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Random Quote: There are no dumb questions on this board, but there does seem to be a lot of inquisitive idiots.
ok lake fishers. i've given a few tips on saltwater fishing, and this weekend i'll be at Gaston. Is there any kind of striper bite right now?? i know i can catch catfish after catfish right from the dock, but I'm curious about the landlocked stripers. any help for me?
i have access to a pontoon boat and a ski boat. neither are great for fishing but would work. the house is at the "five forks" area, pretty close to the VA line. there is a creek right by me called "sixpound creek" i think. any tips for me? i'd love to catch a striper. I'll have a cast net for shad.
The bite is good at Buggs right now, but I have not heard anything from my Gaston sources.
Live baiting should be good in the morning, off of one of the many shoals on that lake. You need to find an area that goes from say 10 foot to 20 foot and float shad on the shallow area on balloon rigs. That seems to be the most popular technique on that lake.
Thanks Hot Spot... You sent me a map showing me some of those submerged islands about a year ago. i never tried it last year, but i have an extra day this time around, so i'm gonna give it a shot. i don't know how well i'm going to keep shad alive. i don't have a livewell, so i'll be floating a bait bucket in the water. i doubt i can keep more than a few alive. but i'll probably be fishing by myself so hopefully i'll only need a few. any suggestion about where to try to net some bait? open water? creeks?
I would try the Lizard Creek area. If all else fails, tie on some bucktails and run them 2.5 mph at a depth of 8 to 12 feet. Chartreuse, white and blue would be good choices for heads and trailers.
A heads up for those who will be on Gaston on 8/13:
An event called "The Crossing" will be held on Saturday 8/13/05 between 0830 and 1200, on the west side of the Eaton's Ferry bridge. This event consists of non-powered craft of all descriptions and swimmers crossing the lake from Eaton's Ferry to Dockside.
The entire width of the lake from the east side of Eaton's Ferry Bridge to some distance west of the bridge/Dockside (I do not know exactly how far, I'm guessing about 200 yards or so), will be CLOSED to all non-participant vessel traffic during that time.
Vessels approaching from the east (westbound) will not be allowed to proceed past (or under) the Eaton's Ferry Bridge.
Vessels proceeding from the west (eastbound) will not be allowed to approach the "blockade" on the west side of the event closer than 100 yards.
As far as I know there are no restrictions otherwise on boat traffic on Gaston during that time.
The east and west boundaries of the event will be patrolled by NC Wildlife, Northampton/Warren Sheriff's Departments, US Coast Guard, and Coast Guard Auxiliary boats.
Hey man... never tried for the stripers. I did catch a 50 pound Blue Cat right off the dock though. The boats that i had were a 26 foot tritoon and a 22 foot chaparalle speed boat. i could figure out any good ways to striper fish from them, and i couldn't find any shad. So i just used bream for cat fishing. did pretty well with a 50 lb, 18 lb, 4 lb, 3lb, 3lb and tons of smaller ones.
I saw constant action on top water, all day, all over. i don't know what those fish were that kept busting the surface, but it was happening for sure. good luck, sorry for no striper report. try www.fishlakegaston.com
Lake Gaston 
