RODS REELS AND LINES
We will fish anywhere from 7-10 wt single hand rods with 9' 8wt or 9wt rods being the most common. Two handed rods are becoming ever more popular in the salt and are an option as well. For lines, we will mostly fish integrated sink tips lines in the 250-350 grain range, or intermediate lines with clear heads. Floating lines are also used when fishing top water and occasionally for sight fishing. A reel with a good sealed drag is best for use in the salt water.
FLIES AND TIPPET
The staples include clousers, deceivers, bottom critters and CRABS!, gurglers, poppers, hollow fleyes, grocery flies, guitar minnows, and some big articulated streamers. Stripers eat all kinds of stuff around here including herring, sand eels, american eels, mackerel, pollock, pogies aka bunker aka menhaden squid, flounder, lobster, shrimp, crabs and more. So we have got a lot of options to choose from! Tippet is generally 15-20 pounds occasionally dropping to 10-12 pounds.
WADING GEAR & CLOTHING
Lightweight breathable waders with studded wading boots are required. Neoprene waders do not work as often times air temperatures will reach or exceed 70 degrees fahrenheit. A breathable rain jacket is required regardless of the weather, even on a sunny day it can get really wet in the surf. Water temperatures are usually mid-low 60's. Many days start fairly cool in the morning and as the sun rises can get rather hot. Bring layering options to handle a wide range of temperatures.
Another vital piece of gear for fly fishing the salt water is a stripping basket.