Winter Striper Surffishing
Here’s what I know about striped bass, and I’m always open to learning more from others.
Striped bass were introduced to California about 145 years ago from rivers in New Jersey. More than 435 stripers were transported from the East Coast, and they quickly thrived in San Francisco Bay due to the abundance of baitfish. Stripers require cold, flowing rivers to successfully spawn, which is why the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems are so important. Large female stripers can produce up to 2 million eggs her life time, and they grow fast—reaching around 20 inches by age two. Their average lifespan is about 15–20 years.
From spring through early winter, stripers move along the beaches to feed. During winter, majority of stripers travel into SF Bay and some travel into the Salinas River and Pajaro River, but they do not spawn there because these rivers lack the cold temperatures and strong flows found in the Sacramento and San Joaquin systems. Another spot stripers seem to favor during winter is Pescadero Creek. Even in the colder months, a few stripers are caught at Salinas River, Pajaro River and Pescadero Creek, river outlets. These rivers and creek outlets, making them worth checking out for winter fishing.
Parking and access for winter striper fishing:
Pescadero Creek: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tmZpGWTgb3ESjRYx5
Pajaro Dunes (Palm Beach): https://maps.app.goo.gl/YwhvpdAxivB6gx7f9
Salinas River (Long Walk): https://maps.app.goo.gl/vxVyyV8YZTX4VyiJA
I love fishing for stripers with jerkbaits. My favorite winter striper lures are the Lucky Craft 110 (Blue/Pink) Sardine, OSP Varuna 110SP, and Shimano Zumverno 95mm SP.
For gear, I prefer a light setup: a Shimano Moonshot 10ML rod
https://north-one.jp/products/4969363399885?_pos=2&_sid=774d55aab&_ss=r
paired with a Shimano 24 Vanford 5000 reel
spooled with 20 lb Daiwa J-Braid.