OK - the little linesided bahstages are about to arrive, where will YOU'LL get your first LOCAL dance with them and when and with what... BTW - holdover fish don't count so fishing at the Providence river "OverFlow" pipes do not count :P , not that I've gotten anything there in my two previous attempts...

Then there is the fun part for when the first keeper fish arrive and when...

OK - Saturday March 31 or Sunday, April 1st at the West Wall, 17 tiny school bass from 12-18 inches. 10 of those will be doubles on my red and white flathead 1/2 ounce Bucktail jig and a white bucktail tearser... SW winds blowing 15-20, 52 degrees, Sun peaking out on occasion...

I hope to continue what I did the last 2 seasons. That would be fishing the wall March 27th. Got skinked both years mind you but what the heck. I guess I'm not married to March 27 if its real bad weather but about that time I'll be heading down. This year I want to try 1 OZ round bucktails with a curltail vs a 1/2 OZ flat head or upperman jig. The ball shape presents about the same profile in 1 OZ that the flat head does at 1/2. Get much better casts with the 1 OZ and I made them so I know I got good hook. One year I got really PO'd cause I spent abot $2+ for 1/2 jigs at Quaker lane and the hooks would break on those 12 fish at the wall.

Anyway , that's this years plan. First keeper about 3 rd week in april on the wall or at carpenters. Then its herring time.

I'll probably start after we return from Florida, on the 24th of March. Cold, snowy winter or not, I usually take my first schoolie between March 26 and April 6, and my first keeper from April 20 or so thru the end of the month.

I have usually got the first schoolie on some sort of jig with a teaser. By the end of April, I've added small swimming plugs to the mix. Last year, first keeper came April 26, on a Violet Phantom Megabait.

Large? Anytime after May 1st, I have a realistic chance at a 30#+ Last year, cowhunter drilled some fish into the high 20s the Saturday before Mothers' Day out in my neck of the woods--the first day they opened the beach to trucks.

Did someone ask "where?" ?? :o OK, since I like youse guys, the first schoolie usually comes out of Smithtown Bay on the North Shore of LI, and the first keeper usually comes from the backside of a local inlet. Way on the backside, if you get my drift. Usually in spots with "overhead structure". The Large? Heh heh, fuhggedaboudit ;)

Let's see wife and kids in away 3/29-4/9. I guess my first fish of the season will be alongside John, #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& and Saltheart when I take a break from finishing the bathroom, making legs for the new table, fixing the......on 3/31. It will probably be on a 3/4 oz jig with a homemade 4" white shad or maybe a 5 3/4" Fin-s white or clear sparkle.

First keeper will probably be around Warwick near the end of April.

Fishpart , save those 5+ inch home made fin S fish for later. In march and early april , use tiny stuff like the very thin Fin S (like those chartruese ones I had last year) or my favorite , the Zoom 4 inch Salty Fat Albert Curltails in white. You get a lot in a bag too.
Hope to see you before the Wall though.

Saltheart,
Made a mold to make 6" and 4" shads. They floated up a little so the lures are a little big and I need to make it again :(. If you could just take it easy for a :30 side excusrion on your way west.... I'll probably be at the Mass Bass show late Sunday afternoon.

Looks like I might get my first brighties standing next to Saltheart and Fishpart (and 237 other people) ;D

As far as my first big fish? Not sure yet (well I have an idea or two) but it will probably be on a swimmin' bucky ;P in Lil Rhody. gotta love having the bucky run a short distance from the house...

Wife: Darling, when will you be home?

Me: Dear, as soon as I get a half dozen herring and live-line them for dinner.

Wife: So, less than an hour with dinner, right?

Me: Yes, Dear...

See, a nice rosy picture on the way home from work }>

BTW - Ditch, no immediate need to cough up the early season keeper spots... :P ;D ;P >(

Usually, my first would be well after you RI guys hit them and dependant on when they turn the corner. I'm hoping to get down to RI this spring to check things out, so who knows at this point. Maybe a trip down to meet some of you guys, throw some plastic from this WALL I keep hearing about and check out the boat ramps in the area.

Fishpart, I've got an article on pouring baits and making molds on my fishing page. Let me know if I can be of any help, plastic is my life....lol.

Tight lines.

Ok guys I wont be fishing with you/all at the west wall. unless I get a invite/ otherwise I'll wait ,a few days and have them steady by the 12/13 of April in the bay // keepers any time shortly after that , fish over 15# a steady pick around May 22nd, don't take this as cocky but after all these years these are the dates things will happen//
PS A Northeaster voids all they above//
schoolies / bucktails, then slugos,
15# and over buckies then eels[unless bunker show] later

GS,
It was your article that got me serious about making my own soft plastics. So far I have just been using plaster for my molds. I tape my desired lure down to a board and put a dike around it and fill with plaster. After it cures I pull the master and paint the cavity. I thas worked well so far except sometimes the pattern floats up and my cavities are too deep, but not a big deal.

What kind of plastic do you use? I have some lurecraft 536 and it is softer than I would like bcause my lures aren't tough enough. I didn't have the foresight to buy hardener and I still have about 1/2 gallon left. I find that as I recycle other lures in with my homemeades the plastic gradually gets tougher. I haven't reviewed your article in some time so maybe I should do that first.

I'll probably make my next set of molds out of body plastic once these wear out or get dropped.

Plaster is ok, but if you want durable molds, I'd recommend switching to Bondo or some 2 part resin. I also would go out and buy some of those nice (not too pricey) non-stick baking pans, ones large enough for maybe 4-6 baits. Then a small bottle of contact cement (better than tape) at your local hardware store. The contact cement holds the baits down better and they shouldn't float up. Here is a picture of a mold I made of my 7 inch flat bait [img="http://www.rgsiroisco.com/mold.jpg"]. [img="http://www.rgsiroisco.com/striperbaits.jpg"]The flat bait is next to my new personal favorite, thanks to my brother-in-law for the design, the 7 inch split tail. This picture also shows my preference for weighting the hook shank of a 90 degree 5/0 Owner hook rather than ball or other jig heads (I prefer a more horizontal presentation) and holding (corkscrew) the baits which dramatically increases the life of any plastic bait.

Just remember to spray with Pam before pouring any molds of this type, or the plastic will start to stick to the mold. My personal opinion is that there aren't any "secret" or "killer" plastic baits and the stripers are reacting more to size/profile, presentation and finally and of little importance IMHO; color. For that reason if you want to try to make molds using commercially available plastics, pick them for the above, but also their ease of duplicating in the mold and ease of pouring. That mold of my is nothing but a big wedge of plastic, but man does it catch fish and it's a snap to pour.

If you need any help, feel free to give me a call, or set up a time to swing by. Tight lines.

Clammer, I'll bring you down to the Wall if you want. But like you said, just a few weeks later they'll be up your way and you'll pass 'em on the way to the clam beds...

Thanks John<, Ill go to watch,take a picture or two <Otherwise I"ll wait and we can hook up near home>#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& also said he has a spring spot that he thought we might get together at. Its for sure that at buckie time we"ll be at some of the same places> Catch you soon//