Need advise on stripe bass equipment to use please.

[Quadman]

Hello, I am brand new here and glad for the opportunity to get good advice. I need advise on stripe bass equipment to use please. I live Knoxville and started fishing on Norris Lake in east Tennessee last year. Can someone tell me what gear (rod, reel, lures, rod holder, etc.) to use in order to catch the big stripe bass?

 

I use a 2002 Harris 24" pontoon boat with a 2003 Yamaha 90 hp four stroke. The Yamaha run very well. I am the 3rd owner of the boat and everything is in very good condition. The engine run very quiet at low speeds (under 10 mph). I think it will work just fine for trolling the lake. The reason I use a pontoon boat is because I had a spinal cord injury back in 1990. Therefore, I use a wheelchair and need room to move around. 

 

 I have a new Humminbird Helix 9 which is way more than I need. Lol... Unfortunately, I do not us a trolling motor because of my disability and it would take up more room on the boat. I think I will be fine with the right setup. Just need to figure that part out. Yesterday, a friend and I were slowly cruising about midway up the lake in depth of around 100 or so ft. I "HAD" a Jimmy Houston Catfish Camo rod combo spinning real with 25 lbs test line. The lure was a gold colored spoon with treble hook and 2 small weights set about 4 ft about the lure. We stopped to look at the lake map on the fish finder. There was around 30ft of line out. The rod was in a cheap rod holder that was screw clamped on fairly tight the the fencing of the pontoon. As I turned away and back to the rod the it was too late. The rod with rod holder flew off toward the back of the boat. Sorry for the long story. But, should I stick with that setup this weekend with a much better and stronger rod holder? Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you very much!

 

Quadman

[ohboyitsrobby]

I suppose that combo would work. As long as it has a good drag and a good size spool. Most definitely a better rod holder lol. Welcome aboard btw

[WRB]

3 mph is a fast troll.

Take a look at medium heavy swimbait rods or A-rig rods with Shimano Cardiff 400 size reel with 25 lb Berkley Big Game line. Dobyns FR795 or Okuma Guide Spl rated 1-5 oz lures.

Lures look at A-rigs with Kietech swimbaits on 1/4 oz swimbait jig heads for A-rigs.

Tom

[Catt]

@Quadman How y'all are? ?

 

Ya gonna need a little bit more than rod-n-reels!

 

Ya gonna have to get setup for

fishing gizzard shad, shiners, or alewife, drift line fished or on planer boards, 5 to 20- feet deep. Alabama Rigs with those same live bait trolled with down rigging.

 

Equipment: you'll be hard pressed to find a better reel Abu Garcia Ambassadeur C3 or C4. While the Cardiff is fine it only holds around 150 yds of 25# while the Abu will put you up around 300 yds.

 

Rod would depend on if your drift line fishing or trolling.

[Quadman]

Thank you all for the advice. I really appreciate it! Going to try to get some of this new equipment before the weekend.

 

[WRB]

Trolling with big pontoon boat is a little difficult in the wind as they tend blown around.

Take a look at a Troll Ease type plate to slow the boat down, several types are available.

Lur-Jenson makes diving disk like Dipsey etc that control diving depths without the expense of down rigger equipment. Striper will eat fresh cut bait or whole fresh dead fish if you are into bait fishing.

My preference for Cardiff is based on the drag system, you can upgrade the Abu reel drags if more line capacity is needed or look into smaller diameter line like Sunline Defier Armilo, my Cardiff 300A holds 165 yards of 25 lb, the 400 size should hold over 200 yards.

I would suggest hiring a gpstriper guide for a day to learn your sonar unit and basic techniques.

Good luck,

Tom

 

[Catt]

It'll take gale force winds to blow a 24' pontoon around & the 90 hp will keep it on course.

 

According to Shimano website: Cardiff 300A 150 yds of 17# mono

Cardiff 400A 165 yds of 20# mono

 

I've used Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6500 C3 to land Bonita, Ling, Red Snapper, & Barracuda, it'll hand Striper easily!

[WRB]

Berkley Big Game 15 lb is .015 dia, 20 lb is .018 dia, Sunline Armilo 25 lb is .0158 dia or close to 15 lb GB, line capacity is all about line diameters.

Pontoons in wind tend to blow around do to the canopy acting like a sail, there isn't a safety issue unless trying to dock, no canopy no problem.

I catch 20 lb stripers on my swimbait tackle with size 250 Calcutta and 300A Cardiff all the time, but not trolling 100' behind the boat. .Agree 6500 Abu is a good choice, less expensive.

Goid luck with your striper fishing.

Tom

 

 

[buzzbaiter83]

I've seen a lot of stripers caught on Norris with a big A-Rig Rod and an Ambassador reel spooled with 17-20lb test. Seen a couple that tipped 50lb scales caught off that rig around the Lakeview/Hickory Star area. My uncles fish the Clinch side out of Lakeview and use catfish rods to catch big stripers with their pontoon. They park on points and fish shad off the back. They also troll A-Rigs and catch some nice ones.  Good luck!