Stripers in the Heat of the Summer

-
Stripers in the Heat of the Summer (8/13/17)

Small schoolies are very abundant in Northern Long Island Sound waters. This specimen was taken on a Lazer Sardine SP minnow from Weed Beach in Darien, CT. We fished from 5:25 to 7:00p.m.
IMG_2041.JPG
.


Fishing a boulder field when the tide is moving is extremely productive for catching finicky summertime bass. Schoolie stripers will move into inlets with heavy current and rocks during the heat of the summer, because this setting provides dissolved oxygen and abundant baitfish for the schoolies to gorge on (on this particular trip we observed striped bass feeding on peanut bunker). Although these fish may be in great quantities during this time of year, they tend to be finicky and reluctant to feed on some baits. It is of utmost importance to size down on the profile of the bait. Implementing subtle action baits, and retrieving lures slower so the lethargic fish will not be spooked by presentation can also lead to increased catch rates. On this trip in particular, we employed many different baits in order to find what the fish preferred. In the end, after fishing topwater, bucktails, and a Storm shad style bait, we settled on an SP minnow in bunker color. Because an SP minnow has a small lip, it doesn't swim very deep and has a tight wobble; however, because of the increase of current speed, the SP was able to dive below the middle of the water column, and when incorporated with a small twitch of the rod tip(kind of like a jerkbait), the SP darts through the current enticing bites.

We used 40 pound monofilament leader attached to 40 pound braided line. To secure our lures to our line, we employed the Tactical Anglers’ Clip. The clip’s design allows for incredibly quick lure changes, and the construction allows for the steadfast reliability that the terminal end of your tackle is not going to fail.

The reels we used on this expedition were Penn Battle II 5000’s. The all metal body of the PBII made fishing in the salt much more comfortable as we did not have to worry about the corrosion that often eats away at older fishing reels. Although, it is always a good idea to lightly rinse your gear off after a fishing trip with a light mist of water.

The rods we used included the Penn Prevail and the St. Croix Mojo Surf. Both rods were over 10 feet and had a fast action, which allowed for increased casting distance for lighter baits.



IMG_2037.JPG




-Joe and Paul, 8/13/17

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thoughts on Conservation and Harvesting the Fish we Catch

-
The amount of fishing that goes on in this world is unprecedented due to the aggressive increase in human population. A report by the World Wildlife Fund in 2015 found that nearly half the marine life was lost in the last 40 years. Our impact on the world's wildlife population is both depressing and urgent. We must radically change the way we conduct the business of harvesting fish recreationally. In my opinion, if an individual is not relying on fishing to put food on their table, one should not be harvesting fish from the ocean recreationally. We cannot rationalize our decisions. We can't say that one fish won't make a difference because that is the same exact thinking that got into this situation. What I can only hope from my fellow anglers is to reconsider if they really need to eat the fish they caught, or if they could release it back into the waters in which it belongs. Think of your refrigerator and pantry at home, does it have enough food for you to eat, or do you...
Read more

F is for futile...

-
Fishing is hard- no matter the season, the weather, or the time of day- fishing is possibly the most frustrating pastime known to man. Despite having top tier gear and equipment, as well as a focused and calmed mind, fishing presents unique and difficult challenges that the common man can not endure. Fishing shapes a mind and reinforces humility through countless skunked outing, and patience through long hours spent on the water. Although fishing has not always been fruitful, it is without a doubt my favorite pastime past summers, winters, and autumns. This fall, however, was a unique exception. This fall, the spot I have fished in years past has been over-run by other fisherman. So much so, that the fishing has become a standstill, and discarded braid and trash abound. I know I shouldn't complain, for I have been provided a beautiful slice of wilderness. This past weekend, I reached the water and cast out my line at about 5:00a.m.; this was about the earliest I had ever fished...
Read more

Tungsten Fly #2

-
Image
(Continuation from "The Tungsten Fly") The last article was on the VMC Tungsten Fly, but many different ice fishing tackle manufacturers make tungsten fly lures. For example, Northland makes a tungsten fly lure called the Northland Tungsten Larva Fly Jig. This lure is different than the VMC Tungsten Fly jig because it was designed to have a vertical presentation rather a horizontal presentation. Although a very disputed topic within the ice fishing community, personally, I feel that vertical jigs are better suited for picky fish. A very small sized Tungsten Fly Jig will have a slow descent rate due to the buoyancy of the hair. In this way, a Northland Tungsten Fly Jig in a very small size would be my lure of choice to catch finicky, shallow water bluegill and crappie. The Northland jig is also available in much smaller sizes - to as small as 1/100th Oz. - and is available in many different colors that better replicate natural forage. My preferred color for the Northland j...
Read more