Freshwater stripers

[92Esquire]

Dang. Caught my first striper on a fly yesterday below a local dam. BIG difference in the fight between a multi-pound striper and a 10 inch trout! I went back this morning with a few crease flies and had two last-second refuses (I think due to size of my flies being too small) but still a huge rush.

Now I'm looking at sinking lines for the 8-wt, watercraft, and I've started buying hooks 20 times the size of what I have always tied on.

I'm a sick man.

[cycler68]

Good for you! Tackling a new aspect of fly fishing is always exciting and fun. Have a great time both choosing and using your new gear.

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Cycler68,

A fresh-water striper is definitely a life changing event especially if you have been catching brim and one to two pound bass. Crease flies are a great choice. I would also recommend you tie up a few Deceivers in all white and chartreuse over white. Clousers are also a good choice. Have fun and keep a tight grip on your rod. 8T

[Crash13]

I remember the day I caught my first striper. It feels as good now as it did the first time I caught one. Clousers, clousers, clousers. White, white, white. Is the main thing to think about. And at least around here when you think you have enough flash put in a little more. We also have hybrids here too. They are also explosive. If a fish has stripes its worth fishing for. Keep at it. You'll love it even more when you start catching them in the 10-20 pound range. Good luck.

Go catch a fish,

Gary

[rrhyne56]

Hopefully you'll soon get spooled down to the reel hub and have that awful, exciting, wrenching moment of "will I run out of backing?" There are not too many freshwater fish that can give you that.

May you lose many flies to hungry fish and gain many more wonderful memories!

[Gigmaster]

I fly fish for them all the time (like tomorrow). Behind tailraces, I use a shooting taper.

My best patterns are 1. Polaris Shad
2. Grey and White Clouser
3. Angel Shad
4. White Wooly Bugger with Red Head.
5. Wooly Bugger with White body and grey hackle.
6. White and red Hard-Hackle Worm.
7. WHite and Grey Zonker
8. White and grey Matuka.

[dudley]

[rrhyne56]

Dudley, that was a fight!