Discussion: Fishing metals at night.....

[DarkSkies]

There was some discussion today. Some comments were made, about passing metals over rocks, and not being in the strike one very long. Those comments were valid for a lot of areas....:thumbsup:


There are other times and places when metals can be very effective...

[DarkSkies]

I thought there were enough differences in it, that it would merit its own thread....
BTW thanks to Surfstix :thumbsup: for the original thread on metals and techniques....
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?5701-Techniques-Metal-lure-or-tins

[DarkSkies]

I think if you guys want to talk about the metals that work, you might want to add something about techniques as well...

The good point was made that metals that aren't in the strike zone will not put you into a lot of fish....
You really need to think about that strike zone...for me, that can change from night to night....

Those are the kinds of things I usually talk about in my reports...when you find the area fish are feeding in...bottom, mid-level, or top of water column, then it becomes easier to figure out how to target them..For me, this relates to forage....different forage behaves differently...

And for me, when I throw at night, are usually smaller, with a teaser attached....

[DarkSkies]

A few of us were out in July weeks ago, nighttime, mid summer,,,,no evidence of any bass around....and we started catching by tossing metal, keping in contact with the bottom, with a teaser....this was because the bait, rainfish and baby spearing was all tiny.....1-2" long.....

We downsized metal to smaller metal and teasers, and started catching....not a lot of bass around, and mostly small, only one 30 0r 31" keeper bass caught among our group....


But the challenge of catching those bass, and the catching of fish that would not feed aggressively on artificials,,,made it all worthwhile as each of us pulled out a few smaller ones...




If any of ya's want to chime in about that trip



or



fishing metals at night, feel free.....:HappyWave:

[storminsteve]

I don't have a lot of experience doing this. However one time we were up at the rips at night. The water was dirty from a storm. I was throwing a 2 oz krocodile and letting it sink, slow retrieve. Letting it wobble and do its job. There were a lot of peanut bunker around. Some nice bluefish hit that kroc that night, up to 10 lbs. I think the wobble helped them to find it in the dirty water.

[finchaser]

I fish a black T-Hex with a black teaser from 4 AM till first light with great success many times

[Monty]

For some reason I have not fished this set-up much this year and last. But the three years before this if the surf was somewhat rough I would throw an Ava (27 mostly, sometimes a 37.....even a 47 if needed). I would drag the bottom at times with a rubber teaser. Would catch in different spots, sometimes around a far out sand bar, cuts, rips or in rough water in a trough. This worked on the darkest of nights and during the fall run in the day time at times. Was like a 5:1 ratio they would take the rubber teaser over the Ava. One thought I have had is that the sand eels are bigger the last two years than the ones that were around the other years. For some stupid physiological reason I don't seem to have the confidence in it now that I had then.

http://www.rocksimpson.com/images/2010_10_31_SB1.jpg

[jigfreak]

I don't have a lot of experience doing this. However one time we were up at the rips at night. The water was dirty from a storm. I was throwing a 2 oz krocodile and letting it sink, slow retrieve. Letting it wobble and do its job. There were a lot of peanut bunker around. Some nice bluefish hit that kroc that night, up to 10 lbs. I think the wobble helped them to find it in the dirty water.

Steve when the peanut bunker are thick you can do that day or night. I think it's more fun at night cause you have no idea when and what will hit. Good deal

[cowherder]

Monty I remember you and dark telling me about those small red tubes. They are smaller than the regular ones they make on the avas. I think that one fall every time you were out you had fish on them. Awesome

[storminsteve]

Steve when the peanut bunker are thick you can do that day or night. I think it's more fun at night cause you have no idea when and what will hit. Good deal

Thats the thing. You are throwing this piece of metal in the dark, kind of dragging it, fluttering like a dying bait fish. You don't know when it's going to happen or even if. Then all of a sudden BOOM!!!!!!!:dribble: You get a hit and its game on. Love night fishing even if I get skunked. Good thread.

[buckethead]

A teaser is a good part of success. Don't drag those metals without it. I usually drag metal at night when the bait is small and they are rooting in the sand mud or cuts. Sandeels drift to the bottom at night. Get at them where they are and the bass will be there too.
I like to throw a hopkins or crippled herring, anything with a compact style. Drag that thing across the bottom, hop it every now and then. That will call them in if they're there. You definitely want a yeaser as part of this. Monty nice teaser, those red tubes look exactly like the size of the sandeels we had at the hook 2 years ago. Talk about epic fishing. Night after night of 20# fish and hardly a soul on them except for the same bunch of us that showed up every night. It was sweet.