery twister baits are good. In Fisherman just did a big thing at Cumberland river using swim bait why not troll them and they are cheaper to lose. I fish the Ohio river here at Louisville. I do see a differance in the size of the fish I catch by using bigger baits. Other than that I like the bps xps line 6-8" blue chorme or natural, black in any floating, suspended,diver. What is nice here if i run into stripper it will be more than one but theres a chance it could be a Blue it may weight upwards of 80#