Could You Use Bass Gear For Stripers?

[Penguino]

Just curious, as I have a river nearby my house called the Raritan River, and it is a really good striper fishery. Also, what lures should I use and what techniques should I use?

[Chris at Tech]

MH or H bass gear should be ok for smaller stripers but if you tie into a big one, you may have a problem. Braid would help from a line capacity perspective.

[flyfisher]

yeah you can but like others have said, a big one will test the limits for sure.  

[dave]

LTJ fisherman on the Chesapeake Bay regularly use 6-6'6" M-MH rods with 2500-3000 size reels and 20# braid.  Catching big fish with no issues.  Match your gear to the water.  In open water,  without the cover associated with bass fishing,  it's all about drag and skill.

[Josh Smith]

What's your gear?

 

I mostly fish MH/F rods with modified Ambassadeur 5000, 5500, and 5500c3 reels.  I can't see that these would have much problems with stripers, and used to use the modified 5000 and spinnerbait rod for catfish all the time.  Never had any problems.  Been thinking about going after stripers if I can find a likely spot.

 

Josh

[SirSnookalot]

LTJ fisherman on the Chesapeake Bay regularly use 6-6'6" M-MH rods with 2500-3000 size reels and 20# braid.  Catching big fish with no issues.  Match your gear to the water.  In open water,  without the cover associated with bass fishing,  it's all about drag and skill.

^This would be my opinion ^

Having caught many salt strippers the average is less than 10#, not much different than my average snook.  Bigger ones can be handled with m -mh rod and 3-4000 reel in open water.  It is all about drag and skill, I saw Bill Dance catch a 100#+ tarpon with bass gear.  But that's Bill Dance, at his age and experience he knows what he is doing. Would the average fisherman be able to do that, probably not.  The first thing with a larger fish is instant panic and fear, then the drag gets tighten too much.  When getting into 20# plus fish, especially ones that are more formidable, you must trust your proper drag setting, stay calm and in the moment, if not the fish will win.

[Penguino]

What's your gear?

 

I mostly fish MH/F rods with modified Ambassadeur 5000, 5500, and 5500c3 reels.  I can't see that these would have much problems with stripers, and used to use the modified 5000 and spinnerbait rod for catfish all the time.  Never had any problems.  Been thinking about going after stripers if I can find a likely spot.

 

Josh

Ill probably use a freshwater/ inshore reel the Okuma Serrano. It has 11 pounds of drag, and I will probably spool some 12 pound test on it. This reel is toted as inshore, as it has duragear brass gears and a corrosion coating. The rod I will be using is probably my cheapest lews 6'6 mh broomstick rod. It fishes a little bit heavier then a normal mh. Should this gear be fine for some freshwater stripers?

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

 

While I don't have experience with that particular reel, I did look at the specs and would say you're pretty good to go.

 

Regards,

 

Josh

[blongfishing]

Started fishing for striper as a child. I have always used the same rods I use for bass when I fish for stripers. I have caught 15+ pounders on my regular bass and even 10+ on light spinning. I use bass lures often for my lure striper fishing. My uncle is a guide and he uses bass gear often when he is lure fishing. 

[MassBass]

You can absolutely use your bass combos for the stripers. I spool up my baitcasters with 50lb braid for stripers. As for techniques, try in the early morning ripping 9" sluggos topwater style. Dusk is a good time for that presentation to. The mid-day bite can be slow; unless there is good wind and wave action in the river. Striper fishing in the river during their migration is just fabulous sportfishing imo.    

[Penguino]

You can absolutely use your bass combos for the stripers. I spool up my baitcasters with 50lb braid for stripers. As for techniques, try in the early morning ripping 9" sluggos topwater style. Dusk is a good time for that presentation to. The mid-day bite can be slow; unless there is good wind and wave action in the river. Striper fishing in the river during their migration is just fabulous sportfishing imo.    

Would soft body swimbaits such as the Berkly sick fish also work? Also, do Stripers hit rattle traps?

[MassBass]

Would soft body swimbaits such as the Berkly sick fish also work? Also, do Stripers hit rattle traps?

Savage gear makes a soft swimbait that is a sand eel imitation, that is a proven swimbait for stripers; and yes stripers will hit a rattletrap lure just like a bass would. 

[Phauren]

I have only ever caught stripers on eels........cut mackerel and rattletraps lol

[Shanes7614]

Raritan holds a lot of school sized stripers. I've caught them up to 40lbs on a 6' Berkeley lightning mh action on many occasions. It's not the rod that catches the fish. It's the guy behind the rod that should answer your own question as far as ability. Bait wise I would use fresh clams!!!

[Penguino]

Raritan holds a lot of school sized stripers. I've caught them up to 40lbs on a 6' Berkeley lightning mh action on many occasions. It's not the rod that catches the fish. It's the guy behind the rod that should answer your own question as far as ability. Bait wise I would use fresh clams!!!

You've fished Raritan before? Not trying to be a spot burner, but can you PM me what sections do you think are most productive?

[Shanes7614]

Haven't fished it myself but few friends have. Just fish in areas known to hold a lot of bait. Access to cooler water especially is herring are present.