A nice surface bass from the CA Delta!

Double Split Rings

Big stripers can put a lot of strain on a lure when they’re near the boat, thrashing around. Using strong head shakes as leverage against the tension of the line, they can actually rip a lure right out of their faces. To combat that, simply double up on your split rings between the lure and the hook. By doing so, you give the hook nearly 360 degrees of travel and that will help you keep more fish buttoned up.

Use a Loop Knot

Topwater lures, especially walk-the-dog models, rely on action to call fish in. You can stifle that fish-attracting motion by tying your line to the plug with a conventional knot. To give your lure the best possible freedom of movement, go with a loop-type of knot so that the line doesn’t since down against the lure.

Also, I use 30-pound braid tied directly to my plugs. When topwater fishing, stripers are rarely line shy, so there’s no need to use a leader…why intentionally add any weak points to your gear?

Go Barbless

Okay, so this sounds a bit counter-intuitive when we’re talking about catching more fish, right? Well, not so fast! I switched all my topwater plugs out to barbless a few seasons ago and have never looked back. The benefits are numerous: Not only do you not have to mess with hooks tangled in nets, but they also come out of human flesh a lot easier (ask me how I know!). On the same vein, barbless hooks can be removed from fish much faster…which does less damage to the fish when you’re playing catch & release. And, because you can get fish back into the water more quickly, you’re going to catch more of them! It’s happened a million times: I’m in the middle of a wide open surface frenzy and a striper (usually a little guy) gets every single barb on two or three trebles buried and it takes me way too long to get him off. Sometimes, the blitz is over by the time you get that fish back into the water…

Sure, you’re going to lose a few with barbless hooks, but not really enough to make using barbs worthwhile!

So, what’s the best color for a swimbait for striper fishing? Well, here’s our no-frills, super-easy to follow, at a glance guide!

Keep ‘er simple, that’s what I say! In general, go more subtle in clear water/sunny conditions and brighten everything up on dark days or in murky water.