Hello, fellow fisherpeople! A few weeks ago the striped bass began prowling the shoreline of our Bayshore beaches offering good action to those who were in the right place at the right time.
Just as the fishing was heating up we got hit with more rainy, cold weather which drastically dropped the water temperature. This slowed the metabolism of the stripers and the catch rate was significantly reduced, but with warmer days ahead the fish will go back on the feed.
While the majority of the fish have been shorts, a fair number of larger stripers from 15 to 30 pounds have been slid up on the sand by lucky anglers. Even though some of these fish have been taken by flyflingers and plugchuckers most are caught by patient souls soaking natural baits such as worms, clams, and bunker chunks. Why? It is the nature of the fish in chilly waters to simply grub out a meal on the bottom instead of using precious energy chasing food.
Once the water warms a few more degrees the fish will be more active and the artificial lures will pay off but for now natural bait is the way to go! For this week we’ll focus on tossing baits from the shore, and I really recommend that you hike out to a bayside beach soon.
Casting a baited hook into the water is one of the oldest and most basic forms of fishing and there is no arguing with the success rate of this method. Still, a little attention to the finer details can be the difference between catching dinner and going home hungry.
Our equipment list begins with our rod/reel set-up and without getting too specific any quality spinning gear loaded with 30 lb test braid should do the trick. Moving to our terminal tackle I recommend that you avoid buying pre-tied rigs because most are made with excessive hardware and heavy 50 lb leaders. Our goal is a natural presentation and beads, spinners, and heavy leaders might spook a wary fish, so we rig lighter.
When walking the sand I don’t want to lug a heavy tackle box when everything I need fits into a Ziploc bag in my pocket. Into the bag goes a few small three-way swivels, a handful of sinkers from 1 to 3 ounces, some hooks, and a spool of 30 lb fluorocarbon for leaders. That’s it!
For the rigs themselves there are two basic ways that I tie them, and both work so it’s your choice. Tie a one foot piece of fluoro to the three-way swivel for the sinker and add a three-foot length to the three-way for your hook, it’s that simple!
For the alternate rig just reverse the dimensions, and I’ll switch to this if crabs are nibbling my worms as it raises the bait slightly off the bottom. Pin a sandworm (or two) on the hook so that it hangs in a straight, natural position, cast it out, and wait for the bite.
A deadly rig you might want to try with heavier baits like clams or bunker chunks is a barrel swivel, three feet of fluoro, and a size 8/0 circle hook with no weight at all.
There is no “striking” needed with these hooks! The hardest part is fighting the instinct to rear back and slam the hook into the jaw of the fish. Simply let the line come tight and the rod begin to bend, and then reel and he’ll be firmly attached! Most of the time the circle will embed itself in the corner of the jaw resulting in an unhurt fish if you are planning to release him. The weight of the bait is sufficient for casting and will slowly drift along the bottom, and when the fish picks it up he’ll hang onto it because he doesn’t feel anything out of the ordinary. Sneaky, right?
O.K., now let’s figure out some likely ambush points where we have a fair chance of stripers finding our baits. Generally these fish are structure oriented so points, jetties, and sand bars are good places to begin hunting. Tidal stage, current, water temperature, and availability of food also should be taken into consideration, and just to give an example we’ll zero in on a proven area, Pebble Beach. (No, not the golf course!)
On incoming tide the myriad of creeks overflow into the surrounding marsh creating a haven for small baitfish, shrimp, and crabs. At high water the fish cruise the edges of the sedge banks picking off stragglers that did not reach the sanctuary of the marsh, and at this time long casts are not necessary. As the tide recedes the fish station themselves near creek mouths waiting for food being flushed out of the draining marsh. The current disorients the bait creating an easy meal for the hungry stripers. Fish don’t grow big by wasting energy. The value of food taken in must be greater than the value of energy expended, otherwise the fish would starve, so seek out spots where the fish are used to finding easy pickings.
Pebble is only one example, there are many places with easy access along the Bayshore that produce such as Leonardo Flats, Spy House Pier, Ideal Beach, and Belford. Do a little exploring to determine which tidal stages and conditions pay off best at whatever location you decide on. At times the ocean side is better and finding structure such as cuts through sand bars, or sloughs, during extreme low tide can offer great insight on where to fish when the tide rises. Don’t overlook our rivers! If you can find structure that holds a food source for the fish, stick with it, the stripers will hone in on it.
Though we focused mostly on worms this week, and touched on other baits like clams and bunker chunks, the same tactics apply to almost any bait fishing. Go with a natural presentation and give them something they like to eat and you’ll have a great shot at sliding a nice fish onto the sand. If you’d rather fish from a boat, I’ll be running the evening trips on the MiJo II this year, both fishing and cruises, so give Capt. Mike a call at 732-872-0121 and we’ll try to hook you up. Good luck fishing, and let me know what you catch!
Till next week, Hook Em Up!!
Capt. Robby Barradale
