This first set of striper fishing tips is pretty basic, each subsequent post will get more involved.
Cut Bunker vs. Live Bunker
When the water is very cold stripers will not work very hard to chase down a live bunker (menhaden/pogy). A striped bass may chase it for a few moments, but will often lose interest quickly. However, having a live bunker or two swimming around the boat is still effective for attracting on holding fish. The best bait will typically be a cut-bait that the striper can easily inhale.
Fresh Bunker vs. Frozen Bunker
It can be hard to obtain fresh bunker in the spring and you may need to resort to frozen bunker. Not all frozen bunker is equal. You can judge the quality by the appearance and definitely by the smell. Poorly frozen stale bunker is certainly less effective. However, carefully frozen bunker can be almost as effective as fresh bunker provided you change it often. It loses the scent very quickly and may only be effective by 15 minutes or so. Check out our detailed instructions on brining bait.
An Old Boat
If your boat has a particularly loud motor, it might be time to get a new one. Loud motors can scare fish away, which isn’t going to help you to bring in any prize catch. Luckily, you can still sell a boat that is a bit worse for wear, which should help you to buy a new one. Consider a paddle boat instead of one with a motor – the quieter you can be, the more fish you’ll catch.
Loose Lines
The cooler water means softer and more tentative bites. The stripers may be hungry from a winter with very little food, but their digestion has slowed because of the cold water. They just can’t eat a lot and seem to be looking for the prefect meal. If the angler is holding the rod, the reel should be out of gear with the clicker off. The angler should only use enough thumb pressure to prevent a backlash. If the rod is in a rod holder or at less of an angle laying flat on the gunwale (preferred), the clicker should be used.
Watch the Rods
When fishing with the rod in the rod holder or laid on the gunwale, it is critical the clicker is turned off as soon as the fish picks up the bait. Big striped bass will often drop the bait if they feel any resistance from the rod. Someone should be watching the rod tip. The pick-up will be visible well before the line starts to peel out of the reel.
Take a Big Swing
Assuming that everything else went well and the line is peeling out of the angler’s reel, after a few seconds it is time to put the reel in gear and set the hook. Most novice anglers fail miserably at this. They engage the reel, take a swing, and…nothing. All they did was pull some slack out of the line. It is critical that the angler reels until the line gets tight before taking a swing. The angler should hold the rod at the top and take a moment to admire the bend. Now the east part, bring the fish to the boat, take a picture, and send it on it’s way!
Also check out our striped bass chunking tackle recommendations
This is the first in a series of striper fishing tips for trophy striped bass. Check out the next striper fishing tips article. Subscribe to our newsletter or like our Facebook page (below) to receive notifications when new articles are published.
In cold water, striped bass are less likely to chase live bunker for long, so cut bunker bait is usually more effective. Cut bait can be easily inhaled by the fish, making it a better choice to entice a bite in colder conditions.
Frozen bunker quality greatly influences its effectiveness as bait. Poorly frozen or stale bunker loses scent quickly and is less attractive to stripers. High-quality frozen bunker, when changed every 15 minutes, can be nearly as effective as fresh bait if handled properly.
Loud boat motors can scare away striped bass and reduce your chances of catching big fish. Using a quieter boat or even a paddle boat helps you stay undetected, increasing your likelihood of success on the water.
In cooler water, striped bass bites tend to be soft and tentative, so anglers should keep the reel out of gear and the clicker off if holding the rod. Only light thumb pressure should be applied to prevent backlash, allowing the fish to take the bait without resistance.
When using rod holders or laying the rod on the gunwale, it’s important to watch the rod tip closely. Striper bites usually cause visible pick-ups before the line starts to peel from the reel, so turning off the clicker as soon as the bait is taken is critical.
After the fish takes the bait and the line starts peeling, the angler should reel in any slack until the line is tight before taking a firm swing to set the hook. Many novices fail by swinging too early without removing slack, so this step ensures a solid hook set.
Cut bunker loses its scent quickly, especially when frozen bait isn’t fresh. Changing cut bait every 15 minutes keeps the scent strong and more attractive to striped bass, increasing the chances of a strike.