Clear-water sight-casting for stripers is an exhilarating activity.
Raymond Forbes/Stocksy United
Among the numerous species I’ve chased worldwide, striped bass still rank highest on my list, and my preferred location to interact with this resilient fish is in the pristine shallows of New England. For the ultimate striper challenge, an experience that combines the demanding flats fishing for bonefish with a touch of tropical reef wading for aggressive trevally, look to the coastal flats of Narragansett Bay, the Elizabethan Islands, Block Island, and the waters around Cape Cod, where light sandy bottoms dotted with boulders, carpeted with eelgrass, and shellfish beds attract many hungry stripers.
Striped bass, from schools of 5- to 15-pounders in the deeper channels to solitary fish weighing up to 50 pounds, frequently stalk and hunt these clear flats and shorelines. They may appear as dark silhouettes against the sand or as silver-green specters with fins shimmering ultraviolet purple. When the tide is favorable and the moon bright, these fish eagerly chase vibrant lures and flies. Cast past them and retrieve with the tide, moving from shallow to deeper waters, across their travel routes. When the moon is less bright, the stripers become more elusive, requiring smaller lures and lighter terminal gear.
Approach cautiously, avoid casting shadows on the fish, and cast beyond and in front of them, then retrieve as if the lure is escaping. Accurately interpreting the behavior of a pursuing linesider in response to the lure is crucial; it can mean the difference between a committed strike or a hasty retreat that sends up a cloud of sand and disappointment. Clear-water sight-casting to these glowing phantoms and discerning fish behavior as they track your lure is not what one typically envisions when considering striped bass in the Northeast, but in New England from May through July, it transforms into an exhilarating reality.