your fishing for bass and you're having the time of your life and a stripe comes along and takes your only Lucky Craft Sammy and line.....I was trying to adjust my drag and um.....I got to get 15 bucks from wife. Operation monkey doo is underway...

Yep, stripers are notorious for just straight up stealing your lures or smashing them up so bad that they will never be useable ever again.

But boy, what a blast if you get to fight them for a while. They really give your drag system a good workout.

lol yeah they do, last one i caught took me five minutes to real in.  And thats why i use a baitcaster and 14 lb fouro for my lucky crafts lol.  With $15 on the line (literally) I don't mess around  

I gotta catch me one of these freshwater stripers, the saltwater version aren't very good fighters compared to the other fish they swim with (bonita and Bluefish)

Couple good head shakes and then you just reel in the weight.  The bigger the fish, the more so the case.  A 40 lbr to me is just a big bag of money,......unfortunately, they fight like one too > :

For years, I only went fter the best paying fish, 30-40 lb range so I thought it was just the bigger girls.  I figured it may have to do with bringing them up from 60-80 ft so quickly.  After catching many more inside the bay, I learned that even the 10-20 lbrs are lame.

The only time I get a good fight out of a salt striper is when they are up in the rivers.  The current helps them fight like a real fish I guess,.....or at least allows them to fake it better,lol.

I finally got one last yr that was fun,.....using a 6ft med freshwater rod helped though ;D

It just seems to me that with a tail that size and shape, they SHOULD be powerhouses.

But back to the topic.  I don't buy LC baits so I will never know that pain,lol

Finally,...a fighter

It could have been a hybrid striper. They fight like a monster and will destroy any lure they grab.

Ronnie

Russ,

 Are you saying the one in the pic basically fought like a Crappie ? From the way I've heard folks talk about them (never caught one myself ), it's a wonder you're not still in the boat trying to land that one...

                                  As Ever,

                                   skillet

It could have been a hybrid striper. They fight like a monster and will destroy any lure they grab.

Ronnie

It could've very well been a hybrid....caught a couple the day before (small ones). BassnBret might try your technique....I had 12lb. line but I'll try your rig next time.

Russ,

 Are you saying the one in the pic basically fought like a Crappie ? From the way I've heard folks talk about them (never caught one myself ), it's a wonder you're not still in the boat trying to land that one...

                                  As Ever,

                                   skillet

That one WAS fun because I had 6 lb line and a med action 6ft freshwater rod so we had to fight it like a Tuna, off the bow, letting her take the line (with her weight) and then chase her down again.  Repeatedly.

but in general,I find these fish to be rather lazy.  A couple good head shakes once you set on her and then that's it.  When pulling them from deeper water, with wire line, it's even less.

Just remember, we don't honor him like LM and SM bass. If you get the stripe in, you can take him to the skillet for redemption.  Pay Back

mmmmmmmm    striped bass. Yum. I wonder if the freshwater version tastes as good tho

Here's one that was caught and released......Right into the fish box.....

Whooa!! some nice stripers you guys have there.

Russ, that's a beauty!

A poor fight in saltwater must be a result of the depth you catch them.

The inland stripers are exactly the same species and they fight

like a freight train!

8-)

It could have been a hybrid striper. They fight like a monster and will destroy any lure they grab.

Ronnie

It could've very well been a hybrid....caught a couple the day before (small ones). BassnBret might try your technique....I had 12lb. line but I'll try your rig next time.

i use gamma, but the flouro helps the bait get down and stay there too.  Plus if you get hung up chances are you'll drag the boat to your snag before that line breaks.  I just like the extra precaution my lucky crafts are my babies.  the only scuff marks on them are the ones from fish... and snags lol