bass w/ mackerel - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

BassmanN · 06-13-2002, 11:53 AM

Now that the herring have all but dried up, I want to use live mackerel.
Any ideas on how to catch them, what to use for chum, where to look?
Have seen a few boats use a multi hook rig and drive the boat in circles.
Never tried it.
Used to use live menhadden..........no longer an option in RI waters.
Thanks for the help.

PS. I hate eels !

JohnR · 06-13-2002, 01:13 PM

If you are out of RI, macks get real tough to find and are nowhere near as "easy" (not really) as in Mass... The rig is called a Christmas Tree or Sabiki rig, very similar in design...

I've heard of good runs of Macks off Newport but my understanding is that they dry up with the herring more or less. The other big bait is certainly bunker/pogies/menhaden and the adult menhaden schools are pretty much taken up by the Pogy Boats...

Guess what, that leaves eels

the best all around bait when you factor ease of aquiring, cost to get and keep alive,

Scotch Bonnet · 06-13-2002, 03:47 PM

I wish the B&T shops sold live baitfish like they do in other parts of the country. They would make a killing!!! I barely have time to fish, never mind chasin bait.

179 · 06-14-2002, 07:36 AM

Bass,
I haven't seen any Macks in the RI area in a few weeks now. I am not sure if they are still around?

BassmanN · 06-14-2002, 10:45 AM

Thanks... I had no idea that the season was the same. I guess I will clean and prep the wire trolling rods... Did very well with the herring this spring but I can't keep them alive in the pen this late.

I have heard that the herring and pogies are impossible to keep alive at bait shops, or we would be able to buy them.

If I ever caught a bass with an eel and not just rocks.......I would be happy.
This will be the year. I have learned alot about how I have been rigging wrong by reading these posts.
I have been catching alot of good fish...Just trying to broaden my techniques.
Thanks for the replies.

179 · 06-14-2002, 11:45 AM

If you can't get any live bait to use, try trolling tubes or umbrellas with wire, you will be surprised what you fish up....

BassmanN · 06-14-2002, 02:48 PM

Gray,

Niner rigs, inconel wire, red srg tube, clam worms.........best thing to happen to striper fishing in a long time.

Can't beat the fun of a day with live bait though.