In fact, store-bought minnows, typically Arkansas shiners in the 3- to 4-inch range, are a great substitute for the young-of-the-year threadfin and gizzard shad that stripers eat this time of year.

"Even big fish seem to prefer the smaller baits in the winter," Schleicher noted.

With cooler surface water prevailing, Schleicher's preferred tactic is to slow troll or free-line shiners behind the boat. He employs a variable-speed trolling motor to troll multiple lines behind the boat with the aid of a planer board or float to keep the lines separated.

Schleicher often targets the main channel or dropoffs along the main channel to find fish. While bottom depths may range anywhere from 20 to 60 feet in the main channel area, bait, and subsequently stripers, will be in the upper one-third of the water column.

"Having birds, loons, gulls or terns working the same area I'm fishing is almost a guarantee that stripers, hybrids or white bass will be in the area feeding," Schleicher said. The veteran guide typically starts out with no weight on his free lines, instead tying a 4- to 6-foot length of fluorocarbon leader to his 20-pound-test main line with a barrel swivel. Bluebird or windy days may require the guide to add a split shot or two to get the bait a little farther down in the water column at the fish's level.

Catch rates between striped bass and hybrid stripers usually run 90 percent stripers and 10 percent hybrids throughout the rest of the year, but many anglers report that catch rates during the winter season even up, with the catch mix running about 50-50 when the water temperatures drop.

The mid-lake section of Priest is usually the most productive for winter striper and hybrid fishing. Popular areas include Four Corners, Bryant's Grove and Poole's Knob. These areas are best accessed through public ramps located at Four Corners Recreation area (1.5 miles east of Hwy. 171 off Hamilton Church Road) and Poole's Knob Recreation Area (nine miles north of Hwy. 41 off Jones Mill Road).

Once launched, it's best to look for concentrations of aquatic birds working the main river channel, which weaves around between Pear, Ponderosa and Rock islands. Standard tackle for Priest's stripers and hefty hybrids include baitcast reels spooled with 15- to 20-pound mono tipped with a fluorocarbon leader. Medium-heavy casting rods in 7- to 7 1/2-foot lengths are also popular.

TIM'S FORD
Completed in 1970, this impoundment of the Elk River has had its difficulties from a striper angler's point of view. After initial stocking with stripers by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency shortly after construction, Tim's Ford anglers enjoyed a boom cycle of striper fishing that created what veteran anglers refer to as "the glory days." This time was followed by a period of decline that has reduced much of the angler interest in striper fishing on the reservoir. One possible explanation could be a typical cyclical nature of the fishery, which unfortunately occurred during a downward cycle in the forage base of gizzard shad. This led to a series of meetings conducted by the TWRA. Following this, the TWRA began stocking hybrid striped bass into Tim's Ford along with its allotment of pure-strain striped bass.