How to Troll for Striper
Striper -- or striped bass -- are one of the most coveted coastal sport fish. Stripers range along the east coast from the lower St. Lawrence River in Canada to the northern parts of Florida and along parts of the Gulf of Mexico. Many anglers enjoy trolling for the striper because of its size, fighting abilities and delicious taste.
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Things You'll Need
- Fishing rod and reel
- Baits and lures
- Sonar and GPS device
- Trolling boat
Instructions
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Use a 6-foot, 4-inch light-action rod with Carboloy guides and a high-ratio conventional reel holding at least 300 feet of wire line. Select marked lines at every 50 feet, with at least 200 yards of 80-lb.-test monofilament backing. A minimum of 50-lb.-test monofilament is ideal for striper trolling.
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2
Tip the end of your line with effective trolling lures like a 2-oz. chartreuse Andrus-parachute-jig. Umbrella rigs, bunker spoons, swimming plugs, big tubes, single surgical tubes and bunker spoons work well. Hook live herring and menhaden for bait.
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Troll in deep depths, and sink the lures as close to the bottom as possible. Reel-up if the lures bounce off the bottom. Turn the boat into the tide once you reach a hot spot. This brings the lures directly over the fish.
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Set your trolling speed and depth with a sonar and GPS device. Keep the trolling speed between 1.8-to-2.8 mph, and go as slow as possible when trolling into the tide. Allow the boat to move into the tide, and fish across it. The speed should be less than three knots over the water bottom.
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Search in areas with rips or ridge structures with lumps. Striped bass congregate on these bottom structures to forage. Position your trolling boat ahead of the rip, and slide along the rip line. Drop the lures and wait for the fish to strike.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
