E A S T T E N N E S S E E ’ S H I WA S S E E RIVER IS KNOWN FOR PRODUCING BIG STRIPERS FOR FLY ANGLERS. PHOTO BY NICK CARTER
Southern Summer Striper Runs on the Fly Anglers act fast. You have a limited time to catch striped bass at these special streams in the South. BY NICK CARTER
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triped bass are some of the greatest game fish on the planet. They are big and strong and feed aggressively and opportunistically. In their natural habitat on the Atlantic Coast, stripers (a.k.a. rockfish) spend most of their lives in saltwater. Each spring, they make large spawning migrations up freshwater rivers. These spring runs generate a lot of excitement for coastal anglers from the Mid-Atlantic to Maine. Farther inland, stripers are the same species in a different type of fishery. Mostly reared and stocked by the states, freshwater striped bass are trapped in a web of dams, rivers, and reservoirs. They are landlocked, but they thrive and grow large on abundant forage in these systems. Most will never successfully spawn or return to saltwater, yet the primal urge to migrate remains. This creates an exciting opportunity for fly
fishers when reservoir stripers push into the skinny water of rivers and creeks. In most systems, it begins as a spring spawning run. A second, larger wave of fish arrives seeking coolwater refuge in deep summer. Especially in Southern systems, where reservoirs become warm and oxygen depleted, large numbers of striped bass run as far up the creeks and rivers as they can go. They remain in running water, feeding ravenously until falling temperatures incite a move back to the lakes in fall. Fly fishing for river-run striped bass is hard work. It involves casting large baitfish patterns and streamers with heavy 9- and 10-weight rods. Bites might be infrequent, and it can be tough to remain vigilant. However, there are huge rewards for those who put in the hours. These summer runs occur in many systems, so it’s worth prospecting any river that empties into a striped
bass reservoir. The following are a few well-established fisheries along with tips from the pros who fish them.
Hiwassee River Reliance, Tennessee
Striper fishing the Hiwassee is a lot like deer hunting, according to guide Bill Stranahan. Anglers are called on to fish hard for just a few bites from fish that often weigh 20, 30, 40 pounds or more. “If you can get one in the boat, it’s been a good day," Stranahan said. "But there are those days when you might hit two or three. It’s about getting out there and putting in the work.” Most years, the wide, shoal-broken river around Reliance loads up with striped bass from July into
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