How to Catch a Striper in Dragon Run in Virginia
- 1). Procure a boat and travel to deep water. The use of a boat within Dragon Run will better your chances to catch stripers. The deep water is where you will find stripers, and with a boat, you can troll the waters and cover more ground to locate striper schools.
- 2). Bring a thick and stout rod to fish on Dragon Run. When you're fishing for stripers, it's essential that you utilize a deep-sea fishing type of rod. Striper anglers typical go with an 8- to 10-foot rod that is at least 2 inches thick, according to the website Stripers 24/7. A rod of this length and thickness will not break under the weight of a striper. Striped bass can grow up to 33 inches and weigh around 40 pounds, according to the website FinTalk.
- 3). Construct a swivel rig. Tie one end of the swivel to your main line. On the other end, attach a metal 8-inch leader to your fishing line. This is important, because striped bass have sharp teeth, which can slice through fishing line. Add a jig, spinner or hook with bait to the end of the 8-inch leader.
- 4). Catch stripers with artificial bait such as a 6-inch gold or silver Rapala floating minnow. This lure resembles an alewife and blue-back herring, two of the favorite baitfish of stripers, according to the Boats website. Make sure that you tie a strong Snell knot and place two split shots 6 to 8 inches from the end of this lure.
- 5). Cast the Rapala lure behind your boat, and drive the boat forward. The Rapala minnow will dive deep toward the bottom and trail behind the boat. The erratic movement and bright color will capture the attention of a striper, leading the fish to chase after it and grab hold of the lure.
- 6). Operate your boat near locations that have structure such as logs, rocks and sand inlets. Have your bait/lure pass near or over the top of these structures. Allow the boat to drift with the current. Use a fish finder to assist you in pinpointing where stripers gather. Stripers' migration patterns change constantly, which have them moving throughout Dragon Run.
- 7). Maneuver your boat over a quarter-mile section of water. Consider your rate of speed and the depth you choose to fish your bait. Make adjustments when necessary, by operating the boat fast or slow. Spawning stripers prefer a bait to move at a moderate pace, which gives the fish the chance to strike it.
- 8). Jerk the line, on receiving a hard strike. Be ready to receive a hit that will bend your rod 90 degrees straight down. Let a hooked striper run until it's tired. Utilize the reel's drag, as stripers can overwhelm tackle and anglers, according to the website Stripers 24/7.
- 9). Drag the striper toward the boat when it's exhausted. Guide the striper's head toward a 3-foot-wide nylon net and position the net underneath the striper. Scoop up the fish within the net. The fish may resist, so have patience as you guide the fish into the net.
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