Best Tips for Striper Fishing Success This Season

If you want the best chance at striper fishing success this season, it's essential to understand this fish's behavior, use the right gear and bait, and ensure your timing and technique are good.

Whether you're fishing from the shoreline or have a great new bass boat you want to try, the ultimate goal is to have fun and catch some great fish. Here are some of the best tips to help you get started on a successful fishing season.

Understanding Striper Behavior

Before you set out to catch striper, the first thing to do is learn about this fish and where to find it. Then, you can focus on choosing the right locations to increase your odds. 

Seasonal Movement

Striped bass migrate and have seasonal patterns. While you can find them in waterways from Canada to the Mississippi River's outlet into the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America), they typically swim south in the fall and return north in the spring.

However, that doesn't mean you can't still find some all along their typical habitat, but if you're looking for higher concentrations of them and better fishing, following their migration patterns can help.

Preferred Habitats

When looking for stripers, consider rocky shorelines, estuaries, and deep water.

These fish are more active at night and in low-light conditions. During migrations in the spring and fall, on cloudy days, and during stormy weather, they generally extend their feeding time into the daylight. 

Summer bass fishing is best at night and during sunrise and sunset. If you're fishing for striped bass in the winter, their feeding times will be much more restrictive because of the cold conditions. Patience is required when it's cold if you want to catch stripers feeding.

Feeding Habits

Striped bass are predators and will take numerous opportunities to feed.

They eat many baitfish, including bay anchovies, sand eels, juvenile menhaden, and Atlantic silversides. In addition to fish, stripers can also eat clams, grass shrimp, and seaworms. 

Choose the Right Gear to Reel Them In

Choosing the right gear is another critical component when catching stripers.

To handle the size and strength of these fish, you'll want to select medium-heavy rods and sturdy reels with strong drag systems. 

Also, make sure you choose good line and leaders. Braided line is an excellent choice for strength and sensitivity and works particularly well when paired with fluorocarbon leaders for stealth.

Along with those options, consider quality hooks, topwater lures, and soft plastics for a good striped bass fishing experience. 

Bait Selection Matters

Bait is essential when you want a successful striper fishing trip, and that can include live bait, cut bait, and artificial lures. These can all be excellent choices depending on water conditions, location, time of day, and other factors. 

• Live Bait: Live options like eels, bunker, or shad are some of the best choices for getting stripers' attention.
• Cut Bait: Fresh cut bait, such as mackerel or squid, can entice striper to strike and increase catches.
• Artificial Lures: Swimbaits, jerk baits, and spoons offer more versatility and can provide more fishing opportunities if you don't have live or cut bait handy.

While bait is integral to catching stripers, knowing that these fish will prey on many options can help you find what works for your specific fishing technique and location. 

How to Catch Striper: Use the Right Fishing Techniques

Learning how to catch striper requires the right techniques to attract the attention of these fish in your local waterways.

Some of the most common methods include:

• Trolling: When you use trolling methods with umbrella rigs or weighted lines, you can cover larger areas.
• Casting: Accurate casting to schools of feeding stripers increases your chances of a catch.
• Drifting: Using natural currents and live bait can attract stripers looking to feed in that area.

The technique you use depends on your comfort level, the area where you're fishing, and the gear and bait you have available. 

Timing Is Key

Early morning and late evening are prime times for striper activity. You can also increase your chances of catching more striper by fishing around incoming tides and full moons. 

Location is Crucial

Coastal waters, river mouths, and offshore reefs are striper hotspots. You can use fish finders and GPS to locate schools of striped bass in these areas efficiently.

Remember: You can have the best gear and bait, but you won't have a successful fishing trip if you're not in the correct location.

Adapt to Water Conditions

Weather and water conditions matter when fishing for striper. Overcast days or slight wind can improve your chances, and you'll want to select your lures based on water clarity. For example, use bright lures if you're fishing in murky water.

Learn About Conservation and Legal Compliance

You don't want to get in legal trouble while enjoying a fishing trip, so it's crucial to check local size and bag limits to stay within the law.

If you catch an undersized or over-limit fish, release it into the water. Proper catch-and-release techniques are vital to reducing harm to the fish. 

Also, remember to check state or provincial requirements for boater education if you plan to fish from a boat! BOATERexam can help you get certified quickly if your next fishing trip is coming up soon.

Be Prepared

Being prepared can make your fishing trip safer. Remember to carry life jackets, first aid kits, and other essentials, and have a variety of gear to adjust to changing conditions. 

Bonus: Advanced Tips for Striper Fishing

As you get more comfortable with striper fishing, you can try chumming with baitfish to attract striper to your location. Also, focus on targeting stripers at night, especially in high-pressure fishing areas.

Once you get used to night fishing, you can enjoy its potential for increased catches.

Use These Striped Bass Fishing Tips for Success This Season

We hope these striper fishing tips help you reel in lots of fish this season!

But . . . before you head out to catch striper, make sure you meet the requirements for boater education in your area. If you still need your license or PCOC (Pleasure Craft Operator Card) in Canada, take a boater education course to learn more about how to stay safe on the water.

With the knowledge you'll gain through an online BOATERexam course, you'll increase your confidence, reduce risks, and be able to focus on fishing and enjoying your time on the water!

Boating and fishing season is right around the corner!
For boaters in the U.S., choose the course for your state and start learning.
For boating in Canada, choose our Transport-Canada-approved course.