Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating - View Single Post

Finaddict · 04-29-2006, 08:44 AM

When I lived on the shores of Western Long Island Sound -- back in the1970s and 1980s, the pogies would come into that part of the Sound in May, often stayed a little further west until about mid to late May, then they would set into all the local harbors for the season until October.

If the fish are under them, hooking in front of the head is a good idea. If you have some that are barely alive that cannot really swim all that well, use those first. We used to hammer the larger stripers on those, in fact one of the old timers in my area said the whole, freshly dead pogy is the best for big bass and this guy would catch 50s on a regular basis -- late 1960s and 1970s, so a different story -- but don't hesitate to fish a whole fresh dead pogie on the bottom, it too will bring big fish, but the half of the head will work well too. Smaller fish will try to eat the larger pogies, and sometimes will, but your chances for a big un are better with the pogies as they are a prime bait.

If they are too lively and the fish are not chasing them all that much, and you don't feel like poking their eyes out, cut off their pectoral fins, that will make them squirm pretty much in place and draw in hungry predators, but keep an eye on the bait if it is sitting on the bottom to avoid crabs, snails, etc.

04-29-2006, 08:44 AM	#9
Finaddict Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: North Shore Posts: 1,701 Blog Entries: 1	Pogies When I lived on the shores of Western Long Island Sound -- back in the1970s and 1980s, the pogies would come into that part of the Sound in May, often stayed a little further west until about mid to late May, then they would set into all the local harbors for the season until October. If the fish are under them, hooking in front of the head is a good idea. If you have some that are barely alive that cannot really swim all that well, use those first. We used to hammer the larger stripers on those, in fact one of the old timers in my area said the whole, freshly dead pogy is the best for big bass and this guy would catch 50s on a regular basis -- late 1960s and 1970s, so a different story -- but don't hesitate to fish a whole fresh dead pogie on the bottom, it too will bring big fish, but the half of the head will work well too. Smaller fish will try to eat the larger pogies, and sometimes will, but your chances for a big un are better with the pogies as they are a prime bait. If they are too lively and the fish are not chasing them all that much, and you don't feel like poking their eyes out, cut off their pectoral fins, that will make them squirm pretty much in place and draw in hungry predators, but keep an eye on the bait if it is sitting on the bottom to avoid crabs, snails, etc.