Some of those sandeela are as big as regular American eels. I can't imagine how they wouldn't work. Did anyone else notice the large size of the conventional reels they are using on that boat?
1000 post club!
Some of those sandeela are as big as regular American eels. I can't imagine how they wouldn't work. Did anyone else notice the large size of the conventional reels they are using on that boat?
Senior Member
An interesting paper on sandeels. I think us LI folks got short-changed this year, while you NJ folks got all the surplus.
http://www.bi.ku.dk/bibliotek/phd/Mi...an%20Deurs.pdf
Senior Member
Thanks pete that was an interesting read.
Senior Member
X2, learned a lot from reading it. I too wish we had more sandeels this year. IMO without them it killed the season.
Senior Member
Willie, you should have come over and fished NJ. The giant concentrations of sand eels made for some great fishing.
Senior Member
^ Yessir!
Administrator
Re: All about sandeels and needlefish
Originally Posted by williehookem
You guys nailed it, (and BTW Plugginpete thanks for your post, very informative
)
LI surfcasters had a relatively poor year in 2011 because of the lack of inshore bait, specifically sand eels.
So much so, that the most resourceful ones were coming over to NJ to fish....
I hate to be Debbie Downer here, but the news so far on the sand eel front is not good.
Administrator
Re: All about sandeels and needlefish
A few thoughts, thanks to intel provided by Finchaser, and some other of the old timers, who have feelers out for all kinds of fishing, and have a handle on what is where, so good, that it's almost like when bait is around, or a big fish gets caught....they know about it that day.....
1. Last year a lot of fish were sustained offshore, beyond 3 miles, by sand eels, squid, anchovies, sardines, and herring.....
2. This year the forage base has changed.....the big bluefish that have been out at the reefs and close inshore points, have been feeding on sardines, and squid, as their chief forage base.
3. According to the old timer intel, these sand eels that had been so abundant, moreso than in several years, have not shown yet, even at these closer offshore spots.
4. When you have lobstermen and commercial fishermen all giving you the same intel, ya might want to listen to what they have to say....
5.Therefore, as we say we are "waiting for the sand eels" to come in....it may not happen this year.
6. Or it may not happen to the extent and with the robustness that it has happened in recent years.
7. I am hoping that proves not to be true. However, I have been around long enough to see the cause and effect of much great fishing directly related to the amount of bait in the water....and simply put, if those sand eels don't come in, the 2012 Fall fishing at Sandy Hook and IBSP could prove to be a bust.
8. Right now, with sand eels being found nowhere offshore that these fishermen are fishing....it looks like it might happen that way....and Fall surf fishing could be poor. If the sand eels don't show uo, the late fishing will be driven by bunker, and possibly herring.....which could take surf fishing out of the equation, making a boat necessary to chase the fish on the bunker....
I hope this proves not to be true....conditions can always change for the better....
But as of now I am not counting on those sand eels showing up....
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