[Neal/CO]

Can anyone tell me if they still stock Wiper there? I remember reading somewhere a couple of years ago that they were going to stop stocking them?

I spent about a dozen mornings last spring fishing along the dam. While most of the hundeds of Wipers that swam by me mocking my efforts were in the 5-10 lb range, I thought I saw some much smaller one's mixed in?

 

[hammer]

Neal, not sure about the stocking but I've seen the same
size wipers too. They seem to be very elusive to catch on artificials. Last year I spent most of my Aurora Res time on the water trying to entice bigger smallmouths.
This year I'm going to do all wiper all the time.
A few years ago the jerkbait bite was pretty decent especially trolling. Have you had any luck with swimbaits?
If so, do they hit them with the same force as jerkbaits?
I think if hooked a 12 lb. wiper in my float tube I would have to change my pants. Good luck.
Hammer

 

[FarCry]

I talked to one of the folks that work in the office at AURURA RES. today about how of the lake is stocked with WIPER'S...She said the stock it every couple of years and they did not stock it last year and probably not this year but she said there are plenty in there....not sure how acurate that info is but thats what she told me

 

[NeWcS]

This is why I hate to see people keep them. If the DOW stops stocking them than thats it, no more!!


IMO


[me=Jay_In_Parker] [/me]

 

[roadkill]

if the dow stops stocking them they will be gone in a few years wheather or not people keep them

 

[NeWcS]

Why is that? Do they have a short life span?


[me=Jay_In_Parker] [/me]

 

[Zias]

Wipers don't really breed. They are a hybrid.

Edited to add: Hybrid striped bass, like many hybrids, experience great difficulty reproducing naturally. Eggs and sperm produced by hybrids are usually weak or improperly formed. The same is true of any fry that might be produced by chance fertilization. For this reason, hybrids are considered “functionally sterile,” and their populations are totally dependant on repeated stockings (from Indiana DNR)

 

[Neal/CO]

Neal, not sure about the stocking but I've seen the same
size wipers too. They seem to be very elusive to catch on artificials. Last year I spent most of my Aurora Res time on the water trying to entice bigger smallmouths.
This year I'm going to do all wiper all the time.
A few years ago the jerkbait bite was pretty decent especially trolling.  Have you had any luck with swimbaits?
If so, do they hit them with the same force as jerkbaits?
I think if hooked a 12 lb. wiper in my float tube I would have to change my pants. Good luck.
Hammer

I suck at catching Wipers!!!!! Especially at Aurora!!!! But I will be out there trying again this spring.

I had one that looked about 10 lbs try to take a tube jig out of the mouth of a 3lb smallmouth I had hooked ???

 

[ranger rick]

Hi,

Aurora Reservoir gets wipers stocked every few years as fingerlings, so one will see different age classes.

 

[bergwsu]

Swimbait, who made that one?

 

[Zias]

These???: http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descpageSWMCASTAIC-CSB.html#

 

[Walking Eagle]

if wipers are on the "to do " list, chuck a Castaic Shad. sorry to say,
this bait is out of production. ebay. get the "gizzard" or 5" size.

According to Castaic's web site,
http://www.castaicsoftbait.com/
they manufacture several different lures that have "shad" in their name. Maybe the one you like is among them.

Edited:
Storm Lures, http://www.stormlures.com/
makes some large (5 - 9 in.) soft plastic swimbaits that look somewhat similar to the Castaic lures. I picked up a few of these at Sportsman's Warehouse to try out on the wipers this spring.

 

[buglebass]

My buddy and I fish Aurora extensively year round, and we are both of the mind in the next few years this lake will have wipers of a state record size. The forage base (predominately crayfish) is absolutely amazing. Walking way back in Senac, I have seen so many crayfish it seemed as if the bottom was moving.

Fishing from the dam in the evenings during summertime we have seen schools of 12-16 pound fish cruising parallel to the dam no more than 10 feet from shore. These schools contain between 25-50 fish, all this size! Between this and seeing them start to boil in September, the visuals are incredible!

I think part of the reason they are all getting this size is lack of access. With a lake so deep and with so much open water (outside of the coves), they are very difficult to find. If and when you do, you can only go after them with an electric motor. So it will be hit and miss when you see these peeps, and I think that is a good thing. For me, it is part of the allure. You KNOW there is a monster swimming somewhere near you and there is a chance you will get spooled if you happen to hook him. There is also the chance you get to put him on your wall!

I have done best catching them with pumpkin gitzits back in LoneTree, but I have lost more than I have caught by at least a 2/1 margin. We have also hooked them trolling raps SUPER fast, and with bottombouncers also. If they are hungry and your bait happens to be in the right spot, they can be indiscriminate. They will take power bait, a worm under a bobber, etc. We all know trout are also a favorite table fare for them, and I can imagine them tying their napkins around their necks every time the baby rainbows are stocked.

 

[Pynkerton]

Sorry, I cant help it.  I have probably posted this pic a half dozen times around this site.  Im sure some of you are probably sick of seing it, but its the largest freshwater I have ever caught.  This hoss was caught on salmon eggs in shallow water at Aurora.  A buddy of his pulled my pole and the chair it was resting on into the water a short time after.  There are definitely several monsters in that lake.

Keep in mind, I don't fish Aurora often.  But I know that I'll be trying to find some more of these this year.

 

[Guest]

Where at Aurora Res. is the best place to catch one of these Wiper? What is the best time of day? I want to catch one of these. I am familiar with Senac and Marina cove but never heard of Lonetree. I fish Aurora often, mostly for trout,and have seen very large fish on my locator. Can you catch them off Spoons like Daredevils? They seem like very aggressive fish, so finding them seems like the hardest part.

 

[gotmusky?]

Lonetree is west of the Campion exit on I-25 just before you hit Johnson's Corner.  You will have to drive west for about ten minutes.

edited: Oh my bad, you mean Lonetree cove at Aurora Res. Don't know where that is but Lonetree Res does have some monster wipers too.

 

[Neal/CO]

Where at Aurora Res. is the best place to catch one of these Wiper? What is the best time of day? I want to catch one of these. I am familiar with Senac and Marina cove but never heard of Lonetree. I fish Aurora often, mostly for trout,and have seen very large fish on my locator. Can you catch them off Spoons like Daredevils? They seem like very aggressive fish, so finding them seems like the hardest part.

If you just want to watch them, the dam is the place to be ;D  They swim by in schools of 30-50 fish and drove me crazy all spring last year. I always hear of people catching them on swimbaits and jerkbaits especially after they stock trout! Don Broeren seems to know how to catch them maybe he can chime in?

 

[Zias]

On swimbait's what??? ;D