Help with Silverwood...

[Ultralight]

Greetings Everyone,

Pass by Silverwood regularly but never fished there. I want to take my two boys to fish for something different from what they normally catch. Happy to rent a boat but we may start by fishing off the dock. Would love to have them catch some stripers.

While we are proficient at fishing for trout with minijigs (i.e. annual Sierras trip and local lakes) , I don't have a clue when it come to stripers.

I would be grateful for some tips/instructions. (i.e. Line test, hook size, what type of bait or lures, and location)

Also, does time matter where we need to hit it at 6 am or can we come in at a more leisurely 9 am and still do well?

Feel free to either PM or reply here.

Thanks in advance,
UL

[KidTrout]

Use cut up anchovies or night crawlers. I was only using 2 lb test but use at least 4 lb because those bigger ones pull drag. Go all the way down the dock to as far left as you can. If you use night crawler just use a split shot and throw it out as far as you can. They will normally grab it before it hits the bottom. The anchovies I wasn't using any weight at all just fly lining it and getting them every cast pretty much. They only hit from about 6 am to 9 or 10 am. So get there in the morning.

[Stitch]

UL read my mind. I was just about to ask the same set of questions since I was heading out there this weekend with the GF too. What size and type hooks are working out there if using cut up anchovies? When casting cut bait out, do you let it sink all the way to the bottom and sit OR reel it up a few feet once it hits bottom? Thanks in advance!

UL, if I see you this weekend out there I'll try to swing by and say hi!

[Mobydick]

Go to the dam, it's free parking and less people. Use size 1 Owners hooks for anchovies and size 2 for nightcrawlers (inflated) on a C-rig with 1/2 - 1 oz weight. Since you are taking the kids, use 8-10 lb line. Feel free to PM me for exact location.

[seal]

Small fish are all over the lake location not as important as time of day. A more "leisurely" start is not the best bet when fishing for stripers unless you are in a boat and can get to the daytime holding zones, the dock will also probably get you into the zone so that is a decent option but the weekends are packed so even the dock will be busy on a weekend.

The fish are starting to come up (did someone say boils?) so it's almost topwater time, spooks 6-8lbs test early and late.

No advice on bait and wait.

Good luck

[michaelk]

I have been bait fishing the "wood" for a few months 4-5 times a week. Light line gets more hits, and if they are the dinks great. But if you happen into big cats or a striper your gonna be screwed. I fish 12 and 15 lb mono and get hit all day long, well manily all night long, I have a trout rig with spinning reel w 12 lb mono, has the longer spool.41891 here is a photo of the size it is a Shimono rod and reel. Anchovies cut in thirds ditch the heads are great, but chicken liver is very, very ,very good! I use a #2.0 owners and that is a big hook. I try and discourage the dinky dinks with the bigger hook. The 2 ought owners is different than the #2. But the advice your getting are from real fisherman and they catch fish, so I am just sharing what I do and my partners. We catch a lot of fish. Not the big big stipers like Seal catches, but I am learning and when I can toss the swim baits I know I will catch the bigger fish too.

But for now I am dunking bait. The dock gets busy, but it is a good place to fish, and going to the left is best. If you can cast out, and stick to the bottom your are ahead of the game. it is very deep water and most trout guys cast with a vigorous throw only to have their line straight down.

My partners have both caught large stripers off the dock with bait, going straight down. I have caught only a 2 lb as my biggest striper, but the shade of the dock brings in bait fish and striper eat fish, so I use and so do my partners the shade of the dock as cover for the fish and fish straight down then real up so the bait is about a foot up.

You can fish the backside by taking the road dirt by the dam 2n34 I think is its call sign. Go about 1 -2 miles to fish the points in the lagoons, fish the dam and both of those are free.

If you go to the dock expect to lose some gear if you cast out. There is a cable or something out there and it takes gear by the bucket full

Good luck

[Ultralight]

Thanks everyone. What a great forum - ask a question and get a bunch of great responses. Thanks for sharing so generously.

Does the boat house at Silverwood sell size owner hooks in the right sizes (i.e. let say size 2) and also the bait we would need?
Does the bait have to be suspended or can it be sitting at the bottom? Some of the bait mentioned do not float....:)

Thanks!
UL

[michaelk]

I would buy my tackle elsewhere for the price factor. They sell good bait but pricey too. The Silverwood General store on 138 sells bait, and Walmart is the best price and quantity on chicken liver. Don't buy from the bait locker in sporting goods, but from the meat market. $3 something for 5 oz vs $ 1.50 for a pound and a half of fresh and good liver, (good from the standpoint of firm and beefy) I hate liver nyself. It is messy, bloody, and when you add a day of fishing sweat, fishy guts, bait slime, I am a mess by the time I get home. Fishing rags and more than one is great idea to remember to bring.

Like I said all of these fisherman catch fish and know what they are saying, (I think), take what you will and what will work for you and your equipment.

I fish the Carolina rig with a sliding swivel either 2 or 4 oz sinker depending on distance I want to cast and fish off the bottom, unless I am at the dock if I fish straight down I suspend my bait.

I tried to send you a PM but your inbox is full and you can't receive anymore messages until you clear it

Good luck. I think I will be at the dock on Friday morning. Look for a guy with a fishing pole.

Michael

[ChinoPreacher]

Michael:
I was there Friday but I didn't see a guy with a fishing pole. :Smile:

[Jmac]

Did you go on Friday Michael? I threw plastics for a few hours from the dock and managed 5 LMB. It was a slow bite.

[michaelk]

Did you go on Friday Michael? I threw plastics for a few hours from the dock and managed 5 LMB. It was a slow bite.

Good job. Yes I did go and it was horrible! Hot and all the fishermen! OMG It was worms catching the fish, many, many, many dinks! Lite line also won the day.

The only decent striper caught while I was there was lite line and worms. :( I had heavy stick and line no worms. You were over on the Miller Canyon side? Off of the slips? I think we walked right past each other.

[michaelk]

Michael:
I was there Friday but I didn't see a guy with a fishing pole. :Smile:


Michael:
I was there Friday but I didn't see a guy with a fishing pole. :Smile:

Wow so ok there wasn't a guy with a pole? HMMMMMMMMM lol That was crazy!!! Never ever, never ever, will I go on a summer weekend!!! I will need to go with about 4 lbs of horse tranquilizer in me too!!!

I got to learn how to do the swim bait!!!

It was hot, overcrowded and slow bite!!! I did lose only one rig but my friend he lost more tackle in that half day than he lost all year! He never ever quits, he never is bugging me to go home, but that day kicked his butt and he rolled up both poles and said he was through.... Never saw that happen before.

I was crossed over and had my line caught by all the other fisherman, nice thing about big line is your going to win that one everytime. I throw straight out, if I don't I reel it in before it sinks and recast! I just knew I was going to have to be mellow, and chill!

That day I would have rather been working than fishing! No. I guess I fell and bumped my head! For a second it sounded good. But.........

I don't think that was very much fun compared to going around the backside, where there is no one, the scenery is awesome, and I catch fish. More fish and bigger for free.

Michael