Conditions become less than ideal for striped bass fishing on many popular striper lakes as summer progresses, forcing the fish to change their habits. That adds challenges for anglers as patterns change, but it also creates opportunities because locations of fish become more predictable. Anglers who know where to look can find real bounties with Cotton Cordell C.C. Spoons or Smithwick Spoonbill Rogues fishing lures.
Many Southern reservoirs stratify during the summer, causing a habitat squeeze for stripers, which are cool-natured. The most comfortable water temperatures are in the lower layer of the water column, but that layer lacks sufficient dissolved oxygen for striped bass. The opposite is true in the top layer.
The result is that most stripers end us spending most of their time close to a lake’s thermocline, which is a narrow middle layer of the water column that contains moderate temperatures and dissolved oxygen levels. Most fish stay in or near the thermocline in the lower main basins of reservoir, where the most deep water tends to be found.
Because shad and other baitfish have similar habitat needs to those of striped bass, the predators and prey end up in the same areas, which is good for stripers and striper fishermen. Anglers who find schools of baitfish near a lake’s thermocline generally are in the neighborhood of striped bass.
Depending on several variables, the thermocline could be less than 20 feet beneath the surface or close 100 feet. However, the depth will be roughly consistent from one year to the next in most lakes and it won’t change much daily (although it may change as summer progresses.) If you don’t know where to begin looking, ask at a local bait store.
Generally, the thermocline will be easy to recognize with a graph. A band of water will appear somewhat shaded. As significantly, if one depth holds virtually all the baitfish and most sport fish, you probably have found the thermocline.
If you find specific groups of fish, especially over humps or other structural features that top out near the thermocline, try setting up directly over the fish and jigging a 3/4-ounce Cotton Cordell C.C. Spoon or 1/2-ounce Heddon Rattlin’ Sonar Flash. Hold on tight because strikes will be jarring.
Often, striper schools will roam the lower open main body of a lake, not staying still for long and not holding over any particular structure. To find and catch those fish, take a page out of the walleye fishermen’s book and troll, using lead-core lines or downriggers to run Smithwick Rogues, Rebel Minnows and Bomber Long As at controlled depths.
Always run baits to stay just above any stripers you see or near the top of the thermocline if you aren’t locating specific fish. The fish will move up in the water column to feed but rarely will go down. And watch your graph constantly as you troll. Baitfish or stripers you spot or other details you notice right before a rod goes down might be critical clues for finding a sizzling striper pattern.