No matter how old you are or long you been fishing pay attention to the little things other anglers do. Observe what nature reveals and you will keep learning and become better at the game.
Most importantly never pee into the wind.
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No matter how old you are or long you been fishing pay attention to the little things other anglers do. Observe what nature reveals and you will keep learning and become better at the game.
Most importantly never pee into the wind.
Flounder are sight feeders. If they can't see the bait, you won't catch flounder. Use chartreuse or silver spinner blades and white or chartreuse bucktailed hooks along with your bait to help you catch more flounder.
After the bite, when it’s time to set the hook, keep in mind the type of fishing line you are using -- and act accordingly. Braided line transfers 100 percent of your hookset energy, while monofilament absorbs much of it in the stretch of the line.
DON'S TIPS FOR STRIPED BASS SUCCESS
The striped bass is indeed a unique and marvelous creature. Although there are no set concrete methods to catch one, here are a few tips which will improve your chances. The information below was compiled from the included booklist and my own personal experiences.
Bait
Use the freshest bait possible. Live bait has always been my rule and works the best. I like to have something that moves on its own at the end of my line. Large sea worms and live eels will bring results. Live eels are the number one "over the counter" live bait. Live herring are undoubtedly among the top bait for big fish but not as easy for the surfcaster to acquire. Frozen or fresh cut bait is excellent also. My survey in 1996 had the types even in popularity.
You should try to handle the bait as little as possible with your hands. The striper has an excellent sense of smell and water will magnify any fragrances. Your mosquito, tanning lotions, and even sweat will be sensed by stripers. It will not take your bait if it smells you. There is a substance called L Serine which is in the oils of our skin. This gives everyone their own distinct body odor. This substance will rub off onto your bait and it will send fish flying. The research on this subject is controversial in some corners, but when I use gloves to bait my hook I do catch more fish. Hook placement is critical. If the striper sees or feels the hook she'll drop it.
Research has shown that male stripers do not live as long as their female counterparts. It is most likely that the keepers you are taking home are females, breeders, that produce thousands of baby stripers each season. If you take her home, it's less fish for the future. Males can reach "moby striper" dimensions but it seems to be the exception rather than the rule. The stripers you take home mean less for future generations. I always carry a camera and have an extensive record of what I've caught. If you need to eat fish, go to a restaurant.
Casting
It never ceases to amaze me how grown men, who possess good minds, will stand on a beach or a bridge and try to cast their line to China. Look for disturbances along the beach, rips, rocks, etc. That's where the fish will be. I've been on bridges with other fishermen and watched them cast to the moon for fish that were swimming around the pilings they were standing upon. Be observant. Remember, they frequent shallow water. If there is a good rock or disturbance a ways out go for it, but most likely your chances are just as good much closer. It depends upon the terrain or sub terrain. Casting should be only as far as the third breaker and can be closer depending on the location. My daughter hooked a 32" striper, bottom fishing, with her line just 10 yards from shore.
Tides
There are many written rules about tides, yet in my experience its anything goes. Stripers like moving water. They will always have their nose pointed toward the current. If the tide is incoming, or out going, cast your bait up-current of where you think they are and let it drift into them. Stripers are traditionally lazy. They are waiting for something to come to them so take advantage of the situation. It could be the up-current side of the bridge or the down- current side. Either way, they will be among the pilings waiting for something to come to them. Fish accordingly. If I'm fishing the up-current side I'll cast out and let it drift toward me and the fish. If I'm fishing the down-current side I drop it among the pilings and let it drift out. It works. Be prepared to lose some hooks either through snagging or break offs after a fish has gone into the pilings. The fish you DO get are well worth the trouble.
The Beach
It is a good idea to scout your spot during the day before you go out at night. Know the landscape. I'll go to all my fishing spots during the day at low tide to check out the structure. At one spot I found that there was an old engine block in the middle of the channel. When I went there at night the block was submerged and there were big stripers hiding behind it. I knew where they were because I knew why they were there. One of the hardest things about fishing the beach is your fellow fishermen. You'll undoubtedly find yourself shoulder to shoulder and backs to the wall on a beach. You'll cross lines, get tangled, etc. Most average striper fishermen will usually knock off for the night around 11 or 12. The diehards, the ones who study the fish will be arriving just about then. You might see or hear them but most of the time you won't. They'll know where they're going, and why. The rule is to be patient. Even the biggest beaches will get crowded sometimes. Just think of it as one of the few times you have something in common with the entire crowd.
Night Fishing
Yes you can catch stripers during the day, but it is harder. If they can see well at night, imagine how well they can see by day. The bigger fish will be more active at night. At night there is less distraction, fewer boats, no people in the water swimming. If you're at a beach fishing and there are people swimming your chances are less. If you're going to fish in the dark, do that. Very often the first thing a new striper fisherman buys will be a Coleman lantern, or some other kind of fancy light. They'll set it on the beach, light it up and start fishing. Meanwhile the stripers, whose eyes are sensitive to bright light, have left the area. A small flashlight is all you need. I bought a headlight/miners light which is great since it frees both hands. Use lights sparingly and never shine them into the water. The rule is the less light the better.
Common Sense
Fishing for striped bass is fun relaxing and challenging. It is also extremely beautiful. The sunsets and sunrises are breathtaking. The sights and sound of the wind, water, and waves bring a peace that is rarely found these days. The stars are brighter, shooting stars abound... it is a great experience. But there are other things there as well. Skunks, racoons, mosquitos, and black flies can all make your trip a miserable experience. I've had racoons come right up and start eating from my box of sea worms, and was cornered on a bridge by a skunk that could not get across the grated part of the bridge and seemed to think that I was the reason for his aggrevation. Beware the human animal too. Once on a bridge, I was standing by the side of the road replenishing my bait. Two cars full of youths drove by and threw their pizza crusts at me as they passed. It happened so fast I didn't know what happened until I saw myself covered in pizza sauce. The two women these cowards hit at the same time were hurt during the same attack. Be careful, don't let your guard down. You could get injured or lose your life. It's only a fish!
Get Smart
Talk to other fishermen, read books from the list on the previous page. Talk to bait shop owners. An informed fisherman is a successful fisherman. Don't be afraid to experiment. Most importantly, get out there and fish. Experience is the best teacher. you'll learn from your mistakes but as you learn you'll get better. By the way, don't forget to bring a camera with you. I have hundreds of pictures of the fish I have caught. The wife won't put them in the family album, but they're a great reminder of a wonderful experience.
When driving along the shore or over bridges on the way to fish, keep an eye on perched seagulls. Nine times out of ten they will be facing into the direction of the wind.
This can help you start planning where to go on a certain wind.
^^ That's a great tip with all the fall hurricanes starting. With the fall run there will always be fish feeding somewhere. Having a plan b helped save many a trip for me.
When the wife is a bit peeved at you for going out fishing all night, stop by a farmstand on the way home and pick up a bunch of Sunflowers. It works for me every time. Six bucks goes a looooong way sometimes.
Talk to people but do more listening than talking.
I always carry lots of extra plugs. If you lose one or some are not working you can always change up.
When casting from the beach with the wind at your cheek, you want to keep your line from bowing too much since it makes it a bit more difficult to catch up to and keep in contact with your lure. To minimize this try casting from your side and keep it under the wind as much as possible
This WILL take a little practice. Please make sure you are clear of any other anglers that are near you as this will take up a fair amount of space in a +/- 15 foot radius around you.
I tend to wear a lot of Army surplus gear, it's cheap and durable. Be careful with those d-rings near the cuffs of the sleeves. Either close them tight with pliers or cut them off. The ones that are open tend to attract small things, like the line you are throwing, :embarassed: the mono from cast nets, etc.
stretch before you go on long walks or rock hopping journeys. Also take breaks and stretch front, back, side to side. makes the whole experience much more enjoyable and eliminates some of the tighness in my back after ive made 100000000000 casts AND ONLY HAVE 3 SCHOOLIES AND A BLUE FISH TO SHOW FOR IT AHHHHHHHHHHH. it relieves some stress too
Getting skunked is no shame, it's an opportunity for a game plan analysis.
Surf fishermen's Corollary: Fish can be caught when there is NO bait around, but when bait is there in heavy concentrations and it leaves the area it's more likely many of the fish will leave with them. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...cons/icon3.gif
Slow down on the retrieve. You are not in a race as to how reels the fastest.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnysaxatilis
A pint of Jaeger in the truck helps to relieve some of that stress too (only on weekends):D :plastered:
When taping your Korkers on, make sure you fold the tape over onto itself after you cut it, making an easy to grab tab to pull the tape off when you are done. This way you don't cut your strap or lace like a buddy of mine just did when cutting the tape off.
This is something that my friend G says all the time, I got nothing but buzzard's luck! :burn: :don't know why:
Buzzard's luck:
Can't kill nothing and nothing will die.
Ex: Man I aint got a job, a girl or any money. I got buzzards luck.
If you're out for the night and ya got buzzards luck, it's time to start drinkin. :plastered:Or if you're like me and can't drink, it's time to call it a night. :laugh:
Everyone here has really helped me out and it is greatly appreciated. I want to add a list of must brings when going out surf fishing for those who are new to the surf casting world.
pliers
Knife
Bait (bunker, clams, eels and sandworms)
5 Lures
10 hooks and swivels and barrels and fish finders and etc.
10 different sized weights 1 - 4 ounces
Leader material
Waders and korkers (for the jetties)
measuring tape - don't get caught with a short
Always have a snag rig or 2 in your truck. They came in handy today.
Just because you're not fishin the rocks doesn't mean your line and terminal tackle won't get abused. When you fish metals a lot, your line will tend to get dragged on the bar or the mini-ridges you'll pass before the trough.
Before moving to another spot, or after an hour or so of casting, I make it a point to check my line, and cut and re-tie if needed. No sense losing a quality fish over frayed line. :embarassed:
A small but smart step to making your gear last, thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frankiesurf
Early season wading, watch for the depressions in the back bays you may not know about.
Dont use a light when fishing the dark hours. I heard they have very sensitive eyesight.
Hey rip you can use it when you are unhooking your fish or re tying something that broke off. The thing that gets a lot of guys mad is if you are fishing near other guys and shine your light or headlights on the water like a lighthouse. If fish are feeding in close at night it could push them offshore.
Other than that, get yourself a cheap led headlamp with different intensities and a red light as well. $15 at wally world and you're good to go. Use the red instead of the white for most things you would do at night, you should be golden.
And turn away from the water when using it.
I have learned to do exactly what you guys said. I bought the headlamp. It has three settings with the third being red lights. Pretty cool toys. Is it march yet. Man I cant wait to start fishing already.
Line tips - Store line in a dark place under moderate temperatures.
While fishing, check your line often for nicks and abrasions by running the last several feet of line between your thumb and fingers.
Replace the line on each reel when it shows signs of wear. (Buying line in larger spools will avoid waste of excess line left on smaller spools.)
Always buy premium line. You get what you pay for! A couple of extra dollars now may save a lot of cursing later.
Do not expose line to chemicals such as gasoline, which may cause it to deteriorate.
Clip off several inches of line and retie to the lure frequently, especially when fishing heavy structure or catching fish or if a knot appears in the line.
This has been discussed before but decided it was worth talking about again. Fishing logs can be a great help. Here are some details on how to get started and what to log.
- Designate a notebook to be used as your fishing log.
- 2
Mark general information at the top of a new page before you start fishing that includes: Date, Water Name, Specific Location (“below dam”, “7.3 miles after turnoff”, etc), Start Time, and Fishing Partners.- 3
Make mental notes of each fish caught and how you caught it. This includes: lure or fly used, type of water, water depth, lure depth, retrieval type and retrieve speed, and time caught. Alternatively, you can keep a small notepad in your tackle box or fishing vest and quickly jot down this information after catching each fish.- 4
Observe weather conditions while you fish, including air temperature, cloud cover, wind speed, and precipitation.- 5
Observe water conditions while you fish, including water temperature, water level, and water clarity.- 6
Observe insect hatches while you fish.- 7
Use a fine mesh net to seine the water for insects or small fish which may be an important food item to imitate.- 8
Write down the aforementioned information in your fishing log when you change fishing locations or at the end of the day.- 9
Complete the fishing log entry at the end of the fishing day by writing down information such as: End Time, Best Hours Fished, and General Notes from the day. It may also be useful to sketch a map of the area fished and indicate good fishing locations and poor fishing locations.
Transfer the written fishing logs to a computer for easier searching and analysis. The best option is to use computer software designed specifically for maintaining fishing logs. There are web sites designed for this as well as standalone software programs. A more basic and less desirable option is to keep all of the fishing data in a spreadsheet or other document.
Keep track of specific locations fished by using either a GPS receiver or by tracking mileage using a car’s odometer.
In the US, most river water levels can be found at the USGS web page.
Keep a small notepad and pencil in your fishing vest or tackle box to make note of weather and water conditions as well as fish catch information.
http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-a-Fishing-Log
Spend the time out on the water. Don't think you will be a pro after a month of being out there. The more time you put in ;the more you will learn.
Quote:
Originally Posted by strikezone31
This year I'm starting a fishing log for the first time. I'm going out this weekend to look at the back bay and will write down those observations.
Don't get set in your ways. Patterns and good bites change from year to year depending on the conditions and bait.
Tie good knots
Don't forget a big cooler and ice for all the fish you catch.
Picking out the right tackle is important.
Choosing your flats fishing tackle
Just as any mechanic will tell you that having the proper tools makes the job easier, having the proper fishing rod and reel will make your day on the water more productive and enjoyable. With hundreds of sizes, makes, and models to choose from, how does one know which one will work best?
If your budget allows for only one rod and reel, you must first determine what type of area you will be fishing most frequently and what species you will be targeting. For general flats, when targeting species such as trout and redfish, choose a spinning rod of at least seven feet that will allow you to make long casts. Select a rod with a medium action which will throw light lures a reasonable distance yet still has a fast tip to give topwater baits the proper action. If you are going to be spending most of your time targeting snook around docks or mangrove shorelines, a shorter, stouter rod will assist you in presenting your baits and pulling the fish out of the structure.
Spinning rods come in one, two, and even three piece models. Unless you need to break down your rod for travel, I suggest a one piece model. Higher priced rods will have more guides that have better resistance to corrosion. Although you can buy some cheap indestructible rods, spending a bit more money will get you a rod that is lighter and casts more efficiently.
Most saltwater spinning reels are sized with a number system with a 1000 being the smallest and 8000 the largest. A 2500 size reel works well for flats fishing. Filled with ten pound braided line, this size is light enough to allow for comfortable casting all day yet can hold enough line to handle any redfish or trout.
When selecting a reel for flats fishing, a smooth drag is essential. In general, as the price of the reels increase, so does the quality of the drag, the smoothness of the gears, and their resistance to corrosion. To keep your reel in top working condition, wipe the exterior with a wet towel after each exposure to salt water. Periodically lubricate the pivot points and line roller bearing with a small amount of reel oil. Purchase a cover and keep it on your reel when you are transporting it to prevent scratches. A well maintained reel will give you many years of use.
http://www.examiner.com/x-38147-Flor...rss-Recreation
When the water is cold for the early season, a good choice is clams or worms.
Hold your rod. Don't leave it in the spike. You will miss hits in turn you will miss fish. This technique is used in the early part of the year.
That's a good point rip however, if you happen to fish several rods and can't hold them all keep a close eye on them. If that poles bends you better be ready to run and set the hook.
Rip,
I'm okay now. Let's go fishing.
Dreaminofishin, I emailed you like three times. I went on Sunday. Didn't catch any but it was a blast. The end of this week is going to get a little cold again which might put the brakes on what has been turning out to be the start of the season. I will try to contact you the next time I plan to go which will be REAL SOON. FEEL BETTER.
When fishing with topwaters, make sure you wait a second then set the hook. Otherwise you risk pulling the lure out before the fish has a good grasp of it.