Hybrid stripers schooling on Lake Palestine

We arrived at Lake Palestine a few minutes before sunrise. My fishing partner, David Nichols, and I were primarily looking for big striper bass. We launched at the dam to begin our fishing day. There was a 15 m.p.h. north wind blowing. I wanted to start fishing on the rocky point just across from the launch site, but the north wind made fishing difficult.

Just a few days prior to this trip, Mike Smith and I found the hybrid striper bass schooling on this point chasing shad up into the shallow flooded grass. We caught several 5 to 6 pound stripers on a Spit n’ Image topwater bait on this spot.

Today was different. We decided to move on up the lake and target grassy points. On every point we stopped and fished we caught a mixed bag of fish. Hybrids, black bass and Kentuckies were all taking advantage of the shad spawn. Bass were feasting on the shad in the grass.

Under windy conditions you can’t pick better baits than spinners. I used a Nichols 3/8 oz. blue shad, hologram spinner bait. Nichols chose a heavier 1?2 oz. spinner but with smaller blades. This enabled him to fish the bait a little faster, thus closely imitating the frantic shad. I also alternately cast a Nichols 1?4 oz. blue shad chatter Box. All of these bait caught bass.

Lake Palestine is about one foot high. There is an abundance of shallow flooded grass. The shad are packed into the grass and the bass are gorging themselves.

The first point we stopped on was in the mouth of a big cove. In a few minutes we both were dragging hybrids, black bass and Kentuckies out of the grass.

About 30 minutes later we spotted about 20 cranes on a nearby point and decided to investigate. This was a good decision. This area was packed with shad and bass. This is where we caught several stripers up to five pounds.

The early morning striper fishing died down after that, but we continued to catch black bass and Kentuckies.

The bass on Lake Palestine are really biting good. We caught bass on every point we fished. The surface temperature is hovering around 70 degrees.

The bass have completed their spawn and are really hungry. I think the action should remain good until the weather starts to really heat up.

On calm mornings topwater baits that walk-the-dog seem to produce more bass. Also be sure to fish buzz baits. I like the new Strike King Rage Tail because it’s so weedless. I cast this bait up into the grass and buzz it out. Most strikes occur on the edge of the grass.

The best pattern to fish is grassy points. That’s where all the bait fish are. Fish early or on overcast days for best results. Look for cranes and watch for bass blowing up on shad in the grass. You won’t be disappointed.

Jerry Miller can be contacted at: gonefishing@suddenlink.net.