Ok, so let first make 2 confessions. 1) I have only taken a striper guide out once because I don't have a lot of money and 2) I have never really used live bait.

Now that those are out of the way, let me get going. I have been fishing on Lake Whitney for about a year now fervently going every decent opportunity I can get fishing summer, fall, winter, and spring and have yet to have one GOOD outing. I've had one DECENT outing where I caught 2 keeper stripers instead of one, but that one time out of how many miles of "wasted" gas? That being said, I'm frustrated and do not see how it can really be that hard. I glean every bit of information I can get, have a map, try various different tactics, and, as I've already mentioned, go at various times of the year. At what point do really start being successful? Is there some big OBVIOUS part of the equation I'm not understanding to catching striper with artificials? I really just want to be able to take my friends out and catch some fish!

My apologies for my rant.

Hang in there...it is a continual learning process.

Rex

Don't forget the three B's - birds, bait and boats. Any birds working yet? Where are they "rafting" (sitting on the water in a flock) if they aren't working? Normally they will raft over wads of bait. Are you seeing any wads of bait on your depth finder? At what depth are they if you are? What's the water temp (or do you have that capability on your depth finder/gps unit)? Are you seeing other boats grouped in a certain area? What time of day are you fishing?

Right now they're not doing very well in most of the striper lakes around the metromess area. They keep saying it's gonna bust loose anytime.

The surface bite on Whitney may be a little late...when the wind is blowing into the state park shoreline and the mouths of Whitney and Towash Creeks, early morning is a good time to break out the surface baits.

not hard ....BUT EXPENSIVE..................

Stripers are not that hard to catch , they can be very
hard to find. good advice from Redfin on the 3 B's,
but if they are not available , your best friend is
your electronics. You cannot catch fish where they ain't.

If you are not confident that you are looking at, you
need help. I am sure there are TTF'ers that fish Whitney
that would give you a lesson. If not , share a guided trip,
ask a lot of questions, spend a lot of time looking over
the guide shoulder. Ask him about seasonal patterns,
where are the fish in the spring , summer , fall , winter.
Be more concerned with learning than catching on that trip.


good luck
MO

also if your fishin lures, SLOW SLOW SLOOOWWWWW is key

Yep.

My best days on Whitney have been when the wind was blowing so hard the lake wasn't even navigable by boat.

I have a good fishing buddy of mine who lived in Laguna Park. We would go over and cruise the State Park blacktop in my Toyota and the long rods armed with 4 ounce pencil poppers readied for action on the roof rack. The idea was to cruise the wind blown points until we saw what we were looking for, and then it was on.

With the wind driven spray from waves crashing into the rocks and a stiff gale in your face, it reminded me a little of surf fishing for stripers off Martha's Vineyard. lol

Good times...

I heard that possum kingdom has golden algea again and whitney has some high levels too.

You forgot the fourth "B", which is Beer Just FYI.

Never fished with Superduck so I wouldn't know...never carry the stuff on my boat. I leave it in the cooler in the truck and drink it all on the drive back to the house....

+1 Redfin ....

Kinda reminds me of another post ....

"RUNNIN" across the lake after 10 pm .........

Most Lakes ....Don't get caught with one open in the boat ....

My thots ... Not much better than drinking and driving ...

Should carry the same prosecution ...........

BE SAFE .. NOT SORRY

That pencil popper is good and also the Magnum super spooks. That magnum super spook is a big topwater bait that you can cast a country mile.

Matt

i think it is hard
the only striper i have caught, was hooked in the eye by my jig
i guess he was looking at it
that was at Texoma, off the bank by Lowes High Point
it was freezing cold, & we were watching Freddy Grant
he said "If you want to catch a trophy striper go to Texoma now."
turned out that show was filmed 3 years earlier

I can tell you first hand...I got a sobriety test on Whitney on Sat... Game Warden saw empty beer can and went to town. From now on, beer will not be on my boat.

I sink em......beer cans that is.Its a bs law imo.