Top-rated Guide Chris Carey shares his Lake Texoma Striper fishing tips for September Topwater success. September is the start of our fall Striper fishing season, and it is the pinnacle of our topwater bite! The blow furnace of North Texas August heat starts to cool a bit, and Big Lake Texoma Striper push shad into the shallow sandy banks! Let’s talk about seven-inch pencil poppers and how to be successful on lake Texoma in September. We will share our best Lake Texoma Striper Fishing Tips on where, when, and how to catch double-digit Striper in September! Striper Express has a fleet of 10 boats with the best Lake Texoma Fishing Guides that love to throw topwater plugs into shallow water. Book a trip now before the September book fills up.

Lake Texoma Striper Fishing Lures-Topwater Plugs

Please do not over-think topwater plugs for Lake Texoma Striper Fishing. Remember to match the hatch. Striper will push shad into sandy banks early in the morning then again late in the afternoon. Pay attention to the bait you see in the shallows. Throwing a seven-inch pencil popper when Striper has three to four-inch threadfin shad gathered will return poor results. Lake Texoma Topwater success for Striped Bass requires three plug sizes. Anglers should carry the following sizes:

3″-3.5″

4.5″-5″

6″-7″

Glide and Chug for Lake Texoma Striper

It would be best if you had a gliding style and chugging topwater plugs. Windy days we like a chugging style plug to attract the attention of Big Striper. The wind can lay flat in September, so a gliding topwater like a Heddon Super Spook will be the ticket. The perfect Lake Texoma Striper Topwater Tackle Box will have the following:

3.25″ Chug Bug (Chartreuse)

3.5″ Berkley Choppo (Bone)

4.5″ Strike King Sexy Dog (Chrome)

5″ Heddon Super Spook (Clear)

6″ Cotton Cordell Pencil Popper (Blue-Silver)

Keep the colors simple. Bone and clear are the two most popular topwater plugs for Lake Texoma Striper.  Please visit Lake Texoma Topwater Striper for more fishing lure information.

Lake Texoma Topwater Striper Tactics

The number one mistake weekend warriors make in September is noise. Be very, very quiet; we are hunting Striper on Lake Texoma! The guys who run big boats on the sandy shores and cast for five minutes catch one or two and then move on? Mark that spot, let it rest for 30 minutes, then fish it properly. Lake Texoma Striper get into skinny water in September. One or two-feet is the norm. Have you ever sat on the bottom of a swimming pool and tapped a coin on the bottom? Shocking how loud it gets! Use stealth when approaching Lake Texoma Striper in shallow water. Let the wind push you to the target. Try to limit using your trolling motor.  

Team Up on Lake Texoma Striper

If you have two anglers or more in your boat, have different topwater plugs fishing to start the morning. One angler can throw a 5″ Super Spook and the other a 3.5″ Choppo. The Striper will let you know what they want. If you are a solo Striper Angler, please have two rods rigged up with different plugs.

Topwater Lure Retrieve Speed

Windy weather requires a faster retrieve rate on Lake Texoma. More wind, more reel speed. Clam water conditions break out the glide baits and slow down. If you have big wind, don’t be afraid to skip a Super Spook over water waves back to the boat. Experiment with lure retrieve speed; Lake Texoma Striper will let you know.  

Remember the Four S’s

Summer Sandy Shores in September! Find the sand, and you will catch Striper on Lake Texoma with topwater plugs. The most obvious spots are the Islands out from Highport Marina. Sand Bass Pass is a great place to start. Sorry anglers, we can not give you all the secret locations, but you guys and gals are smart enough to find sand on Lake Texoma.

Start Early

How early should we start is a general question for September Striper on Lake Texoma? If you do not get to your first spot in the dark, you started late. Launch the boat at 5 AM CST and get to your area at 5:30 AM CST. Use your trolling motor in 20 feet of water and shut it off once you reach 10 feet. Striper Fish in the dark, and listen! Striper can school as the sun comes up, and you will be one of the first boats on the water.  

Back-Up Rods Increase Your Hook Ups

Keep a spinning rod rigged with a 7″ soft plastic jerk shad weedless and no weight. If a big Striper misses your topwater plug, cast back to the spot with your soft plastic jerk shad. You will be shocked at your success rate. I also recommend Lunker City 9″ Sluggo. Use a spinning rod and rig these with no weight—just a hook and weedless. Follow Sluggo Video for more information.

Common Sense on Lake Texoma

If you want to avoid a trip to the emergency room, please pinch all your barbs down on topwater plugs. We suggest removing the middle treble hooks on all 5″ to 7″ plugs. We like to use single hooks on our topwater lures. Follow single hooks for more information. September Striper Fishing on Lake Texoma can get very competitive. Please use common sense and DO NOT run your big motor in 10 feet of water. Please give Guides room to work. If you want to say hello, please wait until the shallow water fishing stops or, better yet, at the boat ramp. Our office is the boat and Lake Texoma. We would never walk into your office while you are on the phone and say, “Hey, what’s going on?”

About Bill Carey

One of the first Lake Texoma Fishing Guides with a multi-boat fleet that caters to Artificial Lure Anglers.  Bill loves to Striper Fish Lake Texoma and enjoys sharing this famous reservoir with clients.  Bill handles all day to day business matters such as booking trips, coordinating group events, quality control, reserves lodging, and handles marketing-advertising.