Big Baits/Big fish?

[8WEIGHT]

Great site I came across here.. seems like some good people. First post here so lets give it a go.

How many out there really think big baits when targeting the striped one?  does it pay off?  My largest bass is only 15 lbs through the years, and when I'm not chucking and ducking I'm throwing the usual bombers bucktails and plastics. This year I plan to get big and use monster sized plugs should I or just keep pluggin.

[Salty Dog]

It's true.

[blynch]

only when the big fish are eating big baits... big bass will often be keyed in on sand eels or peanut bunker...

[Hotrod]

Welcome 8.  Where do you fish out off.

You can ad that to your profile in Location.  so other know where you fish from

[Pfishingruven]

Welcome!  This is a great place!  Excellent first post, too.

I agree with this to an extent!  I really agree and follow, "match the hatch!"  Right now bait of choice is peanut bunker, finger sized mullet, small rainfish, clams and sand eels.  None of those baits are very large, so larger will probably catch larger fish, but only if the baits are big at the time.  I think if you used larger bait, it could get overlooked b/c the fish are targeting the certain species in pods which are smaller right now.

For example, in the spring run, using a larger or big bunker will probably produce a big striper.  Like what we saw in the video that Capt Joe "Irish Ayes" posted about yo-yo'ing!  That bunker was large and the fish he hooked up with was probably big too since it broke off!

 

[Luna Sea 5]

big baits mean big fish, but not really.  I caught many large bass on a single Clam.  You just have to use the bait that is in season.  Spring is good for using clams, fall is good with live lining bunker, trolling, or live eeling at night.

[surfrocket]

speaking of live eeling, nick we need to do a night of that. live eeling surf rocket style. send those bad boys for the ride of their life before they get munched up by monster bass. it way too much fun. they survive the shot. yup yup yuppers. lol.

[IrishAyes]

  Just imagining an eel flying through the air at warp speed. AAAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. With it's little eyes bugging out. 

Sorry...

8Weight, welcome to the site. Although it is true large bait = large fish. I feel, as others have said, matching the hatch works more consistantly. How many times have you tossed out a plug trailing a teaser and the fish took the teaser. Keep in mind, the teaser is typically smaller than the plug and that is what the fish focused on. Perhaps because of the size of the bait in the water? 

[surfrocket]

you got it Joe, soo true so true. 


imagine what those eels are thinking as they are getting loaded and then fired.. omg  .

"o" its cold and dark kinda comfy,mmmm... then.... wham they outta here.

[ped579]

Welcome Aboard 8WEIGHT,

This site is awesome and the guys are all about sharing what knowledge they have.

As for big baits, they do work but you are limiting your catch to just the large ones.  I would prefer to catch something on a regular basis no matter what size it is. 

The largest plug in my bag would be a 9" red and white pencil popper and a 9" white, olive and black needle fish.  I only throw them when the water is rough and cold enough to hold large stripers.

I will be throwing them this week for a while but for the most part I will be using clams and mullet as that seems to be the bait of choice.

If you want fish on a regular basis always match the hatch.  Give them what they want and are at the moment finding in the suds.

Good luck

Happy Catching

Paul

[dikdanger]

I can only speak from experience... my biggest bass was off of a big piece of bunker head in the dead of winter... it was 10 yrs ago on December 26th... me and a neighbor used to go out the day after Christmas and go in search for that big Ol' Rogue Striper... and one year... I GOT THE MOFO>>>>   ... he was delicious... 

and i know i know... i was out of season... and i have fished with other guys who have called me a poacher for keepen him... but... I ate him... didnt put him to waste... he digested well in my belly... and fed about 5 other people too...   

[Pfishingruven]

and i know i know... i was out of season... and i have fished with other guys who have called me a poacher for keepen him... but... I ate him... didnt put him to waste... he digested well in my belly... and fed about 5 other people too...   

I can't remember what the regs were 10 years ago, but in 2008 you would be fine on December 26th.  Atlantic Ocean up to 3 miles offshore there is no closed season, beyond 3 miles in the Atlantic is always closed and in the Delaware River season was closed on January 1st through the last day in February.

 

[ped579]

Here are the regs just to make sure that the dates are correct.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2008/maregsum08_color.pdf

[IrishAyes]

There is no possession of striped bass anytime three miles out. Federal waters closed for striper possession. 

[ped579]

That's why I posted the link.  Make sure you read it and understand it dates.  I know they were at the Barnegat Inlet last year checking for a couple of days after the season closed.

[Uncle Luna]

Welcome 

[Pfishingruven]

Thanks for fixing that!  I meant to type another sentence in there and I didn't!  Dates could be different for 2009 also, but I doubt that!

The State confusing me again  !

 

[Pfishingruven]

Not to take this off topic, but what do they consider the actual Inlets??  Atlantic Ocean or other marine waters with a closed season??

 

 

[gagedylan]

i just use what i can get my hands on at the time.......and, i dont know about you, but unless you can afford one of those "rockets", i'm not keen on trying to launch a whole bunker, or sometimes even a head, out into the blue. last thanksgiving, the Fisherman's Supply only had frozen clams left, we bought em, and caught my largest striper to date

[Bobby Wilds]

well, my surf fishing is limited to really the last 2 years.  i have fished the surf with my father before that, but not that often.  most of my fishing was boat related prior.  i will say that my largest striper as well as the largest i have seen caught were taken with live bait.  my largest was taken in the spring in 2006, on a live bunker in raritan bay.  he went about 48 inches.  the largest i have seen taken was by my father on a live eel in raritan bay in october of 2005.  he was as long as my leg, and i am 6'4.  both were released to fight another day.  as for the surf, i have caught mostly schoolies and for the most part i use plugs and metal.

as for those regulations that the state has posted, they are rather vague.  what is considered "OTHER MARINE WATERS"