Bait and How to Rig Bait For Striped Bass Fishing
This section provides information about bait, and how to rig bait, for striped bass fishing.
Bunker Bait
Bunker chunks are one of the best baits to use for striped bass fishing.
Bunker should be cut into chunks as shown in the picture on the right. Use all the chunks except the tail. Do use the head. Some of the biggest stripers are caught using the head.
Bunker chunks are usually fished on a
fish-finder rig or a three-way-rig.
I usually don't use circle hooks when fishing with bunker chunks
because they have short shanks. Even though you might be fishing for stripers,
bluefish often hit the bunker and can cut your leader with their sharp teeth. Use a longer shanked hook,
and heavy leader when using bunker chunks.
To find out more about bunker, and how to rig bunker bait, follow this link: Bunker Bait Rigging
To see about fishing bunker live follow this link: Fishing Live Bunker
Clam Bait
Clams are an excellent bait for catching stripers from the surf. When the surf is a little rough, it stirs up the clams and the stripers come through rooting for them.
High-Low rigs, as shown in the picture on the right work well, and cast well. They have two hooks on dropper loops above the sinker. When cast, the sinker goes first, breaking the wind the with the clams on the dropper loops falling in line behind the sinker in the slip stream.
I use circle hooks. You rarely gut hook a fish when using circle hooks, and their hooking performance is excellent. If you leave your rod in your sand spike after you cast, the stripers will often hook themselves in the lip as they turn after pickings up your clam bait.
To find out more about clams, and how
to rig clams follow this link:
Rigging Clam Bait
Bloodworms
Bloodworms
In the spring, bloodworms are the bait of choice to catch the first striped bass of the season.
Bloodworms are found in mud bottoms near the shore of bays, which is where the water first warms up in the Spring. Stripers look for them there.
Mullet
Mullet
Some fishermen consider mullet to be a good bait for striped bass fishing. Maybe it is, but all I ever catch on mullet is bluefish.
To find out more about mullet, and how to rig mullet, follow this link: Mullet
Sand Eels
Sand Eels
Striped Bass love Sand Eels
To find out about Sand Eels, follow this link: Sand Eels
Artificial Bait
Berkley Gulp Bloodworms
New on the fishing scene are artificial baits from Berkley and Fishbites. These are scented soft plastic baits that slowly ooze bait odor into the water. They come in various flavors such as clam, blood worms, and others. Berkley Gulp artificial bloodworms are shown in the picture on the right. Very good results are reported by users of these baits. John used the Berkley Gulp bloodworms fishing for kingfish, and was catching double headers. My friend, Mike, has had good success using the Berkley Gulp clams for stripers.
A bit of caution: when done fishing don't leave them on your hook. They dry and harden like rock.
To find out more about artificial bait follow this link: Artificial Bait
Follow this link to see: Berkley Gulp Lures available on Amazon.com
