Lucky you, you’ve found a school of striper’s well within casting range and feeding aggressively. You set yourself up with high hopes as you make your first cast. After a few crank of the reel handle, you come to the sudden realization… you caught nothing. Maybe this was bad luck, or maybe your technique is wrong. Striped bass are renowned to be a little tricky to catch, as they are constantly on the move and behave somewhat unpredictably. This articles outlines some of the most popular and productive techniques and boating accessories (http://www.chsmith.com.au/Boating.html) for catching striped bass.
Use A Fish Finder
It is worth while having your boat equipped with a reliable fish finder, this will be sure to help you in your pursuit of catching your big striped bass (http://www.oldschoolfishingsecrets.com/bass/stripedbassfishing.htm). Learning how to operate your fish finder will assist you in locating striped bass in an productive area. As mentioned before, striped bass can be unpredictable, using a fish finder will allow you to determine the depth at where the bass are holding, this will allow you to present the bait at the exact depth and give you a higher chance of catching a striped bass.
Choose The Right Bait
Striped bass may be caught using a wide range of bait. Live bait such as herring, menhaden, squid, eels, mackerel, clams and anchovies, night-crawlers and blood-worms all make great bait for striped bass fishing. The type of bait that can bring you the most results will depend on the location you intend to fish. Make sure you know the body of water well, if it is a new spot consult your local bait shop to find out what they recommend.
Rod, Reel and Tackle
You should be able to catch striped bass with almost any rod and reel. The type of fishing accessories you should use will depend on the type of fishing you decide to do. Depends what waters you choose, your location – onshore, offshore, will you be using bait or a lure. Upon answering these questions will determine the correct weight, size and flexibility for your rod. The type of reel you use is considered more important that the rod itself. A saltwater spinning reel is a good option, as long as it’s sturdy enough to pull in a big catch. For your line, you should use a 5-10 kilos test monofilament line. This all depends on what size you are expecting, some people prefer a heavier line. Ensure the hook is sharp and there should be a minimum of half an inch between the point and the shank to avoid catching undersized bass.
Ensure Excellent Fishing Conditions
Striped bass can be caught all year round, in almost any condition. You can really increase your chances of successful fishing if you understand the striper’s behaviour patterns. Striped bass are migratory fish you prefer temperatures between 7 and 18 degrees Celsius. The temperature will also affect the location of the fish in the water. On a hot sunny day, the striper’s may dive deeper to avoid the heat, compared to a cooler day you may find them a foot or two below the water surface. Striped bass are more prone to feeding when there is water movement as it attracts bait fish which the striper’s feed upon. Striped Bass tend to be more active at dusk and dawn as they can hunt smaller fish under the cover of darkness.
Rod Smith: Author Bio As the former President of the Boating Industry Association, Rod’s passion for boating and fishing is utilized in his current role as Managing Director of CH Smith Marine. Offering his masterful expertise, Rod ensures that customers leave with a love for the sea that parallels his own.