"Winter Tactics for Stripers" by Jim Christensen
At Kiene's Fly Shop, Jim Christensen and Andy Guibord fly fish year round for Stripers.
I asked Jim if he would write me up something to share with the message board gang about the winter Striper fishing in the Delta so here it is:
Thanks Jim.
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Delta Winter Striper Tactics 12/16/07
by Jim Christensen
Let me start by confirming that one will see Stripers behaving as if it were spring or fall in the dead of winter when water temps are 45 – 46 degrees. They will strike a fly stripped fast and take a popper on the top if they are in the mood. I must say however that this type of feeding behavior is much reduced in winter. My point is that it is important to be prepared to apply a variety of fishing tactics.
Winter tactics identified below are what works for me. Others may apply strategies that are better and work well for them. So the first piece of advice is to ask others what works – we all learn more every year.
Cold Water Bite:
Because Stripers are often sluggish in cold water they may take your fly very softly. You might feel only the slightest tension as the fly drops for example. Always keep a tight line as the fly drops; you may even retrieve ever so slightly as it falls. This is especially important when fishing depths of 20 feet or more. The retrieve may also need to be slow, usually long slow pulls. Many times the fish will pick-up a fly as you pause and the fly drops. You won’t necessarily feel a tug on the line, just weight.
Line/Fly Control:
In order to fish with the precision implied above you must be in contact with your fly. Wind and current can work against you. So be as thoughtful when fishing Stripers in likely holding water as you would for trout. Usually the issue is how to slow down the presentation. Some thoughts:
Intermediate sink lines allow you to fish shallower water slowly. Combined with a lightly weighted fly these you can be very methodical when fishing clearer water along weed beds, rock walls etc. where fish often feed in winter months. When the water is muddy you may need a larger fly stripped sharply (let the fish know something is in the area) interspersed with long, slower strips. I also use the Outbound type 3 sink for getting down to 10’ or so. I’ve tried floating lines for really shallow areas but most lines I’ve tried stay pretty stiff in cold winter temps.
Slower fly presentations to a deeper school of fish (I’m usually using T-14 or some relatively fast sinking line for deep fish) along weed beds or in mid-channel can be problematic depending on the speed of the tide. I might try several approaches. 1) Cast upstream of the school and strip the fly slowly, down stream into the school. This is not to say casting downstream won’t work but often times the pressure of the water against the line will pull the line and fly “up” and away from the presumed lethargic fish. 2) Position your boat so that you can drift past and to the side fish school. Cast above the suspected fish location allowing the line and fly to sink to the fish’s depth and retrieve across the current. In other words let the current bring the food to the fish. As you finish the retrieve you are usually pulling the fly up so give it short sharp strips (yes, like jigging).
Wind can be a problem when attempting to fish shallow flats. The boat simply moves too fast for a slow tight line retrieve. A sea anchor will help slow the boat and given the right tide and wind you may find that you can hold your boat almost as if anchored In these situations the trolling motor can give you movement but you are not burning juice fighting the wind. It will take some experimentation.
Additional Considerations
Sharp Hooks: Given the potential for a very “light” bite during cold-water conditions it is essential that you keep your hooks very sharp. If the hook point won’t stick as you run it across your thumbnail it’s not sharp enough.
Weed and Shore Lines: Often times striper schools are right next to levy walls or the weed beds next to them. Regular fish finders won’t expose them. Side finders are helpful in these situations but they leave room for error. An additional aid to finding fish is to look for concentrations of white egrets and herons along the shore. They are usually there for a reason - to find food. What we are looking for are striper schools pushing bait against the shore as they feed. The egrets will feed from above on the same bait school, just as terns and gulls do. Even if you don’t see active fish cast toward the egrets and since Stripers are usually on the move keep a close eye on the banks in the vicinity.
Water Temperature: I think it is very important to know the water temp. I do believe fish will seek warmer water. Even a degree or two may make a difference. Often times back bays or shallow flats, where there may not be much tidal water movement, can hold warmer water. I will also prospect around areas where water is being pumped from fields. This water is often warm but muddy. I usually move down stream a bit when fishing these situations. Sometimes I find fish, sometimes not. I have a suspicion that that “muddy” water may hold farm chemicals and other “stuff “ that neither the fish nor I want to have much to do with.
Fly Size: I really don’t know if the physical size of the fly makes a difference. I’ve caught large Stripers on small flies. I tend to think; how the fly is tied is more important. Flies large or small need to have movement and move water – letting the fish know something is in the vicinity. However as noted above I do like larger flies in muddy water.
These are some thoughts for consideration. Other experienced striper fishers may hold other and / or different ideas and this is a good thing. I think we all need keep looking for new ideas, strategies, etc. in order to keep the sport and ourselves evolving.
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