Striper Fishing
by L.A. DiNardi

Striped bass are one of the most popular deep sea fishing prizes in the Northeast. You can find these delicious catches from Delaware all the way up to Nova Scotia. Many deep sea charters will run striped bass, or “striper” fishing expeditions daily. It is a fun way to spend a day on the ocean with the family.

While any charter will teach you all the techniques to catching big stripers, it is good to have the information ahead of time, and especially if you plan to rent a boat yourself and head out on the open waters. Catching stripers is not difficult with the right equipment and bait.

The most popular bait for stripers is bunker or clams. Bunker, also known as menhaden, a member of the herring family, is an excellent choice for stripers. You can chunk the meat up, and use a long shanked hook for ideal catching. Bluefish will also be attracted to bunker chunk bait, so be aware of the razor sharp teeth they have which may potentially cut your leader.

The Clams are even better than bunker chunks in my opinion because you can use circle hooks, which means little to no gut hooking of the striper. Clams are especially good if you are fishing in the rough surf. Stripers know to hunt for clams when the waves are all stirred up because it loosens the clams and keeps them rolling around the surf, easy meals for the fish.

Another great tip in catching stripers is to speed up your retrieve, especially when using lures. When casting, you will want to reel in quickly, as the faster the lure moves, the more attractive it is to the striper, especially on clear water days. You can also use surf to your advantage, combined with the quick retrieval, you are almost guaranteed a hit from a striper.

World Record Striper Company as seen on Shark Tank

Hopefully these tips have helped you and on your next fishing trip, will land yourself a 25 pounder!

Happy fishing!