If you wish to expertise the problem of Bass on steroids, look to Stripers. The obsession with Striped Bass in freshwater and saltwater has captured the imaginations of untold numbers of anglers on each coasts of the USA. Their voracious feeding habits, arduous runs, and skill to succeed in large sizes make them one of the vital thrilling species you may chase wherever. And the excellent news is, there are many Striper fishing lures on the market that will help you land one!
You possibly can catch Stripers utilizing quite a lot of strategies however lures are about as a lot enjoyable as you may have. Tossing a lure right into a feeding frenzy and feeling the arduous, pounding strike of a giant Striper is a critical rush. Learn on to be taught extra about one of the vital treasured recreation fish in North America…
Striped Bass Habitat and Habits
We love Striped Bass for his or her aggressive strikes however the species can also be fairly selective. They’re very choosy and troublesome to catch, one thing that may be particularly irritating whereas sight fishing.
Stripers are present in quite a lot of places right this moment however their native vary is localized to the Atlantic shoreline. Native populations exist as far south because the Gulf coast however the inhabitants’s strongholds are situated within the northern sections of the western Atlantic.
With launched populations throughout the continent, we now have extra alternatives for Stripers. Learn on to be taught concerning the distinctions between this fish in contemporary and saltwater…
Freshwater Striped Bass
Striped Bass enter freshwater environments voluntarily on their migratory spawning runs. They transfer by means of estuaries and into creeks and rivers that connect with their saltwater vary within the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. For those who occur to cross paths with a spring spawning run, the fishing may be spectacular within the channels and waters alongside spawning routes.
Whereas spawning runs are seasonal, you may catch these fish all yr in freshwater lakes and reservoirs with sturdy populations. Freshwater Stripers expertise distinctive success charges in lakes with loads of bait fish and forage. From Lake Mead in Nevada to Lake Texoma in Texas, you may goal some critical fish in freshwater.
Freshwater Stripers are just like their saltwater counterparts as they feed aggressively on faculties of bait fish. Shad, herring, and different fish are favourite targets. They’ll additionally revert to crayfish, freshwater clams, and mussels or some other accessible meals sources.
Look to construction and bays the place bait fish collect, together with flats the place Stripers can cruise and feed. When water temperatures are within the 60s, fishing is at its finest. It’s because they have an inclination to drop deeper in colder circumstances
Saltwater Stripers
Within the ocean, Stripers are a boom-and-bust species. At occasions, they’re surprisingly cautious and troublesome to catch. A few of this habits is attributed to dwelling in predator-rich environments – the fish cope with Sharks and different predators regularly, making them clever to something that will hunt them down.
When massive faculties of bait fish are plentiful, the sport modifications to “growth” and the fishing is phenomenal. Bait fish carry Stripers to the floor the place they feed with out hesitation. Discover a massive boil, forged your lures, and maintain on tight when fishing for Stripers in these eventualities.
Anglers can discover fish from boats and alongside piers, jetties, and within the surf. The truth is, surf and shore anglers catch some distinctive fish all year long! Striped Bass eat absolutely anything that swims. Look to herring, menhaden, crabs, and different native fish to discover a appropriate Striper bait or lure imitation.
One of the best time of yr for East Coast Stripers runs from Could by means of October. You possibly can catch fish any time of day however it’s well-known that daybreak and nightfall are the most efficient for the species.
Prime Fishing Lures for Stripers
When the chunk is scorching, it seems like Stripers will slam any lure you throw on the market. When it’s robust, anglers speculate and have 1,000,000 totally different theories about which lure is finest. The next are a few of the most typical and productive choices accessible. Nonetheless, it all the time pays to make your personal observations and experiment on the water.
Spoons
Whereas most spoon colours and types carry out, heavy, deep spoons prime the checklist for Striper fishing lures. They get down shortly, permitting anglers to cowl extra of the water column. Flutter spoons are very talked-about with skilled Striper fanatics, as are knife jigs (spoon/jig hybrid). If the spoon permits for a number of fishing types, it presents versatility and the flexibility to adapt as circumstances change.
Umbrella Rigs
Why discover a faculty of bait fish when you may create one?! Umbrella rigs are lethal at most depths and so they actually shine when Stripers are on the hunt for faculties of bait fish. The rigs permit anglers to troll a number of lures which are clipped onto the wire rig. I like jigs for these however you should utilize quite a lot of lure types on the umbrella rig.
Floor Poppers
Why trouble going deep when the Stripers are boiling and busting bait on the floor? I can’t consider a greater method to take pleasure in a feeding frenzy than with topwater poppers. Pencil poppers or bigger-diameter plugs are nice for floor motion. Search for white and crimson or white and chartreuse shade combos. Lures with reflective silver and gold are improbable, too.
Bucktail Jigs
When the fishing requires finesse and a static or drift method, there are few higher choices than a giant bucktail jig. You possibly can drop it off a pier, forged into the surf, or get proper over the fish from a ship. In conditions the place anglers sight fish to cruising Stripers, a smaller bucktail jig is lethal. That is one lure that each angler ought to have on the prepared. It’s the final selection when the fish are feeding closely and the primary when they aren’t.
Crankbaits & Jerkbaits
Lastly, you may’t go improper with a giant crankbait or jerkbait. Don’t maintain again on measurement and be sure you carry quite a lot of depth-rated lures on this class. When the water is colder and fishing is slower, getting deep is useful. Because the motion heats up, transfer to slower diving fashions to fulfill the fish the place they’re feeding.
You possibly can fish crankbaits and jerkbaits which are designed for different Bass species with success. Merely change the terminal sort out to make them saltwater-ready. A giant Striper will destroy the hooks which are made for Largemouth Bass! I like so as to add new rings and improve the hooks with a stainless choice.
The place to Go Striper Fishing
Now that you’ve a field of nice fishing lures, prepare to hitch the obsession for Stripers. With so many lakes and nice fisheries on the east and west coasts, you don’t have any scarcity of choices.
- California Delta. The West Coast as soon as had insane Striper numbers. Populations fluctuate however this area nonetheless produces a few of the largest Striped Bass you’ll ever encounter. For those who can time the spring or fall migration on this space, the fishing is world-class.
- New Jersey. You possibly can choose any state on the northern Atlantic however there’s one thing concerning the fishing tradition in New Jersey… Fishing lures and worms through the spring run is a practice for anglers right here. Simply do not forget that these fish are generally known as “Rockfish” in these components!
- Massachusetts. One other good spot to fish the spring run, Cape Cod and the overall Massachusetts shoreline is improbable. Shore fishing is superb for each surfcasters and fly anglers! Everybody ought to hit the Cape for the Striper run sooner or later.
- Southern States. Don’t overlook the South for nice freshwater striper fishing. Texas is house to a self-recurring inhabitants in freshwater. The fish truly depart Lake Texoma to spawn in feeder rivers – and accomplish that efficiently.
- Nevada. Lake Mead and Lake Mohave are two of the very best freshwater Striper fisheries within the nation. They’re each giant our bodies of water, providing loads of elbow room and alternatives to discover. It’s additionally fairly the expertise fishing in the course of a desert for a saltwater species!
Striper Fishing Lures FAQs
One of the best Striper setups range by fishing type. For pure simplicity, a single bucktail jig or lure on a stout chief is superb. Extra superior choices just like the umbrella rig are nice for trolling in open water. Select your setup primarily based on the present circumstances and scenario.
One of the best Striped Bass fishing happens throughout late spring and lasts by means of fall. Colleges of fish feed like loopy and water temperatures are additionally ideally suited for floor motion and boils. As temperatures drop and winter circumstances arrive, the fishing slows and turns into harder.
Will you land a giant Striper quickly?
My favourite factor about Stripers is the accessibility. Many different saltwater recreation fish require superior gear and offshore watercraft for achievement. However on the subject of Stripers, a few of the largest specimens are caught proper from the shoreline! They’re a real folks’s fish and provide a few of the finest motion you’ll discover wherever on this planet. Put these fishing lures to the check and begin touchdown your fill of Stripers!
What are your go-to lures for Striped Bass? Do you fish in freshwater or saltwater? We’d love to listen to about your favourite manufacturers and fashions within the feedback beneath!
