Striped Bass: Fishing Tidal Rivers

Striped bass love current and one of the best places to fly fish for them is in the tidal riversthroughout the coast. From large rivers with strong currents to tiny creeks that drainat low tides, striped bass can be found using the rhythm of the incoming and outgoingtides to feed. Holding near seams, eddys or around structure stripers wait for prey todrift through in the flow. They rise with a sip or pop and take the bait then return to theirholding spot. Traditional techniques used by trout and salmon fishermen work well incatching these fish. Greased-line and wet fly swings are effective and done by castingabove the rises, mending for control and drifting or swinging a fly over the fish. Floatinglines are all that is usually necessary and help in controlling the drift in the complex currents.A split shot or sink-tip can be added when the fish are feeding deeper. Flies tiedwith natural materials and that imitate shrimp, silversides, worms and other small baitfish work well and look alive when drifted in the river’s current. Fishing droppers or multipleflies give these fish a choice and helps you figure them out. One or two small fliesfished above a larger bait fish or eel fly covers the bases and the stripers will let youknow which they prefer. In smaller rivers lighter freshwater rods help in being stealthand are useful when casting short distances with small flies to school fish. Longer singlehand rods or switch rods of ten feet or more are useful in mending and reaching farseams or holding water. On larger rivers two handed spey rods allow you to reach andpresent your flies to fish that are often far out and holding deep. Striped bass can befound throughout the season in tidal rivers and can be a great environment to fly fish forthem.