Every year, striped bass make their migration up the east coast in the spring, and back down in the fall. The biggest reason for this biannual pattern is fluctuation in water temperature. And each of these striper migration periods present excellent opportunities for anglers to pursue them – especially with a fly rod.

If you’re within striking distance of a coastal state during these migrations – whether you’re near the Mid-Atlantic, New England, or somewhere in between – you’ll benefit from this article where I’ll be breaking down what fly fishing for striped bass in the northeast is all about – and what makes it different from the traditional freshwater fly fishing you might already be accustomed to. I’ll also go through the basic equipment you will want to consider acquiring if you’re interested in getting started, and some techniques you’ll want to begin practicing.

First thing’s first: if you routinely find yourself pursuing trout in freshwater, and you’re just starting to get into saltwater fly fishing, it’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment.

For starters, you’re trying to pin down fish in a vast ocean. This can be intimidating when you’re coming from a creek or a river that enables you to read the water and poke around in spots that look fishy. The key is to continue to move around, and experiment. The good news here is that stripers can be found in a wide variety of places, and if you’re willing to put the time in, you can find places with lots of fish and very few people. So get on Google Maps, look for fishy spots that have access, and don’t be afraid to try out different locations.

Places you can find striped bass on the fly include the surf, on jetties, in estuaries, and on the flats. Once you’re in these spots, look for places that would hold fish. Does it have structure? Do you see any dropoffs? Is there evidence of bait? Do you see birds flying around or any signs of nervous water? The more you get out, the more you’ll start to figure out what to look for. Once you’re there, experiment with different types of flies at different depths. Experiment with different stripping speeds and motions. Pay attention to what’s working, and what’s not working.

And remember, unlike freshwater, saltwater environments are tidal, so you will need to do your homework ahead of time and establish a game plan for when you’ll fish the area to improve your odds of success. In addition to tides, time of day can be important; getting out first thing in the morning or late in the day can often be more productive.

The differences don’t end there. Another is the gear. Let’s start with your fly line. In comparison to the typical weight forward floating line used in freshwater, in salt water, many anglers have 2 or even 3 fly line setups that they come prepared with on any given outing. When you’re pursuing striped bass, this often means a floating line, an intermediate line, and a sinking line. It helps to have these spooled up and ready to alternate if the conditions change and you need to be able to get your fly to a different depth. If you are getting started with a budget friendly setup, think about the type of water you’ll be fishing and go from there; if you’ll predominantly be flats fishing, go with a floating line. If you will be fishing in the surf, an intermediate, sink tip or sinking line might be your preferred option.

Unlike trout fishing, you will also want to invest in a stripping basket, which keeps your fly line organized and untangled as you are wading, casting, and stripping. It improves your ability to consistently cast long distances – with power, accuracy and minimal frustration. If the one you pick out doesn’t come with holes, I recommend drilling some in the bottom to avoid carrying around a bucket of water on your waist.

When it comes to your rod, typically they’ll be the same 9 foot length you’re accustomed to, but in the 8 weight to 10 weight range, which are capable of launching bigger lines with bigger flies for bigger fish. For northeast striper fishing, many will stick to a 9 foot 9 weight as their go-to option, much like a 5 weight for trout fishing. The flies you’ll be chucking into the salt should have stainless hooks and be around 1/0 – and do not need to be much bigger to find success.

As for which type of reel to pair with your rod, make sure it will pair well with a 8-10wt, and ensure that it has a sealed drag to protect it from the elements like sand and salt water. I recommend hosing down your rod, reel, flies, etc. after a day of fishing and letting everything air dry to avoid corrosion. Also remember to store your reel with the drag on the lowest setting to support longevity.

When it comes to stripers, you’ll be using bigger flies than you’re used to tying and tossing to trout. So you’ll want to invest in a fly box that can handle a large quantity of larger flies – including streamer, crab, and shrimp patterns. I use Cliff brand boxes, and I love them. To get started, you can keep it simple with Clousers, Deceivers – and Gurglers wouldn’t be a bad idea if you want to get in on some topwater action. Over time, you can expand on more and more different variations and colors. Popular colors include combinations of white, olive, chartreuse, yellow, black, and purple. Darker flies are recommended for dark skies, and brighter flies for sunnier, clearer days. 

You’ll typically be fine tying your flies on to a 12 or 16 lb test leader, and you don’t really need it to be long as stripers are not leader shy. 7 feet is usually fine, and I recommend going even shorter when using a sinking line as it will help get your fly down into the strike zone quickly.

If you’ll be fishing in the surf, I highly recommend investing in bootfoot waders. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting a bunch of sand in your boots while you’re trying to focus on fishing. You might as well be lugging around two cinder blocks. Also, if you’re going to be fishing off of jetties frequently, look into getting a pair of overshoe wading sandals to get a solid grip on slippery surfaces. It’s not just a convenience, it’s helping you avoid a fall which could result in injury or death.

Unless you’re fishing on a jetty that is pretty high up from the water, you aren’t going to run into too many situations where you wished you had a net. You will however benefit from having a pair of fishing pliers, which will help you effortlessly remove hooks so you can quickly release the fish you catch.

The last few gear recommendations would be a wading jacket, which you’ll want to wear over your waders. It’s not just for rainy days – it comes in handy if you’re in the surf getting smacked around by waves – and it also shields you from heavy winds. Waterproof backpacks and chest packs are very convenient to hold all your gear without it getting completely soaked. Polarized glasses are a must. And I find a buff and a hat to be very convenient on sunny days.