Striper Fishing's Secret Weapon: Sonar and Boat Control

Freshwater or saltwater, northeast or southeast, striped bass are a trophy fish you can catch nearly anywhere in America. Reaching up to 4 feet in length and 50 pounds in weight, they’re also one of the largest and hardest fighters.

Just ask Bill Carson, a Field Marketing Manager for Humminbird and hardcore striped bass angler. “Stripers are a powerful fish,” Carson said. “Even better, they’re a fish you can find inland or offshore."

And if stripers can’t be found in a particular fishery, anglers can meet up with their extended family, the hybrid striped bass (or “wipers” for short).

With that combination of availability, size, and toughness, it’s no wonder these monster bass have earned one of the most passionate followings in fishing. Count Michael Roy among them.

“Stripers are elusive and finicky,” Roy said. “There’s some mystery there. You’re never sure what mood they’re going to be in, but your next cast could land you the catch of a lifetime."

Based in Connecticut, Roy quit his day job as a school teacher to become a full-time guide. What began as a leap of faith has become a solid career.

"I never pictured myself in an office,” Roy explained. “It’s been a dream to do something I love for a living and own my own business. That said, guiding is not easy.”

Striper Guides Turn to One-Boat Network® for More Productive Trips

One of the keys to Roy’s success has been the ability to work with more customers by doubling up his days into two five-hour guide trips. He relies on the One-Boat Network® from Humminbird and Minn Kota to make the most of his on-water window.

Roy uses MEGA Imaging on his SOLIX Series fish finder to identify stripers. He’s able to hold his position—or maintain a controlled drift—in a powerful current using his Minn Kota Riptide Ulterra trolling motor. Best of all, he’s able to control his trolling motor’s i-Pilot Link functions, including Spot-Lock, AutoPilot and much more, directly from his SOLIX—a huge difference-maker when he’s on fish and every second counts.

"I can see which way the stripers are facing,” he explained. “Then I can touch the SOLIX screen and tell my boat to stay right there with Spot-Lock.”

While Roy battles stripers on the Atlantic, guides like Georgia’s Mack Farr tussle with them inland, facing the unique set of challenges posed by reservoirs. Once again, the One-Boat Network helps even the playing field.

Whereas the slope of the ocean bottom tends to be gradual and relatively even, the contours of reservoirs created for flood control and hydroelectric power in states like Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Texas are wildly inconsistent.

"One minute you’re dealing with water that’s 90 feet deep, the next minute it’s 20,” Farr said. Compounding the problem, many reservoirs are scattered with downed timber, putting Farr’s Cannon downriggers at risk of getting snagged.

But Farr has found the perfect solution. LakeMaster’s Follow the Contour feature and his i-Pilot Link-equipped Minn Kota Ulterra trolling motor allow him to automatically hold his boat on a set contour path. He uses it to follow creek channels where he knows his rig will be clear of trees.

“Getting hung up costs me lures and fishing time,” Farr said. “LakeMaster and Follow the Contour are invaluable to keeping us in the strike zone.”

Farr also utilizes the Water Level Offset feature within LakeMaster to account for the wide variance in reservoir water levels from month to month, and year to year. By synchronizing the contours and shorelines of his maps with the current water level, he finds the accuracy he needs to target striper in a narrow depth range.

With all that information at his fingertips on his SOLIX display, Farr is able to develop a winning strategy for every fishing day.

“Stripers are a big, nomadic, open water fish,” he said. “There’s a lot of diversification in the way you can go after them, and I love catching the big ones, but honestly that’s not what it’s all about.”

A guide for more than 35 years (he jokes that Abraham Lincoln was his first customer), Farr is motivated by the sight of the morning sun rising through the tree line, or watching a client have a great experience on his boat.

“Seeing a young person catch fish is the best thing,” he said. “It’s satisfying to me because that’s something they’re going to put in their memory bank and hold on to for a long time.”

The automated boat control enabled by the One-Boat Network has made those moments easier to enjoy. “I can deploy the trolling motor with my remote, or from my SOLIX fish finder, and have a bait in the water simultaneously,” Farr said.

“With One-Boat, I’m completely free to fish. It’s been a real time saver. But even more importantly, it’s meant a better experience for my customers and me.”

Looking to free yourself up to catch more fish? Follow these five tips to put the One-Boat Network to work for you.