Rock hoppin

[JustEd]

This place can kill you when the conditions are best for fishing it....

14198

Equipment;
Waders or wetsuit
Wader belt/surf belt
KORKERS or other spike soled shoes
Stout 10 1/2 to 12 foot rod, preferably fiberglass. Ive seen at least a dozen Graphites explode here when lifting fish,Mojo's, Super surfs, and GSB's, never had it happen to my Lami 2M, or 3M, Glass rods.
Tackle, Bag O' Snakes, big ones. In the plug bag, Bucktails 1 to 4 ounce, various colors with trailers. Darters, Bottle plugs, metal lips,
The set up;
When the conditions are perfect a wave surge of 2 to 5 feet will push water up and over the shallow reef bridge into the cut channel. It will surge all the way up. The outflow is forced under the incoming creating a nasty rip along the shore to the left. The out going tide causes this rip to hook right around the exposed reef to the right of the bridge covered in white water in the photo. The exposed reef hooks down and submerged, causing the tide rip to create an Eddy pool against the wave surge.
4 locations are marked in the photo, these are the places I stand to fish this.
Location 3, on the exposed reef is not for the faint of heart, and I only wetsuit this location. I almost always count on going in for a swim when I venture out to it. (when the conditions are best)
How would you work this?
When I get a few responses I will explain how I am successfull here...........

[surfstix1963]

It looks like that could be nasty with the conditions in the pic but mighty fishy looking.

[Monty]

Preface:I'm in the beginning part of the learning curve and have zero experience in areas like that.
Throwing whats normally in my bag (what I'm comfortable with).
I'm not even thinking about getting out to area 3.
I fish 14" Hogys often, I'm looking to present it into the Eddy from area 2.
Also into and out of the outflow rip from area 4 and area 2.
Would also throw metal lips in areas where I can get it to struggle (rip areas and swim into that Eddy).
Also try the deep drop off from area 2 with the Hogys.
I'm fishing through the white water into the deeper water.
And I'm more than likely not there unless dropped from a helicopter, I really prefer to have my feet on sand (not comfortable on rocks). But it looks like a spot with a lot of areas where bait can be ambushed. Looks like an awesome spot to fish.

[surfstix1963]

We don't have this kind of structure on the island so I'll give it a shot although my head is up my butt these days mid life crisis or something I think I like area 4 for slinging eels or bucktails area 3 I give ya alot of credit Ed I would be i a wheelchair but bucktails and darters might work well area 2 I'm kind of thinking metal lips but maybe an eel its hard for me to tell may be a good pocket there area 1 darters bottle plugs more so bottle plugs it looks like something needs to dig there but not get down like a bucktail.hard to tell without physically seeing it and even then it would be a couple trips to get it down unless I went with you.lol I tried I might get one right.What do I know I live on a Isand but damn thats looks real fishy I bet you have had some good times there maybe some bad at area 3 lol.

[Doublerunner]

For you guys thinking about this....think about this. Where would you be if you were a striper? A striper....especially the big ones look to expend the least amount of energy while food falls down into their face. That wind condition is ideal for the shore surfcaster with that rip outflow being held along the rocks.

[surfstix1963]

I would think again not seeing what is actually there position 2 would hold more bass more so than other areas, do to the push of the outgoings direction and the onshore wind direction right behind the submerged reef looks like a good spot to hang out and the eddy next to it may just suck the bait in to be ambushed, and also area 2 along that shore looks like a great cruising area for bass to hunt because of the deep pocket.Area 1 just seems to be a giant washing machine so where that wash is meeting with the deeper water may be a good ambush point.Area 4 looks like a deep water pocket and at the end where the channel meets I'm fairly sure it would create a nice rip line I can also see with the onshore wind bait hiding up there tight to the rocks and area 3 I just believe its deep water off the point to be working lures against the outgoing when you can stand up there for any period of time.

[surfstix1963]

Did we fail guys I'm kind of interested how the beach boys did:laugh:

[nitestrikes]

If I had a wetsuit I would skish out to the shallow reef area.
If not I would fish the shore edge of the breechway. Beautiful looking water you guys have up there.

[VSdreams]

God you guys have some awesome water up there, I am jealous!
I would fish near that inlet area at the top, or if I couldn't do that would fish more to the South of that. If the deep drop off is close to the beach I bet a lot of big fish hang in there.
Depending on the type of bait and weather I would use needlefish or a metal lip swimmer of some sort.

[JustEd]

There really is no wrong answer. I will go into full deail on how I, and John (DoubleRunner) fish his location on a regular basis.

[Doublerunner]

There is no beach/sandy area nearby. From the left side of the pic going to the right near area 1 those rocks are 20 - 30 feet high and during the low tide there are a couple areas on that front facing that can be accessed but once the incoming is about halfway in those areas are unreachable by land. To the left of area 1 in the small pool area there are a couple places on the left to stand and fish. I have taken the occasional wave over the head standing in that area and at certain times the backwash can be more dangerous if you're not hugging the rock wall. But when you leave you feel refreshed and alive. The cool crisp night air, the salt water in your face, being with good friends, it doesn't get much better than this

[surfstix1963]

Yeah I know there is no sand lol I was saying I was looking at the water as I would look at structure from the beach to think about where the fish may hang rock hopping is done for me one more surgery and I'll be getting pushed around in a wheel chair when and if I can fish again I'll have to be a beach beotch.No more hardcore stuff for me.

[Doublerunner]

You know I was down in the IBSP area surf fishing this past spring and walking any distance on the sand is no picnic on the thighs. But then again if you trip and fall it's a nice soft landing ;-}

[surfstix1963]

I hear you I've fell on both I prefer the sand but you know those rocks are bass haven I really give you guys credit and the walk on the sand yeah really hits the legs hard I use to do 3 miles a day in the morning and about 1-2 at night the inlet is 6 miles from point A to Point B I drive there.I'm sure you guys have seen some nice fish my best was 35 lbs. so far.I won't be walking or fishing to far or long anymore I have so much muscle atriphy and I know its not all coming back I'm working on some though.Hope you all have a great fall Tight Lines

[stripercrazy]

That water looks very tasty fellas, but pretty hard to fish without wetsuiting it. What is the biggest bass you guys pulled out from there?

[SurfPlug]

I would like to fish from the submerge reef area going with the flow of the current. Then again that is not realistic at my age. I like fishing both sand and rocky shorelines myself.

[JustEd]

In the photo, to the unknowing, this would be a very calm day for this location. Some time in the near future I will get some pictures taken here and show you what it acually looks like when you want to fish this spot.
Location 1,
I like to sart with a Darter or NB Bottle Darter. I work the rip as close to shore as I can latteraly to position 4 fan casting out to the right along the exposed reef where position 3 is located. I will then changs o a shallow running meal lip allowing the surge to do most of the work crawling the plug back to me. For this spot a rigged Eel on a Point Jude wobble head works better than a live Eel. The channel is fairly deep and heavier Bucktails of 3 ounce or more work best. Plastics like Bomers, and Yo-Zuri, etc., can be productive.
Location 2,
Best spot to put an Eel on the back side of the Reef. Pay special attention to the area where the submerged portion hooks back and forms a pocket. Putting the Eel right on the rock and letting it fall into the drop off can get you smashed hard. This is another good spot for small Darters. I have a couple of customs given to me by a fellow builder and good friend that seem to be made for this spot. Metal lips throw latteraly to the shore line and worked through the rip wash created by the fingers of the reefs, in an ultra slow presentation will get you hooked up with prowling Bass on ambush patrols. The rougher the better for this.
Location 4,
Eels work well here. I generally work the opposite point with the plugs mentioned earlier. I avoid working the edge of the exposed reef as 99% of the time a hook up is a break off as the Bass will turn with the current and chafe you on the rock pile. Too many lost plugs to coninue to tempt fate any longer.
Location 3,
WETSUIT with the exception of calm weather and dead low tide at the turn. The rock bridge will be fully exposed and with Korkers it is easier to access than you may think.
Generally the same plugs as above, but this is the place to have a bag of snakes with you. I dont waste a lot of time casting out to open water here. I cast back at he shorelines and present a fleeing bait profile to my attack. The outflow of the rips do most of the work for me.
The largest Bass I ever took from this location was a high 40's but the average fish tend to be in the 15 to 20 range. I have had a few nights where hundreds of barely legal Schoolies were swarming this area and lost count after 25 or 30 fish landed and released.

More to come........................