Striper questions

[nailman_83]

There have been many posts about catching stripers on the lower end of JPP and Tims Ford

My question is, can you catch striper on the lower end of Old Hickory near the dam?

It's been talked about on this board fishing below Old Hickory dam, and the middle and upper end of Old Hickory Lake, but never the lower end. I have never seen it mentioned on here or any articles. I fish that end of the lake a lot and have never seen anyone striper fishing.

[TNBronzeback]

I could be entirely wrong about this, but i thought ive seen at least 2 different episodes where Dan from Fishin Affliction caught 2 very very nice stripers near that end of the lake. What makes me think that, is in the shows, i think what im seeing in the background is the dupont plant and maybe a little of the dam itself.
if i remember right, he was just bass fishing in those episodes and just happened to come across them.

Ive launched from Rockland a few times and seen boats in that area pulling balloons and live bait rigging, i dont remember what time of year though, aside from it not being cool/winter months.

[Travis C.]

They will be where the food is and don't stray too far. Depending on how the year goes it can get warm on the lower end opposed to mid and up lake. Some years it doesn't. If water stays cooler they can be throughout but it still depends on where the food is.

Both Tims and Percy are much deeper above the dam as well.

[tkwalker]

Stripers migrate in the Spring and Fall ... March through June, A large majority of Stripers migrate from the Dam upstream to spawn ... Only 5% are successful for a completed spawn . It takes 6 to 9 miles for the eggs to tumble and to develop into Fry ... This is usually done in tributaries feeding the fishery .. (Note stripers spawn when the water temp reaches 60 deg's.)

In the Fall a false Spawn migration occurs from Late Sept. to Late Dec. These fish will not be as heavy do to the fact they are not carrying eggs ... Also note not all Stripers leave and return down stream .. Some live in the upper end of the lake year round ... Like previously stated They go where the bait fish are outside of the natural migration. As you know everything changes and altered with our weather, cold winter, light winter etc ... Hope this helps ... <'TK><

[FloatNFish]

Thanks TK! You sure are a wealth of knowledge on these beautiful fish!

Alex

[Halli]

I catch small schooling Stripe in that area whilst looking for smallies on the bluffs using grub type jigs.