Which Lures are the Best?

Well, unfortunately it's not that simple. If there were any one lure out there that would guarantee you to catch a fish, everyone would be using it. Fish are finicky and do not take the same lure from day to day or even hour to hour. As I've mentioned in a previous post, the two lures that I trust to deliver more than the others I've used are the Heddon Super Spook Jr. and the Rattlin' Rapala but that doesn't mean they are the best. I've landed stripers with jerkbait such as the Yozuri Crystal Minnow,  swimbait like the Storm Wildeye Swim Shad, & poppers like the the Yozuri Hydro Tiger. I've had the best luck with bright colors, particularly lures with chartreuse on them.

Below are some sample images of the above mentioned lures.

Heddon Super Spook Jr.











Rattlin' Rapala

Yozuri Crystal Minnow

Storm Wildeye Swim Shad

Yozuri Hydro Tiger

How old is this Striper?

To put length, weight, and age into some sort of meaningful context, take a look at the chart below. I'm not sure who originally created this chart but it is fairly accurate. Most of the stripers I have caught have been a bit closer to the minimum weight rather than the average weight shown on the chart for a given length. The weight formula below the chart has proven to be very accurate and allows me to leave my scale at home and only pack my plastic coated cloth tape measure since I can use it for both length and weight.

What time of Year is the Best?

Well, that really depends. What are you looking for, trophy fish or fun?

Trophy size fish can be caught all year long but keep in mind, if you're catching lots of schoolies (up to around 30") where you are, you're not going to catch a lunker. Lunkers (over 20 lbs) are loners, lunkers take patience, lunkers take perseverance. There will be many days of catching nothing if you're looking for lunkers. Cows (female lunkers) are the main breeders, so keep this in mind if you're thinking of keeping that cow you just landed.

Going out and having schoolies hit one after the other is great fun and if this is what you want, the best time for this is from August through October.

What do the Regulations Say?

California-
Minimum Length: 18" total length if taken North of Point Conception; No minimum length if taken South of Point Conception
Limit per day, per person: 2
Daily limits allowed in possession: 2
Season: Open all year
Special Restriction: No striped bass may be taken while using a sinker weighing over four pounds, or while using any power driven gurdy or winch. Striped bass may only be taken by angling; snagging is an illegal method of take. Angling is defined as taking fish by hook and line with the line held in the hand, or with the line attached to a pole or rod held in the hand or closely attended in such manner that the fish voluntarily takes the bait ot lure in its mouth.

Oregon-
Minimum Length: 24"
Limit per day, per person: 2
Daily limits allowed in possession: 2
Season: Open all year in lakes; open during trout, salmon, or steelhead seasons in streams (including tidewaters and bays), except tidewater areas of the Columbia river tributaries down from the city of St. Helens are open all year.
Special Restriction: Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams above tidewater from May 28 to August 31.


Washington State-
Minimum Length: None
Limit per day, per person: No Limit
Daily Limits allowed in possession: No Limit
Season: Open All Year
Special Restriction: None

Fishing for Stripers

There are many ways to fish for stripers--some prefer to fish from shore using live bait such as eels and bullheads, others choose to troll for stripers with swimbaits, buzzbaits, crankbaits, etc., I prefer to fish from either a boat or shore with lures using the cast and retrieve method. The two lures that I've had the best luck with are the Heddon Super Spook Jr. topwater lure and the Rattlin' Rapala sinking lure.

My gear of choice is a sensitive rod for light line (8#-12#) and a spinning reel rated for saltwater. Now, if you've read my previous post, you'll remember that stripers can get quite large and may think I'm nuts for using such light gear. Well, that's the beauty of the drag setting on the reel. The drag is designed to tire the fish so it's easier to land the fish--trying to land a green (energetic) fish will just prove to be frustrating at best. It could be argued to just use larger gear and heavier line, and while that is true, where is the sport in that? I also know that many people will say that a casting reel is superior to a spinning reel and that only beginners use spinners. I admit, there are many pros and cons of each system, but the reason I like to use a spinning reel is for simplicity and reliability. When fishing in the coastal areas (including some inland waterways), wind can and will be a major factor in casting performance and a stiff headwind can be troublesome with a casting reel--unless you feel that dealing with a bird nest in your line every few casts is part of the real fishing experience.

The time of the day also plays a large role in catching stripers. They are nocturnal fish and are more active at night and tend to move to deeper water to rest when the sun is out. For this reason, think of dawn and dusk as dinner time and breakfast time. Another thing to keep in mind is water current; it is extremely important that the water is moving where you are--stripers are predators and like to ambush their prey as they struggle with strong currents.

Brief History of Stripers

Striped Bass are native to the east coast and is the state fish or state saltwater fish for several east coast states including Maryland, Rhode Island, and New York. Unlike sunfish (largemouth & smallmouth bass to name a few), stripers are true bass and can live for 30 years and grow to nearly seven feet in length and have been recorded weighing up to 125 pounds. They can live equally well in both fresh and saltwater and can be found in many rivers and lakes across the country. 


Luckily for us on the west coast, stripers were brought via rail car from New Jersey to the San Francisco Bay in 1886. Since that time, people have been catching stripers on the west coast as well as the east coast--after all, why should the east coast people have all the fun?! Unfortunately, the striped bass fishery was not restricted to sport fishing and commercial fishing nearly caused the extinction of this great fish. Like him or hate him, President George W. Bush signed executive order 13449 to preserve stripers as a protected game fish. 


Stripers are not well known for their fighting stamina but instead for the amount of force they hit the bait with and given their size, this shouldn't come as a surprise. There is almost nothing as exciting as when a good sized striper boils up to take a topwater lure--they are supremely fun to catch!