Striped Bass: Fly Line Options & Choices

When fly fishing for striped bass there are many different fly lines that can be used tomatch the conditions and the environments where stripers are found. Floating lines areamong the most versatile and have their place in most situations. Weight forward floaters,when properly matched to the rod, give the angler control when stripers are feedingin current. In rivers floating lines can be mended and manipulated for the right drift thatis often needed to catch these fish. When swinging flies floating lines have no equal. Inunprotected water such as beaches and rocky shorelines floating lines allow the anglerto swim the fly in the surf and can be mended or recast over oncoming waves. And insizes of ten weight and above, floating lines remain buoyant in rough water and caneasily cast flies of twelve inches or more. On the flats and in the salt ponds floatershave the advantage in keeping the fly up and fishing in skinny water. When the fish areholding deeper a split shot or sink-tip can be added while still maintaining the controlneeded to properly present the fly. Intermediate fly lines are useful when stripers arefeeding in areas where little or no current is present. Fishing off jetties, inside saltponds, on the flats and on beaches when the fish are shallow but just under the surface,intermediates shine and can be cast a mile. These lines work well for casting and strippingat breaking fish but are limited when stripers are holding deep. Sinking lines comein a wide variety of styles and sink rates. Full sinking lines sink throughout their lengthand are useful in dead drifting flies in boats and casting and stripping at blitzing fish.Sinking shooting head style lines that come with either a floating or intermediate runningline have become very popular in fishing in saltwater. They come in many grain and sinkrates and can be fished to stripers that hold in the deep waters of reefs, near jetties, inbays and wherever else the bottom drops off. A combo that works well for many is a reelwith two spools that carries a floating and a sinking line. This keeps you prepared formost situations that you may encounter when fly fishing for striped bass.