Going to be camping at the state park this weekend with some friends. We are hoping to get on the stripers and sand bass. What are some good techniques, look for schools of fish/bait and drop a slab down to them? Look for birds and throw crankbaits/rattletraps at them? Normally we chase the green fish, but this time we're just looking to get our wives out to catch some fish and have fun. Thanks!

We went to Whitney yesterday and did ok. I usually start around the Island west of the State Park to look for stripers. They will usually be on the windy side. We caught 4 keeper size stripers up to 22" and even a few largemouths and smallmouths. we trolled deep shad crankbaits and just followed the bottom contour, once we saw the depth they were at.(15 ft.) There were a few birds working there and south of the State Park. Slabs or tail spins like the Little George work well in deeper water, especially for sand bass. Be aware of the wind. (not that it ever blows in the panhandle) Whitney can get rough.

You caught smallmouth? Wish I could see some pics of that.

Would be willing to pay to see pictures of smallmouth from Whitney the other day

They are there ......

Smallmouths that would sweet if they made a comeback. I miss fishing for them more than any other freshwater fish in Texas.

They are stocked pretty heavily there .......
Take a glance at the stocking reports .......

they haven't been stocked since the golden algae fish kill. Pretty much wiped em out....some might have made it

Should have killed all the striper's too .... I guess.......

stripers have been restocked. the last fish kill was in 2012. look at the striper stockings since then


http://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/action/stock_bywater.php?WB_code=0783

http://www.texasgetawayvacation.com/fishing-forecast.html#smallmouth-bass

There is an occasional smallmouth caught here but they are very few and far between. I know of 1 that was caught this year. As far as stocking them heavily, I think your looking at a old report.