this is probably a big no no, but im gonna do it anyway. i must be doing something wrong. i cant help notice that all the guys around me are picking up fish.. be it stripers or bluesm and i always go home empty handed. most of the time i see guys picking up fish on chunks or eels, but i seem to be the odd ball plugging away. chunking is just not thinkg from shore. i would much rather watch the fish hit my plug. lets take tonight for instance. i was at gooseberry on the causeway, guys all around me picking up stripers(small ones) but none the less picking up fish, on chunks. i plugged my arse off. i threw every plug i had in my box with not even a swirl. i tried both sides of the causeway with no luck. the guys with chunks were getting them on both sides. i even threw some pearl fin-s swimmers......nothing.

Is it too late in the season to plug or am i doing it wrong. i tried a fast and slow retreive, i tried diffrent patterns of popping, i tried no patterns of popping, and nothing worked.

I know there is some luck to it but i cant help thinking that there is alot of skill involved which i lack. i had always figured that a lot of trial and error would give me skill but sadly it hasnt. so after 6 or so years of having less that mixed results i throw myself to the court and ask for hints or tips on plugging. pm's will be greatly appreciatedor if anyone wants to share with everyone thats good too.

thanks in advance

:cheers:

Stick to what you like...plugging, and work at it. I love the top-water bite also and will pass on fishing chunks even when others are catching with it! Not fun in my opinion....just find it boring. You can't beat working a plug across the water and having it swallowed up in a violent, splashing attack! That is my idea of fun! I like to run and gun not stand around waiting for my rod to bend! Keep changing your plug selection from time to time and vary your retrieve speed and method to find "how the fish like it"! :kewl:

part of my problem is i feel like everytime i see a bait store i need to stop in and see what they have for plugs, and given the money every time i saw a new one i would buy it. granted i dont have many compared to some of the pics i've seen on here but i feel like i always need to get a new plug to see if it works better than the ones i have now. :drool:

You could try to figure out what's around for little guys -- mackeral, herring, mullet, whatever stripers would be eating -- and try to match what's in the water at the time. The stripers will spy your "injured" little "fish" and be on it like spandex on Prince.

When in Rome.............

If you know the fish are there and they're not hitting your topwater plugs you gotta mix it up a little. If they are chunking they are getting em on the bottom, you gotta try and get down there too. Try some strom shads, or fin -s fish on little ball jigs, maybe some sluggos with small lead heads.

One other thing you can try is using a teaser up in front of your plug, I have been using them 2 1/2 - 3 feet in front of the plug and doing very well with them. I had one day pluggin this year during which I caught a LOT of fish and every one of em was on the teaser.

It really depends on the bait that is on hand, plugging is tough in the summer and to me better in the fall. I hate to hop on it but I would really consider using eels, its alot like plugging and the best of both worlds.

If I had to plug? I would not hesitate to use a 9 inch black slug-go, they work fantastic...

http://www.surfcasting-rhodeisland.com/StoreImages/rigged_sluggos/Rigging_Sluggos.aspx

Just remember the 3rd dimension, you might not be deep enough. Sluggo on a jighead slow with a few twitches. Jig with curlytail. Add some smelly jelly. Add a teaser. Sometimes ya gotta be in their face.

First off wth are you doin on the causeway there.you need to walk a little and explore.Nuff said,if you look you'll find em

all good points and i thank you for them but i guess my biggest problem is lack of experience, and lack of a "secret spot". and with the causeway i figured with the big drop off on the side there would be something there, but from what i have heard from all the posts and pm's is to move around. i have been trying to find a happy medium with casting enugh to make sure there is nothing around and just moving too fast to cover alot of ground.

and what is a "teaser" i thought i knew but now im not sure what it is. ther was a post saying add a teaser to a plug? insite on a "teaser" would be appreciated.

it but I would really consider using eels,
Stop Giving away our secrets Bill...LOL :scatter:

i was gonna try race point tomorrow from shore but with the 4th this weekend i dont think im gonna try to brave this traffic ... oh well to the fort i go .

my aunt made me late today. im going to pick up eels tmw night. i wont go to OB. damn it, i need my keeper.

can you say LIVE EELS!!. another option is using rigged eels or a eel skin pulled over you fav swimmer tune it to dive deep dont use a tail hook just the belly one you can carve a channel with a file or dremel tool to tie the eel skin down with thread. #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& makes a good eel skin plug

and what is a "teaser" i thought i knew but now im not sure what it is. ther was a post saying add a teaser to a plug? insite on a "teaser" would be appreciated.

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=10477

thnaks for the link.. looks like i have been missing out on a verry important feature of plugging. now i just need to find out how to rig this up on a 7 foot shakespear rod.

also how dose the plug pop with a swimmer on the line. i would think the added weight would sink the plug and ruin the pop?

Explain???? Swimmer and popper????

Get a nice light action 9 foot rod for plugging......I got a 108 L Lami and it is awesome! :cool: 7 foot is too short in my opinion....you won't get good cast and you can't properly work the plug as the tip will be too stiff!

my 7 foot is a 2 peice light to med. i read in a post on the link that they use swimmers as a teaser for plugging. at this point i am willing to try anything to catch some fish(aside from spending much more money) i thought it sounded strange but like i said i am willing to try anything. i had some good luck early this season plugging, i got my only keper of the yearthe end of may plugging then my luck dried up. im on vacation all week and will be putting in some time trying to catch my 2nd keeper. but i figured im not catching anything the way im plugging now so i will change and try something new.

? sounds like a plan ?

No...teasers are generally hooks with some bucktail and flash applied...like a fly. Some also use Red-Gill teasers which are rubber with a hook inside.....these are supposed to work great.....my buddy uses alot of teasers and does well.....Bill and Jules teasers are awesome. You can get them at Monahan Marine in Weymouth or contact Jules directly here! But you do not use swimming plugs as teasers in conjunction with popping plugs....you may have mis-understood someones post.

As described in my pm....go get some Gibbs 1 ounce pencils....they look like this (not flagged like this) but same shape. Note the split rings and the bucktail siwash on the tail....this is what you wnat! They are fun and easy to use and they annihilate fish! :cool:


Plug is made by me and the custom paint as most know is a "Freak" job! Oh and Happy 4th of July....how appropriate! :hihi:

Staltershoal...check yer pm's! :cool:

nice paintjob BF !

:buds:

Thanks BW but that is a FishingFreak special! :wiggle:

ahhh

but it's a special one for sure....

love the waves with da airbrush

them starts must have been tricky unless there applied

He used a stencil...all automotive paint....he is a body man by trade. Pics don't do it justice!

i bet.

gets the spirit up for sure...

don't let any bloofish ruin that one. I bet it stays on the shelf

Hangin' in the collection fer sure! :cool:

yep

I am just seeing now the color coordinated hooks

unreal

guy must have some good gear :smokin:

got the pm. thank you soooooooo much for the info