Caney River stripers with swimbaits

[dragon1]

Good morning Y'all...

While I am rather familiar with many techniques, both bait and artificial for chasing stripers/rock fish (over a decade fishing the CalDelta areas), I am unfamiliar with fishing below dams when there is generation. I believe that during wamer water periods/seasons, that topwaters and faster moving presentations higher in the water column during times of water generation, would be very effective as these stripers chase trout, skipjack and anything else that they can predate on.

For cold water periods, there is still a chance at a striper, however soft swimbaits allowed to flow/swing with the current may be best and will run deeper...does anyone have any recommendations for soft body swimbaits and lead heads upwards of say 3/4 - 1.5 oz and what techniques I should be employing? I'll be fisihing from shore near the dam as I only have a kayak (and during periods of generation, that is a deadly combo).

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[RoadrashPaul]

I won’t go into a lot of detail as it has taken me many years to figure some of this out but big hammers and Huddleston’s will catch them on the Caney. I can tell you to not waste your time unless they are generating and the water is moving. If it’s dead calm you will get lots of lookers but no takers.

[dragon1]

I won’t go into a lot of detail as it has taken me many years to figure some of this out but big hammers and Huddleston’s will catch them on the Caney. I can tell you to not waste your time unless they are generating and the water is moving. If it’s dead calm you will get lots of lookers but no takers.

Koolio, when there is no water generation, I will fish for trout. I'd rather toss Big Hammers and not my Hudds, as I know I'll likely snag rocks and lose some baits.

Thank you for sharing!

[RoadrashPaul]

Koolio, when there is no water generation, I will fish for trout. I'd rather toss Big Hammers and not my Hudds, as I know I'll likely snag rocks and lose some baits.

Thank you for sharing!

I hear you on that. Honestly I don’t target them until summer but I know you can catch them year around. Catching skipjack and fishing them under a balloon is another good tactic.

[dragon1]

I hear you on that. Honestly I don’t target them until summer but I know you can catch them year around. Catching skipjack and fishing them under a balloon is another good tactic.

Yeppers...I really don't like fishing live bait, although affective, I like the challenge of artificial baits. Also, summer time and warmer waters is easy, I power fish higher in the water column and toss big topwaters. I also speak with a local that is part of a family-owned shop that is right above the Caney in the Center Hill Lake area, and literally only a mile or so from the dam. Can you share with me whether here on in a PM, which leadhead jigs you use with the Big Hammers and what sizes/weights?

FWIW, I will eventually learn from trial and error how to fish this area effectively, and what gear, lures, techs to use when and where.

Cheers - Van.

[RoadrashPaul]

Sent you a PM.

[dragon1]

Sent you a PM.

Got it...and replied to my friend.