Striper Flies

[Raff]

So being a Rocky Mountain guy that is new to the area, I've decided this is the year I try my hand at stripers. So now it's time to start tying.

What are your go-to flies for stripers? I don't know where I'll be going (since I have no real idea where I should go), so what are the flies I should be tying?

Thanks!

 

[Fishidiot]

Raff,
Seeing that you're from SE PA, the closest striper fishing would be the Delaware River and Jersey Shore. The Susky flats of the upper Chesapeake Bay aren't far either - there's some other spots near you too..
Anyway, stripers are generally schooling gamefish that cover large distances in pursuit of schooling baitfish. Most of these baitfish are silvery sided, dark on top with hints of green and purple (silversides, gizzard/threadfin shad, bunker, alewife, herring etc.) and run 3-6" in length. A good start to your tying would be streamer flies matching these sizes and colors using some crystal flash. Frankly, I probably get as many stripers on a green over white Clouser Minnow as anything else. Some big white poppers wouldn't hurt either. You might consider getting some salt water hooks as freshwater bronze hooks don't seem to hold up as well in the salt.

 

[vcregular]

Hey Raff.

For NJ you can't go wrong with clousers and/or deceivers.

Color combos for clousers are not too sophisticated. Chartrueuse over white. Olive over white. All black. Yellow over white. And early spring you can't go wrong with a very sparse pink over white clouser. All these can be tied on 2s up to say 3/o.

For deceivers - - the same color combos are fine, though I think I'd skip the pink over white, and maybe go with an all white variety.

As for locations. I'd suggest Corson's Inlet State Park, NJ. Look it up. I fish there from time to time just in the spring, and find that it is an OK fishery. It all comes down to timing, but in the Spring (late april thru June) you can tie into fish. Weakies (tho numbers are not like they used to be), blues, hickory shad, flounder and bass. It is easy fishing and easy wading. I like to hit it on an incoming tide when high tide is say 9-10pm.

Good luck.

 

[teedee]

You can't go wrong with a chartreuse and white Clouser. I always start with that and change when something I see tells me to. About 85% of the time I I don't change. For location check out Island Beach State Park. It provides every type of saltwater fly fishing you could ask for.

 

[CLSports]

Raff,

I have been getting into striping fishing more over the past couple of years. Like most said already a variety of Clousers and Deceivers are a good start to match the baitfish. I also tied some sand eels (weighted and unweighted) and peanut bunker as well. Just Google those names for good pattern recipes. That is what I did.

Island Beach SP is a good choice. They charge a fee to get on the beach, but there are plenty of places to fish there. It can get crowded during peak times though.

In the fall and early spring you can go to just about any beach and fish. Inlet areas are best.

Let me know if you want to give it a try this spring. I will surely make a couple of trips down there this year. I have a kayak as well and like to explore the back bays.

Rob

 

[Raff]

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like I have a good idea of what I need to get working on.

CLS, I may take you up on the offer. Better to go with someone who knows the gig rather than try to figure it out myself.

So here's something I was thinking about - and it may be blasphemy in these parts. Have any of you ever experimented with propellers on a saltwater flie a la Pistol Pete style? I started experimenting and having success with them out west. I wonder if they would have the same effect in the salt. Don't know....

 

[JoeE]

Don't forget black/orange clouser.

Joe E

 

[skiltonian]

do a search for bob popovics flies, I have his book if you'd like to borrow it?

 

[sandfly]

I have spent my whole life at island beach state park. know bob pop. very well. I would not go there with out a white deceiver with silver flashabou, a chart. and white clouser with siver flashabou, a bobs banger, black deciever silver flashabou (night). bob's spread flies are great also when the big bait is around. another fly you should have is a silver sides imitation. if going for weakies I would take some green crab and ultra shrimp along. the back side of the jetty produces a lot of big fish.