One of the major reasons I love fishing is that it gives me a unique way to explore the world and constantly learn. Whether it’s discovering new watersheds, understanding ecosystems, mastering techniques, embracing different cultures, or studying the relationships between them, fishing offers endless growth opportunities. Before I set out to build my own outdoor brand, I would often come across a cool video on Instagram or YouTube and think to myself, “It would be amazing to learn how to do that” or “I would like to learn from that person.” However, there was a shift when I decided to use my brand to pursue these interests and share them with others to inspire their passions and explorations. When I see a captivating video, I view it as a chance to expand my knowledge while supporting others and building connections within the fishing and outdoor community.
This often leads to forming great, mutually beneficial relationships with guides and fly shops—hanging out, telling stories, and sharing information gleaned from time on the water or funny experiences from gas stations on the way to new fishing spots. One fascinating ecosystem I’ve learned about is the introduction of striped bass, a natural saltwater species, into freshwater environments. Striped bass in freshwater share many traits with their saltwater relatives. Stocked as fingerlings in many reservoirs across the United States, they can grow to impressive sizes, often exceeding 40 pounds. These powerful predators chase baitfish like threadfin shad in lakes and reservoirs. Understanding their movement patterns and feeding habits is essential to fish for them successfully. During spring and fall, stripers are most active, feeding aggressively in the early mornings and late afternoons. They are typically found near drop-offs, points, and river channels, but during certain seasons, they follow baitfish schools into shallow waters, making them more accessible.
Having spent significant time trying to target striped bass in my local waters, with little success beyond night fishing around lights, my desire to learn more grew stronger. I was particularly interested in targeting them with a fly rod. My search began online, starting with one of the greatest resources for learning fly fishing: Tom Rosenbauer’s podcast. I listened to the episode titled “Fishing for Freshwater Stripers with Henry Cowen” and picked up some excellent information, but I still felt like I was missing pieces of the puzzle.
One day, while doom-scrolling, I came across a video of a guy fishing in what appeared to be a small body of water. He was stripping line with two hands before setting into what was clearly a large fish. The video cut to a brief shot of the fight, and then the angler lifted a massive striped bass out of the water. I was aware that stripers ran up reservoir inlets in an attempt to spawn, but I didn’t know they could be caught in such small water. I wasn’t sure where to start if I wanted to try this myself.
The idea of catching a large striper on the fly stayed with me until I saw another video from the same angler. This one showcased how these fish behave remarkably like their saltwater relatives. The stripers were spraying shad and busting on the surface, with birds diving overhead in an all-out feeding frenzy. Suddenly my desire to learn more transformed into action. I sent the angler a message, asking if I could join him for a day to experience this kind of fishing firsthand. We set a date, and a few days later, I drove up to meet him.
It was a rainy morning when I arrived at the dock to meet him. Without delay, we motored out to find the birds and bait, which would lead us to the fish. It wasn’t long before I witnessed the action firsthand. Huge boils appeared on the surface, birds dove aggressively, and baitfish scattered in chaos. At times, it reminded me of tuna fishing videos I had seen online, with fish flashing and busting, or turning on their sides to gulp bait just below the water’s surface. The silver torpedoes of these large fish frenzied as the electronics flashed wildly, indicating vast amounts of fish and bait.
My guide, Joseph, would advise me on which rod to use based on what he observed on the electronics. Sometimes it was the intermediate line rod, other times the sinking line rod. Depending on the situation, I would either cast off the back of the boat and count as the line sank or cast directly onto a boil and begin twitching the fly to trigger a striper’s instincts. Erratic movements paired with brief pauses to let the fly sink often proved successful. Depth control was essential; adapting depth based on fishfinder data and baitfish activity soon led to success. After targeting a few schools, I hooked a powerful fish, and a few minutes later, I held my first striper on the fly.
Joseph had mentioned over the phone the “run-and-gun” style of fishing, but I didn’t fully grasp it until I experienced it. Birds on the surface would suddenly lift off and fly 50 yards away, only to start diving as the water below began to boil. We would motor over as quickly as possible, get a few casts in, and then watch as the action ended as abruptly as it began. Sometimes the frenzy lasted a few minutes, while other times, it was over in seconds. Between these moments, we relied on electronics and bird activity to predict the next opportunity.
Matching the hatch—or, in this case, imitating the baitfish—was crucial for success. I remembered Cowen’s podcast advice about how picky freshwater striped bass feeding on small bait can be. He recommended trying different patterns, such as Clouser Minnows, Game Changers, and his own Cowen’s Coyote, to effectively mimic the baitfish. Paying close attention to the size and color of local baitfish ensures a natural presentation. We used an 8-weight rod paired with a quality reel capable of handling the long casts and hard fights these fish require. Precision in presentation was key to fooling these smart fish in clear water.
After hours of running and gunning around the lake, with several fantastic fish brought to the net and some incredible wildlife sightings, we called it a day. I felt confident I had learned enough to try this style of fishing on my waters and explore these new techniques. The experience was an exhilarating introduction to a completely new type of fishing to me, and spending time with an informative guide made it even better. If you’re interested in trying this, reach out to Joseph Clark with Unicoi Outfitters to set up your trip. For additional tips, check out Henry Cowen’s podcast episode or purchase his book on freshwater stripers for more in-depth insights.
