Bait Fish

One of the most important, and often overlooked aspects of Striper fishing is an understanding of their forage. Once you know where to find the bait, the Striper will not be far behind. This section provides a quick overview of baitfish. Contrary to what some people suggest, Stripers do not eat other game fish. Their primary forage is shad. A study conducted by the Tennessee Department of Fisheries confirmed these facts. Over 1000 Stripers from Norris Lake were examined over a four year period. It was determined that while Stripers consume great quantities of shad, they rarely target other species. In rare cases, Bluegill and Crappie were also found in the stomach contents of Stripers. However, no bass or other gamefish were found. In addition to baitfish, crayfish were also consumed on occasion.

Shad predominantly feed on plankton; however, some bottom feeding does occur. In addition, adult shad may also prey upon fish larvae. Shad, especially Gizzard Shad quickly outgrow the vulnerable forage size and can quickly reach pest levels in some closed watersheds or when predator populations are insufficient to control them. In many cases, shad will compete with the young of other species (i.e., Bluegill, Bass, etc.) by consuming the same resources. Stripers and Hybrids are often introduced into lakes to help control the populations of shad. While shad may grow too large to be consumed on a regular basis by other game fish, the same cannot be said for Stripers. A 20 pound Striper has no problem sucking down a 21 inch Gizzard Shad and coming back for more. For these reasons, the introduction of Stripers and Hybrids can help other gamefish species in the lake as they control shad populations and thus the young gamefish have less competition for food.

Alewife shad are not native to most lakes in the southeast. In most cases, they have been introduced by fishermen as bait. These shad grow to 6 inches in length. Their backs are typically exhibit a blue or blue-green metallic luster. The sides are silvery. A dark spot is common behind the gills.

Alewife prefer cooler water than other species of shad. You will find them in the deeper parts of the lake. Like other species of shad, they are can also be found in large schools. In spring, Alewives move from deep water to shallow beaches in lakes to spawn. Females typically move to the spawning areas before the males. Alewifes initiate spawning when water temperatures reach 51 degrees. Spawning occurs at night in groups of two to three Alewifes over a sandy or gravelly bottom. Immediately after spawning, the adult Alewifes migrate rapidly downstream. In less than a week, the young alewives hatch and begin feeding on minute, free-floating plants and animals. By fall, the young alewives make their way back to the deep waters of lakes.

Gizzard Shad are bright silvery blue-green on back, with silvery sides and a dull white belly. The wide body that is more of a stocky nature than most herring. A dark spot is behind the gills is common on younger gizzards, but may be absent from adults. Gizzard Shad commonly reach 4 inches in length during the first year of life and can grow as large as 21 inches.

Gizzard shad prefer sluggish rivers and soft-bottomed lakes. The fish is synonymous with mud. It is found most commonly in open water near the surface. The fish are random, nocturnal group spawners in shallow bays, coves, or sloughs with no care given to the young. Eggs are released near the surface of the water from late April or early May to early August a t 50 to 70 degrees F. The eggs are adhesive and sink. The females are prolific, producing up to 400,000 eggs that are about .03 inch in diameter.

Threadfin shad rarely grow larger than 9 inches in length. They exhibit a scaleless, strongly compressed head. The back is dark gray to bluish black while the sides are silvery. Fins are yellowish in color. A dark spot is common behind the gills.

Threadfin prefer large lakes and rivers with moderate current. They usually congregate in schools over deep water during the daylight hours and will often move into shallower areas at night. They are sensitive to cool temperatures, and below 45 deg. F they have decreased swimming and schooling abilities. They cannot tolerate water temperatures below 35 deg F.