Metal Striped Bass Fishing Lures

Metals are very effective lures for striped bass fishing. You can add "Hair" to the hook to give them a longer silhouette. Hopkins and Kastmasters are two good examples of metal lures. The two lures at the top are Hopkins, the two at the bottom are Kastmasters

About Metal Fishing Lures

The following identifies some situations where metal lures are a good choice for striped bass fishing:

When you need extra casting length to reach the fish, or when you have to cast into the wind. Metal lures are heavy, depending on the size you choose, and they are very aerodynamically shaped. They are the easiest lure to cast for long distances.

When the fish are deep and you have to get your lure down near the bottom.

If the fish are feeding on very small baitfish, and it is difficult to cast a small lure the distance needed. Use a metal lure as a casting weight, and attach the small lure like a teaser rigged ahead of the metal lure.

When sand eels are the prevalent baitfish around, use a narrow metal lure like an AVA 17, with a sand eel imitation lure rigged as a teaser ahead of the metal. Both the AVA and the teaser look like sand eels. The heavy AVA allows you to cast further, and on retrieve it stirs up the bottom, and draws some attention. You may catch a double header.

When the stripers are feeding on peanut bunker, use a Kastmaster. This lure is wide and is a pretty good imitation of a peanut bunker. Paste an eye on it and maybe a black spot. Retrieve it slow, or at moderate speed. Fast retrieves are for bluefish.

When the stripers are feeding on sea herring, use a longer metal lure, like a Hopkins, and make sure it has hair tied to the trailing hook.

When jigging from a boat use a metal lure.

I generally replace any treble hooks on metal lures with single hooks. The reason is that I often catch bluefish when using metal lures, even when fishing for stripers. Bluefish are a lot easier, and safer, to unhook if you are using a single hook.

I also use a short leader, maybe 24 to 30 inches when using metals, and also bucktails. The leader is at least 40 pound test monofilament, that is thicker than the line, and gives you something to grab without cutting your fingers. You can even grab it and loop it around your hand to drag a fish up on to the beach.