My long-time goal has been to catch Big (not small)Stripers.I fish with big plugs.

So I hit the oceanfront with my limited selection of plugs- regardless of conditions or time of day -start out w/a spook(I have 5 different sizes/weights to match conditions...)... knowing full-well in the areas I fish most often no matter what at the right times of day if there are any fish around I will get their attention with a spook.

I'll walk-the-dog until I'm tired of it and then go to a needlefish and work the water column more thoroughly and SLOWLY. If nothing happens then, I go elsewhere.No more endless cycling through a 20lb bag of different plugs.

Feeling like I have come close to mastering these two plugs and since I have caught more quality fish in the last few seasons (since taking this minimalist approach)than in my previous 20+ seasons, it clearly validates my approach.

Yes,I am stubborn and in spite of the evidence at my disposal, can't help thinking I'm limiting myself. Maybe I'm just in a "phase" -like my fly-fish only years:smash:

Should I care?Or is it all about confidence in what I'm doing has worked before and will continue to work.


So I'm wondering how many of you are stubborn fisherman and stick to your methods "no matter what...or how many schoolies that guy next to you tossing a clouser on a flyrod or a 6'sluggo is hammering"?

I'm stubborn.....but I ain't no fool.:faga: if someone next to me is slaying the fish, i have no problem realizing my approach may be the wrong one and altering:cheers:

It's personal preference and it seems to be working for you. I just like to catch so I match the gear to the situation. I f I am in a known big fish local ( not you Larry) I use big stuff and tackle that will handle it. Ocassionally you will encounter fish that outsize your particular set up(s) that day but that makes it all the more memorable and on the other hand there are days when you are in a large fish local and all that eats your 8" swimming plug are twinkies.

In know people that do just as you are and are quite happy with it so I guess whatever floats your boat. The main thing is your enjoying your self right? I went to a three tube plug bag this year and I am loving it, of course I still stuff way too many plugs in it but my back and shoulders are really happy. It loops onto my wader belt. No more ten pounds of plugs in an overstuffed bag that 90% of them will never get used.

Having a plan or a strategy is really common sense approach and it will pay dividends in the long run. Keep at it!:btu:

I'm stubborn.....but I ain't no fool.:faga: if someone next to me is slaying the fish, i have no problem realizing my approach may be the wrong one and altering:cheers:

:cheers: I agree with you on that!

When I'm tossing plugs, I stay with only a few plugs as well and I don't need 1,000,000 colors either. I use Pencils, Spooks, Needles and Swimmers. That's really it. 2 Pencils, one light, one natural. 2 spooks Natural Colors, maybe 5 needles ranging from bullets to big 3 oz hunks and swimmers from Bombers, to the flat sided lipless hammerhead that Dave and I make. So might have 10 plugs with me... Other guys carry 400 plugs and they do well on most of them so I can't say which is better, I think you could do just as well with 3 plugs as you can with 300.... the great equalizer is confidence. Sure there are those nights when they'll only take that one thing.... but more often it's confidence.

i suggest adding a giant jointed pikie to the line up-
i rarely use one, but that is a BIG fish plug if i have ever seen one.

"the great equalizer is confidence. Sure there are those nights when they'll only take that one thing.... but more often it's confidence."

I think C-man hit the nail on the head. Confidence is the source of all power. Like others have said, as long as your having fun.

Ice
:usd:

Stick with live eels and you'll have a much better better shot at bigger fish on a consistent basis. Artificials for large stripers are WAY OVERRRATED.

If you have a million plugs on you, you may be wasting your time cycling through them all, if you only have one or two, it kind of forces you to focus on your technique and the nuances of your spot, which is the difference between a skunk and catching fish IMO.

Fishing Technique is about the ONLY thing I'm NOT stubborn about......I'll try anything to get a tug on the end of the line.

Everything else in life.....I'm one Bullheaded SOB...

Stick with live eels and you'll have a much better better shot at bigger fish on a consistent basis. Artificials for large stripers are WAY OVERRRATED.

agreed.

hey steve you spelled Stall wrong in your signature it's Van Staal... :jester:

Stick with live eels and you'll have a much better better shot at bigger fish on a consistent basis. Artificials for large stripers are WAY OVERRRATED.

Not nescesarily, first off eels, in my humble opinion, and please don't take this the wrong way, are one of the very easiest ways to take big bass, they are suckers for live eels as they are for large bunker. The challenge of getting a fish to take a big plug is, I think the optimum in bass fishing challenges.

That being said I have experienced many nights, and I could name quite a few from this year alone and give the names of the people who were with me, where a large needle or swimming plug took more and bigger bass than thier eels, one particular night on a Truro beach, fishing with a friend who is an accomplished and noted bass man, who has taken three fifty's in one night, went virtually fishless with eels, while the plug took it's toll of nice fish, fishing side by side.

If you want to challenge yourself rather than just put up big numbers a plug, in the hands of someone who really knows how to make the thing talk, is much more satisfying, again in my humble opinion.

The biggest fish I ever caught were caught on eels, and one on a sand eel bait but the plug fish hold a more special place in my memory, especially those nights when the eels went begging.

Of course there is the feeling that this was the last season for eels as a legal bait, the under current rumblings have been getting stronger from both private and my govt contacts. Could be a big surprise come next May.

An "eel guy" knockin' the "plug guys"!:bl: I will take my large jointed eels over the real deal any time......they are more fun to catch fish on, I made them, and the fish won't leave them alone! Its all how you enjoy fishing....I have fished my share of eels but I get more enjoyment, as Flaptail says, out of tricking a nice bass into taking an artificial as opposed to the real eel! Much more satisfying for me personally and more challenging too I think!:btu:

More eels for you Steve!:btu:

Not nescesarily, first off eels, in my humble opinion, and please don't take this the wrong way, are one of the very easiest ways to take big bass, they are suckers for live eels as they are for large bunker. The challenge of getting a fish to take a big plug is, I think the optimum in bass fishing challenges.

That being said I have experienced many nights, and I could name quite a few from this year alone and give the names of the people who were with me, where a large needle or swimming plug took more and bigger bass than thier eels, one particular night on a Truro beach, fishing with a friend who is an accomplished and noted bass man, who has taken three fifty's in one night, went virtually fishless with eels, while the plug took it's toll of nice fish, fishing side by side.



If you want to challenge yourself rather than just put up big numbers a plug, in the hands of someone who really knows how to make the thing talk, is much more satisfying, again in my humble opinion.

The biggest fish I ever caught were caught on eels, and one on a sand eel bait but the plug fish hold a more special place in my memory, especially those nights when the eels went begging.

Of course there is the feeling that this was the last season for eels as a legal bait, the under current rumblings have been getting stronger from both private and my govt contacts. Could be a big surprise come next May.


Well try that technique in Rhode Island....and you wont have a fish over 30 inches all year long..........They just dont work well no matter how skilled you are..Overated...yes they are very much so...

Is this Steve? ^^^

Again,I'm thinking big fish.Oceanfront situations.So I'm confident that between one of my 3 spooks and the 3 needlefish in my bag, I know how to use those plugs better than any other artificial or live bait that I can choose to throw at any given minute in nearly every oceanfront location/situation I choose to seek out large fish.

Guess ultimately it is confidence and personal preference. Interesting to see, hypothetically how many of us JUST toss plugs,just chunk or liveline,just eel or just toss sluggos when we're doing serious "Large" fishing.

Eels have and will continue to out fish plugs. You might have one or two nights where plugs outfish eels but over the course of a season the eel reigns supreme. More large fish fall to eels every year than to plugs. Not knocking plugs because I love to throw them but when the chips are on the table a wise fisherman will throw an eel over a plug anyday.

Well try that technique in Rhode Island....and you wont have a fish over 30 inches all year long..........They just dont work well no matter how skilled you are..Overated...yes they are very much so...

Are Rhode Island fish lazy and spoiled? :rotf3: I don't know, don't fish RI anymore, but Fisher's Island fish love big plugs still, at least the last couple trips down there this year.

Eels are easy maybe you guys need to learn how to fish plugs again, maybe you forgot how! Just kidding Steve, I like plugs is all but I will vehemently argue that eels make heroes out of ordinary fisherman as did Herring on the canal and live lining bunker does from a boat.
A live wiggling bait is just murder on big fish looking for a an easy meal.

I disagree, fishing an eel is an art. You can't just cast it out blindly reel it in and expect to catch fish. You have to work the water column, change the speed of your retrieve to keep the eel out of the rocks, and make sure you have constant contact with your eel. Most nights the bass want the eel as slow as possible but some nights I have seen the bass want the eels almost skimming across the surface. YOu have to adapt your eel for the water conditions. Wind strong in your face cut the eel in half or stuff a egg weight down its throat. How much weight do you use? What hook will present the eel in the most natural way? I think that claiming fishing eels is idiot fishing is completely false. Many nights I have been standing next to redlite, both fishing eels, and he is completely out fishing me.

You dont want to use eels, Then dont. Who really cares? Just fish the way you feel like fishing. All fish caught are good regardless of if they came on a plug or not, Makes no difference.Who ever caught a good fish still put in his or her time and thats what its all about. I will say this that its never easy to land or hook a good fish. It all takes knowledge. However this board IMO is definatly skewed towards the plug crowd .Its like a republican in a room full of democrats!! From the top brass on down this board is definatly a Plug fishing forum more than anything else with all the promotions,advertisements, plug fests etc...its all plug stuff, because all other methods that include some form of bait are laughed at or called not sporting. Its Bull%$%$%$%$....

It should be called "Striped-Bass-plugs.Com" If anyone comes here seeking advice on fishing live bait they will most certainly be met with hostility bordering that of the stupid "spot burning" stuff. So thats why I say around here you either plug or you "cheat" "dont play fair" and "have it to easy". I.I would certainly rather put my $25 faith in a dozen snakes rather than a pretty hunk of wood, while its may be an artform, that part is also overated.

I see a Plug builders forum but I certainly dont see a live bait forum...Think it or not...There are tactics in that type of fishing also.......
have a good winter......

From the top brass on down this board is definatly a Plug fishing forum more than anything else ...

Isn't your brother-in-law a certified intertidal anguilologist? :D

Slipknot and I fish jigs ;)

Isn't your brother-in-law a certified intertidal anguilologist? :D

Slipknot and I fish jigs ;)

In quote only. While I dont knock him here at all, he certainly sings the prasies of "pluggers" much more so that baitfisherman. Like I said not everything is as it seems or as easy as it seems.Every method has its nuances.Did not come here to post so I could argue, just stating my opinion, around here thats not always accepted.

You dont want to use eels, Then dont. Who really cares? Just fish the way you feel like fishing. All fish caught are good regardless of if they came on a plug or not, Makes no difference.Who ever caught a good fish still put in his or her time and thats what its all about. I will say this that its never easy to land or hook a good fish. It all takes knowledge. However this board IMO is definatly skewed towards the plug crowd .Its like a republican in a room full of democrats!! From the top brass on down this board is definatly a Plug fishing forum more than anything else with all the promotions,advertisements, plug fests etc...its all plug stuff, because all other methods that include some form of bait are laughed at or called not sporting. Its Bull%$%$%$%$....

It should be called "Striped-Bass-plugs.Com" If anyone comes here seeking advice on fishing live bait they will most certainly be met with hostility bordering that of the stupid "spot burning" stuff. So thats why I say around here you either plug or you "cheat" "dont play fair" and "have it to easy".

I see a Plug builders forum but I certainly dont see a live bait forum...Think it or not...There are tactics in that type of fishing also.......
have a good winter......

:shocked:

I hardly ever fish plugs and my go to bait is fresh sand eels. If it ain't fresh, i don't want it. Yet I never feel alienated by the die hard plug fisherman. I know there is a time for both and the way I fish, plugs are a 1 in 10 occasion.

So lets have a bait forum and you can tell us all how you yo-yo... I just think that with bait, people have more secrets that they might not want shared with anyone who has a computer. I love S-B for what it is

real men fish plugs!

Bill, why not post some bait threads in the "How To" Forum? Get people used to looking in there regularly. Live bait, chunking, whatever. Boat or shore. We all know that it isn't as easy as marking fish on a depth finder and dropping a live pogy down their throat. Share some of your insight that you picked up this year on the bay.

This isn't just a surf fishing site, but 90% of the posts are surf oriented, or shore oriented (let's not have that one again ;) ). It's just the way it works out :huh:

:shocked:

I hardly ever fish plugs and my go to bait is fresh sand eels. If it ain't fresh, i don't want it. Yet I never feel alienated by the die hard plug fisherman. I know there is a time for both and the way I fish, plugs are a 1 in 10 occasion.

So lets have a bait forum and you can tell us all how you yo-yo... I just think that with bait, people have more secrets that they might not want shared with anyone who has a computer. I love S-B for what it is


There is more to it than meets the eye, but that crowd is much less willing to share tactics than the plug crowd, many of the best dont even own a PC.Look all I am saying is that I know first hand that there is far more to fishing live or dead bait than meets the eye, far more.

Clammer and I were fishing right next to the best fisherman (to me anyways) in the world for Striped bass, close enough that I had to keep pushing off his boat while we were fishing and clammer and him were chatting, we had Live pogies in a sea full of bass, This particular guy outfished us that morning 100 to one with dead pogies.Its a lesson I learned from. We all learn always! That was a lesson I was happy to learn! You figure out the rest.

Actually i agree with snake slinger real men fish plugs and plugs only. Eels are slimy and make your hands stink. Anyone thinking of using eels please don't, you will be looked at as a heathen online and catch so many fish that it won't be any type of challenge therefore making it quite boring.

I have nothing against the plug crowd, to each his own I guess. But If I had a gun to my head and it was a fish that would save my life. I opt for the Live eel !

Any moron can stand on a barron beach and cast an eel till his arm falls off and catch nada, same goes for the plug crowd, you can cast them till the paint falls off and get nothing but rusted hooks! Both methods requier that the fisherman read his water and know how a bass thinks and where its likely to be caught.What the eels will do is let you know whats there in a hurry and IMO give you the best shot at hooking up with a nice bass, If I were to only fish plugs in some spots, I could not honeslty say I covered it well enough to say "there are no fish here, go home" Not so with an eel. I know this because I have stood next to some good pluggers and outfished them with eels, had I not been there they would have said the place was dead. I have always said that the Wise fisherman never turns his nose up at anything and is willing to fish all methods for a shot at success. But fish how ya want it makes no difference to me how one fishes. Its a free country!

Plugs are challenging but bait is the balls when you want to catch consistently

It's turned into the old "plug fishermen are smarter, bait fishermen are morons" thread.Oh boy.:spin:
I think the last time this debate started, I said its about results. :uhuh:
Technique wise,though, I am very stubborn.Whatever gives the best results, I'll usually go with every time.Plugs,jigs,bait, it doesn't matter. :huh:

use what you enjoy and 'eff what anyone thinks :uhuh:

Im stubborn on locations, I will fish a spot over and over thinking that they eventually have to be there. It wont be my only spot, but I'll always hit it on most nights.
I remember doing that for 3 years, and then venturing to focus on a new area. I'm sure he wont rememebr, but I met Piemma at this new area and he told me that a few weeks earlier, they had been killing them in the exact area I had been fishing previously......I guess thats fishing

I think we need a "family issues" section of the site....

Bill, you can be my Brother in Law if you take me fishing with you! You know where my sister lives....

Family Affair
Sly & The Family Stone

It's a family affair, it's a family affair
It's a family affair, it's a family affair
One child grows up to be
Somebody that just loves to learn
And another child grows up to be
Somebody you'd just love to burn
Mom loves the both of them
You see it's in the blood
Both kids are good to Mom
"Blood's thicker than mud"
It's a family affair, it's a family affair
Newlywed a year ago
But you're still checking each other out
Nobody wants to blow
Nobody wants to be left out
You can't leave, 'cause your heart is there
But you can't stay, 'cause you been somewhere else!

You can't cry, 'cause you'll look broke down
But you're cryin' anyway 'cause you're all broke down!

It's a family affair
It's a family affair

Come on....group hug people!:bgi:


Oooopsss....Bill is that an eel in your pocket or is that a pencil popper in mine?

wow, this has turned out to be quite a thread. #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&, please don't go anywhere, I think the majority of us here would like to hear from you more. You seem to always cut through the BS, reminds me of a certain older author that has his own forum on another site.

I also want to point out that if any kind of fishing was easy, then I would have landed 1000 pounds of fish this year, I'm still a newbie, I put in a lot of time, pay attention to all the factors, fish at night, study my spots as they relate to tide, wind, etc, I obsess over things and try different methods, and I still can't seem to catch keepers consistantly. If there was an "easy" method out I sure as hell haven't found it in my short surfcasting career.

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard ... is what makes it great." —Jimmy Dugan

Eels, plugs, bunker, chunker - in the end it's about Bass

if your a shore angler you should know to fish eels,live line bait,bait on the bottom, plugs and jigs. all methods work and none of it is guaranteed. why wouldn't you want to be able to adapt to different conditions? Flaptail didn't you write an article years ago that was about being able to fish using different methods? it made sense then and still does. How many times have any of us been to one of our spots and your offering ends up on shore faster than you can flip your bail. do you leave or do you grab darter or bottle plug and see if anyones home. why limit yourself.

"you say that this is a bad place to post, then don't post. I'm not saying I'm going to toss you what I am saying is that if you don't like it leave on your own accord."

That is taken out of context John, thats not what I meant..just said wrong.

I can be petty stubborn as far as technique goes! I have fished eels and loved it! The most enjoyable way to fish to me is with wooden plugs! Its just alot of fun, especially where I make my own I enjoy using them! Seeing fish hammer plugs topwater is the best! Feeling a fish strike a swimmer after dark is also a blast!! If there were guys up and down the beach catching fish on chunks or eels or on tins or on rubber.....I would stick with the method I enjoy and take my chances! I am out there to enjoy myself! I caught all my fish this year on my own wood......except 2 fish on a hopkins, 1 on a Gags needle, 1 on an Afterhours needle!!! I caught more fish this year than any other...granted there was no size to speak of but that is because they were not there! I had tons of fun fishing the way I enjoy fishing....with wood!:kewl:

Also forgot to mention...coaxing fish out of where ever they are with a piece of homemade wood is pretty challenging!

I can be petty stubborn as far as technique goes! I have fished eels and loved it! The most enjoyable way to fish to me is with wooden plugs! Its just alot of fun, especially where I make my own I enjoy using them! Seeing fish hammer plugs topwater is the best! Feeling a fish strike a swimmer after dark is also a blast!! If there were guys up and down the beach catching fish on chunks or eels or on tins or on rubber.....I would stick with the method I enjoy and take my chances! I am out there to enjoy myself! I caught all my fish this year on my own wood......except 2 fish on a hopkins, 1 on a Gags needle, 1 on an Afterhours needle!!! I caught more fish this year than any other...granted there was no size to speak of but that is because they were not there! I had tons of fun fishing the way I enjoy fishing....with wood!:kewl:

Also forgot to mention...coaxing fish out of where ever they are with a piece of homemade wood is pretty challenging!



What ever you say! Your to big to argue with!:btu:

There is a method for every madness, and I'll use whatever the method I feel is going to tip the scale in my favor at that time. Live bait, lures, the sissy stick with a clouser, or a 5 ounce bucktail. Its kinda like that theres a time and a place for everything sort of deal.

:laughs: Hugs?:love:

Stick around Bill...we enjoy having you here....you really inspire folks to think out of the box! We all don't have to agree or get along...but we can still have a good time discussing it!:btu:

I can be petty stubborn as far as technique goes! I have fished eels and loved it! The most enjoyable way to fish to me is with wooden plugs! Its just alot of fun, especially where I make my own I enjoy using them! Seeing fish hammer plugs topwater is the best! Feeling a fish strike a swimmer after dark is also a blast!! If there were guys up and down the beach catching fish on chunks or eels or on tins or on rubber.....I would stick with the method I enjoy and take my chances! I am out there to enjoy myself! I caught all my fish this year on my own wood......except 2 fish on a hopkins, 1 on a Gags needle, 1 on an Afterhours needle!!! I caught more fish this year than any other...granted there was no size to speak of but that is because they were not there! I had tons of fun fishing the way I enjoy fishing....with wood!:kewl:

Also forgot to mention...coaxing fish out of where ever they are with a piece of homemade wood is pretty challenging!

I agree Larry you are the most stubborn ^(%((#@$#@$@ I have ever met......can you say "Storm shad....bomber"???.....he don't budge....POINT being....do whatever floats your boat...it's fishing fer christ sake.....

I love being stubborn!:hihi:

:laughs: Hugs?:love:

Stick around Bill...we enjoy having you here....you really inspire folks to think out of the box! We all don't have to agree or get along...but we can still have a good time discussing it!:btu:

ya...I like #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&...and all his pics........to each his own....

Someone who knows me very well has told me in the past "Eddy don't get locked in ". I know exactly what he means and I have been guilty of just that . Fishing the same beaches ,, the same way ,, year after year. I've gotten alot better now that I'm aware of it . I'm usauly armed for bear . If I got a schooly rod its winter and I'm testing plugs . You have to change it up ... new things ... I have to jig the canal more .. If the fish are on bait ,, maybe a skin plug is in order. more scouting missions ,, more moving water..

RIJ

Where,s your sister live ?????????????/:heybaby:

Clammer... you crack me up you crazy bastid

S/S

Been around long enough to know // YA can argue about fishing til the end of time . But the best thing on earth are woman , all shapes ,sizes, & colors ;;;
Gotta make sure I don,t have a L O N G [C O L D }} winter :kewl: