Striper fishing basics
Stripers are an exciting fish to catch, make sure all of your information is up date before you go. Your fishing regulations will change depending on which state you are in. This information is found at your local contacts or your state agency. Your local contacts can give you some do's and don’ts but make sure they are accurate. By getting your current state fishing regulations. You can also find this information and fishing maps on huntnfishregs.com. The sizes and limits are often different depending on the state you are fishing in. Stripers are great bass fishing.
While stripers are native to salt water, they naturally migrate into fresh water streams to spawn. Their eggs must remain in motion in order to hatch so the fresh water rivers and streams which drain into the ocean become the spawning grounds for stripers.
Striped Bass
Morone saxatilis
Once it was known that they could survive in fresh water they were introduced into fresh water impoundments as a test, where they survived and flourished. Often to the extent of eating the local species out of house and home. They will eat anything that moves. As a schooling fish which can grow to enormous size they can deplete a school of baitfish in very short order. When you catch a striper you can rest assured that there are others close by.
Fly fishing for stripers is the most exciting way to catch and land a striper. But you can get plenty of thrill no matter how you catch these big aggressive stripers. Fishing for stripers on medium to heavy tackle with bait or lures is the most common approach.
When surf fishing the beaches with swimming plugs and live eels many anglers prefer the 10 to 12 foot surf rod and conventional reel spooled with 30 to 40 pound test monofilament line. However, a medium to heavy spinning rod with 12 to 20 pound test monofilament line is considered ideal by many anglers for plugging, jigging or offering bottom fished baits to bass. Lures are attached directly to the line with a snap swivel. When bait fishing, the preferred rig consists of a pyramid sinker attached to a fish finder and about 2 feet of leader with a brightly colored float attached close to the hook. The float keeps bait away from bottom dwelling crabs, dogfish and skate.
Live lining of herring, pogies or mackerel can be a very productive means of taking large bass. A fairly stiff boat rod with a conventional reel is the preferred rig. Bait fish are hooked through the back or snout using either a single or treble hook.
When trolling for bass adjacent to shoreline areas, the rod should be equipped with a high ratio conventional reel and either carboloy, aluminum oxide or silicon carbide guides to prevent line wear. By choosing among monofilament, lead core or wire lines, depths from the surface to the bottom can be trolled. Many lures, including swimming plugs, jigs, tube and worm and umbrella rigs as well as live herring, pogies and eels lend themselves well to trolling for stripers.
Enjoy your outing for striper fishing . Make sure you know the state laws. You can find this information on the always up to date website huntnfishregs.com. Be safe and have fun.