Fluking in the surf, with a few jigs and a bag of gulp, could be my favorite summertime activity.
I do a lot of physically exhausting fishing. I ripped around on the boat all day in rough seas, casting 4 oz plugs with a surf rod all night while lugging a colossal plug bag around. The benefits are sometimes enormous, but it is exhausting and stressful. But fluking the beach, walking around light with shorts and no shoes, is peaceful and productive.

The beauty is in simplicity. No crazy rigs and no need for tons of gear. Just a light spinning rod and a bag or two of your favorite gulp. I like to keep my packing to a minimum and cover ground. For the rod, something 7’-7’6, Medium to Medium heavy. Depending on the exact rod, a reel in the 3000 to 4000 size will do just fine. 10-lb or 15-lb braided lines are preferred. I like a Tsunami Carbon Shield 7’6 Medium for many reasons. The price point is outstanding, the blank is sensitive, and it is lightweight. The Shimano Ultegra is my choice for a reel in this instance again because of its price point and simplicity. And 10lb Berkeley X9 is what I usually go with. 20lb fluorocarbon leader is just fine for this fishing.

As far as lure choices go, I am typically fishing single jigs. 3/8-1/2 oz jigheads are the norm, with 1/4 oz on really calm days and 3/4 oz when there is more shore break. Any jighead that fits your gulp will work. I stick with black nickel chemically sharpened hooks with a lighter gauge for better penetration. I am a significant fan of gulp shrimp, mainly the 3” but the 4” at times. Scooby doo, new penny, white, sangria, and natural are just a few of the colors I reach for with the shrimp baits. The jerk shads, swimming mullets, and grubs are significant assets here. In May and June, I prefer the shrimp. The minnow/mullet style Gulp baits tend to work better the rest of the summer into September. I stick with 4” & 5”, and white, white-glow, pink, pink-shine, and chartreuse-pepper-neon are my favorites in terms of color. When snappers are around in September, I will also fish the “6 mullets, jerk shads, and grubs on the beach.

I like a single jig on a light line because I can fish it with increased sensitivity and action. Most of the time, the fluke is tight to the beach lip, and the light line and jig cuts thru the shore break better than a big bulky rig. I will at times, bomb casts out, to rips or cuts in between the outer sandbars. Food longer range beach flunking, a rig consisting of a 1-1.5 oz bank sinker on a loop, with a single baitholder hook and a single gulp on a dropper loop 12-18” above that. If you find these structures on a beach, they usually hold fluke, and you need this rig to reach them. The fishing with light jigs and baits in the lip is more like snap jigging for any species, with sharp twitches and long pauses, with fish taking the bait while driting or sinking quite often. The same goes for the bank sinker bombers, occasionally twitching the bait, letting it drift. The standard rapid jigging doesn’t work as well for me on the beach, although it will have its time and place.

You may have noticed the absence of bucktails in this writing. I will occasionally use them; a small white bucktail with a sandflea (mole crab) or two can be a deadly tactic when the bugs are prevalent. Also, a single jighead like a 3/8-1/2 bottom sweeper or any tog type of jig will work well. As with anything, experiment, put your time in, and go as light as possible. Keep at it; you will bring some fluke home for dinner in no time. I just remembered you will be weeding thru quite a few shorts doing this fishing. But that’s all right, and good-sized fish do roam the suds.

Tight Lines

In the last couple of years anglers have begun to stray away from the old school mentality of simply “putting fish in the boat”. Just to be clear, I am talking about the Raritan Bay/ New York areas specifically. However, the same can be applied anywhere from Maine to the Chesapeake. More and more anglers have taken to the water since the Covid pandemic, and naturally many have become hooked.

As tackle evolves at a rate faster than most can keep up with, social media shows us things at a rate that can not be comprehended. So we figure let's shed some light on the things people are “seeing”. Last year and the year before specifically, we noticed a major uptick in customers coming into the shop asking about large spooks, surface and diving metal lipped swimmers, soft plastics/paddle-tails, and of course…. the Nichols spoons. But we will get to that…

Fishing artificials from a boat requires an angler to comprehend how the physics at play relate to the presentation of the lure. Fishing a fixed point of land presents an opportunity to feel the exacts in terms of line pressure relating to retrieving a specific lure. This can be achieved from a boat, and with some time, you can fish ANY lure you love from the surf in a boat.

Metal Lipped Swimmers

The best example of this idea is fishing a metal lipped swimmer, perhaps my favorite offering from a fishing vessel. Incredibly popular from land with the surf crowd, a metal lip gets vicious strikes from our striped friends. With the prevalence of Bunker in our waters, they are an ideal option. You need pressure to properly fish a metal lip, so in a boat it is imperative for this plug to be retrieved in a certain way to have the “feel” and get the action required to draw strikes. For example, if you cast a metal lip down drift of the boat; unless the retrieve speed is fast anglers will have a tough time fishing this plug. There will be no current on the lip and thus no pressure on the plug.

At times, with diving “troller” styles this is exactly what I will do. Cast downtide and burn the plug back to the boat at an Albie retrieve speed. Most times, with diving or surface metal lip swimmers, I will be casting them against or perpendicular to the boat's drift so I can slow roll the bait (the tactic typically preferred for striped bass). The most important thing to note is striped bass are very moody and particular at times with how they feed and what presentation they want; so don’t be afraid to experiment. They are lazy often, but at times must be triggered into eating a plug or plastic. Don’t get stuck with what your grandpa told you to do, although typically he knows best.

When bass are actively moving bunker around, or in shallower water surface metal lips are the ticket. There is literally no cap on size here in my opinion. Have all sizes, but I generally fish the biggest baits I can. Seven to ten inch swimmers that push water and or wake on the surface are ideal. Backbay plugs offer an incredibly wide array of metal lips of all shapes sizes and running depths and are available at the shop. I fish A LOT of his stuff because they are weapons. He also makes giant plugs which I am a fan of. There are many many other options available and a lot of it is preference so i'll leave it at that.

 Spooks

Topwater wise, you can not beat a large spook. I'll keep this section short and sweet. The Drifter tackle “Doc”, Jigging World “the Bone”, and Madd Mantis Plank are all large spooks available at the store. Again, there are endless options out there but one does not need anything else. All are bit different, but all draw strikes from the largest stripers around. The Doc is best in calmer water and has the widest walk. The Jigging World "Bone" is the loudest which at times is key, and holds pretty well in a chop. The Madd Mantis Plank is the biggest target and pushes some serious water. I really like a Shimano Saragosa or Twin Power 5000 on a Jigging World Black Widow 150 7’ for tossing all large plugs in the boat. This rod is short and LAUNCHES plugs. The action is unique and loads perfectly under the strain of a 30+ lb striper, keeping big fish pinned with large plugs equipped with treble hooks. When the fish are active, at times nothing beats a spook. They also can be used as effective search baits.

Soft plastics/rubber/ spoons

At times, stripers will be deeper in the water column. Sometimes they are glued to the bottom and need something right in their face to coax a bite. My favorite offerings in this instance are three fold…

If I go over really solid marks, I will jig flutter spoons. I stay with the Nichols spoons because they are the originals, but Ahern Tackle, Tsunami, Fat Cow and others have all come out with a flutter spoon of their own recently. Give them all a try and decide for yourself, that is half the fun of fishing artificials. There is a video on our youtube channel briefly showing and describing how I like to fish them, when, etc.

I really like a conventional baitcasting setup for this, and even a slow pitch type rod. Makes it easy to work the spoons, they are light, and very fun to fight fish on with enough power to still be ethical with fight times. Centaur, Jigging World, and Shimano all have viable slow pitch rods for this; 100-200 gram rods work well with 150g being my favorite. As for the reel top match, I prefer the Shimano Tranx or Daiwa Lexa 300 loaded with 20-30lb braid. This combo is hard to beat.

If the fish are deep but more scattered I like a paddle-tail/shad type bait, or a Dartspin. Favorites in shads are the Tsunami Tackle 7-9” Shads, Gambler EZ swimmers (jointed), and recently coming into favor for northeast anglers the NLBN (No Live Bait Needed) series of baits. They can be jigged, casted and retrieved and so on. All have their times, and all have their intricacies. The 3” NLBN and the 4” Hyperlastics Minwaow are also options not often considered in Raritan Bay and they should be. Considered a big bait area, there are tons of smaller baits around in early spring such as alewives and spearing. Whether the fish are feeding or not, a properly presented small bait will entice bites. I usually fish these on a 3/4 or 1 oz jig-head on a lighter 10-20 lb braid for a light presentation I can keep low in the water column.

When I go over marks at a slow speed, I slow down, cast into the wake as far as I can, let the bait sink and start a retrieval. Perhaps my favorite bait for this, especially in Raritan Bay, is a 7” Hyperplastic Dartspin. I usually employ a “snap jig” retrieve back to the boat, letting the bait fall and drift at times. This gives the willow blade on the tail end time to do it magic, spinning at rest sinking in the faces of picky stripers. When nothing else works the Dartspins do. I would say a paddle-tail/shad is a better search tool, but a Dartspin is a scalpel for dissecting picky fish. Absolute must have for Raritan bay. As far as colors go i stick with bunker, chartreuse, and whites for all aforementioned plastic baits. Usually 1.5-3 oz jig heads are the choice with 1.5oz being most utilized. The slower one can fish the bottom, the slower the bait can sink while maintaining ability to hold bottom the better. Important to note, straight tail baits like Gravity GT eels, MegaShads, Sluggos and the like all are great options as well on similar weight jig-heads.

The ability to use lighter, more enjoyable tackle and engage in what you are doing is what makes fishing artificial baits in a boat fun. Once you spend time leaving the trolling gear home, all new opportunities open up. Think outside the box, play around with jig-head weights, colors, sizes, actions etc. Eventually you will realize you can actually catch more fish this way and cover areas faster and more effectively bouncing around. The fishery is great right now and fish get accustomed to things they see often, so becoming proficient with different baits and thinking outside the box will put you at an advantage and keep things interesting. Hope everyone finds what they’re looking for in 2023 and remember to be respectful  out on the water. Tight lines to all…..

As I just began to get my gear together for the spring, I realized I never truly put it away. Surely some hook changes are in order, many boxes need organizing, and I need to find many things…

Regardless, I am going fishing on this night of March 6th; certainly the earliest I have ever strapped on a surf bag and donned a pair of waders to go hit the bayshore. The winter has been mild beyond comprehension and there are certainly bass to be had. The bunker is thick and the water just did its first spike just a trickle north of 50 degrees. I don’t expect much aside from getting out with a couple buddies and breathing in the crisp night air again. And, aside from one tremendous thump we are all skunked. And we could care less. 

I will get into some favorite tackle and lure choices of mine for an all encompassing guide on how I fish the twin rivers and Raritan Bay from shore; shortly. But first, I feel there is an important message to communicate at this time in the current state of fishing, especially in New Jersey which is the most densely populated state in the union. 

Lower your expectations. I do not mean to imply you should do everything you can to catch fish, you should. But change your perspective. The mob mentality is NOT helpful. Fish with people you enjoy being with, people who can see the beauty in a skunk and a few laughs. If you have any skills or determination skunks will happen, and you will learn from them. I don’t skunk much but it does happen, and I never care. 

Everyone has heard the quote “many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after” by Henry David Thoreau. I see people sharing this quote on social media, but just one “this sucks man where are the fish!” From someone in the water 30 feet away from me will reaffirm to me that fishermen are not living by this ethos. Be more romantic about fishing, take the good with the bad, enjoy every minute of it, notice things in nature, be a steward of your fishery and state, respect the fish and handle with care, and understand it's not ALL about “big fish”. Fishing can be whatever you want it to be. It is an absolute privilege to have the striped bass fishery we have. Especially from the shorelines in the spring. 

Ok, I digress…….. now the info. 

I fish the entire spring with a 9 foot rod (if I’m in the water). A Century Surf Machine is my weapon of choice. I also am fond of the 9’ ODM DNA. Both will be paired with a Tsunami Salt X, VS 150 or something equivalent. I do not think a longer rod is necessary at all. At times if I’m fishing from a bulkhead or dock or something, I'll bust out the 10’ or 10’6 to throw heavy jigs and use the length to keep my line how i want it, etc. Anything over 9-9’6 in waist deep water is unnecessary and cumbersome, especially when landing a frisky early spring fish. 30lb braid is a standard plugging line for me, and i have grown fond of Berkeley X9 on spinning reels. Attach 40 leader of your choosing, and a 75 lb Tactical Anglers clip and you are in the game.

Plugs wise, that list is complicated but I have simplified things in recent years. As far as wood, I more or less strictly fish Scabellys, Backbay, and Salt Pursuit plugs. I sold off a lot of stuff I had just to simplify things for me, and that list of builders are my good friends and I enjoy catching up on their stuff. I still have a few CCW’s around and a couple other favorites, but those three builders make up the bulk of my plugs. Backbay plugs are available at the store, while Scabellys and Salt Pursuit plugs can be hard to acquire. I will discuss some plug types of theirs in this writing that you can translate to whatever wood plugs you prefer, builder wise. 

I love metal lips. I fish A LOT of metal lips. If you want to catch bigger fish, start throwing more large metal lips. Get a rod you can do it with that wont kill you. As far as specifics, size simply depends on water temps, time of year, and the fish’s mood at that given time. Early spring (mid March- early April) I will carry some 5-6” Danny or Donny style metal lips. As far as colors go I keep it very simple. Essentially white, yellow/white, chartreuse/ white, solid chartreuse, and solid yellow will make up the light colored plugs. Blurple and all black will cover the darker spectrum. There are variations of this, I have plugs with other colors as well; but simplest is best especially if you're just getting started. As the water warms and I start noticing fish actively feeding on bunker, I will begin throwing metal lips up to 10-11”. Mostly surface swimmers of different types, these draw strikes like no other and without question cull bigger fish. If in deep water I will fish trollers heavily which dive to 20+ feet and can be taxing to fish all night yet are incredibly effective. 

Darters, darters, and more darters are next. Colors wise, the layout I previously outlined holds true for mostly everything o fish so that’s no different here. Super Strike darters are the standard. They cast very well, swim fairly shallow, and are readily available. Certain nights when tides are ripping, I dig the plug in and just maintain contact with it. The slower the better with these plugs. The hits are ferocious. There are many wood darters available as well, but the applications with them are fairly variable. They require some experimenting and assessment. Again, in deeper waters I have some massive wooden darters like Mike’s or Dirty Mermaids that dive deep and draw big strikes.

Gliders/Glide Baits have become all the rage, and for  good reason. They provide a proper profile for a menhaden, and they cast well and swim in a limber natural way. Coming in sizes from 5-8” they are an absolute staple. I fish a lot of Scabellys because he is my good friend and I have gathered many over the years, but whatever wood gliders you like will do I’m sure. Alan’s Custom Plugs makes a resin glider that is very popular and available at the shop. Yo-Zuri makes a bait called the 3D twitchbait that has become very popular in recent years, which can be twitched and paused or straight retrieved. A true glider can just be straight retrieved, maybe with some twitches every few cranks and will swim with an S motion. The wider the better in my opinion. There are sinking and floating options, so again you have to play around with different types and find your style here. Westin makes a bait called the SW Swim in a couple different sizes that is another hard plastic option. Also, certain musky baits have gained popularity in the striper world like the ERC hellhound. To summarize, the round deep bodied glide baits are a must have. 

Last but certainly not least are minnow plugs. I LOVE minnow plugs. I have way too many. Without getting more long winded than i already have, there are a few must haves. Daiwa SP minnows, Yo-Zuri Hydro minnows, Cotton Cordell 7” redfins, Yo-Zuri Mag Darters, and an assortment of Bombers are must haves. All sizes of each of these mentioned plugs have a place for sure. I tend to fish the bigger sizes of hydros and sps, and 17 long A Bombers. But they all have their place and time. In areas with tons of ambient light, I find something with some shine to be useful. For example, the bunker pattern sp minnow and colorways like it. For everything else, see the color patterns mentioned above. Emphasis on bone and blurple here….

I also fish straight soft plastics on weighted screw lock hooks, often. When the bite is slow, these baits fished like a Senko in freshwater will get it done. Mega Shads, Sluggos, Gravity GT eels, and others all get play. Hooks will be 6/0-12/0 and from unweighted to 3/4 oz keel weighted hooks. Owner beasts and BKK Titanriders are favorites hook wise.

Hope this helps, i could talk for hours on this stuff so i hope this all makes sense. Get out there this spring and enjoy yourselves, be respectful to others, anglers or not. Pick up after yourselves, and be careful sharing information frivolously. Access is more limited every year. We all need to do our part as stewards of what we hold dear. I know i can't wait. Tight lines to all…..

This past fall was certainly one for the books. From Raritan Bay all the way down the coast, on the sand or in a boat Striped Bass were found terrorizing schools of bunker daily. These past two falls I have noticed in particular an array of sizes with the bunker available that spanned anywhere from 2 inch “peanuts” to full size pound and a half adult menhaden. This is not necessarily an odd occurrence, but seeing bait of this size in the same schools is something I haven’t noticed with any regularity much previously.  This makes things easier, or more difficult depending on how you approach the situation. Such is the topic at hand, how to fish “peanut” bunker blitzes…. From the beach. 

First, we need to ask ourselves some questions. The first subject is, what is a “peanut”? What constitutes it being a peanut…. and so on. This is a topic of everlasting argument. Peanut bunker size to me is 2-5”, 6-8” are “lollipops”, and everything larger is just an adult bunker. 

The best bites that occur on the beach, in my opinion, are when the so called lollipops are in the wash. This happened very frequently this past fall, producing some incredible long-lived action. The bass just seem to get particularly fired up on schools of baits in that 5-8” range. They are large enough to draw attention for prolonged periods of time, and the bass can consume numerous individuals in one feeding session. Typically, a peanut bite hosts fish to 35-36”, with tons of 24-30” fish on the gorge. The lollipop bite can sustain much larger fish, consistently. 

We are often asked about fishing the beaches when the “peanut” bite is on. What to throw lure wise, what rod and reel combinations we like, and how to catch fish when they are picky and difficult to catch. Many times there are fish blitzing and marauding bunker of various sizes and it is tough to get bites. There are reasons for this, and I will get to that… 

First off, the tackle… 

There need be nothing fancy here. Typically walking the beach when the action is good on a bunker bite comes with westerly winds and fairly calm weather. No need for the 11’ meat stick and the VS 250. An 8 or 9’ rod will be more than enough to handle your desired targets and fish most offerings. Something like an ODM DNA or any 8-9’ rod capable of handling 1/2-3 oz will cover you. If there is wind in your face you may want to reach for something a bit bigger, but you most likely will not be seeing bunker being harassed at your feet in such conditions. For reels, a Shimano Saragosa 5000, Tsunami Salt x 4000, Penn Slammer 4500, or other comparable reels will do you just fine. Loaded with a 30 lb braid of your choice you are more than ready. For leader, I usually fish 40 or 50 fluorocarbon on the beach, but there is certainly no need, mono is fine. 

When it comes to lure choices if you asked 50 different people you will probably get 50 different answers. Various sizes of bunker present in the same locales present a unique opportunity/ challenge. In years past, if there were peanuts on the beach they typically did not exceed 5” and often were 2-3” in size. The classic offerings for this were a 3-5” shad or a 1/2-3/4 oz bucktail swam through or below the schools when fish were picky and keyed in on the smaller sizes. Homemade snags were the stuff of invention and bragging rights when no one could get a bite in a school of fish on peanuts, but that is a thing of the past now with new regulations outlawing snagging. Of course  small poppers, swimmers, and spooks take fish on the smaller bait but only when the fish are really on the feed or in great numbers. There was a time this year where a 1/2 oz bucktail with no trailer was the only thing getting bit with fish on smaller peanuts and thick bait schools making it tough. 

Without abandoning the go-to lure(s) topic, I feel it would be foolish to not interrupt myself to discuss the most important aspect of this topic which is when and WHY. Observation is the single most lacking aspect of the modern fisher person. Sometimes a step back, a break from casting, and simple observation will tell you all you need to know. 

In November I was out on the sandbar with my fly rod in the middle of a three hour long feed. That day I walked up to two anglers having a hell of a time with shads and swimming plugs with steady fish blitzing all around us. With all the bait and the volume of it, I couldn't get touched with a 4” deceiver. It simply wasn’t getting noticed even though it “matched the hatch” perfectly, there was too much bait. Also, I noticed some bigger “lollipops” coming through the trough outside the bar and that triggered my mind. I put on an 8” synthetic bunker fly and instantly was tight to a mid teen fish. Being out with the fish, in gin clear water, with them blitzing all around me/literally bumping my legs, watching other guys bail fish on spin, and getting denied on fly, put me into a tizzy of epic proportions. I can not lie. But then I took a breath and watched, made an adjustment and had a hell of a day for the next couple hours. Was it the “not matching the hatch” theory having its moment? Or were the larger fish simply ignoring the millions of 3-5” baits, keying on the larger 6-8 inchers? Sometimes, not matching the hatch is the key to success. 

At times your offering must be matched perfectly to the size bait the fish are focused on and presented a very certain way. For example, if the water is black with peanuts, and fish are busting them it is going to be difficult. You will need to fish the edges of the schools or way outside them. Shads and swimmers like YoZuri MagDarters or wood metal lips as well as gliders sized appropriately are very effective on the edges of active schools. Outside them, pencil poppers, spooks, and cup faced poppers of your preference will draw strikes,often from larger fish and get you way outside the mayhem. Sometimes when the bait is thick you need to fish beneath it, although snagging can be a problem here. This is the old 1/2 oz bucktail routine, especially when bait is small. 

When there are baits 3-8” and swimming together, larger fish will take a larger metal lip. If I’m catching 24-34” fish on traditional “peanut” sized baits, I will start heaving 6-7” surface swimming metal lips. It almost always results in a larger fish if they are present. The last couple years, during these bites there are always some 40+” fish lurking waiting for that 8” lollipop. The larger fish roam around and outside the carnage, waiting for an easy meal such as an injured larger option. 

To summarize, I have touched on tackle, and lure offerings. The moral of this story however is to pay close attention to what is in front of you. Matching your offerings to the behavior and size of the baits present is much more important than what EXACT lure you clip on. If you see fish swirling and notice they are of larger size, they are probably going to take a larger offering. If the water is clear you can see the exact sizes of bait present and the class of fish in front of you. Whether the fish are singling out the bigger bunker in a school of peanuts, or are simply enticed by a larger offering standing out amongst smaller baits; larger plugs are what will generally catch your larger fish.

I could go on and on, but studying the action in front of you on that specific day and having that mindset will help you more than a list of specific plugs. I have been absolutely mesmerized by the diversity in the striped bass fishery on the NJ coast the last few years. It is ever changing, and the amount of bait we have had present is simply staggering. The fish have been changing, evolving… we must evolve our tactics as that happens. 

Tight lines

I often think about what we do not know about our beloved Striped Bass. I can not hide it, i am completely mesmerized and obsessed with “America’s fish”. I always have been, and i am certainly not alone. I fish almost exclusively for them. There is much talk about overall stocks, which are not great.  Science proves that. The Chesapeake numbers are abysmally low. Our Hudson stock, the Raritan Bay/Ny Bight fishery however is just simply thriving and fully exhilarating. 

Or, is it?…. The fishing the last 3 springs and falls has been nothing short of incredible. There is no doubt about that. By boat or from the land, the sheer numbers, and numbers of trophy fish has increased. As a discerning fisherman, I would be a fool to not wonder if this is a true reading of “stocks” or are essentially “all” the fish just taking more regular residence in our bunker infested systems? 

Our water is the cleanest I have ever seen. Clean water acts are definitely part of it, but Bunker filter feed and in turn clean up the water as well. There is no question the significant proliferation of Atlantic Menhaden has our waters cleaner and Striped Bass and Bluefin Tuna alike marauding our coast. 

Just look at this fall, it is not even Halloween as I write this and it has been nothing short of epic. I wonder what is in store for us, as last year there was tremendous fishing into late December. A few commercial fishermen and scallopers I know swear to me the push of 40-50 lb fish we just saw in early October were fish hanging offshore. We all know stripers WINTER offshore but summer? Who knows…. I fished these fish, and noticed their feeding habits and methods of corralling the bunker from below were similar to offshore fish. Not one surface blowup, just pushing bunker from below and the middle of the school. A perfectly timed Nor’Easter and then a week of light west wind put those fish right on the beach, which is why we saw those fish we never see, earlier than we usually see fish of that size.  

I wonder what else they do? Where else they travel, live, stage, etc. one of the coolest things about stripers is the various locales they inhabit. I catch them from basically freshwater to the saltiest ocean waters. I catch them in 10 inches of water and on up. I catch them on fly, spin, and conventional. Live bait, flies, plugs, plastics and the list goes on. What an iconic fish. I am sure the slot regulation has something to do with the increased numbers of sizable fish and just stripers in general, but to what degree? 

I still see improper handling, promotion of the harvest of these fish for money, and just massive hysteria when the big girls are here. We all want to experience it, and it is beyond exciting watching a 40lb bass smash a topwater plug. However we need to think of the future, how much more fun it is to catch them than kill them. I eat fish, my father sold fish my whole life. I am now reserving my harvests to fish that get a little too zealous on my offering and will not survive release. If someone wants to take a striper home and enjoy it with their family or friends, that is a beautiful thing. I just wish everyone would slow down, take a minute and be stewards of their environment and fishery. It deserves that….  

It is difficult to manage a fish that travels as far south as North Carolina and as far north as Canada. Regulations are rules. Ethical harvest, and handling are an ethos. It is a decision to take that picture double as quick as you used to, not tossing a fish back like a sack a’ potatoes, but reviving it properly so it can stand a chance. As more people take up the life changing sport of fishing, more people need to be educated. Then we can hopefully enjoy these magnificent fish for as long as we have on this earth.

OVERVIEW 

As summer dwindles and everyone is waiting for the “run” to begin in October/November, there is great action to be had in September. It may not be frothing stripers at your feet in the suds with peanut bunker beaching themselves, but the bass await…. The bites that take place are just a bit more subtle than when the “fall run” is in full swing.

We are all hopeful as fishermen that the albies show up nearshore, or from the surf. This, as we all know is no certainty, but more of a prize when available. However, there are September certainties with our striped friends, one just has to know where to look…

The surfcaster in me will never divulge exact locations, even saying the word river in something like a blog post scares me…. However, the inlets, beaches, and major river systems from sandy hook all the way south will all have their moments. The key to success is knowing where to fish, and when. Scouting, quick missions, and efforts of the like will clue you in on where things are happening. I’ve been known to leave dinner with my girlfriend and make multiple stops on the way home to check spots, she is used to it. 

Mullet, peanut bunker, spearing, bay anchovies, squid, southern shrimp such as white shrimp (full size), grass shrimp, cinder worms, needlefish, juvenile fluke, sardines, and sandeels (yes, sandeels in September) and much more are all on the menu this time of year…. Every year I see more variety in bait, and it stuns me every time. When the water is still warm, the bass are most likely to be feeding on smaller baits at least during the day. Figuring out what may be on the menu for our striped friends at any given moment will be the key to any angler's success from shore or boat. This is an extremely difficult task at times and can drive the faint of heart back home onto their couch. 

In September, the night time is most definitely the right time. A strong mullet run whether on the beach front or in the backwaters will stoke some early morning/ evening munching for sure, but again this is not promised every year. There will always be mullet pushing out of the backwaters onto our beaches and there will always be stripers in hot pursuit. However, there are more reliable opportunities. 

TACTICS 

Fishing deep, fast moving water, especially if near a flat or somewhere shallow…. Will ALWAYS hold fish in September. The bait hides in the shallows, and when tides turn and the small baits (spearing, peanut bunker, anchovies, sandeels) can not help but be flushed by the tides and bass will take advantage. Any rip lines with eddies adjacent are worth investigating. There are literally endless locations with these features so I encourage you to go take a look at some of your favorite local spots during the day, and head back in the dark. This is when you must dial in your presentation and lure selection. 

Certain spots are holding spots and some are feeding spots. In holding spots, the fish are basically always there, and you can almost always pick a few. Although the holding spots will have their better windows of tide. Feeding spots are tide dependent and if the fish are there, they will be eating. Whenever the tide is no longer to their liking or advantage, they will leave. These types of areas are usually shallower and adjacent to deeper water close by. Holding spot fish are generally bigger residents, and are more likely to take a bigger offering. They are difficult to fish and presentations must be perfect. Many of these fish eat small fluke, tautog, spot, etc. all summer which are large and infrequent meals. 

TACKLE/LURES

Overall, September is a light tackle game. I am mainly fishing a 7.5-8ft spinning rod rated somewhere between 1/4-2 ounces. In certain area where i am fishing heavier shads with very fast current, i wouldn’t be caught dead without a bait-caster in my hands capable of tossing bigger plastics on heavier heads. The ability to quickly free-spool to drop my bait to quickly back in contact in some areas i like is imperative . The choices of artificial baits is unlimited so i'll pick a few favorites within a category, and can be applied to other similar offerings. 

Plastics- zoom flukes & 6” Sluggos are absolute staples. White, pink, Arkansas shiner are go-to’s for both. These imitate so many things, especially thinner profile baits like spearing and sandeels.  

For paddle-tails, it’s hard to beat the classic reliable tsunami shads in white or bunker in 5 or 6”. Some areas require a bit more finite rigging, so 3/8-2 oz jig heads and your favorite 3-6” paddle-tail/shad bodies will do the trick. Northeast Jig co. Ripper shads and Magic Mullets are extremely productive offerings. For me, it is hard to beat the 4” Hyperplastic Minwaows for the smaller profiles. They have incredibly realistic patterns and great action, plus are made of “softtough”material and can last a hundred fish. 3/4-1.5 oz is probably the most common range, depending on location. 

Plugs- Peanut swimmers, Yo-Zuri mag darters, needlefish plugs, all the standard minnow plugs (Rapala X-rap, Daiwa SP minnow, etc) are definitely staples. Also, it would be a mortal sin to not have a 5” redfin with you at all times and i'll leave that at that. i realize we are focusing on the darkness of night, but daytime fishing especially if you find fish on mullet…. SPOOKS. 4-5” spooks like the Yo-Zuri hydro pencil are standouts, especially in the surf. Like i said, there are endless options, but the baits listed above will always catch in September. 

RECAP

To clear things up a bit, I am referring mainly to backwater spots and “resident” fish. There are plenty, and they are there… you are not waiting on a migration. You are figuring out what they want to be doing in their environment. Eventually, an angler can pick up on striper habits in specific locations and have success. There is a myth that all residents are small. That is simply not true. Every September I catch a few fish over 20 lbs. I have my areas where from my experience over years, know will hold them. Go figure out yours, get out and find some fish. They will be yours, and it will feel good. The fall run is a game of the right place at the right time. In September, there are MANY right places and right times. With the right weather some of my favorite fishing of the year occurs this month… it's just your cell phone won’t help you as much as it will in November…. 🤣🤙

Throwing rattle traps is a great technique for covering water and convincing lethargic fish to bite. The flash, vibration, and sound of a rattle trap will attract active fish or will bother non-active fish that will strike to stun or kill to remove it from their surroundings. Here are several retrieves to try depending on the situation you would be fishing.

The yo-yo retrieve works best in deeper water with rocky/gravel bottom. Letting the trap sink to the bottom, then lifting the rod up and down letting the lure contact the bottom and several feet above the bottom.

Slow retrieve, keeping the trap close to the bottom to bump off rocks and structure with the occasional yo-yo. This is great for cooler temps with semi-active fish.

Med-fast retrieve, good for covering water and skimming the tops of vegetation–- if the body of water has it. If the lure imbeds into weed beds giving the rod a twitch or, simply rip the bait through the weeds, can entice a strike more than, say, a moderate retrieve would do.

Fast retrieve works for active fish or shallower water.

Remember - It’s always important to try variations of retrieves before moving spots or changing colors of the lure. Lethargic fish may not hit on the first cast, maybe, just maybe, the 2nd, 3rd or 4th cast will do it. This technique involves fishing the spot thoroughly.

In early spring, brighter colors work best such as red craw, chartreuse, orange, and fire tiger. 

Summertime matching the hatch will be more productive. Mocking bream, craw, and shad.

Gear- I prefer a glass rod for these applications, 7’2’’, ½-1 ⅜ oz rated Mojo Glass Casting rod is a very versatile rod. It is perfect for chatter baits, spinner baits, crank baits, and the rattle traps. Pair this pole with a high-gear-ratio reel spooled up with 14-17 lb fluorocarbon and you have yourself a great bass combo..

Set-up: 

• St. Croix Mojo Bass Glass 7’2’’, 1/2 – 1 3/8 oz 
• Abu Garcia Ike Revo 8.1:0 Reel
• 17 lb Suffix Advance 
  
• ½-3/4 oz Strike King Redeye Lipless Crankbait 

Mid-February to mid-March
  A time of year where it’s mostly cold but a few warm days here and there. For small lakes and ponds, it doesn’t take long for the water to jump up a couple of degrees triggering some fish’s metabolisms and to head up shallow. As soon as the ice melts or a few 40°-50° days can bring a successful day on the water.
Preferably small bodies of water would be more active during these times. Shallow flats close to the deeper water where the fish congregate during the harsh winter months will move up to where there's an increase in temperature.

 Places to look for on your pond or small lake:
• Creeks where warm water flows into the body of water.
• Banks where the sun hits the most, casting parallel to the shoreline.
• Rocky shorelines will hold heat for longer periods.
• Section of the lake where the wind blows into especially in rough type conditions, lack of vegetation in the spring can cause fish to go with the flow of the lake looking for bait.

  Also, fan casting (casting left to right 2-4 feet apart) deep to shallow, parallel to the bank to cover water columns more efficiently to locate fish or structure to then throw a different bait for a different pattern if they don’t give any attention the first few casts. I like to cover all bases when it comes to thoroughly fish small bodies of water. In bigger bodies of water, I’ll move around more and fish more obvious spots that would have warmer temperatures or areas that fish would concentrate during the late winter months. Which would be the deep sections or heavy structure areas.

Lure selections are quite basic,
• Spinnerbaits/chatterbaits, lures perfect for covering water and testing what retrieves the fish are into, if you cover a decent amount of water with no bites then you know the fish aren’t aggressive enough.
• Squarebill/lippless crankbaits, for covering water
• Light-weighted-swimbaits, something to slow roll in or around structure and vegetation.
• Drop shot, fish very slow in slightly deeper water looking for those fish that are hesitating to move up shallow.

• Jerk baits, rip rip stop repeat. A lure with sporadic action and a pause can trigger a strike from a lethargic bass
  • My personal favorite is the Zoom Super Fluke. Unweighted letting it sink to the bottom working it slowly off the bottom then let it sink again and repeat.

It was one of my first days off in a while, and I hadn’t been out scouting the beach in weeks, and yet as I walked up the surf’s edge in the gray light of that early October morning 10 or so years ago I could hear fish feeding and bait boiling.  I tied on a rubber tsunami shad and hooked a beautiful schoolie bass on my very first cast.  Cast after cast I connected with either a mid-20” sized bass or a cocktail blue with a slightly larger specimen thrown in occasionally.  As gray light slowly turned to day the blitz intensified a bit but bluefish started to come on stronger.  Unfortunately for me, with daylight came other anglers that could see the birds working and fish chewing.  Even as it became more and more crowded, most anglers worked together and seemed to have some idea what they were doing.  Fish were being pulled in all around and everyone was laughing and smiling. 

It was about this time that yet another bluefish bit off the tail of the last swim shad in my bag.  I paused for a minute to look and see what else was in my bag that might happen to resemble a small bunker.  Suddenly something caught my eye out beyond the main body of blitzing fish.  It wasn’t the same splash we had been seeing all morning, it was a swirl, and a big one at that.  I dug a large wooden swimmer with a green back and a white belly out of my plug bag and started launching way beyond the blitz while retrieving very slowly, just enough to make the bait V-wake.  For the next 45 minutes I threw that bait cast after cast without so much as a bump while fish were still being landed all around. 

I had multiple anglers offer me smaller plugs or rubber shads, but I had caught more than my share of small fish that morning.  Now I was determined.  The sun was well up into the sky and the main body of both predators and bait had just about broken up when it happened.  About 50’ from the beach my plug just disappeared in that tell tail swirl and I was on.  It was a classic big striper fight.  A good long first run, a few big headshakes, a few minor runs and I slipped her up on the beach.  I quickly removed the hook and popped her on my 30lb Boga which she nicely bottomed out and after a few minutes revival in the wash, she was off on her way. 

It Is All About the Bait:  The fall bite and the technique you will be using day to day and even minute to minute will change based mainly on what bait is present in the wash at that time.  One of the things that can cause such good fishing off the beach is the abundance of bait that travels through the surf zone.  At various times I have seen finger and cob mullet, peanut and adult bunker, sand eels, spearing, rainfish, baby weakfish, hickory shad, herring, snapper bluefish, various crabs, and more on the same beach at various times throughout the fall run.  Knowing what type of bait is in front of you will give you a huge advantage when it comes to knowing what type and color of lure or plug you should be using.

Rods and Reels:  Ask ten different surfcasters their favorite plugging set up and you will get 10 different answers.  So, I am not saying what I recommend is the best, or even that it is what you should be using, but it certainly works for me.  My primary plugging stick and the one that I use easily 80% of the time in the fall, and almost exclusively at night is an Airwave Elite 9’6” rated ¾oz to 3oz I pair it with a Shimano Saragossa 6000SW spooled with 30lb Power Pro Slick 8.  With this light set up I can cast for hours without fatigue, handles striper and bluefish of all sizes with no problem, and most importantly throws the ¾ to 1 1/2oz lure I primarily use in the fall very well.

The second combo that generally stays in my car for the fall is the same one I use in the spring for pencil popping; a Tsunami Airwave Elite 11’ Medium paired with a Tsunami Shield 6000 spooled with 40lb Power Pro Maxcuatro.  This set up only comes out when larger bait is present, and I need to throw larger and heavier plugs or poppers, or if the surf is running particularly rough and I am using larger metal baits with a teaser ahead.  One morning this set up proved its worth as bass were working a pod of sand eels on the bottom on the very outer edge of a bar almost 100 yards offshore.  There was a heavy North to South sweep going on and lighter offerings just weren’t getting deep enough to be noticed.  Using a 4oz diamond jig with a small teaser I managed over a dozen 28” to 36” bass on an otherwise fishless morning.

Lures and Terminal Tackle:  My terminal tackle in the fall is generally simple.  I fish a 15’ or so mono shock leader on the end of my braid of 30lb or 40lb Ande pink mono.  I then tie a small 130lb Spro barrel swivel with three to four feet of 40lb Seaguar Blue Label Fluorocarbon ending with Tactical Angler clip of either 75lb or 125lbs.  At night or during the day when I suspect that small bait might be present in the area I will tie a dropper loop in my leader about 28” ahead of my primary offering and slip a small bucktail teaser onto it.  Depending on the fall anywhere from 25% up to 60% of the fish I catch will be on the teaser rather than the primary lure.  There are several types, sizes, and color teasers out there, but for starters it is hard to beat an olive over white bucktail with a bit of Mylar tied in for flash.  I often see anglers out fishing who have their teasers rigged only 12” to 18” ahead of their plug, and while this rig is certainly easier to cast then a long rig, I have personally found that the more distance between the teaser and the plug the more productive you will be.

If I am walking up to the beach in the pitch darkness as is often the case in the fall and I am not sure what is going on, 95% of the time I am going to tie on a Daiwa SP minnow 15F in either a blurple or chicken scratch color with a teaser a few feet ahead of it.  This set up isn’t necessarily the best at imitating anything, but it is MY confidence bait and that is a very powerful tool all on its own.  Fall fish are very opportunistic and looking to feed for the long winter and migration ahead.  If you can put a well presented offering in front of them, particularly at night you have a very good chance at getting bit.  Another bait I would not be caught without in the fall is a white bucktail jig with either a curly tail or otter tail trailer.  This bait is great at any time but especially in the late fall.  When the schoolies stack up, they will often crush a slowly retrieved and barely jigging bucktail.  Plus, if you are dealing with all small fish, having only one single hook to deal with is safer for both you and the fish.

When you can identify what bait is present, it is time to get selective.  I find peanut bunker best imitated with either a paddle tail shad such as a Tsunami Pro Swim Shad Holographic Swim Bait or a small metal lipped swimmer.  A chicken scratch colored bomber 16A tends to be a great bait early in the fall when finger mullet makes an appearance.  If you are lucky enough to find sand eels stacked up on a beach or outer bar, thin profile metal baits like diamond jigs as well as small rubber eels like the Tsunami Sand Eels are real killers.  One of the harder time to catch fish in the fall is if the primary bait is spearing or rainfish, small bait with a very small profile.  In this situation an experience fly caster has a distinct advantage but if you are like most of surf casters that prefer spinning or casting tackle, a small bucktail teaser tied several feet ahead of your plug or metal will often provide fast action.  When larger bait such as adult bunker or herring present themselves in the surf, my personal favorites are larger metal lip swimmers in the 6” + size range.  Many great builders out there produce some truly beautiful hand-crafted plugs that mimic larger baitfish and produce very well, but for the average angler on a budget, the Tsunami TS Forty Metal Lip Swimmer has great action at a reasonable price.

Whatever lure or lure combination you choose, be sure to vary your retrieve as you fish until you find out what speed the fish want to respond to.  This is particularly true of swimming plugs at night.  When I first started surf fishing many years ago, I was given this advice.  Slow down until you think you are working your plug too slowly, and then slow down again by half.  I find that the slower I can crawl a plug while keeping contact with it, the more successful I am.

Time and Tide:  If I have been surf fishing I get the same two questions repeatedly.  The first is; What is the best tide to go fishing?  While certainly certain specific spots do fish better on a rising or falling tide, I honestly don’t really have a preference in the fall except that I want moving water.  Meaning, I generally have not done as well directly on high or low tide.  If you are fishing a location with a sandbar offshore of the beach as in the case in much of central New Jersey, many people feel that better fishing occurs on the upper half of the high tide.  Some feel that fish are more likely to come over the bar and into the trough when the tide is up.  This certainly can be true, but I have also caught plenty of decent fish in the trough at low tide.  The second question that is constantly asked is what is: what is the best time of day to go fishing?  Ten years ago, I would have answered without hesitation that in the fall nighttime (meaning full darkness) is the best time for catching stripers.  The past few years, however, I have found more willing fish are caught in the daylight.  I am sure that the larger peanut bunker runs are partly the reason for this as I find the bunker are more apt to push further offshore under the cover of darkness.  While I still prefer nighttime striper fishing since it has fewer anglers and more peaceful atmosphere, I would say anytime you can get to a beach on moving water is the right time to fish.  One factor that many new anglers often overlook is wind direction.  I personally pay more attention to wind direction then most other factors when surf fishing.  New Jersey ocean front beaches tend to be most productive on a West or Northwest wind, or the first day of a North-East blow.

Final Thoughts:  Every year is different.  Some falls are great while others are more of a grind.  Some years the best action is in October but during others we have great fishing around Christmas.  So far this fall we have had way too much South and Southeast wind for my liking, and it has certainly put a damper on my fall run.  I have absolutely no doubt, however, that those of us that put in our time will eventually be rewarded with some great cold nights of spunky stripers on the beach.  The last few years my best catches have come in areas where there have been no reports of quantity of fish being caught and during times when many of the internet “sharpies” have been complaining of no fish.  Just remember you can’t catch anything from your bed, and the winter is long and cold.  Fish when you can, and eventually you will find a big school of fall stripers to call your own.

Freshwater Trolling By Braden Niper

I can remember the day like it was yesterday; I was sixteen years old my first fishing trip to Canada with “the guys.” I had spent the previous 10 years watching my dad leave for a week each spring and them come home with tales and pictures of massive pike and walleyes beyond count. We had spent thirty-two hours driving and then an hour plus in a float plane, but we were finally there, a single cabin on a twenty-six-mile-long lake on the Ontario / Manitoba border. As we unloaded from the plane on that sunny 65-degree afternoon, the group that had been in camp the previous week was singing sweet music to our ears, the pike were up shallow and feeding with vengeance, and every point seemed to be piled high with walleyes eager to eat any jig you put in front of them.
Two hours later after we had unloaded all our gear and headed down to the lake for our first evening of fishing the breeze had picked up and it was already noticeably cooler. By dark that first night it was down to 40 degrees, raining, and the wind was blowing 30+ out of the north. Not one fish had been landed among six experienced anglers in four hours of fishing.

The next day was more of the same, the rain was gone, but the fish still were not in the feeding mood, a few small hammer hand pike were caught casting to wood structure near deep water, and a few small walleyes had been jigged deep, but it certainly was not the fishing you travel half way across the continent for. After ten fishless hours on the water my father and I were about to call it a night and start the 2-mile boat ride back to the cabin. On a whim, my dad suggested we try slow trolling back out the bay we had been fishing as we had to go relatively slowly due to some unmarked boulders we had to avoid anyway. We both cast the crankbaits we had been fishing 60 or so feet behind the boat, dropped the rods into the holder and started the slow dejected ride back. I don’t think the boat had gone a hundred yards before both rods doubled over and we were hooked up to a double of 22″ walleyes. By the time, we had made it back to the cabin, we had caught 18 walleyes and 4 pike between us, one of which was over the 3-foot mark. Eventually the weather did straighten out that week and by the last day fishing was back to how it was supposed to be, but for those first few days, if you wanted to be catching, you had better have been trolling.

Why to troll: Trolling can be effective in a variety of conditions but sometimes it is the only way to put fish in the boat. Cold front conditions often move fish off of shallow feeding structure, but they can often times be found suspended in open water not far away. Trolling can be a wonderful way to target these fish that are not actively feeding as it allows you to present a bait at depths not achievable when simply casting and retrieving. A trolled bait is also working all the time, as opposed to the time it takes to cast a bait, reel it down to depth, and then have it ascend at the end of your cast, up to 50 % of the time your bait is out of the fish’s zone.

Trolling is also a great away to learn a new body of water or to cover water to find schools of fish. Many small boat anglers out there do not have high end electronics but trolling is a fast way to cover water and locate fish. I spent many trips over the years portaging canoes into back country lakes and ponds, and once on the water trolling diving crank baits was what normally put the first fish in the boat. In fact, any time you are underway in a paddle driven vessel or using an electric trolling motor it is a waste to not have a lure dragging behind the boat maximizing your fishing time and effort.

Trolling can be a great way to get kids or inexperienced anglers hooked up to larger gamefish. The technique does not require precise casting skills or the ability to work a plug or lure effectively.

Lastly, trolling is also a great way to target fish that are actively feeding on baitfish that school suspended in open water.

What You Can Catch:I cannot think of a species of fresh water fish I have not seen caught trolling, including one memorable occasion when a 22 pound carp ate a deep diving plug meant to tempt Delaware River walleyes. More often than not, however anglers troll to target, walleyes, striped bass, trout, salmon, pike, and musky. Great lakes salmon and trout are almost always caught on the troll as they roam the vast expanse of open water chasing alewives, whereas species like walleye and musky it tends to be more situationally based on time of year as well as weather pattern.

Where To Begin: Floating plugs and crankbaits are the easiest way to begin trolling and are one of the most effective baits to pull. Most lipped plugs have a good swimming action on a steady troll. Floating baits are preferred as they will float up to the surface as opposed to sinking to the bottom and getting snagged if the boat is taken out of gear to fight a fish hooked on another line, or any other reason. Pick a water depth that you think holding in, set a few baits out behind the boat, and then attempt to hit as many different varied structures and cover types as possible.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give is to not be a drone when trolling. All too often I will hear that guys went out trolling for hours and didn’t catch anything. When asked what they were fishing, they will invariably reply something like “I trolled two perch Rapalas all over this lake for hours and didn’t even have a bite.” I just shake my head, if they didn’t get a bite in the first hour on a bait, why continue to pull it all day? Even if I am trolling only two baits I never start out with identical plugs. I almost always start with different colors and diving depths, and will continue to change baits every 15 to 30 minutes until I find something the fish want to eat. There are days when tremendously small variations can sometimes make big differences. I can recall days when the only thing rainbow and browns would hit were small crystal minnows in the hot tiger pattern, troll the same size, color, and depth rapala and you would think you where fishing in a desert. Bottom line, keep trying new things, depth, color, size, manufacturer until you find something the fish will eat.

Trolling Tackle: If you want to give trolling a try you probably don’t need to go out and spend a ton on new tackle. Many of the same traditional spinning and baitcasting rods you already own will work for just giving it a try. If you decide you want to get more serious about it, there are many products on the market specifically made for trolling that will make your life much easier such as reels with line counters built in, rod holders designed to hold your rods parallel to the water and give more spread to your lines, as well as many specially rods with actions appropriate for different trolling techniques. Being that I am normally trolling to find active fish that I will then target with other methods, I usually just end up trolling with my jigging or casting rods I have on board that day. Being that this is an intro into trolling I am not going to talk about specialized techniques such as planar boarding, down rigging, or lead core trolling as they can be entire articles or books in themselves.

Final Thoughts:As I have heard many times in my life, you can’t catch a fish if your line isn’t in the water. Trolling, whether to catch or find fish, or simply a way to keep you fishing when travelling from one spot to the next keeps your chances of hooking up alive. The next time a cold front comes through and shuts your bite down, it might not be time to head for the ramp, just drop out into a little deeper water, throw out your favorite crankbait, and see if you can’t troll up a memory.

My first tuna experience happened 20 years ago this October, I was fishing with my father on the 100′ party boat Doris Mae out of Barnegat Light, New Jersey. I was 14 years old and I had absolutely no idea what kind of experience I was in for.The trip was 22 hours long with most of the fishing occurring between 12:00 am and 1:00 pm. The ride to the fishing grounds was 5 to 6 hours and ideally you slept on the way out so you would have the energy to fight large aggressive fish for 13 hours straight.Unfortunately, my 14-year-old mind was so excited I did not sleep well the night before and I didn’t sleep a wink on the ride out to the grounds, which is why at 4:00 am I was half asleep at the rail casually holding my rented 6/0 Penn Senator combo.All that changed when a 100-lb class yellowfin swam by, inhaled my butterfish, and began swimming upward. Most nighttime tuna chunking off New Jersey is done with weighted lines and it took my sleep deprived brain a few seconds to realize that something important might going on when my line suddenly went slack. Snapping back to reality I began to crank like a madman, eventually coming tight on my first tuna which proceeded to drag me all over that boat for the next 30 or so minutes.I never felt power like that from a fish before and I was making many classic rookie mistakes.I would love to tell you that eventually I got the upper hand and I landed my first tuna ever on that trip, but it would be a lie.I made one final mistake when I had the fish less than 10 feet from the gaffs.It tried to make one final run and I very gently thumbed the spool as I didn’t think my arms could take another run.Pop went the leader and away swam the biggest yellowfin that I have ever hooked.It was the only bite I had that whole trip, but it was enough to start a new chapter of my fishing obsession.Since that day I have made hundreds of tuna trips, landing plenty of tuna, but will have visions of that first fish on its side in those bright lights forever.

The Trip:In the Northeast (Massachusetts to New Jersey), the party boat tuna season runs from late August through November.20years ago, there were quite a few boats running trips off New Jersey that almost all held to a standard schedule of leaving between 3 – 6:00 pm and returning around 22 hours later.This is still the most popular time and length of trip as it allows fishing for the second half of the night bite, the sunrise bite, and a few hours of daylight fishing before needing to return to port.  In recent times however, several boats have started to add longer and more varied options.Trips of 30, 36, 48, and even 60 hours in length are now available giving anglers more fishing time along with opportunities to add other species such as mahi, tilefish, or cod to the hunt.My personal favorite trips are 30 hours long leaving in the early morning, with the boat arriving in the canyons in the early afternoon.This allows for a few hours of mahi fishing (if there are any around) before getting on drift or anchor at sunset, giving the angler a shot to fish the sunset bite, night bite, and sunrise bite all in the one trip.All tuna trips that I know of are booked by reservation weeks or months ahead of time, so it is best to make reservations in advance!

The Technique:Anglers typically spend most of their time bait fishing on party boat tuna trips. Most boats supply frozen butterfish and sardines as bait.A whole butterfish or sardine is hooked in a manner that allows the hook to be completely hidden inside the bait.The bait is then fed out into the chunk line (mates will be continuously throwing over small chunks of butterfish as chum).When possible, I prefer fishing with no weight at all and allowing the bait to sink naturally as it can, floating right with the chunks.However, due to the fish being deeper than it is practical to freeline a chunk or the roughness of the sea, an egg sinker from 1/4 – 10 ounces can be used about 6 feet in front of the bait to get it to depth.

The other way a tuna is hooked on a party boat is by vertical jigging. Tuna jigging takes a lot of work, and many would-be jiggers give up after only a few minutes, but all that hard work can pay off with big rewards. Jigging can be especially effective if there are albacore (longfin tuna) around and or if more than one angler is jigging at the same time. I don’t know why, but I have seen many more tuna hooked when there are multiple people jigging. It may appear like a school of bait to the tuna, or just a competition thing, but it is something I have seen time and time again. Fishermen can simply lower their jig to the desired depth and sweep the rod tip up and down, but I prefer to jig on the swing. I underhand lob the jig out 50 to 70 feet from the boat and let it sink to slightly above the depth I expect tuna to be cruising. I sweep the rod up and down until jig is directly under me, then I rapidly retrieve the jig and cast again. I find I get most of my hits on the fall, but don’t be surprised if a fish rips the jig as you are retrieving it to cast again.

The Tackle:Any quality conventional reel, capable of holding 300 yards or more of 80-lb mono that has a smooth, reliable drag can work for chunking. Most of my tuna have been landed fishing USA made 6/0 “High Speed” (red plate) Penn Senators that are almost as old as I am, but a 30 or 50 wide 2 speed lever drag is much nicer and convenient to use if you have access to them.For chunking, I am a big believer in 80-lb mono. Though I know people that fish 50 or 60-lb successfully, 80-lb allows for better abrasion resistance and is more forgiving when tangles occur, as they are bound to happen, especially for a beginner.A chunking rod should be from 5’6″ to 7′ long and rated at least 30-80 but not exceed 50-100lb. I also prefer rods with a large foregrip that can be placed on the rail when fighting these fish.

Bait rigs for tuna should be simple, strong, and made from top quality materials.A standard chunking rig consists of a forged live bait style or circle hook from 4/0 to 8/0 (depending on bait size, with a 7/0 being a good starting point) connected to a 6-foot-long section of 40 – 80lb fluorocarbon leader and finished off with a quality barrel or ball bearing swivel.Some people will say fluorocarbon is unnecessary, but I have seen several times where those fishing fluorocarbon were getting bites and those fishing mono leaders were standing around watching. If weight is needed it can be added as an egg sinker slipped onto the running line before tying on the swivel, keeping the sinker at least 6 feet away from keen eyed tuna.

Jigging can be done with the same tackle; however most chunking tackle is heavy and tends to wear out the angler trying to jig for hours at a time. I prefer a 7′ rod to allow for longer sweeps of the jig and a reel with a slightly higher ratio. I have jigged plenty of tuna on a red 4/0 Senator spooled with 50-lb Ande pink, but these days I prefer a Shimano Torium 30 and a Calstar glass rod loaded with 65lb metered braid. This setup allows me to know exactly how deep my jig is working. I keep my jig selection simple with a handful of 6 – 10oz hammered diamond jigs in silver and gold (I am partial to Run Off Jigs) as well as a few Shimano Butterfly jigs or Tsunami X-Wave Jigs in pink or sardine/blue color from 5 to 8 ounces.

The Bite and Fight:Most of the time when a tuna eats your bait, there is no mistake. They grab the bait and start swimming away very quickly and your reel, which should be in free spool, will begin to race. Occasionally, as I experienced for my first bite, the tuna will eat the bait while swimming up and your line will simply go slack. When you get a bite, allow the fish a S-L-O-W 3 count and then lock the reel and crank. Notice I did not say set the hook, a 50lb tuna swimming away and you cranking the other way will bury the hook in the fish’s mouth and make if far more likely to hook the fish then swinging with the rod.

Some anglers bring along fighting belts and harness systems to help them fight the fish. I personally find that most of the time I am better off using the high rail of the boat as a fulcrum point and using the rod as a lever. It takes a little getting used to, but once the technique is understood, fighting fish on the rail is much easier. The main advantage is not having to unclip or remove the rod from the belt before adjusting their position in response to other anglers, the fish making a run for the horizon, or diving under the boat.

A Few Random Tips:Most tuna caught each year are landed on frozen bait, but often live bait will be much more effective although it is less available. Most trips I try to leave the dock with my own personal supply of live goodies already tucked into my live well. Spot, snapper blues, croakers, even live eels can be caught or bought ahead of time and are relished by tuna. On one trip some years ago, the night bite had been slow with 24 anglers landing only 5 tuna all night, most of them being small longfin. Once the sun rose the captain started reading more and more fish under the boat, but they were on the bigger side (true 60-90lb yellowfin) and they were leader shy. People fishing dead bait had to drop down to 30 or 40lb leaders to get bit and as a result where landing very few fish. I still had 7 live bluefish (the only live bait on the boat) in my bucket from 6-7″ long and those big tuna were suckers for them. Being that the bait was alive we could get bit still using 80lb fluorocarbon, allowing my father and I to land 5 beautiful tuna on those 7 baits while the other 22 anglers could only land 3 fish the rest of the trip due to their lighter leaders.

Didn’t manage to get live bait beforehand? No Worries! Live squid are one of the absolute best live tuna baits and can often be jigged at night under the boats lights once the tuna fishing has commenced. One small squid jig tied onto a light spinning rod can often gather all the bait an angler needs in a few minutes. Once you see live squid swimming around in the boats lights it is time to get out your bait rod and go to work. I prefer Yo-Zuri squid jigs and I bring my own bucket or live well to keep them in. Many boats will have a communal live well where bait can be placed, but I have learned through experience, that you can spend hours catching live bait only to have other anglers grabbing your hard-earned baits once the tuna bite starts. I will gladly help fill up the boats live well if the bite hasn’t started yet, but only after my private bait supply is secure.

Be prepared for extras. At some point during most (but certainly not all) tuna trips I have done, mahi, appear around the boat. The angler that gets a bait attached to a light leader in front of these fish first has the best chance of landing them. I always have a 20lb class spinning rod and reel with a 2/0 live bait hook close at hand and chunk of sardine or fresh peanut bunker ready to pin on and cast at the first flash of green and yellow I see in the boat’s light. I have managed to land at least 1 mahi at night on over 50% of my tuna trips, and often I am the only one on the boat to do so. Be ready, be quick, and enjoy the bonus fish tacos the canyons tend to provide!

Final Thoughts:Party boat tuna angling in the Northeast is a fun and exciting while being a budget friendly way to experience the joys and wonders of blue-water tuna fishing. Each year is different with some being great fishing and others being more of a grind, but to me the sight of the sun rising over the Hudson Canyon or the trill of hearing the first cry of fish on is more than worth the price of the trip. Do a little research, pick a trip that works for you, and give offshore party boat tuna a try, you just might get hooked!

For anyone interested in a complete list of the gear I bring on my trips, simply send me an email to braden@fishermenssource.com and I will provide a list of my Tuna trip essentials.

One of the many great joys in life that anglers can choose to enjoy that most other members of our society never get to experience is the ability to sit down to a meal of truly fresh fish. The majority of “fresh” fish that is sold in fish markets or grocery stores is at least 2 or 3 days old, with much of it having been on ice considerably longer. The best meal I ever ate was a trio of Mahi tacos grilled up 98 miles offshore with fish that had been swimming less than an hour before. I believe it to be an anglers duty to make the most of any fish they decide to harvest. It still shocks and saddens me to routinely see anglers neglect and waste much of the fish they keep.

Keeping Fish Fresh: I personally believe heat ruins more fish and fish dinners than any other factor. I routinely see summertime anglers keeping fish in a half a bucket of water or dry burlap bags for hours and hours at a time. Fish that are allowed to perish and get warm or hot before being cleaned are destined to taste bad or be downright dangerous due to spoilage.

Make sure you have a plan before you begin fishing as to what you will do with your fish after you catch it. When possible keep your catch alive as long as possible either in a live well or on a stringer that will allow them to swim and breathe. Fish kept in this manor fish stay in great condition until you are ready to bleed and clean them. In many situations, however either due to location or size of the fish it will not be possible to keep them alive. Under such circumstances cooler and ice are your tools for keeping fish fresh. As soon as a fish is caught, bleed it and then submerge the fish in an ice and water mixture; mixing a small amount of water with the ice will allow for much more surface contact then just throwing the fish on ice alone and will therefore cool it down faster. Many anglers make the mistake of not bringing a cooler large enough or enough ice to handle the fish they plan to keep. If you are fishing for 30lb fish and your plan consists of a Styrofoam cooler and a 8 lb bag of ice from Walmart, you are going to have a problem.

Bleeding Your Catch: Bleeding the fish that are to be kept is slowly becoming more and more popular across the country for everything from blue catfish to bluefin tuna. Some anglers maintain that on a number of fish species bleeding does nothing to improve the flavor, but I am a big believer in bleeding all fish. The flesh of fish that have been properly bled will have a much lighter appearance than fish that have not been bled leading to a more pleasant appearance in the pan or on your plate. Bleeding darker meat species such as tuna, king mackerel, yellowtail, or bluefish will have a dramatic effect on the taste of the fish as bleeding will also help remove the “oiliness” of the meat.

The quickest and cleanest way to bleed most fish species is to cut through the throat latch at the bottom of the gills with a sharp knife or kitchen shears, and then allow the fish to bleed out back in water. I personally place fish headfirst in a bucket or barrel of water for 10 or so minutes before transferring them to my cooler, doing so will keep the boat and my cooler much cleaner. If I am fishing from the bank in a spot where I don’t have access to ice, I will simply keep my fish on a stringer until a few minutes before I am ready to leave and then bleed them out on the stringer in before leaving the lake.

Cleaning / Filleting Your Catch: There are more ways to clean a fish then there are to skin the proverbial cat. Most fish are either gutted and gilled or have the head removed and eaten whole (very popular with trout, smaller catfish, panfish, ect) or filleted. Neither process is difficult to learn, but take time and practice to master. There are so many articles and videos out there I am not going to try to explain the exact fish cleaning process in this article, but look for our how to fish cleaning videos in the not too distant future. The best advice I can give on fish cleaning is to NOT speed through your fish. Take your time, and let the fishes bone structure guide your knife.

The other piece of advice I have is to use tools designed for the job. Trying to fillet fish with a heavy, thick, or dull blade just doesn’t work, just like using a razor-sharp fillet knife to saw through the backbone of a fish is a sure way to not have a sharp fillet knife for long. My preferred knife for 90% of the filleting I do is the Dexter Russel 7″ with sani-safe handle. I have used this knife to fillet thousands of perch and scup but it has also handled its fair share of 20 lb+ striped bass and cod. The only time my other fillet knife (the Dexter Russel 9″) comes out to play is when I am cutting flat fish such as fluke or flounder where a longer blade allows me to remove more meat with fewer swipes of the knife. Keeping a sharp edge on a fillet knife is critical, and I am big proponent of drag across knife sharpers such as the Dexter Edge-1. A few quick passes of the sharpener before the knife is completely dull and you are right back to a razors edge.

Many people wouldn’t think of a Kitchen Style Shear as a fishing necessity, but after years on the water I now consider the Dexter SofGrip Shear a vital piece of my fishing equipment. A sharp pair of shears is great for trimming the fins or gills off a fish that is to be eaten whole, and lastly, they provide the fastest and safest way to bleed any fish that is to be kept for the table.

Freezing your Catch: Whenever possible I do my absolute best to enjoy my fish fresh, that being said sometimes individual fish are large enough to provide many meals or I landed on a great bite of tasty little bottom dwellers, that is when it is time to start thinking about freezing part of the catch. In general, if at all possible, try to vacuum seal any fish that you are planning on freezing for more than a few weeks. Fish really does hold up much better and avoid freezer burn if you can vacuum seal them. If you do not have access to a vacuum sealer, your best bet will be to complete submerge the fish in either fresh water if it is fresh water fish, or clean salt water if it is a saltwater fish.

Like most anglers, I release the vast majority of the fish I catch each year, but that certainly doesn’t stop my family from enjoying a meal of truly fresh fish when we get the chance. Just make sure to take care of those fish from the minute they come out of the water, to the minute you enjoy that first bite.

The Sebile stick shadd has been a sleeper plug in many tackle bags for years. When you talk to guys about this lure some are skeptical about its action; however, the guys who fish it with confidence know the true potential of this bait. From the inception of the stick shadd several years ago, I was one of those anglers weary of its abilities. I would make a few casts with it before swiftly place it back into my bag to grab a lure that had history of being successful. Over the past few years the word has spread between the surf and boat fisherman of success stories when nothing else was producing a catch. This spring I made a point to become very familiar with this particular bait. On several outings it was the only plug that was thrown, for this is the best way to gain confidence in the unknown. Now, the Sebile stick shadd has truly earned its place among my most productive baits in both freshwater and saltwater applications. From pre-spawn river smallmouth to back bay blues and ocean running striped bass this lure has proven itself to be a fish-catching machine. Its versatility is unmatched by any lure I have ever thrown. What I have found is that with a reel and slight pauses you can achieve a ‘walk the dog’ style bait just under the surface. If you add in sharp rod twitches this bait has a very erratic side to side motion that triggers violent strikes. One such strike on a sharp jerk and pause motion was so powerful it knocked the lure completely off of a backlash lure clip. It was one of the most impressive strikes I had ever seen out of a striped bass.

When targeting striped bass in deeper waters the stick shadd can be worked at various depths. While working a 40ft contour line we began to mark life suspending 15- 20ft down. With the sinking stick shadd tied on we were able to count down to the desired depth and work it back up through the water column. It’s hard to ignore the results when the first fish boated pinned the scale at 42lbs. The versatility of this lure is what is so impressive. We followed this particular school of fish up onto a flat as they pushed the baitfish onto the shallow bars. With the same bait we were able to fish it in the ‘walk the dog’ manor just under the surface drawing explosive reaction strikes. On this particular day, a sharp reel and pause was the key. As the lure paused to change direction, the fish would react and doggy bone the stick shadd across their mouth.

The Sebile stick shadd has earned its place on the boat, in the surf bag and also in the freshwater scene. This plug has impressed me more than any new bait to hit the market in recent years. I believe it would be hard pressed to find a predator that would not be willing to eat this plug. Like any artificial lure on the market, confidence is the key. Tie one on and experiment, throw it shallow, count it down in deep water, burn it for bluefish, walk the dog for striped bass, pause it on a smallmouth bed; you will not be let down. Just hold on tight – the bites will jar the rod out of your hand!

What is it: Jigging for blackfish is not really a new technique, but it has been gaining widespread popularity over the last few years. Different from traditional jigging, you are simply letting the baited jig sit motionless on the bottom until a fish comes along and bite. Most of the time you are imparting no action on the jig whatsoever. The advantage of using a jig instead of a standard hi-lo or bottom rig is twofold. First off you have far less hardware in the water to snag or alert a wary blackfish that something is amiss which leads to a more natural presentation and more bites. Secondly, using light jigs on light tackle is a blast!Many people think of blackfish as nothing more than a tasty bottom fish (which they certainly are), but try landing even a smaller one on a light spinning rod and you might start re-thinking your opinion on blackfishing! Over the last five years, more and more anglers in the northeast are starting to think of tog as more of a sport fish than just another meat fish due to these innovative and fun techniques.

When and Where to do it: Jigs will work wherever blackfish live and feed. Jigs generally work best in shallow water or at times when there is not a lot of current running.Sod banks, mussel beds, inlet jetties, bridge and pier pilings, as well as shallow wrecks and rock piles are all productive places to jig for blackfish.In the northeast, shallow water blackfish jigging is very productive April through October so it provides a go to fishery before and after Fluke season and in between Striper runs! Blackfish can be jigged in deeper water as well, generally practiced in the late fall to early winter when they begin to move offshore. Just make sure to beef up the tackle a bit to handle your heavier weight jigs.

The Bite: Learning to consistently hook blackfish when fishing with a jig is a little different then hooking them with traditional tackle. If you are fishing a light enough jig over rough bottom you need to be very careful as you are lowering the bait. Many times your crab will get bit as it slowly sinks down to the bottom. It may seem a bit strange, but if your jig starts swimming away from or towards you at any point in time, set the hook! Most times your jig will sink to the bottom though, and you want to try to hold it as still as possible for several minutes when it gets there. A bite might feel like a series of small taps followed by a pause, and then if you are lucky, a solid crunch or thump. Try not to set the hook on the little pecks and nips and wait until you feel the jig lift up off the bottom, or feel a solid bite before swinging. If your jig has been in place for several minutes without a touch, gently lift it off the bottom to move it over a few feet, and allow it to settle back down. You want to fish with the lightest jig that you can get to hold bottom.

Baits for Blackfish Jigging: Blackfish jigs are always fished with some type of natural or synthetic bait attached.The standard blackfish baits such as pieces of green crab, white-legger crab, or clam are the most popular offerings on jigs and reliably catch fish each year. Since blackfish jigging is normally taking place in shallow water, some of the more natural near shore baits should be considered as well.Asian shore crabs, fiddler crabs, calico crabs, mole crabs (sand fleas), gulp crabs, and pieces of legal sized blue claw crabs can all work wonders on the jig.

Tackle: Many traditional blackfish anglers will shake their heads the first time they see typical jigging gear. Gone are the heavy conventional rods and reels filled with 40lb to 65lb lines and instead light spinning setups or low profile baitcasters have taken their place. A lightweight spinning setup is very underutilized for this fishery and is very effective while providing a more enjoyable fight than conventional setups. The rod needs to be sensitive enough to handle the light weight jigs, yet strong enough to turn and raise a big tog heading for cover. Most anglers start out jigging blackfish with a rod and reel setup they already own for fluking or throwing small soft plastics to school stripers. While these set ups do work well, further experience shows that rods with a softer tip and a slower taper are better suited for this type of fishing.

Slow pitch jigging rods have been popularized in Japan for lightweight jigging due to their action and taper. The Tsunami Slimwave rods are a recently released model holding up to this new standard.They bend for almost the whole length of the rod which helps prevent pulled hooks when those big blackfish start shaking their head a few feet from the boat.The 7′ 0″ Medium Heavy action rod is ideal for jigs in the 1/2oz to 2oz range with other sizes available based on personal preference.

To complete your ideal lightweight setup, it is important to match up the proper reel. Reels for jigging blackfish need to have an extremely smooth drag and lay braided line correctly. Many large blackfish are never landed due to a sticky drag or buried braid. Some anglers go all the way down to 1000 size spinning reels with the lightest jigs, while those fishing deep water wrecks and rock piles will frequently go up to a 4000 or 5000 size to match heavier weights.Most anglers will find a reel in the 2500 to 4000 size a great place to start. The PENN Slammer 2500 will balance well with Tsunami Slimwave  of your choice and offers an incredibly smooth retrieve in a strong lightweight design.

Since this is a lightweight setup after all, braided line is a must!The small diameter and decreased water resistance of braided line is essential for fishing lightweight jigs and keeping them as still as possible.Braided line from 10lb up to 40lb can be used, but most jigging anglers find themselves using 15lb or 20lb braid. The Power Pro Maxcuatro offers an even further line diameter reduction making it the thinnest strongest braid available on the market!

Terminal tackle for jigging blackfish is very simple.A small strong barrel ball bearing connects your braid with about 3 feet Seaguar Fluorocarbon leader (20lb – 40lb test) and a jig tied on the end of the leader.Several different companies are now producing jig heads that work extremely well for blackfish with  S&S and Magic Tail being two of the absolute best. Once your jig is attached all that’s missing is your bait of choice!

Other Applications: If you reside in an area where sheepshead are prevalent almost everything in this article will apply just replace the word blackfish with sheepshead and you will be good to go. Also, do not be surprised if something else grabs your crab, as it is a popular bait for stripers, bluefish, fluke, porgy, seabass, triggerfish, weakfish, ling, redfish, black drum, and whiting which can all reside in the same environment as blackfish.

Final Thoughts: If you are one of those people when they hear mention of blackfish your thoughts drift to heavy rods, heavy sinkers, and foul weather gear, give blackfish jigging a try one warm late spring or summer day sometime soon. I think you will be pleasantly surprised, I know I was.

When packing for a destination fishing trip there are many factors that have to be taken into consideration such as weight and rod lengths for flights.With a 50lb maximum on luggage it is a difficult decision on what to leave behind, however, there is one lure that will always make the cut. Yozuri has a lineup of plugs that fit the bill to target almost any fish that swims; whether it’s striped bass and bluefish in the north east or mackerel, roosters and cubera snappers in Central America.

The Yozuri crystal minnow is my go-to search lure when heading out to explore new waters.This versatile minnow bait can be trolled at slow and high speeds, casted into busting fish or throw into structure enticing fish to feed. While on a recent trip to Costa Rica the inshore fishing was proving to be very difficult. The swell was overhead and pounding the rocky points, making it very dangerous to navigate our panga into prime real estate for casting top water baits. With this inconvenience eliminating most of our game plan we had to switch to plan B, trolling Yozuri&nbspcrystal minnows&nbsparound the outside of points and down the beaches.With no electronics to break down the area quickly we were on our own to figure out where the drop offs and pinnacles were located.Armed with the deep diving crystal minnow on one rod and a standard crystal minnow&nbspon the other we worked the area and were quickly rewarded with a mackerel on the deep diving minnow.

By using the crystal minnow to search for fish, once hooked up we were able to cast plugs and jigs over promising bottom.This proved to be our best tag-team technique and saved our trip.As far as colors the silver black along with blue back sardine were the top producers.Schools of sardines were spotted pushing along the beaches making it an easy choice of color selection.Matching the hatch is the name of the game.The tight wiggle of the crystal minnow throws out vibrations similar to a fleeing sardine drawing strikes from a great distance.Next time you’re leaving the country in search of bending some rods make sure to pack a few Yozuri crystal minnows and poppers&nbspthey could just save your trip.

The VMC ILS inline single hook was designed for one reason, to replace treble hooks on large fresh and saltwater lures.ILS hooks are made of super strong forged carbon steel,chemically sharpened so that they come out of the package razor sharp, and have several layers of a proprietary coating allowing them to hold up in a harsh salt water environment without corroding.

Single hooks offer many advantages over treble hooks for both anglers and the fish they are targeting.A single hook matched properly to the size of the lure will have a wider gap then a treble allowing much surer hookups and resulting in few thrown hooks.Switching treble hooks out to single hooks will lead to few snags and fewer lost lures.Single hooks are also much easier to remove from a fish resulting in less time out of the water for fish you mean to release.

Often anglers will choose to switch out one treble for a single hook while leaving others in place.Primarily changing out the tail hook while leaving the belly hook as a treble since it sits properly on the lure.The eye configuration of the ILS hook aims to rectify this situation! Rotating the eye 90 degrees from the traditional position allows the hook point to run in proper orientation off a lure’s belly ring with a single split ring attached.

Spro Power Swivels prove that good things really do come in small packages.Whether you are looking to reduce line twist or provide a strong connection between your main line and leader or both, the power swivel is the right tool for the job.Power Swivels are constructed of stainless steel in Japan and have a black nickel finish to reduce shine in the water. If you are an angler that likes to minimize the appearance of terminal tackle on your rig the Spro Power Swivel deserves a serious look!

Trout and smallmouth bass anglers love the almost microscopic size 10 swivel that still has a 35 lb test rating for fishing inline spinners and drop-shoting.Yellowfin anglers fishing California,the Gulf, and the Northeast canyons with live bait or chunks love the strength of the stealthy designed size 2 swivel rated at 230 lbs. Not an ultralight or big game fishermen? No worries as the Spro Power Swivel is available in a variety of sizes and pound test ratings to handle anything in-between.Available in a handy 50-piece bulk packs,the Spro Power Swivel should be a staple in every tackle box! Upgrade your tackle today and see for yourself!

The new Owner STX Stinger Treble is one of the strongest and sharpest treble hooks on the market today. Constructed of new ZO wire, the STX treble is 20% stronger yet thinner than traditional Owner 3X treble hooks.This gives the STX an advantage over other treble hooks since its small diameter allows for better hook penetration. Another key feature is the extremely sharp, slightly angled in, almost unbendable needle point resulting in clean hook sets bite after bite.

The STX is the perfect hook for replacing weak, dull, or rusted hooks on plugs as well as being a fantastic stinger hook. Specifically designed to withstand the rigors of heavy salt water use, the tinned finish will increase the life and reliability of the STX treble over that of comparable models.

No good fish story ends with a bent-out hook, upgrade your hooks today and have confidence when your next trophy comes along!

The strike comes out of nowhere; one second there is nothing but the wake of your splashing popper on the mirrored surface, the next is pure bedlam as a striper of extra-large proportions comes boiling up behind the plug with an explosion of water that looks as though someone just dropped a bowling ball behind your plug…again and again the fish slashes and misses, but you just keep right on pumping the rod like a madman praying the fish doesn’t lose interest, and then finally, on the fifth strike you feel the weight as the bass finally got the lure firmly in her mouth, and you finally lean back into the hookset and feel the drag start peeling off your reel.If a technique exists to catch trophy fish that is more adrenaline inducing then walking a pencil popper, I have yet to hear about it.

When to Fish a Pencil Popper: Pencil poppers tend to work best in relatively calm surface conditions.You want the fish you are chasing to be able to feel the vibrations of that plug through their lateral line, and I am convinced that is easier for them to discern when there is not a lot of chop on the surface. That is not to say that you cannot or will not catch fish in rough or choppy conditions with a pencil, but when you think of ideal conditions for working a pencil popper, the calmer the better.Pencil poppers work best at dawn or dusk or even during the day if you have good conditions for actively feeding fish.

I have never caught a saltwater fish on a pencil popper at night, although I know a few reputable anglers that have, but personally I wait for at least gray light of morning before tying one on.That being said I have had some great results working smaller 4″ dark colored pencils at night in fresh water for both largemouth and smallmouth bass as well as hybrid stripers.I tend to slow my technique down a bit and try to keep a very consistent pattern to my retrieve when fishing at night.

Pencil poppers also work well when you have fish feeding out of casting range of more traditional swimming plugs or soft plastics.Many trophy stripers have fallen victim to a well worked pencil popper slashing through a pod of menhaden holding just at the end of casting range.

Technique: A pencil popper doesn’t actually pop at all when worked properly.Instead it will have a violent side to side slashing action throwing water to the left and right with every shake of the rod.Hard to describe, but relatively easy once you try it or see someone else doing it so don’t be intimidated if you have never tried before. After you cast your lure and take up most of the slack, grab your rod about 10″ above the reel seat and pinch the line between your thumb and forefinger.This will allow you to keep the line packed tightly on your reel even though you will be retrieving the line erratically.Most people then place the rod butt between their legs or on their hip. Start with the rod at about the 10 o’clock position, and with still just a bit of slack between the rod tip and popper you will now give a good yank to about the 11 o’clock position with your hand up on the rod to start the lures action.As you rapidly bring the rod back to the 10 o’clock position, take up between a 1/4 and 1/2 turn on your reel to remove some of, but not all the slack you generated by popping your rod.Now repeat this process rapidly until the lure is back at your feet.When done properly, your rod will always be moving and you will almost constantly be taking up slack between the rod and lure.It should look like you are shaking the rod back and forth between 10:00 and 11:00 without ever letting it rest.One of hardest parts about learning to pencil pop correctly, is learning to make sure you never actually reel tight to the lure, a small amount of slack is needed to keep the bait working properly.It is that slack in the line that keeps the bait cutting side to side rather than just jumping forward.If you are finding you can’t make a pencil popper walk side to side, I will almost guarantee you do not have enough slack in your line.

Tackle: Pencil Popping is one technique when tackle can make a major difference between fishing and catching.It is very hard to get that frenzied action out of a pencil if you are fishing too stiff of a rod.Years ago, most anglers used glass rods when fishing pencil poppers and indeed many anglers still choose to go this route.I actually started out using an old Shakespeare 10′ ugly stick with a Penn 704Z and 20lb pink mono, and that combo caught lots of fish, but it was also extremely tiring to throw do to the weight of the tackle.Now-a-days I much prefer a light-weight graphite rod with a moderate taper and a light weight matching reel spooled with a quality braided line.The length of a pencil popping rod is much a matter of personal preference, with 10’6″ to 12′ being standard for ocean front beaches while some anglers prefer a 9′ for the back bay.The Tsunami Airwave Elite 11′ medium has just the right combination of lightweight sensitivity while still being parabolic enough to really work a pencil popper properly.I am a big fan of braided line for pencil popping as it lets me cast further as well as get a more positive hook set once the fish finally gets the popper in its mouth.My personal setup is a Tsunami Airwave EliteTSAWESS-1102M paired with a Penn Slammer III 5500 spooled with 40lb Power Pro Maxcuatro .At the terminal end I tie on a 120lb Spro Power Swivel, about three feet of Seaguar 40lb Fluorocarbon and finish with a 125lb tactical angler clip .

Poppers: Pencil Poppers were originally hand carved out of wood and indeed many different custom lure builders are still turning beautiful pencil poppers,however, for the purpose of this article we are going to focus on mass produced hard plastic pencils readily available coast to coast. The 3 lures that are always in my bag would be the Yo-zuri Inshore Pencil Popper, the Tsunami XD Talkin Popper, and the original Cotton Cordell Pencil Popper(with the hooks and split rings upgraded).Different poppers have different actions and I find that a lighter popper such as the Cordell, can be worked in a more stationary manor which is deadly for a stubborn fish.Heavier baits such as the Tsunami XD will cast a mile and tend to track a little better in rougher water conditions making a smart choice when the surf starts to get rougher or you are dealing with choppier conditions on the boat.The Yo-Zuri Surface Cruiser will also cast a mile, but it is also the pencil I tie on in most big game conditions, with 3X strong and oversized hooks and split rings it stands up to explosive strikes from tuna and dorado time after time.

The Bite: The first time an angler sees a fish boil up on their popper their instinct is to immediately set the hook.Normally all they succeed in doing is ripping the plug out the water, and away from the fish.Often a fish will miss a pencil three or more times before they finally get it firmly in their mouth.This is actually one of the most exciting things about fishing a fast moving topwater plug.As visual as the bite normally is on a pencil popper, you really need to wait until you feel the weight of the fish before you attempt to set the hook.Many times, the fish will pull the plug right under the surface and you will see it disappear and if you set the hook you will end up pulling the plug away from the fish! Keep working the bait until you feel the weight of the fish then swing!

Final Thoughts: If savage top water strikes from trophy fish in slick calm conditions are something that gets your blood boiling, try picking up a few pencil poppers today.If not, may I suggest golf.

Balanced Rod and Reel

Anyone who has wandered into a tackle shop knows that there are so many choices available in the marketplace of fishing equipment. From rods and reels to lures, lines and leaders; it can leave you in a state of confusion trying to figure out what you need to get. Investing in a piece of fishing equipment can be just as personal of a decision as what music to listen to or what clothes to wear. But, it’s not quite that easy. In order to choose what is appropriate for your fishing needs, you need to do your research first. And it all starts with finding a balanced rod and reel.

The Importance of a Balanced Rod and Reel

A balanced rod and reel combination is fairly easy to check for and extremely important to the success of your fishing trip. Let’s take a look at why balance matters.

To efficiently cast a line, your rod and reel must match each other. For example, you would not take a one-pound surfcasting reel and put it on a four-and-a-half-foot ultralight rod, because you would never be able to cast successfully with that kind of a combination. Why? Every time you go to take a cast, the large reel would be constantly fouling as it attempts to load more line than your small rod is capable of handling. Alternatively, it would be just as inappropriate to put an ultra-light reel on an eight-foot boat rod. That kind of a reel would be unable to effectively load the larger, stiff-action rod.

When researching your rods and reels, be mindful that while the above examples may be a bit exaggerated, the same principals apply. Don’t purchase a reel and rod that are not meant to compliment or balance- each other.

How to Test for a Balanced Rod and Reel

Wondering if your rod and reel are balanced? Try this. Grab the rod and reel as you normally would when casting or fishing, then let go with everything but your middle finger, this will be your balance point. If the rod and reel are balanced, you’ll notice the rod tip will balance parallel to the floor. If the reel is too light, the tip will tilt down and the line can become fouled on the reel as your rod tip works to pull off line faster than the reel can release it.

If it’s too heavy, the tip will rise and the line will end up bunching up in the guides as the oversized reel tries to load the rod with more line than your rod is able to handle. Not only that, but you’ll also find that a poorly balanced rod and reel combination will just feel wrong in your hands, as well as being fatiguing to fish with.

Investing in a New Fishing Rod and Reel Combination

If your current rod does not balance with your reel, consider investing in a new one. Read through our rod and reel buyer’s guide for more great tips and call our fishing equipment experts at 800-388-4149 with any questions you have along the way.

Fishing Supplies for Spring

Warm weather is right around the corner, which means it’s time to prepare your fishing supplies for spring season! As every angler anxiously awaits the chance to hit the water on opening day, there are a few chores that need to be done first. From cleaning and repairing damaged equipment to organizing fishing tackle and replacing missing parts, prepping ahead of time will set you up for success and prevent downtime later in the season.

Spring Clean Your Gear: Preparing Fishing Supplies for Spring

With the spring fishing season just a cast away, now’s the time to prepare your supplies so you’re ready to go come opening day.

Cleaning Fishing Supplies for Spring

1. Get the gunk off. Wash rods and reels with gentle dish detergent and warm water.
2. Once the surfaces are clean, lubricate gears to ensure drag is functioning smoothly. *Review your product literature for specific maintenance directions.
3. Clean fishing rod handles, guides, and tip tops inspect for damage.
4. Remove all supplies and clean tackle boxes and trays with a damp cloth. Make sure everything is dry before returning tackle.
5. Clean and lubricate pliers, tools and scissors. Now is a great time to replace worn or dull line cutters on pliers.
6. Inspect and clean apparel, rain gear, flotation devices and sunglasses.

Repairing and Replacing Fishing Supplies for Spring

1. Inspect baits and remove leftover knot tags.
2. Replace any components that are damaged or show rust. This is also a great time to upgrade lures and plugs to stronger and sharper hooks and split rings.
3. Sharpen dull hook points.
4. If rods and reels need to be repaired, send your products in to be serviced by trained technicians well in advance to beat the pre-season rush.
5. If your fishing linelooks old, it probably is. If you cannot remember when you spooled that reel, it is time for new line. At the start of each season, remove old monofilament line and fill spools with fresh line. Braided line and fluorocarbon can be used longer, depending on number of uses and quality
6. Restock personal supplies such as sunscreen, insect repellant and fish attractant.

Organizing Fishing Supplies for Spring

1. Organize your specialized lure boxes for your favorite species to address color, size and working depth (or whatever organization system you prefer to use).
2. Label trays to identify contents to make it easier to find tackle and return it to the correct spot when you’re on the water.
3. Inventory items and sort through terminal tackle so you can stock-up on any missing supplies before the season begins.
4. Prepare the boat by scheduling maintenance and serving in advance. Also, inspect the trailer and tires.
5. Remember to renew boat registration, necessary fishing licenses and brush up on regulations so you’re best prepared.

Find Fishing Supplies for Spring at Fishermen’s Source

Once you’ve cleaned, repaired and organized your gear, find everything you need to replace supplies at Fishermen’s Source. Contact the Fishermen’s Source experts at 800-388-4149 today to find out more about preparing your fishing supplies for Spring. We’re here to help you feel confident that your lures, reels, rods, line, terminal tackle will not only be ready for opening day but also all season long!

Fishermen’s Source customer and lifelong angler John Maysak was first introduced to fishing by his father at the young age of 5 chasing blue gills on the Potomac River in Washington, DC back in the mid 60’s. As a teen he moved on to Largemouth and Smallmouth bass sneaking into local country clubs to poach their ponds as well as traveling further upstream to fish the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers around Harper’s Ferry, WV.

At the age of 30 he moved to Big Sky, MT in 1993 to become a functioning ski bum building custom ski chalets during the week and playing on the weekend. In the process he became addicted to fly fishing for trout spending 14 years exploring all the streams of western Montana and Idaho with his drift boat and faithful fishing partner Portal, a shepherd/wolf hybrid that loved fishing almost as much as John.

To escape the cold Montana winters John began exploring international options for his vacations. Cuba at Avalons for bonefish and tarpon, Venezuela and Mexico for pelagics, and finally the Pacific coast of Costa Rica where he has been traveling for the past 18 years. In 2012 he bought a lot in the surfing/yoga mecca of Playa Guiones in the town of Nosara, CR. In the fall of 2015 he completed construction of his dream house La Casa de Azules: The House of Blues (Blue Marlins that is!). The house is a short 8 minute walk to the beach and all amenities are within easy walking distance. It’s perfect for a group of fishermen, a family, or up to 3 couples if the women want to do other things while the men fish. A modern kitchen is perfect for cooking up your catch. There are 3 bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, and a private pool.

With his vast knowledge of the area, and having been friends for many years with the local captains and mates, John is well suited to helping plan a fishing trip of a lifetime for any size boat or budget while staying at one of the nicest houses in the area.

For information and to see more pictures you can contact John directly through his VRBO/HomeAway page at https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p4053625 Don’t forget to mention you found out about him at Fishermen’s Source!

3 Lures to Help You Catch Crappie

Catch Crappie

As one of the most popular game fish among anglers, crappie are versatile feeders, which makes choosing the right lures to catch crappie fairly simple. Although they typically feed on most types of aquatic insects, worms, minnows and small crayfish, lures can also be highly effective.

Let’s dive into the varieties of crappie, the top time of year to find them and then take a look at a few of the hottest lures that best mimic a bait fish and help you catch more crappie.

What’s the Difference Between White vs Black Crappie?

Both white crappie and black crappie can be found in the same freshwaters, even schooled together and often respond to the same lures and fishing tactics. Though they have the same body shape, their coloration and markings differ.

Black crappie, for example, are primarily silver with black speckled markings. They have 7-8 spines on their dorsal fin. White crappie, on the other hand, are mostly silver but their markings are faint vertical bars. They have only 6 spines on their dorsal fin.

When Can You Catch Crappie?

Though crappie fish are fairly active all year-round, spring is coming up which means they’ll be hitting hard in the warming waters. Found throughout the US in many lakes, streams and ponds, when waters reach 48-51 degrees, crappie typically move to shallow waters to feed aggressively before spawning (typically once the water temperatures reach 60 degrees). Spring is one of the best times of year to fish for crappie.

In the summer months, they move out to deeper and cooler waters. Look for crappie near submerged structures such as brush piles or fallen trees. But once summer waters start to cool in the fall months, they start feeding aggressively again in shore areas to fatten up for the winter. This “fall feed-up” can also offer a good opportunity for anglers to catch crappie.

What Are the Best Lures to Catch Crappie?

No matter what time of year you’re fishing, crappie like to eat a variety of bait, but they’re also attracted to a few different lures. There are so many options to choose from, but here are a few top picks to add to your tackle box:

• Jigs

Small jigs (1/8 ounce tend to be consistently effective) are one of the most popular and effective lures to tempt a hungry fish and catch crappie. They’re versatile and can be used in almost any fishing condition. Plus, when fished properly, crappie are usually eager to bite (especially in the spring). Remember to be patient; avoid retrieving and casting too quickly. Slow and steady will get you more action.

• Spinnerbaits

Grab the attention of a nearby crappie with a stainless steel spinnerbait. Designed to rip through vegetation without a snag, their flashy and vibrating features will attract fish wherever you cast. Just remember to keep your line tight so it doesn’t tear since crappie are known to have a soft lip.

• Curly-Tail Grubs

Found in most tackle boxes, curly-tail grubs are soft plastic baits with curly tails on the back that produce a lot of movement in the water when jigged. Try the Berkley Gulp Grub, which has a natural and biodegradable formula with extreme scent dispersion to expand your strike zone and entice action.

Some Crappie Fish Just Know

Love chasing anything with fins? Fill your tackle box with only the best. Contact the Fishermen’s Source experts at 800-388-4149; we’ll lure you in with our unparalleled customer service that you won’t find anywhere else. See for yourself.

Weather Affects Fish

Perhaps you can remember a time when fish stopped biting because of a drastic change in temperature, but trying to understand why is another story. Once you have a better understanding of how weather affects fish behavior, you’ll be able to work around them and become a better angler. Here we will dive into a few weather variables such as high pressure, low pressure, wind, and temperature, to find out how they can influence fish behavior.

Let’s start with a little lesson in meteorology.

Understanding Why Weather Affects Fish Behavior

Barometric Pressure

Barometric pressure doesn’t necessarily affect how the fish will bite, so much as how it indicates the conditions that affect how they will bite. Most fishermen or women, know that falling pressure typically coincides with more favorable conditions and when the barometer rises, the fish stop biting.

Why? Let’s find out.

Areas of high and low pressure determine our weather; generally moving from west to east. As the high pressure moves in, winds tend to blow clockwise and way from the center. If you’re in the center of this high-pressure area, you’ll experience clear skies, dry air, little (or no) wind, and cooler temperatures. Unfortunately, these sunny skies, which typically occur during the fall and winter, also bring about poor fishing conditions.

One school of thought why this happens is that while anglers can feel the temperatures change, the fish can feel a pressure change. To take the pressure off, they may hide behind structures to feed and rest.

When low-pressure areas approach, winds blow counter-clockwise and toward the center. If you’re in the center of a low-pressure area, you’ll experience cloudy skies, high humidity levels, light winds, steady temps and possible precipitation. These conditions almost always bring about good fishing conditions.

One reason for the favorable conditions could be that falling pressure allows plankton to float upward which makes them easier prey, in turn, triggering gamefish to feed.

Temperature

Since water is slower to heat and cool than air, a brief warm or cold spell isn’t as concerning as following long-term weather trends. For example, in the springtime, slowly warming temperatures prompt fish to move to shallow waters for feeding and reproduction. And, in the fall, cooling waters triggers fish to follow bait, fatten up and move deep for winter.

Of course, timing can vary depending on the severity of a season’s weather patterns and remember, every rule has an exception based on where you’re fishing.

Wind

Many believe that fishing conditions are best with a west wind and worst with an east wind. Why? Wind patterns are often tied to barometer pressure. Winds from the west (or southwest) often indicate that a low-pressure front is on the way, which we learned is tied to favorable fishing conditions.

Besides barometric pressure, wind can also affect currents, waves and light which can all affect conditions.

Find More Fishing Tips

Whether you’re fishing on a sunny day in the deep sides of grass beds or at dawn on a cloudy day in shallow waters, remember that you will feel a weather front before the fish do. Don’t be fooled in thinking that they’re going to instantly stop biting when the wind shifts.

As your one-stop-shop for all fresh and saltwater product, Fishermen’s Source delivers over a decade of experience and a solid 100% e-commerce rating. Trust in us to help you enjoy each and every fishing experience (no matter what the fish are doing) with fishing equipment that you can rely on.

Need help selecting the right reel? Visit our Rod & Reel Buyers Guide for more information and contact the Fishermen’s Source experts  at 800-388-4149 today.

Want to Prevent a Line Break? Set the Drag on Your Fishing Reel

set the drag

Want to know the secret to keeping your line from breaking on your next fishing trip? Set the drag on your fishing reel before you cast and you’ll save yourself a lot of frustration on the water. As one of the most overlooked factors for anglers to consider, drag tension on your reel can make or break your day.

Set the Drag Properly

A pair of friction plates inside your fishing reel controls the drag to prevent your line from breaking. The friction is overcome anytime the fish pull on the line hard enough, which makes the reel rotate backwards and let line out.

Set the drag wrong and that fish of a lifetime might break away with your favorite lure. Set it right and you’ll be able to handle any fighting fish swimming at max speed long enough to reel him in.

Although it may seem low at first glance, in general a reel’s drag setting should be at 20% to 30% of your line’s rated breaking strength. A small spring scale can help you judge the force accurately. Of course, choosing the right drag tension will depend on the type of fish you’re looking for, where you’re fishing, the kind of tackle you’re using and the angler’s skill.

Feel the Tension After You Set the Drag

After you set the drag at the proper tension, take the time to pull on the line with your hand several times to feel the tension and engrain it into your memory. Get to know what feels right so you can accurately reset it with your hand going forward to make sure it stays within the 20-30% range.

When in doubt, it’s better to have the drag a little too loose and be stuck fighting a fish longer than you’d like, than to have it set too tight and be stuck with a line break and a sad story about the ‘one who got away.’

Shop Drag Reels at Fishermen’s Source

At Fishermen’s Source, we feature top-of-the-line drag reels to maximize your fish-fighting power.

• The Maxel Hybrid 20 or 25 Star Dragfeatures a compact single-piece aluminum frame and a cold forged aluminum spool that delivers smooth Star Drag performance, even when it’s wet. It’s stainless steel gears, seven shielded stainless steel ball bearings and a clutch bearing instant anti-reverse won’t fail under pressure.
• The Avet Lever Drag Reelis available in a variety of sizes, some with added cast control features. The level drag allows for a more precise control of the drag setting during use compared to setting a star drag based on feel alone. The AVETs offer the pinnacle of small lever drag reels available on the market with a model available for every functionality.

You never know when the fish of a lifetime will bite, so, be sure to set the drag before your first cast to minimize a line break and risk losing that trophy fish.

Contact the Fishermen’s Source experts at 800-388-4149 today to find out more about finding the proper drag tension for your fishing reel.

The Most Versatile Fishing Rod and Reel Setup

Versatile Fishing Rod

Searching for a versatile fishing rod and reel set up can get overwhelming when you have so many options to choose from. But, because the average angler does not need ten different setups and we believe that shopping for your fishing equipment should be just as fun and exciting as the fishing trip, itself, we are here to help you with the search process!

Versatile Fishing Rod and Reel Combo

For the casual angler, we recommend the Shakespeare Medium Action Ugly Stik Tiger Spinning Rod paired with the Penn Fierce II Spinning Reel. This combination makes the best all-around and most versatile fishing rod (without breaking the bank) to handle fish of most sizes ranging from trout and small freshwater bass to small tuna. It is the perfect outfit for a novice to learn with, yet offers dependable performance for the seasoned veteran.

A setup like this will take you from local ponds and streams to the beach and on a boat. Plus, it is built to last for years to come.

Shakespeare Medium Action Ugly Stik Tiger Spinning Rod

Ugly Stik Tiger rods are one of the most versatile fishing rods that can be used across many species from coast to coast. The graphite Fuji reel seats with cushioned stainless steel hoods make it a perfect rod for catching tuna in the Pacific as well as landing monster catfish down south. The famous Ugly Stik construction gives these rods an advantage for fighting trophy- sized fish including catfish, stripers and bigwater game fish.

Penn Fierce II Spinning Reel

For less than $75, you get a durable reel with build quality that is comparable to models that cost $150 or more. The PENN Fierce II offers anglers the dependability and unparalleled power no matter which species are targeted. The field-proven oiled-felt drag system is extremely reliable and has the muscle to tame the strongest fish in the roughest of conditions. It features a full metal body and sideplates, stainless steel main shaft, thick aluminum bail wire, and braid ready spool with line capacity rings.

Find Your Own Versatile Fishing Rod and Reel Setup at Fishermen’s Source

With an outfit like this, you should be able to handle a wide range of freshwater fishing situations, and a wide variety of fish. But, ultimately, the equipment largely depends on what you intend to catch, how often you’re going to fish and how serious you are. But, if you have a general idea of kind of fish you’re going to go after, shopping for the right set up is relatively simple and fun.

Contact the Fishermen’s Source experts at 800-388-4149 for advice on finding the right fishing gear; as always, we’re here to help you through the process.

For more information on finding a versatile rod and reel setup, visit our Reel Buyers Guide and Rod Buyers Guide.

Congratulations on your new fishing outfit!

Bass Fishing equipment

While you don’t need to have a fancy boat to be a successful bass angler, you do need the proper equipment. It can be the difference betweencatching a fish and just casting. But, with so many options out there, it can be hard to decide what to buy when you’re new. The experts at Fishermen’s Source have put together the following overview on bass fishing equipment to help you make the right choice for your first fishing trip.

Bass Fishing Equipment: Rods

Sensitivity is an important factor when choosing a rod. Most Bass fishing rods have a high modulus which make them stiff for strong hook sets, offering good sensitivity. You’ll find them in either fiberglass or graphite; with graphite being typically the more sensitive of the two.

Bass Fishing Equipment: Reels

When choosing your reel, consider the gear ratio. High-speed reels (7:1) allow anglers faster retrieves for rapid-fire casting; slower-speed reels (5:1) are good for situations when you want a slow retrieve, such as crankbait fishing.

Most bait-casting reels come with a thumb bar that switches the reel to free spool which allows for longer casts. And to prevent overruns, top-quality reels have a magnetic anti-backlash device (as opposed to those that operate by friction) to put pressure on the spool.

One reel recommended for nearly all applications is the narrow-spool bait-casting reel because it’s less likely to backlash due to the smaller spool.

Bass Fishing Equipment: Lines

Most bass fishermen use a variety of lines such as nylon monofilament, fluorocarbon, braided lines, etc.Light lines cast better which allows for more lure action; abrasion-resistant lines (fluorocarbon) are a good choice when fishing around rocks, weeds or brush;soft lines (monofilament) are a good choice when fishing on spinning reels in unobstructed waters; and braided lines may be your best bet in situations when water clarity is poor.

Bass Fishing Equipment: Lures

Many pros, when asked to choose their favorite lures,will choose a soft plastic. Why?Plastics have been proven to be effective because of their life-like appearance and action in the water. They’re also good to use for jigging or for floating over shallow cover. When starting out, pick up the necessities such as a few crankbaits, a few spinnerbaits and some plastic worms.

You’ll find plastic lures that range from 3 to 10 inches in length; smaller plastics can be used in clear water or when the bass are biting light (for example, after a cold front), giant plastics (10-inch) may be the choice for anglers trying to catch that trophy bass through heavy cover.

Then comes the color choices for your lure. Green and black plastics have been known to catch bass in almost any king of water. If you’re fishing in murky waters, choose bright colors, such as red or fluorescent, to gain some extra attention.

Bass Fishing Equipment by Fishermen’s Source

The most important thing to remember is: start small and then get bigger. Be patient and gain experience in the fight first, those five-pound fish will come with time.

Ready to feel the thrill of reeling in your first bass? Contact the Fishermen’s Source experts at 800-388-4149 to find out more!

Offshore Fishing

Regardless of whether you prefer to stay on (or close to) land or head way out on the wild seas, both inshore and offshore fishing can make for a great day on the water. If you’re new to the sport of fishing, you might be wonder what the difference is between inshore vs offshore fishing. It’s actually a very common debate.

Determining which one is right for you really depends on what your personal preferences are and what species of fish you’re trying to catch. Once you can answer those questions, you can look at boat size and equipment requirements for inshore vs offshore fishing.

Let’s take a look at some of the key differences to help you decide.

Defining Inshore vs Offshore Fishing

Inshore fishing refers to any fishing that takes place in waters up to 30 meters deep. Here, you’ll catch smaller species such as snapper, trout, striped bass, tarpon and snook. Even through seasonal climate changes, inshore fishing offers a more consistent year-round experience for any skill level ranging from your child’s first fishing trip to the experienced angler.

Once you reach 30 meters deep, you’re considered “offshore” and in the deep-water fishing zone. Here, you’ll catch larger species like tuna, marlin, wahoo and amberjack. Offshore fishing trips often require a day-long or overnight commitment that often take you 30 to 130 miles away from the coast looking at 360 degrees of horizon.

Head this far out on the waters and you’re going to need a robust boat and sturdy, dependable equipment.

Boat and Equipment Needs

Inshore boats are usually small with very few amenities. Because waters are usually calmer inshore, your fishing vessel requirements are less intense. A few common inshore boats, often used to troll the surf line or inlets, include the small motorboat, kayaks and canoes.

You’re going to need a lot less equipment for inshore fishing. Count on casting more often but using lighter tackle.

When compared to inshore boats, offshore boats are considerably larger. A fishing vessel or a sport fishing charter is used to take anglers out to see well over 20-30 miles for deep sea fishing experiences; and they’re typically upgraded with technology, sleeping quarter, ice chests and even dining areas.

As waters get deeper, boats get more bigger and the equipment gets heavier. To reel in those bigger fish, you’re going to need heavy tackle and trolling equipment.

Find Inshore vs Offshore Fishing Lures and Equipment at Fishermen’s Source

Determining which fishing experience is right for you boils down to what you’re looking to catch and how much time you want to spend on the water. From there you can determine what kind of fishing lures and equipment you’re going to need.

The Fishermen’s Source staff has years of inshore and offshore fishing experience. We take pride in our tackle the way you take pride in your passion and are here to help you find what you need wherever you fish. Call us at 800-388-4149 to learn more today.

Single Hooks

Most anglers know it takes more than a lucky lure to land a trophy catch. Terminal tackle ,including single hooks, sinkers, snaps and swivel as well as floats are all an important part of your gear. And it’s not uncommon for anglers to specialize their fishing gear to catch more fish. Replacing lighter hooks with heavier ones, for example, can be the difference between tackling a stronger fish or letting it swim away.

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your tackle comes about best by spending time on the water, but here are a few tips to consider with looking at with single or treble hooks.

Single Hooks Vs. Treble Hooks

The most common fish hook used with many types of lures is the single hook. With good buoyancy, a single hook is light, sharp and strong, they’re designed to show less resistance during use, enhancing lure action. As another advantage, once a fish hits the lure and shakes its head, the hook drives deeper offering a better hook-up ratio as there is only one hook point to penetrate the fish’s hard mouth.

The discreet presence of a single hook can fool even the of fish. For anglers who troll, their main advantage is in their resistance to collecting weeds.

Planning to catch-and-release? Single hooks are a great choice as they can increase the survival rate among fish.

Treble hooks (three main points) have an excellent hook up. Ready to stick fish no matter angle the fish attacks or the lure’s position, they effectively hook on the fish. For anglers planning to keep their fish, a treble hook is a good choice.

Double hooks, mainly used with artificial flies, are not as common as either single or treble hooks.

Hook Measurements

As with other essential fishing gear, there are many options when it comes to choosing the right type and size of hook. Hook sizes range from small to large; they are defined by “sizes” and “aughts.” The 1/0 is the median (middle) of the hook scale. They are also made in various thickness, known as wire gauges. These run from very thin wire to thicker gauge wire. Hook size and gauge will be based on the size of your bait first, then the type (and size) of fish that you’re targeting and finally, the kind of terrain you’ll be fishing in and around.

Shop Single Hooks, Lures, Reels and More at Fishermen’s Source

Choosing the right fishing hook is an art. One thing to remember is to always use the sharpest hook to allow bait presentation to look as natural as possible and keep the bait alive longer.

At Fishermen’s Source, we’re here to help you make decisions on what equipment will best suit your fishing goals. Our staff has an intense passion for fishing and believe that the process of shopping for your fishing gear should be just as exciting and fun as the fishing trip, itself. Call us at 800-388-4149 to find out more about single hooks and other fishing gear and shop your fresh and saltwater fishing tackle today.