No, this isn’t a class about marketing and sales - this is one of the most important factors in learning how to catch the most stripers in the winter. Most anglers run into a striper here and there, but there is a science to why these nomadic fish can be found in specific spots.

Striper tend to gravitate toward deeper water. This can mean main lake channels, deep coves, or steep rocky banks. But, like all fish they must move up shallower at times to feed so you can pinpoint individual roamers on steep points or drop offs near channel edges or deep-water areas. Other areas I like to check are what I call highway intersections. These areas are where creeks come together and form points or islands. Striper tend to be in vast areas like this, especially if there is an adequate amount of shad nearby. You can always find striper in the winter gravitating around balls of shad. To find these fish you should use the graphs on your boat and scan around these types of areas.

Once you have identified the proper areas on your body of water, you must have the right set up to tangle with these freshwater beasts.

This is a golden rule for catching the most stripers possible in the winter. You need to have a reel/rod stout enough to handle a good 10-20 lb. striper as well as plenty of YUM Flash Mob Jr’s and swimbaits!

For rod/reel/line selection: The rod needs to be a long rod that can handle the weight of tossing an umbrella rig a far distance, I recommend a 7-6-8 ft. heavy action casting rod with a strong backbone. For a reel, choose one with a slow ratio and a deep spool, such as a 5:1 cranking reel that can hold a hefty amount of line. A slow reel is best when reeling a Flash Mob Jr because it keeps the bait at a steady pace as its traveling through the water. For line I recommend using the strongest fluorocarbon available such as 25 lb. test, that way when you hang up you can free lure and you don’t run the risk of losing a once in a lifetime fish.

The final piece to the puzzle is the YUM Flash Mob Jr, this is the only lure I recommend for catching the most stripers in the winter. It gives off the visual appeal of an entire school of baitfish, which is exactly what big striper are after this time of year. I also recommend having several at the ready because a few hard charging stripers can decimate any lure no matter the strength of it. Pair the Flash Mob Jr with small swimbaits to match the forage in your body of water, such as the YUM Pulse 3.5 swimbait or the YUM 3.5 Money Minnow. Adorn these swimbaits with some matching size jig heads and you are rigged up and ready for the striper show!

The final step to piecing together the striper puzzle is the fishing style to use for the Flash Mob Jr to maximize your success. Basically, there is two techniques you can implore when searching the areas mentioned under step one. These are either trolling the lure down deep, or casting and reeling like an oversized spinnerbait.

• Trolling the Flash Mob Jr for stripers is undoubtably the most popular and lucrative option. To achieve this technique, you must find fish or baitfish stacked over deep water. Once you have located a school down deep you can create a path to troll through using buoy markers or your graph lines to keep control. Some anglers choose to use riggers to hold their poles in place along the sides of the boat, or you can simply hold the rod in your hands and let the rig drift down. To start your path, simply release your lure down to the depth needed (one second equals one foot) then click your bail and begin trolling using the trolling motor or your outboard.

• The second option is to cast and reel the lure like a large spinnerbait. This option will typically wear you out a little more, but it keeps you busier than simply trolling along. Choose this technique when targeting steep rocky banks, points, or other shallower fish holding structures. This is where the longer rod and slow reel comes in to play. You want to cast as far as possible to allow you to reach a deep depth and have a long retrieve so the lure can be seen. Casting and reeling can be the most productive when the wind is blowing hard or there is a decent chop on the water to position the striper close to the bank.

Striper can be some of the most nomadic fish that swim, so be sure to implore this equation on as many spots as possible to find these legendary fish.

All together this process can be wrapped up to fuel some serious fun in the winter months when other gamefish are typically lethargic.

You can find all the lures mentioned in today’s blog on Lurenet.com