| Common Striper Rigs |
Down Lining: (Weight Rigs)
This is probably the most common rig used for fishing with live bait. My
rig consist of, a 1/2 to 3oz. slip-sinker threaded onto my line, then a
glass or brass bead. Then I tie on a heavy-duty barrel swivel. To the
other end of the swivel I tie on a 3 to 6 foot leader. I hook on the best
looking gizzard or threadfin shad I have and lower to the desired depth.
Reels with line counters are good reels to use, note the depth the
stripers are located on your fish finder and lower your shad to just
above the fish. Stripers tend to feed up. I fish several rods from my
boat at varied depths until I determine the stripers strike zone. Then I
will move most of them to that general depth. I leave at least 1 rod
deeper than the rest, because sometimes the bigger stripers have a
tendency to hang out below the main schools of stripers.
Float Rigs: (Ballooning)
Start by sliding a barrel weight on your line from 1/2oz to 3oz tie on a
swivel with about 4-6 feet of leader, the weight and hook size will
depend on the time of year and size of Striper and size of the bait .
Also at times you can have no weight below a float, In the cooler
weather months or cooler water below dams, stripers tend to feed closer
to the surface. This is when you need to hold your live bait rigs
shallower. When trolling balloons you can adjust to the depth you
want the bait to be running by pulling out that amount of line before you
tie the balloon on. For Example on your depth finder you see fish active
in the 25 foot range. You pull 25 feet of line off your spool using your
rod as a guide and tie your balloon on then feed the line out behind the
boat as your trolling.
You can use a bobber, at least 1 inch in diameter, but I prefer the
balloon. The balloon floats on top of the water better, therefore creating
less resistance, and not tiring out the shad as fast. You can also use
different color balloons, to tell your lines apart or bright color balloons to
see your lines better from a distance. Put your first bait out around
40-60 yards behind the boat and stager the others at 10 to 20 yard
intervals, to prevent tangling. A neat floating devise is the corks with
lights in them the kids love them for night striper fishing.
Flat Lining: (A hook and the Bait - As Simple as it comes, just let em
swim.)
With nothing more than a hook on the end of the line, you attach the
bait fish and let "em" swim. You can learn to direct the way your bait
swims by where you place the hook-- the further toward the head they
tend to swim down--- the further toward the tail they tend to swim up.
Use more of a swing when casting live bait as not to damage or pop
them off your hook with a little practice you will have no problem.
This is probably the most common rig used for fishing with live bait. My
rig consist of, a 1/2 to 3oz. slip-sinker threaded onto my line, then a
glass or brass bead. Then I tie on a heavy-duty barrel swivel. To the
other end of the swivel I tie on a 3 to 6 foot leader. I hook on the best
looking gizzard or threadfin shad I have and lower to the desired depth.
Reels with line counters are good reels to use, note the depth the
stripers are located on your fish finder and lower your shad to just
above the fish. Stripers tend to feed up. I fish several rods from my
boat at varied depths until I determine the stripers strike zone. Then I
will move most of them to that general depth. I leave at least 1 rod
deeper than the rest, because sometimes the bigger stripers have a
tendency to hang out below the main schools of stripers.
Float Rigs: (Ballooning)
Start by sliding a barrel weight on your line from 1/2oz to 3oz tie on a
swivel with about 4-6 feet of leader, the weight and hook size will
depend on the time of year and size of Striper and size of the bait .
Also at times you can have no weight below a float, In the cooler
weather months or cooler water below dams, stripers tend to feed closer
to the surface. This is when you need to hold your live bait rigs
shallower. When trolling balloons you can adjust to the depth you
want the bait to be running by pulling out that amount of line before you
tie the balloon on. For Example on your depth finder you see fish active
in the 25 foot range. You pull 25 feet of line off your spool using your
rod as a guide and tie your balloon on then feed the line out behind the
boat as your trolling.
You can use a bobber, at least 1 inch in diameter, but I prefer the
balloon. The balloon floats on top of the water better, therefore creating
less resistance, and not tiring out the shad as fast. You can also use
different color balloons, to tell your lines apart or bright color balloons to
see your lines better from a distance. Put your first bait out around
40-60 yards behind the boat and stager the others at 10 to 20 yard
intervals, to prevent tangling. A neat floating devise is the corks with
lights in them the kids love them for night striper fishing.
Flat Lining: (A hook and the Bait - As Simple as it comes, just let em
swim.)
With nothing more than a hook on the end of the line, you attach the
bait fish and let "em" swim. You can learn to direct the way your bait
swims by where you place the hook-- the further toward the head they
tend to swim down--- the further toward the tail they tend to swim up.
Use more of a swing when casting live bait as not to damage or pop
them off your hook with a little practice you will have no problem.
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HELPFUL HINTS
Helpful Hints for a
days striper fishing
with a properly treated
and aerated bait tank:
Use salt to prevent
slime loss. 3/4 - 1 cup
per 20 gallons.
DO NOT overcrowd
your bait tank.
A guide is to keep
smaller bait (5" down)
@ 1 for every gal.
For bait fish 5" to 9" 1
for every 2 gallons.
10" & above 1 for 3 gal
Cooler water keeps
bait alive longer than
warmer water....
60 - 70 degrees
preferred
IMPORTANT!! Don't
change the
temperature by more
than 10 degrees from
the water the bait
comes from....it WILL
die.
Keep your filter
cleaned out.
Minimize handling of
bait and the time bait
is out of the water.
Gently dip your bait
from the tank and
avoid violent swishing
with bait net.
Helpful Hints for a
days striper fishing
with a properly treated
and aerated bait tank:
Use salt to prevent
slime loss. 3/4 - 1 cup
per 20 gallons.
DO NOT overcrowd
your bait tank.
A guide is to keep
smaller bait (5" down)
@ 1 for every gal.
For bait fish 5" to 9" 1
for every 2 gallons.
10" & above 1 for 3 gal
Cooler water keeps
bait alive longer than
warmer water....
60 - 70 degrees
preferred
IMPORTANT!! Don't
change the
temperature by more
than 10 degrees from
the water the bait
comes from....it WILL
die.
Keep your filter
cleaned out.
Minimize handling of
bait and the time bait
is out of the water.
Gently dip your bait
from the tank and
avoid violent swishing
with bait net.
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