Newbie - River Fishing for Striper - Dover, NH

[LeDude]

Hey all. I work right next to Henry Law Park in Dover and heard you can fish for Stripers there. I'm a newb when it comes to fishing for Stripers and wanted some suggestions on bait or lures? Best time to go? What lb test should I use?

Thanks for your help :)

[merrillizer]

20# Fireline. Great Bay area bass love gold foil jerkbaits or darters in the spring. Chicken Scratch Bombers are good too. Topwater poppers and spooks are a fave as well in the Spring. Their chasing Alewives, so match the hatch and work it hard.

[greenclaw]

Artificials will work but I'd also recommend bringing another (light action) pole for catching some bait. As long as the River herring are still running you can get them on sabikis or flutter hooks and put them right on a circle hook (5/O give or take). To keep them alive longer, hook them through the upper lip instead of the back/neck. Some people use balloons...I just live-line them but watch out...there's a lot of sunken crap at the bottom of the cocheco that they can get tangled in.

You should also just start talking to the guys who are down there all the time. They're usually pretty nice and might share some bait if they pity you enough.

Good luck

[greenclaw]

Forgot to mention: you can't take the alewives/herring on Wednesdays, so bring your lures if fishing on that day.