EAST OR WEST - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Liv2Fish · 07-02-2011, 08:47 AM

I have always been predominantly an east guy for a couple of reasons. I like to stand on the very edge of the low water ledge and work the edge where that ledge meets the bottom. I find that I can also use lighter jigs as there's less water column to get down through and less drag on the line as the current passes by it.

I've been fishing the west more lately just to put more time in and found it a lot more different than I expected. Working the inner edge is not an option and it seems like you get a lot less time to fish after the start of the tide, even during the neaps.

Any tips from you "westerners"?

chaz · 07-02-2011, 10:22 AM

usually just let the current pull the bait to the edge,try throwing at about 3 o clock and retreving at 9 or 10 let the current work the bait for you and dont get stuck on a lobster trap

this seems to work best for me the strike zone is between 12 and 9

afterhours · 07-02-2011, 10:37 AM

not typically a west guy myself, but i know alot of good fishermen who do very well on the west.

zimmy · 07-02-2011, 02:19 PM

I am much better at fishing the west. Still feel like a beginner on the east after 10+ years.

Slipknot · 07-02-2011, 02:34 PM

Now that I have figured out what you meant that it wasn't which end, but which direction, I'd have to answer I love the west but have times and places for both east or west.

last 3 of the west is killer, dropping water, cooler water, and it brings bait in from the other bay.

what i hate are the floating ropes that snag jigs

chaz · 07-02-2011, 02:50 PM

direction of current,i favor west ,the technique i described works best for both.
had to re read the origanal post ,was thinking like rr bridge vs scuisset jetty west east...

eskimo · 07-02-2011, 04:06 PM

Really depends but because I can think of 10 for every 5 places I like to fish on the west I'll go with west.

If just jigging, here is a BS theory I like to believe this time of year just to give me something to boost my confidence.

The fish that want to move from west to east end up locking to bottom on the west and waiting for the turn making it easier to put jigs in front of them. Then on the east if they really just want to move through they will be somewhere in the middle of water column making it a shot in the dark.

I probably came up with that on a unproductive east tide.

Liv2Fish · 07-02-2011, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zimmy

I am much better at fishing the west. Still feel like a beginner on the east after 10+ years.

That's exactly where I'm at just the other tide.

fishwhisperer1 · 07-02-2011, 09:51 PM

I use to do well on both tides but that has changed for me, im guessing about four years ago. the east tide has been much more productive, my spots on the west tide are definatly much slower, cant figure it out........??

Mike P · 07-03-2011, 06:46 AM

Yes, the current does tend to run a hair faster on the west. If you Google "Cape tides and currents" you'll find a link to a website by that name, that will give you the current velocity at peak flow on each day.

If you want to fish the close in drop-off on the west, try things with a touch more buoyancy---longer Sluggos/RonZs/Hogys/etc. and shads. Or throw lighter heads.

Be careful of guys fishing upcurrent of you if you're going to cast far upcurrent, and short. Nothing pisses me off more, when I'm throwing far out and making a drift, than a guy who moves in 100 feet downcurrent, and starts throwing 50 feet out and 100 feet up.

I promise you that I won't move in on you and affect the way you're fishing. I only ask the same from others.