CAMP STORIES:

When it comes to fly fishing the East Coast flats and coastline, one fish is at the top of everyone’s list: the striped bass. They’re broad-shouldered, mean when hooked, and willing to eat a fly in a way that feels almost unfair, if you know what you’re doing.

The trouble is, plenty of anglers bring trout habits to the tide, and stripers show them no mercy. If you want to chase striped bass the right way, you need the right gear, the right timing, and the right approach.

What Gear Do You Need for Striped Bass Fly Fishing?

You’re not chasing brook trout in a meadow stream here. Striped bass demand stout tackle. An 8- or 9-weight fly rod is the workhorse. Heavy enough to throw big flies into the wind, yet not so stiff it robs you of feel. Pair it with a large-arbor reel carrying plenty of backing, because when a striper runs, it runs hard.

Fly lines matter too. A floating line has its place in shallow flats and calm back bays, but most of the time you’ll want an intermediate or sinking line to reach fish holding deeper. Stripers aren’t shy about depth; they’ll hang low when the sun is high, and if your fly can’t get down to them, you may as well be fishing for ghosts.

What Are the Best Flies for Striped Bass on the Fly?

Forget delicate mayflies and dainty trout presentations - stripers eat meat. The best striped bass flies are baitfish patterns like Clouser Minnows, Deceivers, and Half-and-Halfs. These flies move water and mimic what bass are hunting.

Color patterns that consistently work include chartreuse and white, blue and white, and olive and white. Old salts have been catching bass on these combinations for decades, and they’re still proven fish-catchers today.

Remember the golden rule: match the hatch, but don’t overthink it. If sand eels are thick, fish something long and slender. If bunker are getting blitzed, throw a big-profile fly. And if birds are diving overhead, don’t waste time rummaging through your fly box just get a fly in the water.

Where and When Can You Find Striped Bass?

Striped bass are travelers. They move with tides and bait, and they can vanish just as quickly as they appear. To find them, you need to read the water. Look for rips, points, outflows, and structure, these are striper highways. Moving water concentrates bait, and bass won’t be far behind.

Timing is crucial. Dawn and dusk are always prime feeding windows, and a moving tide, especially an outgoing one, can transform a quiet flat into a striper feeding frenzy. Many anglers have stood on jetties in the dark, listening to bass crash bunker just out of reach, waiting for the first hint of light to cast. When it’s on, it’s pure magic.

How Should You Present and Retrieve Flies for Striped Bass?

This is where most trout anglers fall short. You don’t drift a fly to a striper - you make it hunt. Cast across or slightly down-current, get that line tight, and strip like you mean it.

• Short, fast strips imitate a fleeing baitfish.

• Long, steady strips mimic an easy meal.

• Vary your retrieve until the fish tell you what they want.

And don’t trout-set. Stripers have hard mouths. If you lift the rod tip to set, you’ll just pull the fly out. Instead, set the hook with a sharp strip-set, driving back with your line hand, then let the rod load once the fish is on. Once you feel that striper hammer the line and surge away, you’ll never go back to trout habits again.

Why Chase Striped Bass With a Fly Rod?

Chasing striped bass on a fly rod is as much about the experience as the catch. Along the eastern seaboard, anglers wait every year for the migration, heading out with all kinds of tackle. But grabbing a fly rod and wading the shoreline or hopping on a boat is one of the most thrilling ways to connect with these powerful fish.

If you want to take advantage of some of the best striped bass fishing of the year as they migrate south, check out our Striper Fly Fishing Course with Captain Abbie Schuster. You’ll learn expert tactics, fly selection, and on-the-water strategies to sharpen your striper game.