so i think i'm on to something... finally!
 

i got a new P.B. tonight. it's tiny compared to some of you guys. (only 31-32") but i'll take it!! especially after the way this whole season has gone. might i also add, fist fish on a plug in almost ten years!! i can't beleive its been that loong. and of all things, a needle!! (also 2 cranks into the 1st cast)

5 casts later, a much much larger fish took it. but i was on some slippery rocks, and he took a turn straight at me as i had all my weight into him while he was running, and sure enough i lost my balance and fell on my ass. reeling as fast i could to keep tension on my way down, but he was gone.

sadly that needle disappeared to a rock two casts later. and they wouldn't touch any of the other ones i threw at em. they also ignored every other offering for the most part. it was ALLLLL about the color. so now i am on a quest to find another one by pm tomorrow..

i know its not huge, but i'm just so psyched to catch a fish on plug and have it be a decent one. tomorrow night i will be back at trying for my first goal of 36"+ with new found enthusiasm that was desperately needed.

here's the awful pic.. (damn cellphones)

Success is certianly relative in this sport...congrats on a job well done...and I hope you eat it on the grill stuffed with lemon, herbs, good olive oil and sea salt :hee:

-spence

i don't eat fish. i just love to catch em. :uhoh:
this little guy went swimming on back.. and i nearly went with it.. said rocks were brutal, gott a couple cuts to prove it. really shouldn't have been out on them.

it kind of bugs me that after i got home and did some comparisons and measuring it didnt hit the 36 mark. waaaay off actually. i was all amped up that i had got to my first goal after over ten years trying. and to have it come on a plug. i was so amped up. oh well i'll get it tomorrow night i'm sure. if i can find another of those needles. so far i can't find any in that color. :smash:. i know if i didnt take that dive on the rocks though that second fish easily would have surpassed the 36" mark. heck it could have even been weighable for the cup. cause that one felt huge. and it was taking line like it owned it. (not fast like a blue, but my reel wasnt gonna stop it)

it feels good to be excited about fishing again though! i was really losing steam hard after such horrible success all summer.

Congrats, Bubba! About darn time dude - took ya long enough. :D

Who took the pic of you? LOL. Thats a skinny fish. ;)

nah ray, i'm just a fat guy.. lol. actually it was pretty racer like. but they'll get bigger and better! just gotta find these darn needles.. then hopefully i can start finally measuring in lbs and not inches.

i'm way too excited about 31" fish... but when you had as horrible a season as i have.. it's better than sex.

Congrats! what about the needle describe it and someone help.

I'm happy for you.
Some thoughts. Make sure you've got the right footwear for rocks. Korkers or studded felt boots are crucial.
Color is usually not as important as weight and action for a given retrieve speed. Were your other needles the same brand? Try your needles in daylight to find the retrieve speed that gets them coming back just beneath the surface as slow as you can go, or just leaving the slightest wake on top.
Keep moving in the rocks. Unless you are on a spot where fish hold in numbers, it is often very hard to get more than 1 or 2 fish off a single rock. Moving 25 yds can make a big difference.
Switch it up. After 5-10 casts with a needle, try 4-5 casts with a danny before moving on. Reel slow, many spinning reels retrieve line too fast to fish needles or dannys at their optimal speed.
Gear your tackle and knots for where you fish. In the rocks you should usually be able to pull free most of the time when you hook bottom if your tackle is stout enough. Before pulling (with the line wrapped on the reel and rod pointed straight at the snag), try shaking the rod violently with a nearly slack line....do it 3-4 times...you can often bounce the plug free.
The next month should be good to you. Good luck.

Congrats. What needle and what color. If I have one, it's yours. Just come by and pick it up. There's your reward and incentive to continue your quest in search of another PB.

thanks for the advice. immediately after losing that one, i put on my blurple needle of the same brand. not even a bump. my buddy was next to me, tossing every needle he had at them. nothing. while i stubbornly stuck with the needles he started tossing everything he had to no avail. mean while these two fish were bam, with some missed bumps.

we saw freebie on the way out and he said he didnt get anything at all either. and he has two of the needles too. a blurple and bright green. whether or not he tried bright green i dunno.

but it was ALLL about the hot pink with white belly RI Lures needle. slowly just above bottom. slow enough to keep it down there, but quick enough to keep it off the rocks. it was obviously risky, and i ended up losing it. but worth it.

the main difference between that and everything we tossed that night color. we had nothing else in pink. lesson learned. i stocked up on pink stuff, but it wont be here till tomorrow.

i think if i cant find a pink needle by the end of the day. i am gonna switch out for some bubble gum hogys. since apparently they were takin the eels. (which is a good reason to hit a needle, but i still think it was all about the color)

and bigbo thanks the offer. :cheers:

p.s. numb.. i am the master of getting stuff back from the bottom. this time wasnt happening. i spent 10mins trying. it either got wedged in between two rock or went right under one. it wouldnt budge an inch.

I'm quite sure I don't have any pink needles. Would a pink Pencil Popper work for you? If so, I'm on the south shore and you're welcome to come pick it up.

My first striper on a needle was not too long ago. I was fishing an area where the tide has gone out more than thought (messed up reading chart and or confused dates :P) and was throwing everything that was dark colored (no moon visible). I had a yellow over white Gibbs needle (sinks SLOW - more of a floater class). Water wasn't deep in the bay I was fishing (< 3' deep) and when the fish first hit it sounded like an explosion in the water (it missed the lure!) and got it back in fast and rifled it back out .... slow retrieve and WHAM ..... wooooo hooooo. :D FAT 34" from an area I had only gotten schoolies and seen tons of peanuts.

Only reason I bothered to stay in this area was during the day driving past and happen to see two guys flip a fish back in the water that was BIG. I just happen to see it otherwise I would have ignored the spot. :)

Fish had lots of green crabs, some lobster in it's stomach. It wasn't until I fished RI w/ Crafty that I saw a fish with a lobster in the belly. Some companies now offer lures that look like lobsta (black over orange SuperStrike bullets look awesome - I have some in my bag now!).

Keep at it - persistance pays off. :) It is that adrenaline rush that keeps us going back. I find solitude standing in the water, having waves rock me and listening to the sounds of the nite until something yanks the rod out of my hands and the drag starts screaming! Of course if you ever tuna fish, that will wreck you and stripers won't seem funny any more! ;)

nice fish it's all about being out there.you gotta be in it to win it.

much appreciated. but i must decline. since i want to get down to the bottom. i'm thinkin sluggos and hogys tonight as a vain attempt to replace the pink needle. they are takin eels over there so i figure anything eel like in bright pink should continue to produce. but who knows could have just been a magic needle.

Good luck. :buds:

Most of my keepers this year have been in that 30"-32" range. I love catching that sixe fish on lightish tackle. Don't concern yourself with all of the other reports of guys catching bigguns. Have fun for you.

Good Luck :)

I wouldn’t get too hung up on the color… it’s just as likely you didn’t get anything else because those were the only two fish in that location. The profile and the ability to get whatever plug you fishing into the strike zone are way more important than color.

Sounds like a great nite. Hell of a lot better than standing in a machine shop till 12 last nite. Congrats

i have seen it both ways where color was important - despite tossing the same plug in a different color...and when it was the size/style of the plug that mattered...

congrats on the fish!

i agree and having seen how the night went down, and knowing that it was the only pink plug thrown that night. i gotta say color this time. i'm sure the profile of the needle was pretty important too. cause they have been slurping down eels. but i think the pink is what put it over the top. cause no other needles saw any signs of fish. i just wish i had one (of anything) in any other obnoxiously bright color to toss.

but wait.. lets not miss something here.. if I can get in to a couple decent fish... you better surfcasters best get out there soon! only 10 days left in the cup!! there must be some bigger one waiting for you guys.

Congrats man!

My first ever keeper was this year with a needle in the canal. Slow retrieve, up on top.

nice! i am so hooked on needles now! not just because of this fish, but the versatility they offer. there is no one way to the things. i love em.

I'm still a rookie with them. I need to buy a couple more. Only have 2 right now and they're both for completely different situations.

me too.. jsut started using them a few weeks back. i'm back down to one. but i got a few more in the mail. cant wait. pm sent.

Congrats on the fish! From now on, go out with confidence that you are just as likely as the next guy (or gal) to reel in a big one.

I was sorting through some plugs the other night and found 7 new needles in all different colors (except pink)and brands. You've inspired me to get out tonight or tomorrow and throw them in some spots where I'm pretty sure they'll work well.

glad i could send ya some inspiration! speaking of which...

TheDadFisherman - how did you end up doing on the all needle day a few weeks back?