Shy stripers

[katiefishes]

How shy are stripers when it comes to feeling the weight of your line/sinkers?

[surfstix1963]

I find they like to spit the bait when weight is felt I use a fishfinder rig with circle hooks to try and stop them from feeling the weight you just have to get use to not setting the hook w/ the circles let them do all the work but if they are hungry sometimes it will not bother them use the lightest weight possible to hold bottom.

[DarkSkies]

What surfstix said, Katie. FF rigs make a big difference fishing clams and small bait, moreso when water is colder and the fish are sluggish or picky, or smaller. I'm not sure it makes a huge difference fishin big baits like bunker heads where the bait is a lot heavier than the lead, but that's just my experience.

As for circles, I started using them after Al Ristori kept pushing them in his columns years ago. They take some getting used to for the hookset, but C&R fishing with them gives the fish a better survival chance.

They now have new FF rigs that you can clip on. Ronnie at Fishermen's Suply has them, I don't know how close you are to Point Pleasant. Heres a pic similar to what they look like. The ones I'm talking about have a clear or white inside sleeve with a slit in it. You put your line inside, and then twist closed. No line cutting necessary.

5112




If you didn't want all that hardware on the line, an old school way is to use an egg sinker before your bait rig. This works best in areas where there is less current, otherwise it will roll all over the place.

[katiefishes]

Thanks, guys. :kiss:

[surfstix1963]

There are also new ff's with a turquoise sleeve for braided lines I only fish mono with bait though.