Typical striper that you’ll take by line-lining bunker.

Light-tackle live-lining? Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Not anymore. I run a fairly busy saltwater flyfishing guide service in Jamaica Bay, NY. With that being said, my first love is hooking into a big fat striper on a fly rod. Easier said then done, though. To get a 30-pounder on fly gear is difficult, and the feat requires skill and time on the water. These days, I rarely get a chance to fish on my own. When I do, I want nothing more than to catch one of those Jamaica Bay hogs on light, casting gear. In the last two years, my heavy conventional gear has made its way to the corner of my garage and is presently going to stay there and gather dust, as I have no intention of using it in the near future.

Gear
This type of fishing calls for a 10- to 12-inch bunker, a rod with sturdy backbone and exceptionally fast action. But it doesn’t have to be the traditional glass rod/broomstick of the past. Today’s technology allows for graphite or even titanium rods that are remarkably light, unusually sensitive and have extremely fast action. I’ve discovered a rod that is just about perfect for the job: It’s a one-piece 7-foot graphite casting rod made by Redington. This rod isn’t exactly intended for bait fishing, but it is rated for 20- to 30-pound line and 3- to 4-ounce lures. It’s as light as a feather but it still has a good amount of muscle and backbone in the midsection. Add to the equation that this rod is extremely sensitive--especially when fishing braided line--and it won’t break the bank. I match it to an Ambassador casting reel spooled with 20-pound Berkley Fireline. You can load a ton of the stuff on this relatively small real.

This is the same outfit that I use to snag bunker with a weighted treble if I don’t have the castnet onboard. All I have to do is reel slowly until I feel the light taps on the end as the line detects the bunker school, then pull hard and I’ve got fresh bait.

For my leader, I use three to four feet of 30-pound fluorocarbon. I don’t like to use a barrel swivel to make the connection, as I prefer to be able to wind leader through the guides if need be. Casting is much easier if you don’t have to deal with lugging three feet of leader. I attach the 30-pound fluorocarbon with a uni-knot which seems to slide through the guides quite well.

I haven’t used a J-hook in the last 8 years. Quite frankly, J-hooks are outdated. J-hooks run the overwhelming risk of gut-hooking a fish. Undoubtedly, when a bass takes a bunker it takes it deep almost every time. The right type of circle hook will lip-hook a fish 9 times in 10. I’m convinced that red hooks add to the bait’s appeal, making it appear bleeding and wounded. Of course there are a number of brands out there that will do the trick, but it’s important to note here that if you get a circle-hook that is offset (meaning that the point isn’t inline with the shaft of the hook) then you might as well be using a J-hook.