i just got a boat big enough to go out for stripers in the river(merimack) before this i always have been cramed on party boats with the stuff they give you. now i can go out on m own so i need to know what to buy. i have a 6'6" rod and spinning reel just a wlly world combo i picked up to start out with. i need to know just about everything on what and where to use and look for them.

Hooks: what size for bait? Does color matter?

Bait: what bait im guessing somthing like crab or mackerl

Line: what pund test, mono, fluro, braided,  brands

Lures: Topwater, deep diving

how to rig a whole fish for bait

If i missed anything just let me know. Sorry for such a long post

Thank You

             Bassmaster6

http://www.stripers247.com/beginnersclinic.html

Read that.

Stripers are the best.  What is your personal best?

Your choice of equipment is a function of the size of fish you expect to catch. I fish a split shot rig on medium power spinning tackle and #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid for smaller fish (<20 lbs). When fishing for the big boys, heavy power baitcasting gear, #12 Hybrid.

Live bait is the ticket on my river, but some guys pick up a few on Sassy Shad, silver spoons and bucktail jigs. Big Zara Spooks, Pencil Poppers and almost any minnow shaped jerkbait are effective when they are busting topwater. For trolling, Mann's 20+ will usually produce a few stripers.

On the Tennessee River the bigger stripers tend to be holding deeper. We use a three-way swivel, 3 oz weight and a #2 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hook. For spinning tackle,  3/8 oz split shot and the same hook. In turbulent water, the split shot rig tends to stay in the upper 2/3 of the water column.