In-Fisherman Top Ten Stripers

TOP 10 STRIPERS

TRULY great striper fishing is peaking around the country.
Here, in no particular order, are our picks for top fishing.

Inland

1. Beaver Lake--Northeast of Springdale, Arkansas. March through May offers fast action for lots of fish in the 10- to 20-pound range, while the period from October through December gives anglers their best shot at a 30- to 40-pound trophy. Accommodations: Rogers Chamber of Commerce, 501/636-1240. Guide: Dan Martin, 501/756-8779.

2. Elephant Butte Reservoir--Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. December through March is the time for numbers of fish between 18 and 25 pounds and a chance for a 40-pounder. Accommodations: Truth or Consequences Chamber of Commerce, 505/894-3536. Guide: Dale Wagy, 505/744-5314.

3. Lake Murray--West of Columbia, South Carolina. The fishing warms up in April for 6- to 9-pound stripers. July and August are prime months for numbers of 25- to 30-pound fish. Accommodations: Murray Parks and Tourism, 803/781-5940. Guide: Huey Capps, 803/364-4080.

4. Raystown Lake--East of Altoona, Pennsylvania. Twenty-pound stripers on jigs or bait in April, and explosive night fishing with topwater baits through the beginning of July. In September and October, trolling, drifting, or bottom fishing with trout account for 40-pound fish every year. Accommodations: Huntingdon Tourist Promotion Agency, 814/658-0060. Guide: Tim Grace, 814/658-2088.

5. San Luis Reservoir--Southeast of San Jose, California. September through December produce 5- to 10-pound fish, but October and November are the best big-fish months. San Luis and the adjacent O'Neill Forebay own the landlocked striper record books, including the 67-pound 8-ounce inland record caught in O'Neill in 1992. Accommodations: Los Banos Chamber of Commerce, 209/826-2495. Fishing Information: Mitchell's Outpost, 209/826-5559.

6. Smith Mountain Lake--Southeast of Roanoke, Virginia. Fishing remains good from October through April for numbers of 10- to 20-pound fish and a good chance for one approaching 40 pounds. Accommodations: Smith Mountain Lake Partnership, 703/721-1203. Guide: Captain Dave Sines, 800/817-5007.

7. Watts Bar Reservoir--Southwest of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. January through April offers some of the best topwater action in the country for 6- to 15-pound fish. Mid-August through late October or early November is the best time to catch a 40-pound fish. Accommodations: Spring City Chamber of Commerce, 423/365-5210. Guide: Roger Seal, 423/922-8875.

Coastal

8. Chesapeake Bay--Maryland and Virginia. Fishing is best in April and May, then again from late October through December. Numerous 5-pound schoolies cruise within a mile of the beach, while fish weighing 50 pounds and more cruise 15 miles out. Accommodations: Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, 757/490-1221. Fishing Information: Ken Beach, 804/499-5764.

9. Hudson River--Catskill, New York. Stripers begin their migration in late April and spawn in the tidal section of the Hudson River in late May. Most fish return to the salt by mid-June, but some fish remain through the end of August, running up tributary creeks with the night tide. Fish weighing 20 pounds are too common to warrant mention, and fish weighing more than 40 pounds are taken. Accommodations: Catskill Chamber of Commerce, 518/943-0989. Guide: Don Naylor, 518/943-2686.

10. Sacramento Delta--West of Stockton, California. Good fishing from October through December for fish in the 5- to 8-pound range. Fish over 30 pounds are taken on occasion. Accommodations: Stockton Chamber of Commerce, 209/547-2770. Guide: Jolly Jay Guide Service, 209/478-6645.

Steve Quinn and Steve Hoffman

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