Fly Fishing for Winter Stripers

The first time I hooked a striped bass on a fly rod, it felt like I’d hooked a shark.

Only I wasn’t fishing in saltwater, I was fishing my hometown river just downstream from one of the larger reservoirs in the area.

Catching a striped bass was the last thing I expected on this day, but the five-minute fight on my ultra-light trout rod was one I’ll never forget. Today, fly fishing for stripers is one of my favorite winter pastimes – with much heavier equipment of course.

Photo by Brian Milne.