HOODOO Kayaks offer best-in class stability and powerful pedal-drive systems; they are more than capable of taking on the big water, not just rivers and large lakes but saltwater. You can even take them in the ocean.
And in the northeast, at this time of year, it’s all about striped bass. You might know them as linesiders, and right now, this is what many surfcasters are chasing.
In your HOODOO Kayak, you’ll be able to cover more water, faster, getting you in front of more fish. You’ll also be able to follow the schools if the fish are moving.
Here are some of the best ways to target striped bass from your HOODOO in the surf from now through the winter.
Artificials
Striped bass are more than cooperative with a wide range of artificials, including metals, plugs, and soft plastics.
One of the most effective metals is a diamond jig, specifically an AVA-27 with a tube tail. These metals closely resemble the sand eels that stripers gorge on in the fall and can be highly effective. If you’re in a HOODOO, get close to the wash, cast towards the breakers or run the lure parallel to the surf, through the sand. Other effective metals include Kastmasters, Krocodiles, and Hopkins jigs.
Plugs can also be highly effective, including divers and poppers. The same rules apply here; get close to the wash and cast towards the breakers or cast and retrieve parallel to them.
Soft plastics are also a win for striped bass at this time of year. Effective soft plastics include Felmlee eels and Slug-Gos. Zoom flukes are great, as are Gulp Swimming Mullet and other soft plastics in the Gulp line.
One note for fishermen intended to throw artificials at stripers; rig a teaser a foot or two above the terminal lure. Sort of like a fly, the teaser sometimes is the component of the rig that draws the strike.
Baits to Use
A wide range of baits can be effective for striped bass. They can be fished singly or rigged on a high-low rig. Popular baits in the fall include bunker chunks, salted clams, live eels, mullet, bloodworms, squid, and sometimes even crabs and baitfish. Ask a local bait shop what the stripers are feeding on and they may have recommendations.
A Note on Circle Hooks
Anglers in some states are now required to use non-offset circle hooks when fishing for striped bass with live or cut bait (not artificials). One thing to keep in mind is that fish often hook themselves with circle hooks and that if you attempt an active hookset, you are likely to pull the hook right out of the fish’s mouth before you have a chance to set it. When you feel a strike with a circle hook, let the fish take the bait, start to run, then reel in the slack and start fighting; there’s no need to set the hook in a conventional manner.
Where to Get the Rig; The HOODOO Kayak, That Is
Here for a HOODOO Kayak? We know just the place to get it – No Bad Days Kayak. Visit their website or get in touch with their customer service team directly if you have questions before buying.
