Striped bass are voracious predators, actively chasing down bait fish and other forms of prey. Since they’re such active predators, this means that they readily take a wide variety of lures. I have personally found the striped bass lures listed below to be the most effective (and fun) ways to chase stripers. I’ve also included some techniques and tips on how to fish for striped bass using each striped bass plug listed.
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Heddon Saltwater Spook
Top water plugs like the Heddon Saltwater Spook have been a long time favourite of striped bass anglers. They do not have much action on their own, and rely on the angler to impart action on the lure.
The most common retrieve for spooks is called “walk the dog”. This fishing technique involves pointing your rod tip downwards and making short, controlled, jerks with the rod while reeling in. When you get the timing right, this will make the lure jerk from side to side as it’s retrieved.
Striped bass react strongly to this presentation. It’s a tried and true fishing method that bass anglers have been using for many years. The video below is a good explanation of how to perform this retrieve, and gives a good shot of the action that you are trying impart onto the lure.
When you cast the lure out, let it sit for a few seconds before starting the retrieve. This allows bass time to react to the lure. Sometimes you’ll get a bite before you even start the retrieve. It’s also worth pausing the retrieve every once in a while for a few seconds. Bass will sometimes strike on the pause, and often will strike when the plug starts moving again.
Topwater fishing for striped bass is a blast. In situations where bass are feeding on bait on the surface, it can be some of the most fun you have on the water.
You can tell when bass are feeding near the surface, as you’ll often see a spray of baitfish leaping from the water. The baitfish are trying to escape bass feeding on them from below. Sea gulls and other sea birds are another way to easily locate fish, as they’ll try and snatch bait fish forced to the surface by feeding bass.
If you’re a freshwater angler, this fishing style has been growing in popularity for targeting largemouth bass as well. The lure’s are just sized down a bit. The technique works for smallmouth bass too.
Heddon Saltwater Super Spook (Amazon Link)
I’ve found the most productive colour to be white or silver with a red head. The Cordell pencil popper is another very effective topwater striped bass lure that you would fish similar to the Heddon Spook. Honestly, the two lures are interchangable. I’ve found both to be very effective in similar situations.
Spro Bucktail Jig
The spro bucktail jig is a solid choice. Honestly though, there’s a large number of brands available, and all will produce fish. If you’re the DIY type, they’re easy enough to tie yourself aswell. If you couldn’t guess from the name of the site, bucktail jigs are my #1 lure of choice for many species, especially striped bass.
The bucktail jig is so great because it can be fished in such a wide variety of ways. The jig doesn’t have much action by itself, so it’s the anglers job to make the jig move in a lifelike manner. With a bit of action from the angler, the bucktail on the jig moves in a very life-like way.
It’s great in shallow water, since the hook rides upright and is less likely to get caught on the bottom than many other lures. This is especially true when fishing an area with a rocky bottom.
Bucktails are also great in deep water, or water with a strong current. A bucktail jig has a slim profile and can be quite heavy. The weight of the jig allows it to sink fast, to the depth that striped bass are often feeding at.
I find a very effective retrieve is to slightly pulse the rod up and down while working the jig back to you. Typically you want to keep the jig just above the bottom. You will often feel the occasional tick of the bottom when fishing this way. It can also work to work the jig higher in the water column as well. This is done by either working the bucktail jig back more quickly or using a bucktail with a lighter jighead.
The video below is a good example of the retrieve I’m talking about.
John Skinner quite literally wrote the book on fishing bucktail jigs (titled “Fishing the Bucktail). His Youtube channel is a great source of knowledge if you’re interested in learning the fine details of fishing bucktail jigs. The Youtube channel has plenty of information for fishing for both striped bass and summer flounder (fluke) with bucktail jigs.
You can fish bucktail jigs plain, or tip them with soft plastics or pork rind. I often fish mine with Berkley curly tail grubs in larger sizes.
Spro Bucktail Jig (Amazon Link)
You can’t beat a white bucktail jig for a confidence lure. Other colours will work as well though. Use bright colours such as yellow, chartreuse, and pink in murky water, dark colours such as black and dark purple at night, and light or realistic colours during the day such as green, blue, and white.
Spoons
Spoons have been used to target stripers for a long time. Kastmasters, red devils, and the spoon pictured above are all good choices for targeting striped bass. These are the type of lures that will catch a large variety of species and is a good searching lure when you’re in a new fishing spot.
Spoons come in a variety of weights, so you can find a spoon to fish either shallow or deep water areas. Most fishing spoons can be jigged vertically, or cast out and retrieved back to you.
Fishing spoons weight and slim profile mean they cast like a dream. You can get significant distance with these lures.
Spoon pictured above (name might raise an eyebrow or two)(Amazon Link)
If spoons aren’t quite your thing you could try oversized spinnerbaits like they use for trophy muskies and pike.
Bomber JIG-N-EEL
The bomber JIG-N-EEL combines the effectiveness of bucktail jigs with striped bass’s love of eels. Fish it how you would any other jig, vertically from a boats, or with a pulsing retrieve from shore. It’s a versatile jig that works especially well in deep water, or water with significant current.
The JIG-N-EEL comes in white, yellow, or chartreuse. All colours are effective, but my confidence colour with bucktails will always be white.
Bomber Saltwater Grade Jig-N-Eel (Amazon Link)
Rapala Saltwater X-Rap
The Rapala Saltwater X-Rap has a reputation for producing big fish of all species, not just striped bass. It’s an excellent choice for either casting from shore, or trolling behind a boat. Did I mention that it looks amazing both in water and out? Definitely the nicest looking striper lure in my tackle box.
Looks aren’t everything though. It’s a very productive lure, that will often trigger a strike when others will not. The x-rap is another lure on this list that casts very well (I like easy casting lures….makes fishing more enjoyable).
The lure is very durable, and will hold up to toothy fish such as bluefish fairly well. It can take quite the beating, and will likely outlast many other lures.
Rapala X-Rap Saltwater Fishing Lure (Amazon Link)
Good colour choices are silver blue mackerel, bunker, and glass ghost. Choose colours that most closely mimic the baitfish in your area.
Yo-Zuri Mag Darter
The Yo-Zuri Dater is a staple lure in many striped bass anglers tackle boxes. It’s a great choice for light tackle set ups, and casts like a dream. If you haven’t noticed, I like my lures to cast well. If I’m slinging them all day, it might as well be enjoyable.
The lure has a unique lip design. This causes this lure to have a subtle action in the water, making it a great choice for clear shallow water. It’s very effective in estuaries or when fishing from shore.
Yo-Zuri Mag Darter (Amazon Link)
Slow to moderate retrieves tend to work best with this lure. Throw in a few pauses, and a few twitches to switch things up and try to trigger a strike.
Looking for more striped bass lures? Check out these 4 Best Eel Lures for Targeting Striped Bass
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