what JB said:clapping:
what JB said:clapping:
Fished the bay tonight. Fantastic weather and I decided to be different and toss plugs instead of bait. One half heated swipe, nothing else. Last of outgoing beginning of the incoming. JB great advice. Try to tell that to the boat guys who half the time they don't bring back to re-rig they just snag and drip.
I am glad to help when I can.
My choice of circle hooks is a 9/0 Owner SSW Circle hook (the one pictured above).
They aren't cheap at almost $1/each when buying in bulk but I have found my overall cost to be less than when I used the Gamikatsu circle hooks.
The reason being the point on the Owner will stay sharp much longer than the Gami and I don't have to replace my hook as often.
Anyway I rarely loose hooks so cost is the least of my concern when fishing. I spend $20 on gas each trip and hours of my life...why not spring an extra 50 cents for the right hook?
Another reason I like the Owner Circle is because there is a large gap between the bend and the hook point which is perfect for hooking bunker (especially the heads which I hook through the back behind the spine).
The owner circle has a much heavier wire than the Gami.
And the most important reason is I saw my hook up ratio greatly increase when I made the switch.
IMO it's not worth buying bunker in a store as it's rarely ever fresh. Snag your own and you can then guarantee it's fresh.
When you have fresh bunker it's very rigid and you only need to barely hook it behind the spine so that the point of the circle hook is always exposed. You can cast as hard as you want that spine in a fresh bunker will never pull out and a bass won't be able to strip your hook clean.
I'll take some pictures next time I go out.
I am a huge Gamikatsu fan just not when it comes to their horrible circle hooks.
Give the Owner circle hook a try and I'm sure you will be happy. :HappyWave:
I blame the fisheries management teams.
There are many fisheries where officials have required the fisherman to use only circle hooks.
I don't think circle hooks should be forced onto striped bass fisherman but the use of treble hooks while fishing live or dead bait should be prohibited.
Thanks, I'm way ahead of ya on that.....:HappyWave:
I do routine maintenance to the database here....
culling stale or inactive members....
cleaning up threads....
combining threads with one or two posts with others of the same topic....
copying key posts from one thread to another, when pertinent......
Some of ya's may have noticed it seems like you "double post". That does happen sometimes, as I have asked some members here to do that....I appreciate when you post in more than one pertinent area, it really helps me spend less time on maintenance....but when ya's don't.....I simply C&P your post to the appropriate area........
My goal has always been to have this site as streamlined as possible, with relevant links and threads that go deep into detail explaining a fishing concept or technique......I'm grateful for the seasoned fishermen we have here......I know the readers appreciate them as well.....so I'm constantly striving for us to do better and have things easy to find for the new guys out there......
**For example....John's bunker rigging post and others relating to it were copied to the following threads:
1. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...-Newbie-Thread
(started by surfstix)
2. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...aren-t-catchin
If any of you have a suggestion for making threads easier to find and more searchable, PM me any time.
Also, feel free to tag the threads you start, with the appropriate tags as well.....that would be helpful...:)
** I decided not to do a "best of" for the following reason....usually those threads are stickied to the top....and it's my experience that sticky threads, are often ignored by the readers.......
Any other suggestions....feel free to let me know.....:HappyWave:
We have had a noticeable increase in traffic the last few months.....giving me confidence that folks like the way things are around here......
For those new guys, or those who want to learn a little more to polish up your game.....here are some threads of seasoned anglers here, you can rely on for various things.....
Feel free to ask questions in those threads at any time....
These members have been fishing for decades and have given great advice in the past....
(and if ya want to bust their balls....feel free to do that too..:cool:..all in good fun......:thumbsup:)
Finchaser
(OGB - no explanation necessary...one of NJ's living Saltwater legends....and never politically correct....don't ask him questions if you're a new age sensitive male or your feelings bruise easily.....:rolleyes: :argue: :clapping: )
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...-Ask-Finchaser
Monty
(any question about being a goog....he's your go-to guy) :laugh: :HappyWave:....I really am just busting his balls here.....Monty is about as hard-core as a surf fisherman can get.....he doesn't know the meaning of the word quit..:headbang:...we have taken several members out with us on a nightly trip, only to have them lose energy and fall asleep on the beach before the night is over.....
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...monty-(aka-WWM)
Surfstix
(Crabby old Basstid....but full of wisdom and fish catching advice) :thumbsup:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...5-ASK-Surfstix
Surfwalker
(Another seasoned old salt....fished before and after the moratorium :thumbsup:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...d-your-Own-Way
Vpass
(Old-School fisherman, great for fly fishing or other advice...truly a very humble guy...) :cool:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...-Fly-Beginners
or...if ya have questions about Conservation....or want to be entertained....feel free to post a few for me.....a simple goog with a white bucket....:bucktooth:
1. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...rvation-Corner
2. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...s-the-new-guys
finchaser -don't ask him questions if you're a new age sensitive male - lol!
Fished the bay last night (or tried to). The NW wind was brutal gave up after an hour on the incoming tide, Skunkola. Water was turning into choc milk. Clams and bunker might be the way to go for the bay guys for the next few days. Good luck.
You and Pebbles do a great job here Rich. I don't mind sharing what I know. I would be glad to buy you a beer some time. Keep up the good work and don't let the naysayers get you down. I generally agree with your assessment on the striped bass and feel by the time something is done it will be too late. If only the newbies could be transported back to see how good things used to be they might get it.
Fishing report, fished moco this morning. Colder and windy but very fishable as the wind was howling from the W/NW. The water temps have gone down and I couldn't buy a hit. Will give it another try this weekend.
man were in the back last nite and it was cold! theres a lot of small stripers around we got sum. looking for that big one the cold will make em not want to eat for a while. just took a ride along the bay and its like yoohoo. time for stinky smelly clams an bunker chunks!
^^^^^^ I have to tip my hat to you and ledhead dude. You guys are out there in all kinds of weather. True fishermen. Thanks for the report. I'm still waiting on those bluefish!:dribble:
Trolled several limits of striped bass in the back of Raritan bay this morning. We were out there from the last of the incoming to the first half of the outgoing. The outgoing tide was better. Managed 9 fish to 21pounds. Two of us kept one bass each, 10 and 12 pounds. The water was a little discolored and the chartreuse stretch 25s worked best for us today. Most fish were in 15-20' of water. 2 of them were in 10'. I hope this doesn't appear preachy but we strategically kept the smaller fish. These stripers have yet to spawn and taking the bigger females is just irresponsible at this time of year. Just my opinion.
tried the hook this morning. water still to cold,.nothing but skates.
Well like its been said here a lot, you can't catch em from the couch. We went out again last night and it was a lot better. The wind died down and we picked up 16 bass between 3 of us. Biggest was 39". Kept a few and released the rest. Fresh bunker did it. Full moon is coming up this weekend get out there.
thanks for the hook report chas. Was thinking of moving our base of operations to the hook over the weekend because of the crowds but we might stick around the bay area for a little longer. The bunker are really starting to load up in some bay and rivers now.
Fished the back tonight with my bud 7-11pm I managed 6 fish 5 shorts 3 of which were tiny lil guys..1 was decent around 24-25in and 1 nice keeper that went a little over 31in..Bunker was thick managed to snag a few and thats what the keeper took at almost dead low..We were about to pack it in when I saw a little movement in the rod and WHAM.released her safely for good mojo since it was my 1st keep of the spring.Tried some plugs but I think the water was just a little to dirty to get them to take a plug...My bud managed 1 short and a few swings..was tuff with all the bunka hitting the lines..
Nice going blazin. We fished the back last night as well. For some reason we only got small fish this time. Biggest was 20". Either its feast or famine. Not like it used to be.
Fished the back in ocean county last night. Rain got worse later in the night. Finally left at 3am. 8 schoolies all runts. Rubber and jig.
just read a post on another forum which shows Russ Allan's data that Striped bass is NOT in danger and the regulations are working!!! YEAH!!! now we can all go out and catch all them bass.....
Rob, I read Russ Allen's presentation. I disagree. They are counting on the 2011 year class to make up for all the gaps in the bass now. Not feasible or do-able. That's one of the reasons they are changing the limit to 1 by 2015. Imo it can't come soon enough. Right now Raritan bay has a lot of bass as they are gearing up to make the run into the Hudson. These bass are all around 15-25 lbs. Further evidence of gaps. I think finchaser or dark has talked about this before and it's something I see every time I fish.
Report, I fished moco before the rain. Managed 5 small bass on bucktail and grub. Outgoing tide. Fish were on the bottom with a few bunker.
Bucket and Rob, I agree with what you said as well.
We have further discussions on that here:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...re-they-saying
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...e-Striped-Bass
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...are-in-TROUBLE
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...t-striped-bass
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...rvation-Corner
ASMFC stats
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ross-the-board
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...n-70-from-2006
No disrepect to Russ Allen. I wish I could have been there to meet him and see his presentation. I would have had some questions that he would have struggled to answer.
Again, no disrespect meant, and he certainly has impressive credentials. :thumbsup:
Without getting into a full-page answer, what the scientists are claiming, has consistently been around 3 years behind what most fishermen are seeing and reporting.
The ASMFC claim that striped bass are not overfished, is technically accurate, but somewhat misleading for the following reasons:
1. Striped bass biomass, the SSB part of it (Spawing striped bass is a smaller component of the entire biomass), is within 1 million lbs of the point where they are mandated to declare overfishing.
2. This is accurate and provable by reviewing ASMFC stats.
3. They have been counting on the strength of the 2010 and 2011 YOY class to carry the whole fishery. It's becoming more apparent each year, that this is not possible. Hence the claim of mortality reduction as being the new agenda.
4. One of the reasons given for the future reduction in size limits is to "reduce mortality". I don't know how to say this any less diplomatically, other than that is misleading as hell.
5. Would the ASMFC be cutting the bag limit in half, just to reduce mortality?
(If you fish a lot and see the reality out there, you would know this is said for political reasons)
6. The ASMFC has been aware of a decline for the last 5 years, and has discussed it each time, putting it off. Much of this "putting off till tomorrow" in the decision making process has come from political pressure, charter and party boat factions pressuring politicians behind the scenes that they will suffer if such a drastic reduction is taken.
And make no mistake about it, a reduction to one fish is a drastic reduction...they could have changed size limits, etc...and other options if they were solely concerned about mortality.......
** To understand this better, you have to read between the lines, and have enough sophistication to understand that sometimes these decisions are more driven by politics, than science......
Most folks would not realize the pressuring and lobbying that goes on behind the scenes, even before these meetings take place....
Even a state like PA, (as Finchaser has pointed out many times)...has a big say in the outcome of these meetings. People assuming it's all about the coastal states, are inaccurate in their assumptions.
**In sum, it's the fishermen who fish regularly, who notice the changes in the population, long before the scientists do. Anyone who would dispute that really doesn't fish that much, or doesn't have a clear understanding of the political process that sometimes drives these meetings.
As always, differences of opinion are welcome here, but please back up your statements with some data or your own personal logs if you are going to say the striped bass are not overfished. Thanks. :HappyWave:
Rich I agree with you 100%. I don't have the words to say it like you do but the striper population is in trouble. Every year me and the guys catch between 2-500 stripers before they move out for the summer. I know you can back me up on this, some might think I'm bragging. Most of these fish are the holdover fish that winter in the arthur kill. We did not see those fish this year or last year. If you ask me where they went, I think they are all dead. They have been there every year in the sprng without fail. Last 2 years only dribs and drabs.
2 nights ago I fished and got all dinks, last night we got fish to 15pounds. There is no rhyme or reason because there are less fish. Plain and simple. Fishing report, got em last night under the bunker schools to 15 lbs. Back bay. Fresh bunker strips were the ticket.
Fished RB outgoing managed 2 bass with bunker chunks ...one 13 lbs didn't have time to measure it ...wasted to much time walking it to the beach ...just weight it and released it ...had to spend so time to revive it ...swam off ....took surf stick out with me and it work as design ....second fish I unhooked in the water and took a pic then released ...no stress to the bass Attachment 18205
and no stress for me ....I grab the line and then place the rod in the surf stick ...this now give me both hands to work with .....easy unhook ...camera is right there ...fish was out of the water less than 3 min
I haven't water proof my scale yet ..so It stayed on the beach ....but it has a spot on the surf stick
The nw wind was a little nasty and cold tonight so I went to the back in moco. Picked up 4 bass to 31" on bucktail and pork. Released
Nice going hookset and madcaster. I hope to be able to fish bucktails with confidence by the end of the year. From what I read here they are good for when the water is colder. I guess its all about technique, though, have to keep trying till I get it right. I fished raritan bay last night from 7-10. Got some bunker from keyport and fished clams and bunker. I got 3 stripers to 23 inches on clams. They were a lot of fun. Next time maybe a keeper for me. Good luck out there guys.
way to go on the catching fellas. dark I agree 100% too. What happend to all the 40 and 50 lb bass? Dead
Nice catching guys!!! I had a real solid night of catchin myself!!! Fished 4-1130pm.... I was kept busyhttp://www.stripersurf.com/forums/im...es/biggrin.gif with the shorts on the incoming and my bud was high hook with 4 nice keepers he had 2 durning the incoming 29.5 and a 28in but the 2 biggest went 34in and 35in on clams once the tide switched... the fish got bigger on the outgoing...I finally managed a real nice fish that went 35.5in on a freshly snagged bunker chunk dropped another that was easy 30in+..had 2 other misses that hit like a mack truck!! Total for the night was 13!! Had 8 that were micros 15-18in..4 that were 24-27 and the keeper!! Great fishing with great company what more could you ask forhttp://www.stripersurf.com/forums/im...es/biggrin.gif
Awesome catching guys congrats! madcaster looks like you were pretty far out with your surfstick invention must have been cool not to walk back to shore to unhook the fish.
Thanks, it seems the fish are a little thicker now. Bunker all over.
Nice catching everyone :HappyWave:
Madcaster, I love where you store your bunker chunks :laugh:
x2 nice going guys. Madcaster are you in a competition with dark? Bunker in the wader pocket? I heard he has the smelliest waders around but with that bunker in there you might take the lead. That must really smell after a night of fishing? Or do you have another pair of breathables. Nice fish mad and blaze btw!:thumbsup:
I put them in a plastic bag normally..but these new wades where leaking like crazy ...so I just threw them in the pouch ...I returned them the next day ....yes they did smell like fish....
You returned waders after you had bunker in them all night and they were stinking like fish?:upck: Man you have got some balls! I like it! When you returned them did this happen?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhmNKrun7Y0
haha that is so funny lol lol! madcaster did you really fill waders with bloody bunker and bring them back? Nice reports guys thanks
^^^^^^^^^^^^^dude that chik is hot I don't care if she pukes blood I wud eat the peanuts out of her ****. fished da bay last nite an got 5 bass to 33" kept one. chunked bunkaaaaaaaaa
there was no bunker in the waders when I returned them .......hell the foot was till wet after I pour all the water out ...they where just going to throw them out ...it was sport authorities ...they stop carrying fishing gear ...I got two pairs for 40 each ...75% off normal price was $159
Et tu, Brutus? http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...cons/icon9.png This is what I get for letting finchaser spread the rumors.....
:moon: :laugh: :clapping: :HappyWave:
Come on dark your smelly wader exploits are legendary. The stories go back for years so they must be true.:) :HappyWave:Embrace the smelly wader legend!!!!!
Fished last night. Got one keeper bass 34" in the bay. 3 other ones close to keeper size. All in the 2 hours of outgoing tide. The 34" was the first of the year for me so I released it for good karma. Got them on bunker that were swimming around and I snagged and cut up.
madcaster great report and stinky waders cred. blazin nice catching. dark what can I say if the legend (or smelly waders) fit, wear it.:HappyWave:fished the back in moco last night. managed two bass to 13lbs released. Buck and pork. Fish hit hard.
Nice catching guys. cowherder that was one nasty video some of you guys need help. Long time ago we use to carry fresh bait in bags in contractors aprons when wading. Good for eels too but you have to keep them in the bags they're squirmy little devils. Not so good when sharks are around though.