Best Baits for Striped Bass of 2022

Anglers in pursuit of striped bass face an virtually overwhelming selection of lures to catch them. But, you solely want just a few lures to reliably catch stripers. In reality, you is likely to be a bit underwhelmed in case you take a look at the lures I carry when focusing on stripers. I normally fish variations of only a handful of lure varieties which might be effectively matched for the circumstances. I’m fully assured with that handful of lures as a result of almost fifty years of striper fishing expertise has helped me slim down the alternatives to my confirmed favorites. You can lower out the 50 years of trial and error through the use of my picks for the perfect baits for striped bass. If you’re simply getting began or trying so as to add to your striper field, these finest baits for striped bass are a superb place to begin.

Each of my high picks has an utility the place it shines and my lure selections for any given journey will rely on water circumstances, whether or not it’s day or evening, and whether or not I’m fishing from surf, kayak, or boat. I’ve picked some lures which might be finest utilized in particular conditions like at evening in tough surf, and others that I all the time have in my bag.

Key Features

• Weight: ½ to five ounces
• Smiling Bill Head
• Hand tied
• Mustad 34184DT Hook
• Hackle feathers and full skirt for lifelike profile

Why It Made the Cut

Bucktails are the perfect bait for striped bass general as a result of they are often offered correctly and are extremely efficient beneath all of those circumstances from boat, surf, or kayak. 

Pros

• Can be offered correctly in all circumstances and environments
• Extremely productive
• Design makes for stable hookups and few misplaced fish

Cons

• Mediocre casting distance

Product Overview

There are many glorious bucktail producers, and I selected the S&S model bass bucktails as a result of they’re improved variations of what I tied for myself. My disclaimer is that I designed them, however they’re the product of years of expertise catching striped bass on bucktails. Of specific significance is correct hair density and the addition of hackle feathers on the hook shank to fill out and lengthen the bucktail’s profile. S&S produces an exceptionally well-tied bucktail with high-quality hooks of the right measurement of their U.S.-based workshop. 

Bucktails current a profile that matches lots of the issues stripers feed on. A bucktail of the proper weight and hair density will be made to swim correctly in difficult circumstances corresponding to robust currents and turbulent surf. While there are quite a few retrieve kinds, in case you can glide a bucktail close to the underside at a sluggish to average retrieve within the presence of stripers, you might be prone to catch one. The largest mistake I see starting anglers make with bucktails is that they go too heavy. You don’t need to drag or bounce on the underside, however swim above it. I tip my bucktails with 4- to 6-inch strips, corresponding to Otter Tails and Fat Cow Jig Strips. The mixture of a well-recognized profile and a pure presentation presents stripers what appears like a simple meal, usually inflicting them to eat it. I discover bucktails to be so efficient for catching striped bass that I wrote a e book on the way to fish them. 

Honorable Mentions: MagicTail, Joe Baggs, Andrus

Key Features

• Length: 5 ¾ and 6 ½ inches
• Weight 1 ¾ and a pair of ¾ ounces
• Thru-wire building
• Two 4X treble hooks
• Wide array of colours

Why It Made the Cut

A pencil popper is among the longest casting lures in a surfcaster’s arsenal, however its actual energy is that it may pull fish to the floor even when they’re not actively feeding. That’s why a pencil popper and particularly, the Savage Gear Panic Pencil, is my choose for the perfect daytime surfcasting lure. 

Pros

• Long casting
• Erratic floor thrashing entices fish, even in calm and clear water

Cons

Product Overview

Lures catch fish by way of a mix of imitation and obfuscation. A correctly labored pencil popper can curiosity fish in calm and clear water as a result of it tears up the floor in such a approach that the fish can’t inform that it’s nothing however a bit of plastic or wooden. Pumping the rod whereas utilizing a sluggish retrieve will get this lure up on the floor and dancing. As with any floor lure, you need to use it to search out energetic fish and don’t want the fish to eat it for the fish to present its presence away. A semi-interested boil behind a plug is extraordinarily useful intel whenever you’re looking for good striper spots. 

Honorable Mentions: Dark Matter, Madd Mantis, Gibbs, Tsunami Talkin Popper

Key Features

• Length: 5 1/8, 6, and 6 ¾ inches
• Weight: ⅞ to 1 7/8-ounce 
• Dives to three toes
• Saltwater hooks
• Internal weight switch system
• Large collection of colours

Why It Made the Cut

Minnow-shaped plugs imitate lots of the baitfish stripers feed on and are extremely efficient. The Daiwa Salt Pro stands out due to its lengthy casting distance and flexibility.

Pros

• Excellent prey imitation
• Works day and evening

Cons

• Minnow plugs are comparatively mediocre for casting distance

Product Overview

Daiwa SP Minnows solid effectively for this class of lure because of an inner weight switch system constructed into the lure. It additionally handles turbulence and present higher than different minnow plugs. The SP Minnow will lower by way of a stiff wind in your face, and given a deliberate regular retrieve, will plow by way of average surf turbulence whereas nonetheless swimming appropriately. Its erratic motion places out vibrations that fish can find at the hours of darkness and may’t resist at any time of day. 

Honorable Mentions: Cordell Red Fin, Bomber Long A, Yo-Zuri Inshore Minnow

Key Features

• Length: 6 inches
• Weight: 2 3/8-ounce 
• Two 3/0 treble hooks

Why It Made the Cut

Fishing tough surf at evening will be extraordinarily productive for striped bass and in these circumstances it’s a troublesome selection between tying on a darter or bottle plug. But, the bottle wins for versatility and its superior casting distance. My choose for finest bottle plug is the Super Strike Little Neck Swimmer as a result of it casts nice, has glorious motion, and its plastic physique lasts indefinitely—it even stands as much as bluefish.

Pros

• Good casting distance into the wind
• Able to deal with tough surf

Cons

Product Overview

Bottle plugs can lower by way of very vital wind, and with just a few quick cranks, will be dug into tough seas. When a bottle plug is swimming appropriately it pulsates the rod tip, giving useful suggestions to the angler that the plug is working appropriately. Bottle plugs match the profiles of enormous baitfish and have a superb status for catching high quality stripers.

Honorable Mentions: Gibbs Casting Swimmer, North Bar Bottle Darter

Key Features

• Length: 6 ⅝ inches
• Weight 2 ⅜ ounces 
• Two 3/0 treble hooks
• Swims 2 to three toes deep

Why It Made the Cut 

Next to the bucktail, a darter is likely to be the best lure for large surf caught stripers at evening. The finest darter is the Super Strike ZigZag as a result of every one swims correctly proper out of the package deal. Also, as a result of it’s plastic, it received’t waterlog or get broken by bluefish.

Pros

• Can be fished within the quickest rip currents 
• Exceptionally productive

Cons

Product Overview

Despite selecting a bottle plug over a darter within the nighttime tough surf class, I’ve spent extra time fishing a darter than a bottle after darkish. I feel I can say with confidence that darters have in all probability landed extra large stripers for surfcasters at evening than bottle plugs. 

But, darters take observe to make use of. When you fish a bottle plug you’ll really feel a pulsation on the rod that indicators it’s swimming appropriately. With a darter, you’ll want what I name “darter faith” to trust {that a} darter is zig-zagging as supposed. One tip for fishing a darter appropriately is whenever you’re fishing it in present or transferring water, dig it in with just a few quick cranks to get it swimming. When there’s water strain utilized to the lip, it would dart backwards and forwards in an inconsistent sample that triggers stripers. 

Honorable Mentions: Northbar Montauk Darter, Gibbs Darter 

Key Features

• Length: 5 ¼, 6 3/8, 7 ¼ inches
• Weight: 1 to three ounces 
• Imitates sandeels

Why It Made the Cut

Needlefish are already versatile lures, however the size and weight choices of the Super Strike needles permits anglers to dial in simply the best lure for the given circumstances.

Pros

• Excellent casting distance
• Can deal with tough water

Cons

Product Overview

A needlefish plug seems to be little greater than a stick, however pull it by way of water with some present or turbulence, and there’s simply sufficient wobble to get stripers to commit. Needlefish lures have accounted for a number of the largest fish caught on the striper coast. As with bucktails, there’s a whole lot of variation in measurement and weight with these lures, permitting the angler to adapt to altering circumstances.

Key Features

• Length: 4 ¼, 5 ¼, 6 inches
• Weight: 1 to three ¾ ounces
• Types: Floating, sinking, and further heavy sinking

Why It Made the Cut

Popping plugs are glorious search baits that draw fish to the floor. The finest popper is the Super Strike Little Neck as a result of its three lengths and eight weights interprets to versatility in profile matching and dealing with wind and water circumstances.

Pros

• Casts far
• Surface splashing entices fish, even in calm and clear water

Cons

Product Overview

Standard floor poppers are normally in my surf bag, proper subsequent to pencil poppers. They share lots of the qualities of pencils, corresponding to being lengthy lasting and in a position to pull stripers to the floor. But, they will transfer extra water because of their giant cupped face. I favor the Super Strike Little Neck Popper as a result of it’s made from plastic, which implies it received’t get water logged and stands as much as toothy bluefish. It additionally has prime quality {hardware} that doesn’t must be swapped out. 

Honorable Mentions: Gibbs Polaris, Tsunami Surface Blaster

Key Features

• Length: 7 and 9 inches
• Weight 2 3/4, 3 1/4 ounces
• Plastic physique

Why It Made the Cut

When the chunk will get powerful, stripers will hit a spook once they received’t contact different lures, and the perfect spook for stripers is the Musky Mania Doc. 

Pros

• Zig-zag glide mesmerizes stripers
• Rattles for added attraction
• Durable

Cons

• Relatively poor casting distance
• Not nice in tough circumstances

Product Overview 

This is a lure that may catch stripers when nothing else will, which is likely to be stunning as a result of the unique spooks had been designed for largemouth bass. Spooks are notably efficient in calm water when they’re retrieved slowly with rhythmic pulls on the rod that get the plug making extensive backwards and forwards darts and leaving a wake on the floor. These lures are hottest with New England striper anglers, however they work anyplace hungry stripers swim. 

Honorable Mentions: Dark Matter Astro Spook, Jigging World Spook

Key Features

• Length: 4.5, 6, and seven.5 inches
• Weight 1 1/2, 2 1/4, and three ½ ounces
• Tunable by bending the road tie

Why It Made the Cut

The Gibbs Danny Surface swimmer has a seductive motion and huge profile that triggers large stripers, which is why it’s my selection for finest metallic lip swimmer. 

Pros

• Excellent when stripers are feeding on giant bait fish 
• Works day and evening

Cons

• Relatively poor casting distance
• Not nice in tough circumstances

Product Overview

As with the spook, these will not be nice casting lures, however the seductive motion is irresistible to stripers. These are notably efficient when the bass are feeding on bigger baits corresponding to grownup bunker, snappers, or herring. They’re easy to make use of too. Just retrieve slowly, and the plug will do the remainder. You may also strive a sporadic twitch of the rod that makes the bait skitter and splash to set off a strike. There are many nice metallic lip swimmers in the marketplace, however my go to is the Danny Surface Swimmer as a result of Gibbs makes prime quality baits that all the time swim nice out of the package deal, good finishes, and high quality parts.

Honorable Mention: Tsunami Timber Flat Nose Swimmer

Key Features

• Weights: ½ to 16 ounces
• Colors: Chrome, Gold, Glow
• Erratic fall

Why It Made the Cut

You want a diamond jig in your sort out field as a result of no lure casts farther, they usually are available in a variety of weights, making them splendid for boat anglers fishing diversified depths and present strengths.

Pros

• Unmatched casting distance
• Gets to the underside quick
• Great sandeel imitator
• Can deal with the roughest water

Cons

• For surfcasters, if casting distance isn’t a difficulty, there are normally higher selections

Product Overview

Few lures are extra simplistic than a diamond jig. They’re only a diamond-shaped piece of lead with a reflective coating and a single hook. But, they’re additionally probably the most fashionable saltwater lures. They are splendid boat fishing lures as a result of they are often fished very successfully in deep rips. Popular boat displays embody yo-yoing and squidding. Yo-yoing is the place you repeatedly sweep the rod skyward and let the jig fall, normally close to the underside. Squidding includes dropping the jig to the underside and retrieving it rapidly by way of the water column. When stripers feed on sandeels, diamond jigs in all probability account for the majority of the stripers caught. But, I’ll normally solely use diamond jigs for surf fishing when the fish are out of attain of different lures. 

Key Features

• Lengths: 3 to 9 inches
• Weights: 3/8 to six 1/4 ounces
• Pre rigged
• Paddle tail

Why It Made the Cut

Few lures can imitate a baitfish higher than an internally weighted smooth plastic swim shad. Tsunami presents 9 completely different measurement and weight mixtures that make this a lure as versatile as a bucktail.

Pros

• Very lifelike look and swimming motion
• Versatile

Cons

• Bluefish and different toothy predators can destroy them

Product Overview

Few lures can imitate a baitfish higher than a smooth plastic swim shad. Just drag it by way of the water, and it’ll swim like an actual fish. You can use a gradual retrieve, jig them, or fluctuate your retrieve to elicit a chunk. The secret’s choosing the proper size and weight to match the dimensions of the predominant forage and the depth the stripers are feeding. The Tsunami Swim Shad’s versatility and ease of use make it my best choice for a smooth plastic lure.

Honorable Mentions: Storm Swim Shad, Lunker City Slug-Go

Why It Made the Cut

These lures have an virtually magical skill to get large stripers to hit any time of the day. From shallow kayak trolling, to boat fishing over deeper construction with assistance from egg or drail weights, these lures set off hits. Real worms will not be obligatory, as I’ve used Berkley Gulp worms on the ends of my tubes for a few years with nice success. 

Key Features

• Lengths: 16, 19, and 24 inches
• Colors: Black, wine, and bubblegum
• Mustad Hoodlum Stinger Hook

Pros

• Phenomenal productiveness
• Can troll in as little as 5 toes of water

Cons

• Gets bit by interference fish corresponding to porgies and sea bass

Product Overview

You can catch large stripers with a tube and worm in just a few toes of water within the spring or 20 or extra toes within the warmth of summer time. It’s uncommon to discover a lure that may cowl a lot of the water column with an ideal presentation, however the Hogy Perfect Tube does it. I troll these weightless in my kayak in 6 to 10 toes of water, however can simply transfer out to 25 toes with the addition of a one-ounce egg sinker. Deeper water will be fished with heavier sinkers. The key to catching fish on a tube and worm is to troll them slowly. I purpose to troll these lures at round 2 mph, adjusted for the present pace.

FAQs

How to Choose the Best Bait for Striped Bass

The finest recommendation I might give to a brand new striper angler can be to buy just a few confirmed lures, and go from there. 

A great begin for a surfcaster can be to get bucktails in weights starting from ¾ to 2 ounces, together with the strips talked about within the bucktail part. If you’re going to fish inlets, you would possibly want some 3-ounce bucktails relying on depth and present. You’ll additionally need a few pencil poppers within the 2-ounce vary. Add a few floating 6-inch Daiwa SP Minnows. If you’re going to fish average to tough surf at evening, embody a bottle plug and 6-inch sinking needlefish. To spherical out your surf casting package, embody just a few Kastmaster lures within the 1-2-ounce vary. I point out these over diamond jigs as a result of they are often labored shallower. 

If you’re a ship angler you’ll need the identical lures, however as an alternative of the Kastmaster, go along with diamond jigs of the suitable weight for the place you’re fishing. These will seemingly be within the 2-6-ounce vary. 

With all of those bass lures, maintaining it easy with pure colours and white is all the time a sensible choice. It’s additionally important that you just change into an everyday buyer of a well-respected sort out store near the place you plan to fish. These are the native specialists and in virtually all instances will allow you to enthusiastically. 

Final Thoughts

My method to lure choice is to stay to what I’ve confidence in, as a result of that eliminates one variable within the equation of catching fish. There are so many different issues to consider, corresponding to whether or not the tide is true, or the water high quality is OK, or if the fish are literally current. Only after I’ve established all of that may I experiment with something new, and even that may seemingly be only a refined change on what’s already working. New anglers, or skilled anglers on a brand new fishery, are confronted with the problem of constructing that preliminary confidence of their lures. If your goal is striped bass, I’m assured that my solutions for finest bait for striped bass will get you to a spot the place you’re anticipating a success on the following solid since you imagine in your lure choice.