Saturday night we had alot of fish bumping plugs but not taking them . Switching plugs and getting bumps on almost everything but no takes . I had a fish hit a Numby donny so hard it made the plug fly . How it missed the hooks I don't know . Managed 1 fish on a skin plug (cheating) ,,, and bud got one on a black bomber and foul hooked a bass . This rarely happens but did happen one night last year when the fish were not taking just bumping . Finally foul hooked one in the top of the head .. I know .. should of had eels ..

well thats why its called fishing right?

Must be contagious, wed. nite joppa flatts, dragging eels, same thing, just bumps in the night, very frustrating to say the least. I assumed they were small fish.

sharpen your hooks. ;)

well thats why its called fishing right?

I don't know what that is ... something weird was going on .. Like the fish were really annoyed with the plugs in thier presence.. 1 or 2 you missed a fish ... after about ten ,,and not little taps mind you .. they were not happy with our offerings ..

sharpen your hooks. ;)

VMC's only .. I stick myself all the time to make sure they are sharp ... :eek:

or maybe they were just fincky, and were not fully committed into hitting and engulfing.

I've wondered if those Bumps with no Pick ups could be a scent issue on the lure/bait. Soap or something else they dont like and detect from our hands.

I've wondered if those Bumps with no Pick ups could be a scent issue on the lure/bait. Soap or something else they dont like and detect from our hands.

They probably smell the greed.

:rotflmao:

-spence

same-same a little further South,

Cape Ann, lotsa bumps last week.
took two 17", then a 20", then a 26" on a rigged eeel.
this was over the course of three weeks. still on the schnide!!

am pretty sure that they were all resident schoolies, because after those catches...................NADA!! landed the other three on swimmers and a spook at false dawn. this year is starting off slowly.

should get better by the Full,
hang in there, Tagger. still looking for decent surf, out there>>>
been like glass and gin clear water covered by dense fog and mist
for three weekends ina row.............praying for sum nice 1'-4' rollers
this coming w/e, might even hop on my buddy's boat for a keeper!!!

NAAHHHH, i'm not THAT desperate,,,,,,,,,,,,,,YET!!!
:bl: :bl: :bl: :bl:

I experienced the same thing yesterday. Bumpity bump. No take. Like they were po-ed at the plug on their turf (?). Plugs and tins. No sale.:confused:

maybe they were spooked from fireworks and were being picky.

lotsa bumps sun. nite w/ loaded 7" redfin chicken scratch. Switched to a smaller swimmer, black a-salt, consistent hookups all small bass.

A few bumps or 1 hit wonders Sunday... Bass were not showing any real interest in any artificial lures (wood, rubber, plastic, tin)... They were keying on silversides that were making their way into the river...

Same thing happened to me Wed. nite at a local UDL - just curiosity bumps but they wouldn't commit and seal the deal - so don't feel like the Lone Ranger.

At least I stayed until 4 AM to be sure they weren't interested :rolleyes: Man, the next day was not pretty.

You can go through all the conjecture about the reasons - presence of bait - too much or too little, water temps, plug color and selection - it's a long list and doesn't end there.

Beats me, I couldn't pin it on anything I'd want to bet the mortgage payment on. :huh:

We completely slayed on Sat AM.. most were 20-26" fish... 6 or 7 fish that were 28-38"

most on small yo-zuri's or pencil poppers.

the largest was on a full sized bomber.

Same thing off Newport yesterday. Small fish. Got a few rats on a Tattoo Sea Pup, but missed my fair share. Some sandeels in the water. Switched to a small stubby needle just to get some more bumps and no true hits. I blame it on small fish. Not too familiar with the area. Sandeels common in the NPT rocks?

Saturday night we had alot of fish bumping plugs but not taking them . Switching plugs and getting bumps on almost everything but no takes . I had a fish hit a Numby donny so hard it made the plug fly . How it missed the hooks I don't know . Managed 1 fish on a skin plug (cheating) ,,, and bud got one on a black bomber and foul hooked a bass . This rarely happens but did happen one night last year when the fish were not taking just bumping . Finally foul hooked one in the top of the head .. I know .. should of had eels ..

Eels aside, if I were fishing plugs I would try the following..

1. Remove leader and tie direct if you're fishing mono.

2. Long hackles on the tail hook of a plug sometimes entice fish to strike. It used to work for me real well in pleasant bay.Can't tell you how many times the fish would chew the feathers off, rendering the plug ineffective.

3. Try a dropper fly or redgill. Maybe they're feeding on sandeels or the like.

4. If all else fails, its time for an eel retrieved very fast...

Eels aside, if I were fishing plugs I would try the following..

1. Remove leader and tie direct if you're fishing mono.

2. Long hackles on the tail hook of a plug sometimes entice fish to strike. It used to work for me real well in pleasant bay.Can't tell you how many times the fish would chew the feathers off, rendering the plug ineffective.

3. Try a dropper fly or redgill. Maybe they're feeding on sandeels or the like.

4. If all else fails, its time for an eel retrieved very fast...

I'll add a another suggestion to Back Beaches' list:
5. Try downsizing your plugs or use a three trebled plug such as 6 inch Bomber, 5 inch redfin, or smaller. Tie direct.

One thing you can't change is their mood - they don't feed all the time. If they did there wouldn't be many left. I always try and equate striper fishing with largemouth bass fishing. Sometimes they don't bite or hit aggressively. A pond can be full of largemouth bass but they won't touch anything - but they're still in the pond. Striped bass can exhibit the same behavior.

This past monday, same story. It was dead low, fishing a little known spot on the Mystic and a schoolie would just follow the lure all the way up to the shore, but never went in for the kill not even a bump. Stumped?

This happens to me all the time at a spot where the bass are almost always on smallish bait. What I find works is to vary the retrieve quite a bit. Often we fish bombers in this area, and giving the plug a long pause will entice savage takes from somewhat finicky bass.

i've had good luck with big dannies when fish were keyed in on smallish bait :huh:

I'll add a another suggestion to Back Beaches' list:
5. Try downsizing your plugs or use a three trebled plug such as 6 inch Bomber, 5 inch redfin, or smaller. Tie direct.

One thing you can't change is their mood - they don't feed all the time. If they did there wouldn't be many left. I always try and equate striper fishing with largemouth bass fishing. Sometimes they don't bite or hit aggressively. A pond can be full of largemouth bass but they won't touch anything - but they're still in the pond. Striped bass can exhibit the same behavior.

6. Learn to flyfish. :rotf3:

Sometimes the rip it and pause, rip it and pause gets them to take it.

I was going to put a up a thread on what i learned from fsihing live bunker. Since its in the day and mostly on the surface, you see everything. I am amazed at how many times a bunker is 95% dead, and bass whack it over and over and miss. These are fish that can easily swallow it. If they cant even take a dead fish, think of that with plugs!

6. Learn to flyfish. :rotf3:

or how to tie one on as a teaser :hihi:

tie on a teaser. someone may have mentioned that but i didnt read the whole thread..

I have found when they are keyed in on small bait, they nudge plugs more often.

I was going to put a up a thread on what i learned from fsihing live bunker. Since its in the day and mostly on the surface, you see everything. I am amazed at how many times a bunker is 95% dead, and bass whack it over and over and miss. These are fish that can easily swallow it. If they cant even take a dead fish, think of that with plugs!

How about a bunker fishing from a boat is easy thread.

In the spring ,in bays on outgoing i would use twodroper flys infront of a 5" rebble for small fish when the size limit was 16" but i haven't used it i n years

In the spring ,in bays on outgoing i would use twodroper flys infront of a 5" rebble for small fish when the size limit was 16" but i haven't used it i n years

Ooooh, you're giving out all the good secrets now, Pete. You told me almost 20 years ago to never,ever show that trick to anyone. :laugha:

I remember you telling me to always put that rig on with my back to the water otherwise I might lose it.

If this keeps up I'm going to tell everyone about the toothbrush lure.... :laugha:

thanks all ... this was actually the size fish present of few taken,,bomber,,skin plug,,foul hook.. truth is they bumped almost everything in the bag .. yes a teaser might have been the trick .. DZ ,, funny .. I fresh water bass fish too and always compare the two .. very similar..

forgot pic ... sorry Matt .. posted this pic twice ,,you with little fish .. you owe me ..

When they are bumping I immediatly downsize.

Superstrike 1.5 sinking popper in white with a teaser.They are small,cast nice and swim like the bigger ones at a steady retrieve.May have tried the walking stick also.

I'll add a another suggestion to Back Beaches' list:
5. Try downsizing your plugs or use a three trebled plug such as 6 inch Bomber, 5 inch redfin, or smaller. Tie direct.


D. - I know you're a fan of the 5" Redfin - what's the largest size hook you'd suggest using without adversely affecting the action?

I would tie on a teaser 18" behind a hookless tin. The tin aiding in casting,delivery, and the predator/prey scenario which many bass cannot resist to get in on.

Are many or most of you using braid?

I use mono, 17 or 20lb test from the surf, I know many of you might disagree with that but I just haven't felt comfortable with braid yet. Would it matter it this situation if you used braid or mono? For finicky fish in a boat I would of switched to a 6 in slug-go, which is often my go to lure, but needed a better-casting lure from where I was fishing. But then again isn't boat fishing easy? Like the idea of teaser and hookless tin.

Under those circumstances i always switch to a slow sink white needle with a loong pause instead of a twitch...works more often than it doesnt.

thanks for the confirmation, DZ
:claps: :claps: :claps:

sumthing that has sneaked into my psyche/strategy
since last year's Fall Run; but i thought i was oversimplifying??

that's VERRRRY GOOOD to know and add to the thought progressions,
and will more than likely effect my sluggo/rigged eeels retrieves............



how BIG is the biggest, Yamamoto??
:bl: :bl: :bl:

yozuri mag darter usually does it there where we were Spagetti... fished with a jerk and pause...kind of piss 'em off a bit... and big Joe always fishes red gill teasers and hooks up when they are finicky for the plug.......and I owe you is right for posting me with the dinks....I have a camera too:humpty:

I've experience that quite a few times. I fish a spot in RI, with a fast outflow. And if the fouled hooked bass gets in that rip, it feels like a slob. lol. I saw one guy with a keeper, one night, that had this fella goin' for twenty minutes. :tooth:
I agree with Skitterpop, this time of the year, I'll use a teaser.
One night I was getting Shad on the teaser. I always have a heavier stick with me, just in case.

I was getting bumped all night last night too. I got 6 fish in the same UDL I got 18 just 2 nights ago. Mostly shorties. The fish I did manage to get took the plugs on slower and slooooower retrieves. As mentioned, it was like they didn't want to commit. They were following the plugs right to the shoreline. I had one jump at the plug right in front of me and I hadn't seen him following the plug. It startled me so much, I almost fell of my rock!