BEST EARLY SEASON LURES FOR STRIPERS

On Cape Cod in the early striper season (April–early May), the fish are usually feeding on small baitfish like sand eels, spearing, and young herring, so the most effective lures are smaller, subtle-profile baits you can fish slowly.

Here are the three best early-season striper lures for Cape Cod, based on what local anglers and guides consistently use.

1. Soft Plastic Paddletail (Arguably the #1 Early-Season Lure)

• Examples: RonZ, NLBN

• Size: 3–5 inches

• Color: White, bone, olive, or sand eel colors

Why it works:

• Mimics sand eels and small baitfish, which dominate Cape Cod waters in spring.

• Paddle tail vibration helps fish find it in cold water.

• Can be fished slow and low, which is key when stripers are sluggish early in the season.

How to fish it:

• Cast and let it sink

• Slow steady retrieve

• Occasionally twitch the rod tip

Many anglers report most spring bites come on soft plastics, especially paddletails.

2. MIGHTY FISH Epoxy Jig (Classic Cape Cod Early-Spring Lure)

• Weight: 3/8 oz – 5/8 oz

• Colors: Olive, sand eel, silver

Why it works:

• Excellent casting distance in wind

• Slim profile matches sand eels

• The Mighty Fish Epoxy Jig can be fished slow or fluttered on the drop in shallow estuaries and flats.

Best places:

• Harbor mouths

• Back bays

• Flats and channels

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3. Daiwa SP Minnow / Small Swimming Plug

• Size: 5–6 inches

• Colors: Bone, black/purple, bunker

Why it works:

• Long casting and suspending action

• Effective when fish push bait along beaches

• Daiwa SP Minnows are one of the top spring plugs used across New England surf fisheries.

Best retrieve:

• Slow steady retrieve

• Pause occasionally to trigger strikes

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✅ If I had to pick ONE lure for early Cape Cod stripers: A 4–5" white paddletail on a jig head.

It catches:

• schoolies

• keeper fish

• even big stripers

…and works from shore, kayak, boat, canal, and flats.

💡 Local Cape tip:Early in the season, fish are often in very shallow water (2–6 feet) during sunny afternoons. Slow presentations with small bait imitations dramatically outproduce big plugs.