Fishing questions.

[Dorado]

So, My father, brother, and I are planning a fishing trip to Lake Murray in Oklahoma sometime soon. We've never been there and I'd like a little info about it if y'all could help. We got a good fishing boat a couple of years ago and have yet to take it fishing. Lake Murray is supposed to be a great fishing lake for Striper and Walleye.

We'd like to know good places on the lake for Striper and Walleye. I've never actually fished for Striper and have never fished a lake with Walleye. I'd like to know what baits to use on them and how to fish for them. Do I need a leader for Walleye? I know they have some teeth on them.

 

I can't remember the last time the three of us went fishing together. It's been almost a decade. I'm really looking forward to it and would like this trip to be as successful as possible as we don't get many chances to do this.

 

Thanks,

Dorado

 

P.S. Oh, and Walleye recipes would be very welcome.

 

 

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Can't help you much but what I can offer is, fish early and late for the walleye. Fish deep during the day.

They don't like bright lights or sunshine. Affects their eyes. Hence Walleyes.

 

Live leeches seem to be the bait of choice but a big nightcrawler will work also. The movement seems

to attract them more than the smell of protein. Rig them through the snout and let the rest hang out.

 

Don't know nuttin about the stripers, except that they are a member of the bass family. That should

be a bit of an indication.

[Michigan Slim]

Buy a couple crawler harnesses for the walleyes and some bottom bouncing sinkers. Drift fish the deeper flats, 15' or more down. You want the lightest weight that will keep your bait within 2' of the bottom, touching it occasionally. Morning and evening I would troll crankbaits for both the stripers and walleyes. The 'eyes will start moving toward weedlines and breaklines in the evening. I'm partial to Rapala Husky Jerks myself.

 

But the best advise I can give is to get hold of a mom an pop baitshop and ask away. Then buy all your stuff there as a thanks.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

Wow...I never knew that stripers could survive in fresh water; they are our fishing mainstay off Cape Cod, and I always assumed they were purely a saltwater gamefish; not so.

 

We use a variety of live bait - herring, pogeys, etc., most of which are probably not available in your area. Eels are also killer, especially at night among the rocks. I'd check with your local bait shop for a recommendation.

 

My son has developed a real skill landing these behemoths......

 

 

http://s1174.photobucket.com/user/Franco6666/media/Fishing/92007KarlsBass004_zpsa942140d.jpg.html

 

http://s1174.photobucket.com/user/Franco6666/media/Fishing/92007KarlsBass0003_zpsefc155c6.jpg.html

 

 

 

LL

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Buy a couple crawler harnesses for the walleyes and some bottom bouncing sinkers. Drift fish the deeper flats, 15' or more down. You want the lightest weight that will keep your bait within 2' of the bottom, touching it occasionally. Morning and evening I would troll crankbaits for both the stripers and walleyes. The 'eyes will start moving toward weedlines and breaklines in the evening. I'm partial to Rapala Husky Jerks myself.

 

But the best advise I can give is to get hold of a mom an pop baitshop and ask away. Then buy all your stuff there as a thanks.

Best advice I can think of.

[Charles B. Gatewood SASS #48517]

Wow...I never knew that stripers could survive in fresh water; they are our fishing mainstay off Cape Cod, and I always assumed they were purely a saltwater gamefish; not so.

 

We use a variety of live bait - herring, pogeys, etc., most of which are probably not available in your area. Eels are also killer, especially at night among the rocks. I'd check with your local bait shop for a recommendation.

 

My son has developed a real skill landing these behemoths......

 

 

http://s1174.photobucket.com/user/Franco6666/media/Fishing/92007KarlsBass004_zpsa942140d.jpg.html

 

http://s1174.photobucket.com/user/Franco6666/media/Fishing/92007KarlsBass0003_zpsefc155c6.jpg.html

 

 

 

LL

LL,

Yep, there's a freshwater type. Fairly common across the southern part of the country. Lots of state records in 40-50 lb range and they are fun to catch no matter how big!

 

CBG

[BONEYARD BILL, SASS #39,030]

Walleyes do NOT require leaders. Even though they are toothy - they edges are such that they cannot "cut" thru mono-filament. I suggest 6 pound test.

 

Crawlers are great - but live minnows are even better. Fish rocky points - look for "boulders" about the size of basketballs on the shoreline and into the water.

 

The "tip" about Mom and Pop bait store is great.

Recipes abound on the Internet - remember - 16 inch walleyes taste better than 24 inch walleyes.

 

Have fun and enjoy the trip - don't forget your needle nosed pliers, mosquito repellant, PFD, and rain gear.

 

- Boneyard Bill

[Dorado]

Well, I don't have the things for a crawler rig. I may see about picking them up. I just need some beads and a couple of spinner blades. Maybe some better mono string. I have clear 10lb, green 30lb, and plenty of 50lb braided. I'll have to play with it some and figure it out, first I've heard of it.

I may try leeches. How do y'all fish with leeches? Like worms just off the bottom? Do they float or try to hide?

I have a lot of jerkbaits I may try some of them as well.

 

Thanks for all the tips. I mostly just fish for crappie and catfish. I'm not used to these others.

 

 

Question about leeches. How do I store them? Put them in the bait well or just in a covered bucket?

[Noz]

See if you can get Chickasaw Bill to weigh in on the walleye and striper fishing.

[Dorado]

So Chickasaw Bill is the Authority on Walleye and striper, Huh? Alright. Hopefully he'll chime in and set me straight. I've been watching a lot of fishing shows on walleye. Trying to figure them out.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

Well . I have never fished Lake Murray , but , depending on the time of year for the stripes , a big minnow or shiner , or live shad

 

hooked through the nose , with a 4/0 hook , I prefer octpus or curcle hooks , run a 5 ft or so leader , a barrel swivel

 

depending on the depth , you mark the fish on your graph , you may want to add a weight to sink the bait , if close to the surface , flat line em

 

a ballon , about size of your fist is tyed to the line to keep the bait above the fish , tye a knot in the ballon then tye over the line

 

pull the bait with the trooling motor , I like to see a small wake , just enough to see the v

 

walleye , deep diving crankbaits pulled with the main motor , keep the speed down to just above idle , no wake from the boat

 

to slow the speed down lift the motor a bit with the trim , I know it sound backward , but give it a try , shoves the nose of the boat down

 

or cast rattletraps , jigs , pull night crawler rigs with the trooling motor , fish the flats

 

if it turns cold , you might be able to spoon em up , slab spoons about 1 to 2 ft above the bottem , vertical beneth the boat

 

castmaster spoons , slabs , little georges , ect , find the bait on the graph , then drop the spoons close to the bait

 

CB

[Noz]

Told ya!

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

NOZ

 

them be pretty well known ways to bring fish to the boat , any guide knows em , But most will not share em

 

since I don't guide anymore , it don't make much differance

 

I forgot to add , if using down lines , use the baloon like a bobber to set the depth ,

 

about 3 to 5 ft above where you mark the fish

 

CB

[Charlie Whiskers]

Leeches are hardy critters. Usually are sold in small styrofoam containers in water. Hook them through the (what would be ) neck area. Best way to do that is let them grab onto your thumbnail. They come off easy, so don't sweat that part. Also you can try spraying them with WD40. The Walleyes are attracted to the sweet oil it gives off. YES it works. Used to do that all the time when I was living in Minnesota. Best recipe for walleye is nothing more than fillet them out, dip em in milk, coat them with either well ground up cracker crumbs or salted and peppered flour then deep fry them in butter or a good oil.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Dang Charlie. You made me hungry.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

A good oil , deep fry , I use yellow corn meal , with a spice blend added , the milk, egg , flour mix , adds too much breading IMO

 

I like peanut oil , kinda expencive , but it adds more taste , 350 or so for oil temp

 

I do NOT salt the fish , like some do , the spice blend in the meal takes it's place

 

CB

 

( need to get some fish , in the freezer )

[Michigan Slim]

Well, I don't have the things for a crawler rig. I may see about picking them up. I just need some beads and a couple of spinner blades. Maybe some better mono string. I have clear 10lb, green 30lb, and plenty of 50lb braided. I'll have to play with it some and figure it out, first I've heard of it.

I may try leeches. How do y'all fish with leeches? Like worms just off the bottom? Do they float or try to hide?

I have a lot of jerkbaits I may try some of them as well.

 

Thanks for all the tips. I mostly just fish for crappie and catfish. I'm not used to these others.

 

 

Question about leeches. How do I store them? Put them in the bait well or just in a covered bucket?

I'd just buy your harnesses premade. Red, green, orange all good.

[Dorado]

Well, Thanks guys. I'm gonna be looking for some leeches when we get to a bait shop. I don't know how much trolling I'll be doing, If we do I'll try to set up a crawler rig and some other things. Gotta see if I can get the trolling motor working.

 

 

Dorado

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Good luck on your trip.

[Dorado]

Stupid trolling motor not working. Jeez.....Can't find the fuse or circuit breaker, Gotta check and see if it's gone bad. Both batteries are gone. Hopefully I just need new batteries and a fuze. I'd hate to have to get a new motor.

Gonna head to walmart and get the batteries checked out and maybe replaced. While I'm there I'll get me some fishing string for leader material, beads, and some spinners, I may even pick up some new hooks. I'll make a few of the crawler rigs. Mainly so I have something to do tomorrow.

 

I hope I can get this all fixed. I'm going to work on it tonight and see what I can do. If I can't get it working today we'll just do without it this weekend.

 

Thanks for all the help.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

 

without the electric , it is gonna be tough , that is why I keep a couple in the sheds ,

 

inporant piece of equ , just like a good graph , set to read like the old paper graph ,

 

the fish ID feature , is worthless , while chasing bait , IMO

 

look for flats , 25 to 40 ft deep , hope ya get it fixed

 

CB

[Dorado]

I got it fixed. Turned out that the guy I bought the boat off of didn't know how to work a dual battery system and got the wires mixed up. Took me quite a while to figure it out with a pair of dead batteries, but I got them in order and labeled so I won't have that problem again. Went to Walmart last night and bought a pair of batteries. Got them on the charger right now. I'm going to hook them up here in an hour or so, and get everything loaded. I'm not even going to try to get the forward fish finder working. The one that the driver can see works and that's good enough. I don't want to work on that dang boat anymore. Jeez.... Glad I didn't actually pay for the boat. I just traded some work for it. I'd be mad if I did pay for it. lol Man that 24 volt motor is fast! I have a small aluminum Jon boat with a 12v that I thought was pretty quick. But WOW, there's a huge difference between these.

 

Anywho, I couldn't find any in-line spinners but I found a couple of rigs that would work like crawler rigs. And I dug up some crankbaits and striper jigs so I'll probably troll a little. I'll make sure to put some heavy weights on my heavy line to get them down there. 25-40 ft? I hope I can get these down that far. I only have 1oz sinkers. Only ones that were bigger were 3-4oz and that would be too heavy for my rod. I think. All I need now is some beer and sandwiches. Luckily I don't have to drive at all. Is is illegal in Oklahoma to consume beer while in a boat even if I'm not operating it???

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

without seein the setup , it is hard to guess what is gonna happen

 

the 1oz , will hold most shiners down , I run 4 to 6 rods if pulling bait

 

2 planer boards , 2 short rods , back corners of the boat , and 2 ballon rods ,1 at about 25 yds and the other around 35 yds back

 

thinking back on things , done on Texoma , they would drift over the points and flats with down rods , with the wind ,

 

I did NOT , like to drift that way , I dislike trooling , but it will put fish in the boat

 

CB

[Coho]

For eatin' you can't be um. Lots of ways to prepare them. But, I love the leftovers. Flake it and use it like tuna fish for sandwiches and salads

[Dorado]

1oz is the heaviest weights that I've got. I have plenty of drop sinkers, bullets, eggs, split shots, and others that are much lighter. I'm used to fishing for crappie and bass, never fished for striper and walleye. We might troll a little if we decide to explore the area a bit. We may just flip the motor on and drop a couple of lines of the back side. We don't have down riggers or any specialty set ups. Boat doesn't even have rod holders. lol I'm stealing some from my fishing boat.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

A Hot & Tot , will run about 15 to 18 ft , if ya let it out about 120 ft behind the boat , with 17 lb test line , if I remenber correctley

 

a deep diving Rouge , will do about the same , so will a Wiggle Wart

 

these will also get Sandies to take a whack at em

 

tight lines

 

CB

[Dorado]

Ok. Well I guess I should let y'all hear the fishing report. So here goes.

 

Friday night

Getting things loaded and ready. Got the batteries to the trolling motor hooked up, but it didn't work. Turns out the wires had disconnects that had corroded and couldn't get a good connection. Easy fix. Cleaned and greased the disconnects. Worked great.

Checked brake fluid in boat trailer. Needed to add some so my father decided to turn the boat around to get it closer to the lights. He backed up into the basketball goal. Bent the top up. Spent 2 hours straightening the top. Forgot to add brake fluid. Got everything loaded, went to bed.

 

Saturday Morning

Up at 4am remembered to add brake fluid. Out the door by 4:30. I'm glad we got everything loaded the night before. Stopped by and picked up a friend on the way. Got to the lake by 6:30 but had to find a Walmart to get a Day License so that we could fish legally. My brother stopped and picked up some bait on his way and met us at the lake. Got to the lake and got the boat in the water by 7:15. Boat wouldn't start. Wire came off the Ignition Switch. Fixed it, got everyone on board and found a good place to fish. Fish finder said that there was at least 50 large fish about 60ft down. So we tied off to a structure and did some fishing. I caught a small bass and tossed him back but my father caught a nice bass, measured about 17-18". He went in the livewell. We caught a few other small bass and decided to move to a different location.

We found a nice inlet and fished around there, we caught a few small bass again one that was barely legal but I decided that it was too close to call so I tossed it back. We explored the inlet a little and started drift fishing. It was a bit windy but with the top up it acted like a sail and moved us at a good pace for me to drag a weedless lure and drift fish. Didn't catch anything. So we explored a little more and found a nice protected bay. Water was calm and so we dropped anchor and fished there. We caught a few more bass but nothing legal. We began to play with some different lures and found that jerk baits are a lot of fun to fish with. My father hooked a BIG bass. He fought that thing for quite a while before getting it up to the boat. Robert, the friend that we picked up, tried to get it in with a net but before he could the fish threw the hook and got away. We fished for a while after that but didn't catch much of anything. Sun started to get low so we headed back to the marina, and called it a day.

All in all, we only got one fish in the live well, drank a couple of beers, and had a great time. Found out that there were some earthquakes that happened that day. We think that's why we didn't catch much. Would also explain why the deer we saw were acting so strange. They came to the shore to get a drink and suddenly spooked and started running in circles and panicking. Hmmm.....Talked to a few people and they were having the same trouble we were. Oh well, didn't really go fishing to catch fish. Just wanted to hang out with family and friends. Would have been nice to have caught some more but we're planning on going back sometime soon. Hopefully fishing will be better then. I'd like to thank everyone for your advise. Y'all were a lot of help.

 

Dorado

 

PS: I really hope that next time we won't have all of the problems that we had yesterday. Jeez..... lol

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

 

an NOW , ya know , why it is called FISHIN

 

NOT CATCHIN

 

CB

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Glad you had a great time. Next time will be even better.