Never used one.. Thoughts tactics? Purchased several this year and made a bunch.

Search and ye shall find.

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/how-tos-f-q-s-tips-tricks/7445-how-work-needlefish.html#post675154
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Just looking for a starting point
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http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/stripertalk/50714-whats-your-favorite-needle.html
Now you have two.

Master Po: Close your eyes. What do you hear?
Young Caine: I hear the water, I hear the birds.
Po: Do you hear your own heartbeat?
Caine: No.
Po: Do you hear the grasshopper which is at your feet?
Caine: Old man, how is it that you hear these things?
Po: Young man, how is it that you do not?

A needlefish is meant to be worked slow. Once you start working it slow then work it even slower. Great in skinny water and around structure

To me the biggest this to effectively fishing needles was to have confidence in them. I bought one a long time ago and would toss is on occasion but didn't have any confidence in it at all, so i didnt put in any time with it. But with all the talk about them i seriously gave them a shot a few years ago and really payed attention to the way i fished it. One night it all came together, not i never leave home without a few in the bag. They are one of the coolest plugs to fish. It might sound stupid i really have a connection with the fishing when using needles. ITs all about feel, its some sort of zone that i get into when throwing them, its very soothing. Enough bout me feelings. This isnt a psychiatrists couch. Last thing... I would highly suggest getting an afterhours stubby in Arden or another eel looking color. Those plugs kick ass that is all there is too it.

Fish it when you know fish are around and hitting (your getting them on other lures) not when nothing else works to get confidence. Start with slow and straight and experiment from there. Sometimes an occasional twitch or faster retrieve is key.
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I fish needles a lot. A real lot.
I've taken some really nice fish by skipping a superstrike across the surface, mimicking a spooked sand eel.
But mostly a medium to slow retrieve, pause and twitch now and then. no slack.
Nothing is etched in stone, just always maintain a feel for the lure, not all the hits are hard, some can be quite subtle.
Little floaters, heavy sinkers and all in between sizes, conditions will tell you what to use.

It's the lure I use 90% of the time at night

Cast.
Reel in slowly.
Twitch every now and then.

Don't expect a normal strike- it often is just a tap followed by a 'heavy' feeling.

If you feel sharp raps they are bumping and batting it but not mouthing it.

Stick with them - they catch!
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Very effective and simple lure to use. Get yourself enough to cover all water column. Screw color. Many say to fish it super slow, don’t believe the hype. Work all depths if possible. Normal steady retrieve with the occasional soft twitch here and there is all that's needed. Sometimes letting it just drift in shallow water is another deadly technique. Wood and plastic swim/sink differently. Give em an honest shot this season and you'll learn a bunch.
Good luck this season.

Thanks guys
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In the mornings, I'll just troll one behind the yak until I get a fish. Then I start casting them. Sometimes the fish like them worked on top kind of like a popper. Night time I work them slowwww.

This is great advice that applies to any plug that you lack confidence in. If you don't know when to throw a certain plug, throw it when fish are around and you will then know if it's you, the plug, or the fish that is the problem.

Fish it when you know fish are around and hitting (your getting them on other lures) not when nothing else works to get confidence. Start with slow and straight and experiment from there. Sometimes an occasional twitch or faster retrieve is key.
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They work great for me in shallow rock pts., beaches and muscle beds with some whitewater. Can be fished deep by counting down too. I've caught some big fish in shallow water retrieving them pretty fast, especially habs and superstrikes. Most people fish them slow - but also try alternate speeds and the fast speeds will suprise you at times. I fish needles about 10% of the time - during the conditions above and during a swell. I love just taking rigged eels and eel skin needles and plain needles with me and alternating between the three to cover water. Has always worked out really well on the islands for me. Minimal gear is key. Needles also work pretty good as pencil popper substitute.

White and lighter colors are my favorite, and i've done well with them when mullet, adult bunker and spearing and sandeels are around at night.

I have used needlfish and it's the lure of choice when I am in my kayak. You fish it slow trolling and you will kill the fish if they are there

Just looking for a starting point
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"Know your needles"Take all your needles out for a swim ,,say a deep water pier .. Catergorize them ,,,Floater,, Slow sink ,, fast sink ,, That will tell you where/when you can use them . What you use depends on where you fish . Slow sink - used 90% of the time on rocky beaches maybe reaching 20' of water . Slow retrieve ,,even pauses,, will get you ticking the bottom ,, add a little to retrieve and your fishing low .. floater - used off very shallow water beaches ..Fast sink - heavy weights ,, used to reach deep water or very bad conditions where wind is sweeping you to the side and you need something to dig ..

Got my first realwhack on a needle salty gave me as a gift for ordering 50+ a month bsck l oi ght blue... Took everything you guys said into acccount. I knew there were fish in the area my badonk a donk and a home made pencil(works just like a spook) caught fish. I cast the salty needle skimmed it. Twiched it...let it sink then twich twich BANG.... MISSED HER not anticipating anything... Then my home made needle with a black swiash tail (made by salty) got hammered... Again I missed her... I now know they get hits or are they bumps?? Time time and more tume will tell
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How,do u post pics from smart phone?
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