New to fishing
 

This is a loaded question but...here goes.

I am completely new to striper fishing...well, fishing at all. I've been twice. I've caught maybe an 18" and a 20".

I could use some tips, any tips at all. I know very little about fishing, but want to bring something more sizeable in....

Any advice?

Welcome aboard....first piece of advice is have fun and experiment.

There are many, many, many ways to be successful at fishing -- and no one way is foolproof. Start slowly and read up on some of the posts here. I have found some real good info on this board.

Depending on what species (and I assume you are looking for stripers), I would encourage you to eyeball whatever coastline you plan on fishing and look for structure, rips, currents and any other features that would make a good hole for stripers. Then plug away.....

enjoy

I have a site picked out, a pretty good one, I guess.
I am striper fishing, (not using eels), but I guess my question is: for someone as new to it as I am, is there anything I can do to bring in something larger? Or is it like cards, you get a random hand....:cool:

Its cards. But the more you play cards the better you get.

Do a search on the area you're fishing, you may find some helpful tips there.

Fish at night. Bigger fish are well known to be night feeders and are more apt to come into shore/shallow water at night, especially during the summer months.

Eels are certainly one of the best ways, but alot of guys on this board do very well with plugs (and plastic) as well. When I'm targeting larger fish at night, I fish eels 90% of the time so some of the pluggers I'm sure will chime in with some of their favorites.

If not night, then lowlight at dusk or dawn.

If you're going at night, take Homerun's advice and scout the area during the day, preferably at low tide. This will help you find the areas bass will frequent and more importantly, help keep you safe. Tread lightly 'cause even when you know an area well, its tough to see drop-offs and other dangers.

Good luck

...last thing I might add. If you are looking for larger fish, generally you find them deeper in the water (especially this time of year). It has been my experience that I might catch more fish using top water surface plugs and plastics, but I'll catch bigger -- less frequent though -- stripers off the bottom using live bait (eel, herring, etc).

If your looking for size, get down deep. If your looking for volume, play up top......IMO.

Go to your local tackle shop. Tell them you are just starting. Buy some bait and sinkers. Buy a jig or two. Go to another bait shop and do the same thing again. they will get you started.

What area you in?

Go and just watch others for a while. Not all night but watch for an hour. See what others are doing. Don't hang your hat on what one guy is doing. Watch a few different people who are catching.


Do not go wading out bravely . Big balls will get a beginner in big trouble. Stay high and dry for a while til you learn the ropes.


Try to hook up with someone who knows what they are doing. There are lots of people looking for someone to go fishing with. Its always safer with at least one other person and if the person knows what they are doing , your learning curve will be fast.

Read the message board. There's info here that will take you years to get on your own.

Good Luck

Good replies, all....:)

Let me chime in for the chunkers....;), don't forget that. Again, bigger fish in deep water, chunking can be the way to go, especially a beginner.

As Saltheart and others said, you wanna be safe, and chunking is a relatively safe way to fish until you know the area and the topography.

Also, do what they said and scout the beaches/areas in daylight. One of the things that at times limits me trying new spots, is that I usually fish starting at about 3-4-5 am....Depending on the time of year....I try to hit about 1 1/2-2 hours of darkness, sunrise, and maybe an hour or so with the sun over the horizon.

So if it's dark, many times I will shy away from trying a new area, cause I don't know what I am in for as far as parking, access, walking, hazards in the area, etc., and I really don't want to deal with any suprises at 4 am that cause me waste that time not fishing or to get hurt.

So, I would say if you can only go to a new spot at night for the first time, be with someone that knows the area. Otherwise, try to get there during the day, know the particulars, and try to fish it once or twice going into dusk. This gives you some daylight to know the area, but also allows you to fish into darkness.

Or know the access/parking particulars, and go at false dawn.....still a good fishing time, but light enough that you can mostly see what you are doing.

Then once, you have done that, go for the nighttime, the wading, the eeling, the plugging, etc. You'll feel more secure. :)

Have fun....catch fish....:), oh, and Welcome!

Thank you for the welcome.
And thanks for all the great tips so far.

I fish off the Gloucester coast, off the rocks. Its the spot where my boyfriend Carl, (an excellent fisherman) passed away while fishing this past Father's Day. So I began to fish to see what he loved so much about it.....and now I am addicted!

As far as safety, I think I am all set. I have never been much of a dare-devil. But I go with his fishing buddy now, so I am never alone. His buddy knows the area pretty well, so I don't think I will need to check too much out as far as wading out.

I've read a bit about eels, but am hesitant as I hear they are very hard to work with. I want to say we use Mackerel for bait... not sure. Is this a good bait?

(Carl would be so proud of his girl even TOUCHING a fish, let alone going online for tips!!)

Sorry about Carl, :(, but I think it's GREAT what you are doing.....:)

I wish you the best of luck, and good to hear you have a buddy.....:)

Mackeral will work fine. So will pollack (in your neck of the woods).

Eeels are not that difficult to work with. Use a rag to grab them, and hook them through both lips......all you need to do is make sure to keep them out of the rocks, and make sure they do not wind around your line -- and you'll be fine.

I usually do a slow retrieve when I live-line anything from the shore to insure nothing hides beneath rocks on me....good luck.

that doesnt sound like a bad start to me!!!!!

if I am wading in a new place.....it doesnt matter who I am with....I play the "chicken-sh*t" wader........you wont find me wading/wandering too far!!!!!! even EXPERIENCED waders have found themselves in troulble....just be careful!!!!

you go girl!!!!!!!
sorry to hear of your loss....:( :( :( :( but I bet he's got a great big smile on his face right now....:D :D :D not to mention fishing can be a great way to relax (and believe it or not....find yourself!!!!! or lose yourself...or whatever you need to do at the moment!!!!!

I have a reverse situation here......I LOVE the fishin and hubby "just kinda went now and then"....after our vaca a few weeks back something BIT him and now he's right there with me!!!!!! (its bitter sweet) now he's stealin my stuff,,,,readin my books.....:laughs: :rolleyes:

enjoy!!!!

:happy:

Oh, thats funny, now he's right there with you! Be happy that you get to fish together. Carl loved it for years, and since we started dating at the end of the season last year, I never went. We'd planned it, but ran out of time, I guess.

I am sure he is smiling. Probably laughing at me saying: I have to put my fingers in the Gills?!!

My goal is to catch at least a 30".......eventually!

SF - Welcome to Striped-Bass and I think you'll enjoy it here.

I'm sorry to hear about your boyfriend's death. My dad passed away at almost the same time. While he wasn't my biggest influence in fishing, he was the first one to bring me fishing and sadly it's been many years since then.

What I want to ask is, if it's not too hard to talk about - I fully understand if it is - if it was a fishing accident that led to his death. One thing we try to stress here is safety because a bad situation can quickly develop in fishing certain areas that can lead to just that. Slippery rocks and an angry surf can do much to succumb the most competent anglers.

Now, on a lighter note :D - It might take you a little time but the combination of rocks on the north shore, big bass prevalent to that area, and someone watching over you from above, you just might find a 30 POUNDER at the end of your line instead of a 30 incher :hee: - especially in mid September & later...

Again, welcome to the board :btu:

SF -

sorry to hear about your loss of carl. he's looking down and is proud that you took up fishing. hang in there! you've got a "great" buch of people on this board, may you catch a 50 lber in his honor......

Ice

What a great bunch you all are already. Thanks.

John R, he was fishing alone. It was the morning after a big storm, there were 4-6 ft. swells. He was apparently on an upper rock, and would climb lower to bring the fish in. The lower rocks must have been slippery, the fish on his line was described as very large, and/or a wave came and took him. We do not have the actual cause of death yet.

There were witnesses up the hill a little bit away. They said he had the best fishing morning of his life, he was reeling huge stripers in and throwing them back. The couple watched him for hours on and off, and when the woman who watched returned from the restroom, she said he was in the water, struggling to get out. They called 911 and tried desperately to save him, but the water was too bad, and it took the rescue team 10 minutes to pull him from the water. My Carl was already gone.

It was in a way a safety issue. I have to believe it was his time, (cannot imagine why, he was one of those people everyone loves), and if it was his time, it would be the way he would have chosen to go above all others.

PLEASE never go fishing alone in bad waters, no matter how good the fish are. Please call someone, bring a friend. Think of those you may leave behind. No 30lb. fish is worth not seeing those you love again. Respect the water. Carl loved it, and it took him.

Sorry to ramble on. But always err on the side of caution. No matter how strong a swimmer you are, how much a fighter, the water is stronger and more fierce, and much less forgiving. I fish in the water he last fished in, in much calmer conditions. But I can only imagine the area in 4-6 ft. swells. Not a place I would want to be.

Just think of those you love when you see rough waters.

AMEN:)

AMEN is right, I'm very sorry SF.

He's smilin' all the way. Seems like you've picked up a great mentor to boot. These guys won't steer ya wrong, either.

SF sorry to hear of your loss. I hope that fishing bring you the kind of joy it brings the rest of us.

Thanks, guys.

I do find the most peace of all when I'm out fishing now. It's the one thing I look forward to all week, and what a great release of stress. I understand why he loved it so much.

Didn't get to go this weekend, went away... :( Now I have to wait till next week!

I'm gonna lean on you all for tips on catching a big'ol fat striper -- and I'll show you all the pictures. I'll make Carl proud of me....might even show him up with a giant fish!

Thanks again. Hope you all had a great weekend.

SF welcome and I'll chime in some on fishing the rocks and offer some tips. While I don't know specifically the water you fish, I'm going to invision it's similar to a section I grew up fishing called the Glades. It's all big giant bolders and ledge, tons of cover for bass, nice when the seas aren't too bad, but somewhat dangerous (sorry about your loose) when they are bad. I'd also guess that your water is somewhat clear, probably cooler than what we see typically, which means the bass might be in tighter even during the day, or at least in low light. It would all depend on the depth out in front, the time of year, water temperatures and what they might be feeding on. In my waters there isn't a lot of bait around, save the harbor pollack, so bass feed very heavily on lobsters and crabs.

Bass are bass, freshwater or salt and are basically lazy dumb creatures and will set up shop where they can grab an easy meal. That might mean a point, edge (where rock means sand or where shallow meats deep etc), current breaks and the like. Try to look at the water (low tide being a good time for scouting) as if you were fat and lazy and had fins :). Might give you a jump start on the best spots to set up for the morning or evening.

You say rocks and I think tidy bowl, look for the big flushers. Any spots that funnel large quantities of water in with swells or surf and out again after the bowl fills and flushes are great spots for my favorite method. That would be plastic jerkbaits, which I won't get into in too much detail, go to my website and read the article I wrote on that. Plastic + Rocks + Swells + Low Light = Bass, well usually, but you still have to scout and find the best spots. While you have a chunk of mackeral out doing it's thing, I'd be slinging some plastic in tight, sometimes right at your feet. You might be surprised to find out what youv'e been casting over all these days out.

Welcome and tight lines.

Sweetieface,
I think you've "already" made Carl proud ! Welcome to the board ! This is a great bunch of people - I'm sure that we can assist you in the quest for the "big ones". Enjoy the beauty that you will see, savor the peace and solitude and time for reflection while fishing, then add a fish-on and the excitement and personal reward that adds, and you're gonna know what its all about - and you'll be addicted! ;) Patience + hard work = rewards.
So very sorry on your loss of Carl.
Beetle

Got Stripers,

When you say current breaks and flushers...I'm picturing those mini whirlpools in the water, where its a little darker blue and looks like a rough spot for a fish to me. Am I way off?

Also, stupid question time, but what do I need to know about plastic? The only plastic I know about right now is the ball on my line that floats...... (I told you, REALLY new to fishing!)

And yes, I do make sure to grab the ones closest. I made a lousy cast last weekend, and Bill (my/Carl's fishing buddy) was laughing with me, and I said: Thats ok, I'll catch one right there. And seconds later, I did!

And Beetle, I already know what you mean when you say the peace and solitude about fishing, it has been my only therapy since losing Carl. (It doesn't charge $45/hr like most therapists either!) Funny, Carl used to use that expression: What its all about. Now I understand it. I'm only sorry I didn't get into it years ago.....

Thanks all! :D ;) :D

Here's the link to my article to get you started on plastics http://www.ledgerunnerbaits.com/striper.htm

Flushers are spots where the natural formation of the ledge/rocks lends itself for more than a normal amount of water to funnel into a "bowl". The best shapes also allows for a tremendous amount of water to be held as the swell pushes in. Then when the swell retreats that large amount of water has to drain back out, which creates a great place for stripers. First those spots are always rich with oxygen. Then due to the strong current coming and going, the bait in that spot is likely to have a hard time maintaining station and they become easy targets in the confused water. Next time your at the coast, especially a day after some easterly winds and some swells have built up, just watch the sets for a while and the water at the edge. Look for areas with a lot of flow, a lot of white water and turbulence.

Current breaks are where rock, depth changes and the like change the speed of the current and sometimes event the direction it's heading. It's not unlike trout fishing if your familiar, bolders, ledges, holes and many other things affect how a current (tide or wind driven) runs. Like most of us, time on the water is the best education you can get, I wish I had the internet some 30 years ago.

Tight lines.

oh CRAP! asking GS about plastics is a scary thing!!!!!!!! (he's our little king of rubba) I started this season with about three bags of rubba........oops now I have a BASKET I carry with me FULL!!!!!!!!:eek: :eek: and he's not kidding when he says its addicting.......:rolleyes: :rolleyes: not to mention if your as good as I am:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ....you'll loose plenty of them..........doesnt hurt as bad as loosing a $10 or $15 plug!!!! HA!HA!

GOT SNAG????????:eek:

SF, Welcome to the board, and so sorry about Carl. I have a wonderful fishing partner, friend and sole mate, and would be very sad and lost without him. ALways remember that no body knows all there is to know about fishing. There is alot of good information on this board to help tech you, but the best teacher is time on the water and the experiences that will prevail.

There are many things to keep an eye on while fishing, so always keep these few things in the back of your mind when you are out there. ( Wind, tide, weather, structure, bait the fish are feeding on) these few things can be the key to a productive day or a not so productive day.

Always have the WIND blowing at you at some direction and not at your back.
Fish a whole 6 hours of the TIDE and see when the fish are biting, note the time you started getting fish, go back the next day and start fishing the time you started catching fish the day before.
Nice days and nights are not always the best WEATHER for the fish. Stripers like cloudy rainy days, and sometimes howling wind, as it stirs up and disorients the bait.
Go look at places at low tide for STRUCTURE (rocks, sand humps, grass beds, sharp embankments, current obstructions).
If you get a fish, sometime they will puke up the bait they are feeding on, sound grosse but check it out, snag some fresh bait in the water or match the size of the bait with an artificial lure, shads, curly tail grubs, or bucktail jigs.
one last thing, as you get started into fishing, keep a log book for yourself and include these abaove items to you log and you will start to see paterns from year to year, and your time on the water will become very rewarding!!!! Hope this helps and you get that 50!!!!!!!