Fall stripers

[Reel Class]

Just my $.02 here.

Jigging can be done in a multitude of ways.  You can yo-yo it on the bottom, you work the middle of the water column, you can work the top, and you can butterfly jig which is entirely different.

Typically we start jigging as soon as the fish start moving and the bait starts moving, which usually happens in late September-early October.

You should look at the fall jig season in three phases, the early, the middle, and the late (makes sense right LOL)

Early on its a mix of bluefish, weakfish, albacore, and the occasional bass. 

If you head out in this time period, and see birds going nutzo and the water is wipped to a froth by bluefish, you can do 1 of 2 things.  Cast the jig into the foray, and reel it back at a high rate and you should be "on" with a bluefish (or an albie)within seconds.  For bass and weakfish in this scenario, get it under the bluefish and work the bottom by yo-yoing it; that is letting it hit the bottom, and smartly lifting your rod to around the 12 o'clock position.

As the water cools, it'll become more of a bluefish-bass game; this usually takes place by mid to late October once we start getting real cool nights and the water starts dropping.

You will still see birdplay, but you'll also see a lot of fish on the machine with less bird play - those are typically bass.  Again, work the bottom like I said above.

As the fall progresses and you get closer to winter, bluefish thin out and its mostly bass.  Surface action again will pick up with birds, but no white water - if its bass you're more likely to see fish rolling and boiling through bait like herring, so again with this situation fish are on top, so casting out the jig and reeling it back to the boat should reward you with bass.  To target LARGER fish, work the bottom!  This time of year it also pays off to have a few bags of jumbo storm shads on the boat, casting them out into the rolling patches of bass under birds, and using a very slow retrieve will reward you with fish!

I could go on forever, but just to close this reply jigs you MUST have in your box are:

2-5 oz. chrome, mackerel, and chatreuse/green crippled herrings for working the bottom

AVA jigs, 17's, 27's, 47's and 67's with no tail and dark red or green tails

3-7 oz. Krocodile spoons in chrome, and preferably with that treble hook being replaced by a single large siwash hook

A few packs of the 5" storm shads in bunker colors

Sassy Shads with jig heads in chartreuse, white, or bunker color

Hopkins shorties in various sizes for speed jigging

It doesn't hurt to have some tiger tails or banana's in your jig box either, they still work!

Hope this helps...

[Hotrod]

Awesome Capt Allen!! 

[Reel Class]

one other thing I didn't mention was reading bluefish vs. bass on the depth finder.

Bluefish typically show up in small sprinkles if schooled up, showing up less dense then other fish.  Blues will be in dense schools, but you won't see the density in their marks as opposed to a bass.

Bass on the other hand, if you have a color scope, will show up as a much more dense fish and will appear to look more like a fish, and will be more spread out.

[ped579]

Wow the information here is fantastic.  Thanks guys

Paul

[Capt Craig]

The only other way to catch Striper's that I have not seen anybody talk about in this session is CHUNKING. Using FRESH BUNKER and sitting on the anchor. I stress FRESH BUNKER. the freshest you can find.

Find some structure like the edge of a drop into a slough. Ride over the area and see if you mark bait or fish. If you do, drop the hook.

I'll use fish finder rigs. Put on a slide with enough weight to hold bottom. Depends on the current. Use about a 9/0 or 10/0 hook. I use circle hooks. But if you rather use J hooks that's fine.

The length of your leader will depend on how hard the current is moving. I have used leaders as short as about 18" and as long as about 3'. Mono. or Floro. I have used both I personally can't say one has out fished the other.

The bait has got to be laying on the bottom. If you have lots of current and a long leader the bait will come up off the bottom and will spin. There is not a Bass in the world that will touch that offering.

Cut your bunker into thirds. Head, middle and tail. The head is the best part of the bait but the middle works well too. As for the tail, I dice it up and will toss it over as chum. Your just trying to entice the fish not feed them.

I'll use 6 rods. Once you have baited them cast one long the next keep short the next long the next short etc.

I keep the reels locked up. I have found that the Bass will usually come up and gulp the bait down. Once the fish has picked up the bait have my people start cranking. This sets the hook then they can pick up the rod and hold on. If you are using J hooks don't forget to set the hook. GOOD LUCK

[Luna Sea 5]

very nice advice.. thanks..

[Hotrod]

Great post Capt Craig

[SouthPaw]

Lots of jigging and Chunking info on this topic thanks to everyone. 

[wb]

Lots of jigging and Chunking info on this topic thanks to everyone. 

   My best striper catching involves homemade plugs similar to stretch's trolled in the Rip usually right at or after dusk. Obviously you need to be courteous out there as it can get crowded. The key is gettin the plugs set so they are swimming naturally along w/ all the other usuals- drag set properly, a bit of patience, etc. Multiple hookups this way when the fish are in they can't resist. For rigging we used to use Monel wire leaders but they can be a real pain in the a$$. Many years ago an old salt friend showed me the ropes and he always had us hooked up--very grateful for that. I may have to look him up again as we have lost touch over the years. Can't wait to try again and also try some of these ideas.. this thread is awesome...

[gregman1069]

Down in Avalon it rained this afternoon and man did it cool off nicely afterwards. COME ON, FALL! WE'RE ALL WAITIN'

[ped579]

It can't come soon enough.

I only hope its not to late.

We'll see the new moon is this weekend so keep your fingers crossed.

Happy Catching

Paul

[mboy]

I never had success on the hook, ALWAYS drifting- whether I was chunking or live lining big adult bunkers.

[TurboDan]

How do you guys usually catch stripers in the ocean?  Do you head to specific locations (wrecks/obstructions) or just try your luck off the beaches?

I know for sea bass, you need structure.

[Capt Craig]

TurboDan, You can catch Stripers by jigging a bucktail with a fin-ess on it or curly tail, whatever. You can jig metal or Clam for the Bass drag live eels or even troll. Myself the first thing I do is head to structure.

 When I speak of structure I mean lumps and drops that are inside 3 miles. In my area down here in SNJ the kind of structure you mentioned like wrecks is all out beond 3 miles. You can not fish for or retain Striped Bass beond 3 miles.

When I am heading to the lump I am going to fish I keep my eyes on the fish finder as much as on the horizin. I am looking for fish and bait on the screen and I am looking for Bird action over the water. If I see birds going off feeding on bait then something has chased the bait to the surface. The birds mark the spot. If the screen lights up yet no birds I'll stop and start with metal then go to a Bucktail if needed or even eels or clam then drift the area.

If I see bird play I will pull up EASY and as close as I can BUT WITH out DISTURBING THE ACTION. I'll get on the up wind side of the frenzy so I will drift back into it. In this case I will usually use metal jigs and bounce them along the bottom straight up and down. If no respounce from the fish I'll try a bucktail and cast into the bait and let my bait hit the bottom and work it SLOWLY back. Then you can try eels or clams if you have them.

Last but not least if all else fales I'll troll using Umberella riggs or streatch"s

Hope this hepls. Good luck

[TedSki]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question...

If I was to go jig for stripers from the beach... what sort of rod should I be using?  I hear some of the guys here saying you don't need a long surf rod because the fish are in close most of the time.  My choices of gear:

7' M Ugly Stik BWS 1100 with Shimano Baitrunner
7' M Shimano CP30B Offshore Boat spinning combo
10' Penn Power Stick spinning combo surf rod

[gregman1069]

Tedski you should always remember this-
There aren't any dumb questions-just dumb people.

I have a 9' rod with an Okuma reel and have yet to take it to the surf. I also would like to know what to use.

[Luna Sea 5]

Stripers can be caught over structure, lumps, tidal rips, rocks, Channel edges and also anywhere along the Beaches for the fall run.  Also, look for bait.  If you see working birds hovering over bait, most likely there are stripers under them as well.

[TurboDan]

Wow!  This is quite possibly the best thread I've ever read on an Internet forum.  Went to Reel Life B&T this morning and bought a 4oz blue/chrome crippled herring.  Will be using that a little later today closer to dusk, although I might cast it out a few times in the afternoon near the PP Canal entrance just for kicks and see if anything hits.

The one thing I discovered is that I gotta get a stronger test on my spinning reels.  Obviously, my conventionals are set up for doormats, but my spinning reels are pretty light for weaks.  I'm going to be using a 9' surf rod from the boat today (just hoping to make smaller casts with it), so we'll see how that works out.

[ped579]

Good Luck,

Like I mentioned in as earlier thread this morning, all the pieces are starting to line up for a good weekend of fishing.

The air temp is dropping, the sea temp is dropping, the barometer is rising, and it is a new moon.  If you go at dusk make sure you have some dark colored plugs to throw because with no moon visible it will be darker than normal.

Happy Catching

Paul

[bossross]

Caught my first Striper this week!! Was off of Asbury in about 5 feet of water, using a popper. Cast towards the jetty, retrieved slowly and BAM, it was great. Twas a shorty (22") so it was safely and promptly released. But what a blast. I am totally hooked now....thanks to all the great replies to this thread, you've given me a real education.