Fishing is both fun and relaxing. With the right equipment, you can catch any type of fish. For instance, if you live near the Atlantic coast, you might gear up to catch striped bass, a species that can be 3 feet long and weigh an average of 20 pounds.
What do you need to catch your first one? Here are five essentials:
1. The right reel
Striper reels are a little different than regular fishing reels. While they are constructed with lightweight materials, they are made to drag bass while you bring them in. With the right type of line, striper reels output up to 28 pounds of stopping drag.
2. Reel line
Striped bass are strong, so you need a powerful line to keep them on the hook. Consider #40 line that’s woven with braided monofilaments to increase its strength.
3. Bait
The ideal bait to use depends on where you fish along the Atlantic coast. Nevertheless, look for either cast-and-retrieve crankbaits or soft plastics like worms or tubes. Topwater bait is good for excitement but doesn’t catch as many bass.
4. The proper hook
Fishing for striped bass requires a 4/0 hook with an Extra Wide Gap (EWG). It’s the most common size for bass fishing and keeps your catch on the line until you reel it in.
5. Patience
Bass fishing is not a one-hour event. If you expect to catch several in the morning and cook them in the afternoon, then you may need to rethink your expectations.
Fishing is a sport of patience. It can be an hour of excitement with several hours of nothing. Therefore, cast your line and relax. If the fish happen to bite sooner rather than later, great. If not, then you’ll gain experience to try again the next time. The friendly fishing fans at , a family-run business serving anglers for more than 25 years in Oakdale, NY, are happy to help you find the striper reels and other gear you need to catch those bass and have a ball doing it.
