Brown targets the inside bends of the Holsten River to find big stripers waiting to ambush forage fish -- most often, big gizzard shad like the ones Brown uses for bait. Starting at Anderson Bend and working his way up toward the H.B. Day Bridge south of Henardtown, Brown wants to move his baits across the tops of the shoals and set them up to be eaten by big stripers that are lying 15 to 20 feet off the bank. Brown's best access to this area is the ramp at the Cherokee Dock area on Hwy. 11W just above Galbraith.

"Bait is the key," he said. "You can usually find big gizzard shad along muddy banks back in the lake at Cherokee. The best thing to do is go out a couple of hours before daylight and get way back in the backs of a creek or cove and cast net for gizzards. They like water that is less than 8 feet deep, so look for the shallowest, muddy bank you can find so you can load your bait tank with big gizzards."

If anglers are more interested in catching numbers of fish than hunting for that trophy, Brown suggests that they concentrate their efforts on the area where the Holston River comes back into the main lake around mile markers 15 to 18. He said that those fish are typically smaller, schooling fish that congregate around the mouths of creeks and coves. These fish are a mixture of striped bass and their hatchery-made cousin, the hybrid striped bass.

"There are a lot of 6- to 10-pound stripers and a load of hybrids around the mouths of creeks near the Hwy. 25 East bridge crossing," Brown said. "The way to catch those fish is a little different than what we do up the river."

The Tennessee guide also uses planer boards to catch schooling fish, but rather than employing free lines, he adds a 1-ounce weight to get the bait down to the fish. He also downsizes his baits, preferring small gizzard shad or store-bought shiners in the 3- to 4-inch variety.

"The best way to locate stripers back in the lake is to mark bait in the mouths of the creeks," said Brown. "Then set your bait from 5 to 10 feet below the bait. If you don't get bit, move mouth to mouth until willing stripers are located."

Hamblen County Park near the south end of the Hwy. 25 bridge provides the best boat access to this area.

TIMS FORD
Brown's first choice for wintertime trophy striper fishing is second on his list. Tims Ford is an impoundment of the Elk River and encompasses 10,700 acres between Lynchburg and Winchester. From mid-December until mid-March, Brown concentrates all of his striped bass efforts on a relatively small section of the lake.

Cherokee Lake is one of the oldest of the TVA lakes. The lake spans a total of 30,300 acres within its 59-mile length.

"From the dam at Woods Reservoir down to mile marker 25 is one of the most phenomenal striper areas in the state," Brown said. "All you need to do is find the right spot and be there at the right time."

Accessing this area is easiest from the Rock Creek public boat ramp near Hwy. 41A. Turn on Rock Creek Road in Decherd and make the first left to get to the ramp. This ramp will put anglers right in the middle of the prime fishing area.