What is the best bait for strippers in az?

Question

i have been to lake pleasant in az a few times at night. i have tried anchovies with a submersible light i can see lots of big fish they just aren't eating what i'm offering. any suggestions

Answer 1

SPRO BBZ trout swimbait, or something similar.

You can also try plastic swimbaits like Big Hammers and Fish Traps.

Also, it isn't always neccessarily the bait you're offering, but the tackle too. Usually too heavy line is to blame.

Answer 2

Money! (lol!) No seriously, I have spoken to a friend about striper fishing in AZ., being that I'm planning to move there in a few years. He says he is most successful using big 9" swimbaits and jigging big bucktails. That's artificial, he never mentioned to me anything about live bait. Sorry I can't help out with that.

Answer 3

It could be the bait has spoiled. Anchovies need to be frozen not thawed out to remain attractive to them. Keep them on ice (crushed) in a cooler, also your line is lighting up under the water as well. Stay with the anchovies but cut them in half at a long angle to give the head a pointed tail and the tail a pointed head. by doing this you will allow more scent from the exposed meat out into the water. You must also double hook the pieces, by entering the vertebrae from the side away from the cut and then re-entering the hooks tip only into the vertebrae closest to the cut (exposed flesh) use a Carolina rig which will allow the bait to spin (kind of) without kinking the line in a current and drop the bait to the bottom and reel up a crank and wait if nothing in a minute reel up another crank and wait (repeat until you find the depth the fish are running around at). But loose the light their sense of smell will find your baits I promise.