Hi,
two questions - I need to choose only one fly rod for stripers - which line size should it be ? (I know absolutely nothing about fly fishing for stripers but I might get a chance to do some striper fly fishing within the next year)
And - I've located some Redington NtiQ blanks - are they worth paying 135 $ a piece for or are there better options at that price ? Would be for the above mentioned striper rod.

Thanks
Peter

Depends on what sized stripers you'll be going after and where you'll be targeting them. I would think that for good ones, say, 25+ pounds, a nice 10-weight rod would be a solid all around choice. I also know guys who do fine with #8 and #9 outfits, but on very large fish on large open water I'd probably stay with a 10.

I have no experience with the Redington blanks, but if you're willing to spend that kind of money on a blank you have a lot of very well proven options to consider. St. Croix, Rainshadow, Shikari, Lamiglas, Dan Craft, and more that I'm forgetting, that are all proven producers and made by companies whose focus is on making rod blanks.

.........................

Hey Peter,

I just went through the same process!

If I could have just one rod for stripers, it'd be a 9-wt. Some caveats. I do most of my fishing from shore....if from a boat, and I could have only one, might go bigger. If all fishing were known to be in big surf, I might go for a longer rod.

That said, I use everything from 6-wt through 10-wt for striper fishing....9wt will let you handle most of the flies (some of them pretty big) used for stripers (some of these also pretty big). You'll be overgunned for schoolies (which is under 28" here in MA) and perhaps slightly undergunned for 30lb+ fish, but right on for the bulk of fish you'll encounter. The 9 wt will also let you work with more wind than my next favorite rod, which would be the 8wt.

For picking which blank, there are loads of choices. I recently was on a quest for a fast 9wt. in a 4 piece configuration on a budget similar to the price you describe. I purchased, and am building right now, the NTiQ in 9wt and 10wt. At the time, Dan Craft did not have a 9 in the FT line-up...which would fit right in there in price, and I believe is a faster blank, if that suits you.

Other options that I considered at the time of my purchase were the TFO, but not available in blanks at that time, and in my experience not as smooth as the DC FT series. I liked the Powell Tiboron series, but they're not offered in blanks. I also really liked the Albright rods, but these aren't available in blanks either.

So to summarize, I've gone with the NtiQ...can't yet speak about performance for stripers, though I did fish with a 10wt in Florida for other critters down there, and was quite pleased, and can't comment on durability, which has been raised as an issue.

If I were to do it today...the 9wt FT would sure look appealing to me....

Hope that helps.

mark

Hello,

I have a Redington NTiQ 12 wt ( factory) which was a replacement for a 12 wt NTi about 2 years ago. I am so happy with this rod , in the 12wt range it is still my favourite ( I have a Sage RPLXI, G Loomis Cross Current GLX, and a Sage Xi2 ) I fish in South Africa for GT's in excess of 50lbs plus from the shore and I feel it has the pulling power I need.
I would be very intersted to hear of any available blanks in the the 12 or 10 wt range.
Regards,

Paul

Striper fishing from the surf with a fly rod really works best when the wind conditions are in your favor. Otherwise it can be a most frustrating exercise. Obviously a boat allows you to position yourself in relation to the wind to aid in your cast. Mending a line in the surf is aided by having a longer rod. The downside is that the extra weight of a longer rod will take its toll if you are making many casts over the course of an entire tide. As for weight class, the suggestions above and and the logic for them all make sense to me. I would, however, add one caveat. That is, I like to be prepared for the possibility of a trophy size fish. It is all too common to hear of one being surprised by a huge fish on a day when schoolies were the norm. In light of this, for surf use, I would not go under a 9# and prefer a 10# or 10/11#. With a boat you can back down on a monster Striper so the 9# should not be a problem. But from the surf your rod, reel, line and knots are your only weapons; not counting your skill and patience. If I was building a new Striper Surf fly rod it would be a nine footer on either an SCIV or Dan Craft blank. Titanium guides to prevent any rust; a heavy duty aluminum seat like the REC with a fighting butt. I like to build with the best equipment for the task and enjoy every minute I have that rod in my hand. This is also a situation where your choice of reel is very important. A good sized striper can put a lot of pressure on a reel. Get the best reel you can afford. Ross, Tibor, Lamson LightSpeed are the first three I would look into. The Tibor Riptide is awesome for this purpose. There are many less expensive reels that will do the job. Rust prevention and water and sand proof drags are vital concerns for a surf environment. A used, but well maintained, high end reel is a good way to get a great reel at a good price.

One further consideration is the well being of the fish. If you are practicing catch and release it behooves you to land the fish as efficiently as possible. Overplaying a fish will take its toll and the fish will likely die after it is released. A beefier rig allows you to play the fish in the manner safest for the fish. Even fish that are headed for the table deserve a painless death. Stripers will fight unto their death in trying to escape. They will literally die of a heart attack if played too long. The toxins that develop in their blood during an extended fight will kill them after release. I appeal to all fishermen of all prey to do their best in protecting the well being of every fish hooked. To me it is as important a part of the art of fishing as any other. Playing a fish with care is contrary to bullying a fish in or playing it to death. This will benefit the future of each species we target. In addition, our actions will encourage others to do the same.

Once landed they shold be handled as little as possible and returned to the ater as soon as possible. Stripers will often need some time to regain a helathy oxygen level before release. This is not to be rushed. As for killing a fish, I never let them suffocate. A sharp blow to the head with a heavy instrument will humanely dispatch most fish. For very large fish I keep a pointed chisel in my surf bag and hammer it into their skull as soon as they are beached. I take this responsibility very seriously. I believe it our duty to treat all living creatures respectfully.

Please excuse my taking your subject into a much wider area. I am very protective of the Striped Bass. To me they are a true sport fish of the highest order. I have stopped keeping any unless someone asks me for a fish. And we should all know to release the big breeder females as they are the key in the success of the species.

Dave

Thank you guys for this lesson on striper fishing - its very appreciated. Dave - your are so very right !

Just found out that - if I'm lucky enough to get to go - I wil be visiting North Carolina - so how would that affect your recommendations regarding the striper rod(s) ?

Thanks
Peter

Peter, If you have a chance to fish the Outer Banks you will do well to prepare for large fish. Fly rods from 10wt. to 12 wt. will give you a fighting chance against the large Stripers and Red Drum common to that wonderful fishery. I would also suggest you build a two piece surf baitcasting or spinning rod. Something in the 11 - 12 foot size which is capable of throwing 8 ounces of lead plus a chunk of bait. Often the Stripers and Red Drum will be out of fly rod range but well with the long reach of a real heaver. This is the home of trophy size fish. It would be a shame to be there without a way to reach out to where the fish are.

If you are comfortable using a baitcasting reel it will give you an advantage over a spinner. Not only do they cast further in skilled hands but they also provide better leverage in fighting large fish. If you are better with spinning equipment it will also work. Graphite blanks will cost more than E-Glass or Fiberglass offerings but they will make the fishing experience much easier on your muscles. If you need to pare back on the expense there are good E-Glass and Composite options as well as some very reasonably priced Fiberglass blanks.

Look at the surf blank offereings from Lamiglas, St. Croix, Rainshadow, Loomis, and any others listed on the sites of the major suppliers who advertise on this site. If this is more of a project than you wish to take on you can rent a rod from one of the many tackle shops in the area. As i say, it would be a shame to miss out on such a great opportunity to give yourself a fighting chance of playing a great opponent.

I hope you get to go...
It has been my dream destination for a long time. I might get there this year too.
Dave

Hi Dave,
thanks again - I would "break the bank" if that is what it takes to get me to the Outer Banks if the fishing is as good as you say. Would be stupid to travel half way around the world an then not do the things you dream of.
As I understand it the Striped Bass is one of the finest sportsfish in the world and I would love to get a "shot" at them.

I'm very comfortable using multiplier reels or baitcasting reels as you call them and the surf baitcasting rod you mention sounds a lot like the rods we use for surfcasting over here so I'll remember to bring one of "the big boys" along.

I hope you get to go too - sounds like you will be well prepared ;-)

Peter