Surfacing for Stripers

Learn when shad fry generally start surfacing on your favorite lakes. Concurrently, the hatch will spark a feeding frenzy by the striped bass.

For non-stop action, target the schooling fish. When you find an actively-feeding school of striped bass, you can catch the fish on nearly every cast.

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To make your own jigs that resemble baby shad, you'll need white rooster feathers, 1/8- or 1/16-ounce jig heads, fly-tying thread and Super Glue. Use the fly-tying thread to wrap the feathers on the jig head, and then put a spot of Super Glue on your wrap to hold it all in place. You also can buy marabou feather jigs, white hair jigs or curly-tail crappie jigs instead of making your own.