Here are some spring striper tips that will help you catch more fish.
Locations
Spring striped bass are typically going to be found in shallow areas where water is warming faster than the surrounding waters. The warmer water will certainly have more life in the early season (that can switch later in the season when oxygen levels start dropping). The fish are typically feeding along the bottom picking up crabs, worms, shrimp, and small bottom fish. Structure such as rocks, eel grass, and docks will hold the most bait.
Presentation
The cold water certainly makes the stripers less aggressive. A slow steady retrieve or a slow sweeping retrieve will typically be the most effective. Solo striped bass are not very aggressive. However, if you find a decent school of fish, the competitive nature will make them more aggressive and a faster steady retrieve may be more effective. Experienced anglers will try different retrieves to convince the fish to strike. It is critical to understand that stripers can be present and just not interested in an artificial bait unless the presentation is perfect. We have drifted and or slow trolled live sandworms and crushed the fish at times when no artificial lure could draw a strike.
Rod and Reel
Your best bet will be a spinning rod and reel combo suitable for 12-20lb braided or fused line. The optimal rod is 7′ feet long with a fast to extra-fast action and capable of handling lure weights up to 1 ounce (though you can typically throw lures 50% heavier than the rating). Most anglers prefer to use lighter line in the spring because lure weights are typically less than the weights typically used when plugging stripers.
Line and Leader
Braided and fused lines are a must. The thin diameter is going to provide maximum casting distance especially when using small lures. The lack of stretch enables the angler to detect even the softest pickup and allows for the best possible hook-set. It also allows the angler to carefully control the action of the lure. Using 20lb line (sometimes even as much as 30lb) will ensure that you can pull bigger fish away from structure. However, if you are typically throwing very small lures and structure isn’t an issue 12-14lb line is adequate. The main line should be tipped with a 24-30inch 2olb fluorocarbon leader tied directly to the lure or attached with a small snap. The main line can be attached to the leader using either a small swivel or an albright knot.
Lures
A wide variety of sub-surface and bottom lures will be effective. Top-water lures are typically only effective when the fish are noticeably crashing bait (typically minnows or herring) on top which is usually more common in late spring. Here are some of the more common sub-surface lures:
Swimmers – Hard-bodied lipped swimming and deep diving lures that have decent action when retrieved slowly. These lures can also be jerked through water in a stop-and-go retrieve that can be deadly when bigger fish are around.
Soft Swimbaits – Minnow , herring, and shad patterned soft baits with broad paddle tails that have a distinct swimming action when retrieved slowly. These baits will typically run deeper than swimmers.
Grubs – These can be the most effective spring striper bait but it is critical to have a wide variety of colors and styles. White curly tails (in various lengths) are a good basic choice, but other colors can also product fish. Experienced anglers try their best to “match the hatch”. Typically using pink when shrimp are present, green, silver, or white for spearing, etc. The grubs are always fished on small jig-heads or bucktails sometimes as small as 1/8oz. Grubs are typically worked very slowly across the bottom. A variety of Gulp soft baits such as shrimp, and mullet are very popular spring choices.
Bucktails – The traditional buctkail tipped with pork rind or a grub can be deadly in the hands of an experienced angler (and virtually useless in the hands of a novice). The difference between a bucktail and a grub is the buoyancy imparted by the hair which reduces the sink-rate. This allows the bucktail to spend more time off the bottom. Color choices are the same as for grubs. Learning how to properly fish a bucktail is time well spent on a technique that can be used for nearly any species.
Click here for more about Striped Bass Plugging.
Spring striped bass are usually located in shallow areas where the water warms faster than surrounding waters. These spots often have structures like rocks, eel grass, and docks that attract baitfish and other prey such as crabs, worms, and shrimp, making them ideal feeding grounds for stripers in early season.
Due to the cold water, spring stripers are less aggressive, so a slow steady or sweeping retrieve tends to be most effective. When fish are schooling, a faster steady retrieve might provoke strikes. Anglers often experiment with different retrieves to find the perfect presentation and sometimes use live sandworms while drifting or slow trolling to entice bites when artificial lures fail.
A spinning rod and reel combo designed for 12-20 lb braided or fused line is recommended. The optimal rod length is about 7 feet with fast to extra-fast action, capable of casting lures up to 1 ounce or slightly heavier. Lighter line is preferred in spring since lure weights are usually lighter compared to other seasons.
Braided and fused lines have a thin diameter which provides longer casting distances, especially important when using small lures. Their lack of stretch improves sensitivity, allowing anglers to detect even subtle bites and set the hook more effectively. Strong lines like 20-30 lb are useful when fishing near structure, although lighter lines (12-14 lb) suffice for small lures in open water.
A variety of sub-surface and bottom lures work well, including hard-bodied swimmers, soft swimbaits, grubs, and bucktails. Grubs, fished slowly near the bottom, are often the most effective, especially when matching local prey colors. Top-water lures generally work better later in spring when fish are actively feeding near the surface on baitfish.
Grubs should be fished very slowly across the bottom on small jig heads or bucktails, often as light as 1/8 oz. Color variety is essential to match the hatch, for example, white curly tails are versatile, while pink is good for shrimp presence, and green or silver work well for spearing. Soft baits like Gulp shrimp and mullet are popular spring grub options.
A bucktail lure is tipped with hair which makes it buoyant and slows its sink rate, allowing it to spend more time off the bottom. Conversely, a grub is a soft plastic bait that sinks faster and is usually fished right along the bottom. Bucktails require skill to fish effectively but can be extremely productive in experienced hands.