striped bass

The venerable swimming plug is perhaps the most iconic and most used Striped Bass Lure. They are offered by most saltwater lure companies and they all share the common characteristic of side-to-side swimming style of movement. Good swimming lures for Striper mimic many types of Striper's favorite baits like Herring, Spearing, Mackerel, Menhaden and many more of the most common baitfish in the Stripers range.

Plastic is the most prevalent material, but wood plugs are popular as well. The similarity stops with the material however. There are innumerable types and brands of swimming plugs. Sliders, Darters, Deep Divers, Needle Fish, and Swimmers to name a few. You can select a specific style to work anywhere in the water column from topwater wake baits, to slightly subsurface to mid depth to deep pulling plugs.

Some days Stripers like the lazy side-to-side glide of a Slider plug like the Nomad Madscad, but most often they key on plastic thin body lipped swimmer like Nomad's Shikari 145 and unique Maverick. Plugs like this work in the surf, in bays and rivers, and off a boat. It is the number one style of lure for Striper.