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Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&
It varies. every year is different and you cant catch whats not there...Having said that, I have 8 fish just at or over 30lbs this year..Last year I had more including a 43lb fish from the beach.2 -30lb fish is very good, I will cocede I have much more time than most to fish...is simple mathematics, my chances go way up because I put in more time and I realize that...I may live line bunker in the morning and then head out with live eels at night, just many opertunities, I also baught a boat this year so I could fish many different ways.
Targeting large fish only has its drawbacks....Its better to relax and let it happen, fishing with the intent of only catching large makes you fish tense... What I do is study my charts....I know the 2 or 3 places I fish most often intamatly, Agter of years on the same pearch you simply just learn when the opertunity for a big fish is there, you know that its worth going on a south east wind and not worth going on a southwest wind. I know that there is a window of time where I have the best shot....Notice , I dont say "I know the fish will be there" all you can do is make sure everything else is right condition wise and then just fish the place you have chose....I also fish my spots at everysingle stage of the tide coming or going, thats how you learn a spot....Some places I have stumbled upon by accident ! I went at the wrong time and caught fish and learned something in the process...If I catch fish at a new place , I look at a chart the next day and it hits me..."Oh thats why" there is a drop off here and deep water with a reef just under water" I also look at which way the currents move along a particular spot, sometimes its more important than the tide, sometimes its only good an hour before dead low or even still There are places where you can only reach the structure you want to fish on a moon low tide..
There is much to learn and its a constant process however, I like to concentrate on two or three spots and stick with them, they produce and I have taken the time to learn them.
When someone tells you they got fish at spot A You want to rush down there, well there is so much more to it than that....when did they catch, what was the wind, how did they aprocach the spot etc..etc..etc...What stage of the tide.
I dont follow tide rules, I only use the tide as it relates to a certain spot, Like I said some spots are good on low, some on high some in between...you have to learn your spots!
What you fish with is important, in my opinion you cannot beat live eels...just cant...over the course of a season nothing is more consistant, its a live bait! My numbers and size of fish should speak to that....I use eels from may until decmebr and have never ever had a problem catching fish...never! On the cape, guys do well with plugs...but , again, I am no expert on cape cod because I dont fish there aften....So what works for them is not for me to judge...I am an expert in Rhode Island and can tell you matter of fact, you can cast plugs till the hooks rust off and not even catch a third of what the live eel will catch...The eel also attracts large fish and all my 40lb and up fish have fell to live eels...Now why would anyone have a problem with that? Its the truth! So, while fishing to some is not about "catching"....it is to me..I dont want to lose sleep for a week straight and get skunked ! I want results and the live eel produces results!
So, its a matter of learning your spots well, if you have fished a spot for a few seasons and got nothing better than a teen size fish..odds are that spot just doesnt produce large....its not your fault...like I said earlier, you cant catch whats not there....I would then move on and learn and try new places. You want certain things, deep water within close range of the shoreline is important to me , load of structure is important to me, its the highways bass use to move and ambush and hide, lots of bottom forage is important to me, lobsters, crabs, etc... It is my belief that large bass would rather grub to eat than chase a baitfish all day long...and just to add to that....eels are fished very slow....
But lastly and to pound it home... YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE TIME...its as simple as that, you cant catch fish staying home...I realize all about peoples work etc.... but still this sport is a matter of time on the water...
Go Catch large!
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