matching the sandeels, some advice?

[baitstealer]

Hey guys I am hearing that the sandeels are starting to be found in the surf. I know that during the day throwing metal is a close replica of them, but what about at night? Some people I know all have their favorites, visions, eel replicas, bombers, sluggos, ron-z, etc. What are your go-to presentations, and why? Thanks for any advice.

[BassBuddah]

You should try to find out the size pf the eels at night because that sometimes matters. If I am seeing big jumbo sand eels I will throw a needle, big wood for big fish. If they range to smaller and spearing size I will throw a bomber, loaded redfin, or sometimes even a mambo minnow. They really dig in and mimic the burrowing behavior when you fish them slowly.

And that can even be tweaked. Sometimes, believe it or not, you will get more bass by bringing the plug in at a more rapid pace. I find this to be true a lot when you aren't getting hits, or if the bass are gorging on sandeels. At that point you really don't want them to get a close look at what you're throwing, You want to drag it quickly past them and give them a split second to react. This works best when there are a lot of bass in that area, feeding. Maybe it's a competition thing, but it has worked well for me.

[SharkHart]

Some people are surprised by this but i catch alot at night on Ava 17s. with a teaser of course, but they hit either

[toadfish]

I like to use a 7 1/2" slug go rigged on a weighted swimbait hook. You can't throw it a mile,but you can work it fast,slow,high or low depending on conditions.

[Monty]

I have had some success with the Ava and rubber tesser.
The rubber teaser out catches the Ava 5:1. Usually its an Ava27.
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[rip316]

Monty, You make very nice teasers. Remember the rubber sandeel ones I have? Well they were great for catching fluke today. Not that I was targeting them but, I have caught a decent amount of fish on your teasers.

[DarkSkies]

Rip316...the King of catching out of season fluke....:laugh:
It could be worse, at least you ain't King of the sea robins. :eek:
Or King of the Swans and Googans, like me.
Nice teasers, Monty.

Welcome aboard, Toadfish. :HappyWave:
You wouldn't happen to live in Ocean Grove, would ya? I know a Toad who fishes that area almost every day, who's a hockey fanatic, and a Milf hunter. :thumbsup:

[Monty]

In the pic is the red teaser that I have used for 3 years.
So I tried something new (the other 4).
Tried out the new ones last night (early AM).
Nothing.
Went back to the old ones and immediately caught two bass, a few fluke and a shad.
The new ones must have been to big or did not look natural.
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[toadfish]

Thanks for the welcome,Dark. :HappyWave: I'm not the toad you're thinking of. We met up on the beach last year and I gave you a couple of my homemade slug go's. You outcaught me 3 to 1 that day but I'm hoping for revenge this season.

[rockhopper]

Some people are surprised by this but i catch alot at night on Ava 17s. with a teaser of course, but they hit either

What he said, I got some bass before sunrise yesterday with an ava 007. The bait was sandeels and rainbait.

[VSdreams]

I like visions because they look exactly like the sandeels. I use the sand eels, not the surf one which is heavier. My only complaint is they cost too much bucks. If bluefish are around you waste a lot of money.

Giglios in Sea Bright has them for $7.75, which is a lot cheaper than a lot of the other places. imo they rip you off when you go to buy these because they probably buy them for like $. I will only buy them at Giglios because I refuse to pay $9 for 3 eels, that's robbery!

[surfstix1963]

Needles and diamond jigs dragged across or very close to the bottom.If a red tube don't work try dark green at night,also long slender teasers chart. over yellow at first light I like to just toss them on a kastmaster and reel them very slow occasionally bumping them off the bottom.

[jonthepain]

I've got a bunch of epoxy sandeel teasers, different sizes. I like to fish them in front of a bomber or yozuri. The waggle adds something to the teaser's presentation.

They will hit one or the other; sometimes I wonder if they are hitting the bomber cuz they're mad that it's going after 'their' sandeel.

[bluesdude71]

I like to just toss them on a kastmaster and reel them very slow occasionally bumping them off the bottom.


sometimes I wonder if they are hitting the bomber cuz they're mad that it's going after 'their' sandeel.

I like the redgill to match the sandeels. I think they come real close when the sandeels are small. I agree with what surfstix1963 said about dragging and bumping them. Not only do you want to match the profile, you want to match the behavior.
As for what jonthepain said, it does seem to me that if you put the teaser close to the plug, it will appear the plug is chasing the small teaser. Fish become very competitive and want to beat out the bomber from "eating" the small teaser. That's some of the times that I have gotten double headers as well.
Here is a pic of some different redgills -
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[basshunter]

sandeels in the surf, finally!

Internet Island Beach repport - A regular there not only caught 20 fluke casting Gulp and a teaser at Gillikins, but had two keepers up to 5 pounds among them. Furthermore, he also saw sand eels, the prime attractor for game fish, in the surf there.

[surfstix1963]

I love flukin off the beach nice peaceful fishing when we had our truck camper and stayed the weekend on the beach at sorethumb or democrat point after the morning bass fishing we switched over to fluke better on an incoming when they started feeding right on the drop off my wife has got this slow drag technique she just kicks their butts her choice is my searobin teaser for some reason they love that thing.

[baitstealer]

I like the redgill to match the sandeels. I think they come real close when the sandeels are small. I agree with what surfstix1963 said about dragging and bumping them. Not only do you want to match the profile, you want to match the behavior.
As for what jonthepain said, it does seem to me that if you put the teaser close to the plug, it will appear the plug is chasing the small teaser. Fish become very competitive and want to beat out the bomber from "eating" the small teaser. That's some of the times that I have gotten double headers as well.
Here is a pic of some different redgills -
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Man I was looking at that pic and was DROOLING! thanks for sharing. Anything else that is working for you guys right now?

[Monty]

Anyone know what fly this is?
Picked up 2 bass and a shad on it this AM and lost another bass (used as a teaser).
Was in an area where sand eels were prevalent.
Not sure if I made it, a friend made it or I bought it :huh:

http://i1.wp.com/rocksimpson.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2015_10_18_Teaser.jpg

http://i0.wp.com/rocksimpson.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2015_10_18_SB1.jpg?zoom=1.5&fit=810%2C810

[VSdreams]

Dunno but it looked good enough to that striper to eat! Nice job. I guess they work

[surfstix1963]

It's a different take on a white water witch.Not one of my best ties but I guess it works...

[captnemo]

I know there has been heated discussion about whether the sandeels are here or not. They may not be in all places but it does seem they are out in the bay. Report from 11/29. what seemed to work for these guys was diamond jigs and small rubber.
"Report:
Didn't look very promising early on as when we turned the Hook the ocean was barren of life-no birds and no bait readings. We ran as far south as The Highlands Bridge before turning back north. Had some bird life along the edge of Sandy Hook Channel. Pretty much everyone aboard of the light crowd of @20 started off throwing shads. We all came up empty. The angler next to me did catch a bluefish on a A47 but that was it. RWe then steamed north finally stopping on some readings on the flats adjacent to Ambrose Channel. At this point all aboard had switched over to A47 jigs. Our first drift here was productive. I landed 2 bass and one bluefish. Once we got off the flats into deeper water the bite ceased. Then back to where we had the earlier action but just yielded another fluke (possible keeper size), more skates and some sun dials. Bird life was now building along Sandy Hook Channel. Made a few drifts but the wind coupled with the ebb tide produced a fast drift making it difficult to hold bottom. Heavy bird life was now forming by the Candle Sticks and from that point on it was game on. I need the day putting 15 bass (either slot size or shorts) in the boat along with two bluefish of @#8 and 2 sun dials in the boat. Only 3 keeper bass and 6 slot size bass were kept-all other bass were shorts. A plain or hammered A47 jig bounced off the bottom was the jig of choice. Although one angler fishing a 1.5 ounce ballet shaped lead head tipped with a 6" pearl white Zoom Super Fluke put on a clinic catching close to 30 bass (all shorts). Bass and Blues were spitting up sand eels. "

[buckethead]

That makes sense there being isolated pockets. The replenishment will drive them away in certain areas. The other areas that are undisturbed might see some filter in. Probably very small clusters. I haven't seen any yet where I fish. Some I know who fish south of me have been seeing a few. This time of year there should be a greater amount. You folks are probably too young to remember when they showed up in both the spring and fall. Those were the days.

[seamonkey]

If we had sandeels twice a year in south jersey I would think I died and went to heaven. Would tell my wife that I won't be home till it's over!

[bababooey]

Be careful with what you tell your wife. Better to fib to her before the credit card bills come in.:blackeye:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gjdF45inPA

[lostatsea]

Haha thats classic his whole existence down the tube chasing after stripers. Thanks for sharing that.

[surferman]

x2 good one!

[lostatsea]

I was told by a sharpie I met that if you want to get fish when they're on sandeels you need a teaser about the size of the ones you are seeing, or otherwise throw a small plug that digs into the sand a little as your bring it in. Tried that today and it didn't work so I don't think a lot fo them are here yet. I hope they do come in soon.

[fishinmission78]

Ava jigs work as well. Got a couple yesterday just tossing and jigging.
sand eels finally showed up in a greater concentration than they have been.