Striped Bass Fishing Lures
If you're an avid striped bass fisherman who hadn't done their research before the moment you stumbled across this blog, then buckle up. Striped bass fishing is an art form where the best succeed and hammer them every time, and the beginners get lucky now and then.
Learning how the pros think about striper fishing gives us the best insights into which lures are the most effective. The big lure manufacturers that sponsor the professional anglers make it seem like only the top lures will get the job done, but this isn't the case.
In this post, we'll be unpacking why the pro striper anglers fish with certain lures, and then we'll be able to suggest some incredible niche lures that will outperform whatever you're throwing now. We'll be covering both Freshwater and Saltwater Striper Fishing.
5. Tsunami Talkin Pencil Popper Lure
4.8 Stars on Amazon | 6" 2.25oz
The pros will target schools of bunker to find Striped Bass. To have their setup stand out, they will try to mimic an injured baitfish.
Wounded baitfish move slowly, and they have an erratic action compared to the rest of the school. Striped bass will pick off the lingering fish first before going after the bulk of the schooling fish.
Professional Angler Logic
This lure has the perfect balance of qualities to mimic a wounded baitfish. You'll want a surface lure to set it apart from the rest of the bait to attract the stripers' attention. This Tsunami popper will get you a magnificent popping effect when used correctly.
Alternate between aggressive pulls and letting the Tsunami float for some amazing results. This bait has great action even at a slow pace and will get you onto bites fast! The Tsunami Talkin Pencil Popper perfectly imitates a bunker or baitfish. Find it on Amazon here.
4. Yo-Zuri Mag Darter
4.8 Stars on Amazon | 6.5" 1.92oz
You want to have a lure that will withstand whatever water you're fishing in. Even if there's a strong current, you want your bait to perform well.
Most lures will roll to the side if there's a larger current, which doesn't allow for a natural presentation. You want a balanced weight to your lure so that the lure casts as far as possible.
Professional Angler Logic
This lure stands out as being exceptionally sturdy and an all-around amazing product. The shape of the darter prevents it from rolling over even in the toughest conditions.
The Mag Darter has a great balance of weight, which means you can cast it super far. If you're looking for an all-around striper lure that won't let you down, check this one out. Yo-Zuri on Amazon
3. Ultralight Umbrella Rig
4.4 Stars on Amazon | Amazon's Choice Product
Whether the stripers are feeding off schooling fish or they're hunting down individual bait, you have to be able to make your presentation stand out.
Striped bass will eat just about anything, so you want to catch their attention and have as many hooks in the water as possible.
Professional Angler Logic
The main reason why this is a king at catching striped bass is that it is a bold setup. The rig has multiple flashers on it, which will 100% get fish's attention, no guessing involved.
With 5 arms, you should attach 5 hooks with the baitfish decoys that come with this set. When it comes to striped bass fish fishing, less isn't more.
You'll see the difference in the amount of fish you're catching when you have 5 hooks in the water every cast. Find it on Amazon here.
2. Storm WildEye Swim Shad
4.4 Stars on Amazon | Amazon's Choice Product
If you're fishing near cover where Striped Bass will find their food, you want a lure that has enough action to get noticed but isn't all over the place.
When there's too much side-to-side action, you run the risk of getting snagged. However, you won't get the fish's attention with a boring lure.
Professional Angler Logic
This bait has great tail action when it's in the water. It doesn't matter how slow you're pulling it along. The paddle tail will still create a great effect.
The WildEye Swim Shad is perfect for fishing in cover because the fish will be in a more concentrated area. You won't need an erratic motion when you're throwing this bait right in front of them.
This lure's underbelly has a distinct and colorful design, which is great because it's likely that the fish will be looking at it from below. Find it on Amazon here.
1. Sebile Magic Swimmer Bunker Lure
5 Stars on Amazon | 7.5" 3oz
It's always best to mimic an injured baitfish when you're fishing for striped bass. You also want to use a lure that will target fish in all three water columns in many cases.
Most importantly, you have to attract the fish, and striped bass rely on their sense of vibration as the main way that they find their prey.
Professional Angler Logic
The Sebile Magic Swimmer has a lot of things going for it. One of its great qualities is that it's a heavy, fast-sinking bait that can be fished on the surface, in the midwater, and on the sea or river floor.
Striped bass hunt in the lower and middle water columns for bunker, shellfish, minnows, and other baitfish. They're not always hunting on the surface as it may seem.
Since this bait is multijointed, it also provides great swimming action and vibration that resembles a wounded baitfish. This bait is one of the best if you are fishing with a stop-and-retrieve style of fishing.
You can really nail the injured baitfish effect and get the attention of the larger striped bass. You can cast this bait extremely far, but since it is a heavier bait, we recommend if you try this one out that you pair it with a heavier line.
Look no further for a multijointed bait that catches stripers. The Sebile Magic Swimmer outperforms the competition and will put fish in the boat. Find it on Amazon here.
Other Shoutouts
Above, we listed our top 5 great choices for striped bass lures. If you're an avid angler who wants more than just these 5 lure recommendations, we're going to include some more in this section briefly.
Sometimes the fish are tricky, and if you're serious about catching stripers, you'll want to make sure you have a wide variety of baits to throw at them.
4.5 Stars on Amazon
Amazon's Choice Product
Great Striped Bass Bait
This will catch about anything that swims in the ocean, so you've got a good chance at catching other species as well!
4.6 Stars on Amazon
Great Striped Bass Bait
Even more than the sand eels, this bait will literally catch anything. If you're targeting striped bass but don't mind bringing various fish into the boat, this is a good option for you!
