Stripers
- This topic has 10 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated Sep 12, 2007 at 3:00 pm by
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After 7 years of strictly trout fishing, I’d like to try some striper fishing and would like your opinions on equipment.
I’m partial to Sage and was looking at both the Z-Axis and the Xi2 in a 9′
Lines: Something you can cast a long way, versa tips are pretty nice… Rods: sage is good if you can afford it… Reels whatever has a smooth drag you can lock down
Hey Ralph –
Nautilus is a sponsor here and I photographed their catalog, so fair disclaimer, but I personally accepted payment for my services in the form of a 10/11 NV, I was so impressed.
It depends a lot on the type of water you’re fishing. I target them frequently here in TN so here’s my .02.
For River Striper I like a 9, 10 and yes even a 12wt rod. We have Striper to 60 pounds and a river 100 to 200 yards wide with downed trees everywhere. The Xi2 is my all time favorite stick and I can’t say enough good things about that line of rods. I’ve got two and I’m trying to figure out how to get a third or fourth. Reel isn’t that big a deal, last sat I landed a 20 pound Striper on an Orvis BBS V. Stripers just don’t run off a hundred yards of baking like saltwater fish do so I wouldn’t spend over $300 for a reel unless you plan to use it in the salt often. Also the saltwater reels are much heavier. I really like the Lamson LS for its weight and great drag system.
For lake fish I like an 8wt. The lake I fish has lots of Hybrids to 20 pounds and Striper to 30 pounds. Most of the time these fish are in open water so you can let em go if they want to. I use an 8wt with a Ross Evo (overlined) or Lamson LS.
For lines I use integrated shooting heads. Orvis IMO makes the best integrated line on the market (Orvis Depth Charge) . I base this opinion on the number of lines I’ve seen other folks go thru while mine keeps on going. The only time I’ve had to scrap a depth charge line is when one gets hung up and breaks or caught in the trolling motor. I keep a 250, 350, 500, and 600 grain line in the boat at all times. You’ll have to have a good fast 9 or 10 wt for the 5 and 600 lines. Being a casting instructor you’ll get the hang of it quickly.
I don’t understand why intermediate line is so closely associated with Striper?? I hate it for just about everything, it don’t float and it don’t really sink either…. I rarely fish a floating line unless it’s a time of year when a topwater blitz might occur. .
Good luck it’s a bit of a journey to get them on the fly but well worth every bit of effort.
I don’t understand why intermediate line is so closely associated with Striper?? I hate it for just about everything, it don’t float and it don’t really sink either…. I rarely fish a floating line unless it’s a time of year when a topwater blitz might occur. .
I think this is a reflection of the saltwater roots of striper fishing.
When fishing the surf the intermediate gets you down out of the chop, but not so deep that you’re dragging in the sand.
Bingo. Any waves introduce a lot of slack between your hand and the fly, which may mean missing a take. If you want the fly to stay near the top but not have to deal with wave action, intermediate line is a good way to do it. However, you can’t mend it in current, it will eventually pull surface flies under, and it won’t reach the bottom very fast unless the fly is pretty heavily weighted. Here on Long Island Sound a lot of guys fish intermediate lines from shore almost exclusively, but I’ve generally found a floating line to be a better solution (unless it’s choppy). From a boat, you may need the depth of a sinking line.
I want to thank everyone for all this great information. Please, keep it coming!
Along the same topic, can anyone suggest any books that stand out from the rest on the topic of getting started in saltwater?
Where are you located? The best book I’ve found for New England is Ed Mitchell’s “Fly Rodding the Coast”. Information in it would apply anywhere, but he spends some time discussing local species, baitfish, areas to fish, and seasonal changes that are specific to this area. Other regions may have similarly targeted books.
Here in CT the fall run is just heating up. Get out, good luck, and have some fun!
Btw, a lot of guys over-line their stiff salt water rods. I usually go up 1 size fishing a 9wt Orvis Zero-G or an 8wt T3. The rod loads a little quicker and heavier flies are more manageable. Still throws tight loops and bombs long casts. 2 sizes up from from the rod spec is castable but to me it’s too much. If the rod isn’t extremely stiff, I can’t stand over-lining. My 7wt steelhead rod and trout rods don’t get over-lined due to their softer action and greater emphasis on mending and line control over distance. It’s obviously a matter of preference, but I think matching the line to the rod is even more important in the salt than it is in fresh water. If you can test the rods side by side, have the shop do it with both 9 and 10 weight lines to see what you think. Your results may vary.
Enjoy!
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