No luck with plugs! - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

jaywalker33 · 06-19-2003, 10:04 AM

Last Sunday night we were fishing in our usual spot. (Its a small bay that it is an offshoot of a bigger bay) Anyway we were catching plenty of fish, mostly schoolies in the low to mid 20's. It was close to dusk and fish were breaking everywhere, not sure what the bait was but there were some terns diving. The only thing I am ever really successful on is tube and worm trolling but it gets a little boring. So we decided to throw some lures at the breaking fish. We used poppers, storm shads, bucktail jigs, but didn't get a bite so we went back to the tube and worm and caught more. Why is it I can't catch anything on a lure?!?! It is frustrating and from what everyone says there is nothing like watching a fish explode on a popper. Maybe I was reeling too fast, too slow?? Should I cast to where I saw the fish breaking, in front? Help!

mrmacey · 06-19-2003, 10:51 AM

my advise read what you can on throwing and retrieving plugs ask guys to go with them and just watch the way they work the plugs and then practice practice practice, ive gone to the little fresh water pond up the street to watch in the calm water how they swim and work guys fishing will see me and say those plugs are kinda big for in here!!!

striperjerk1 · 06-19-2003, 11:54 AM

JAYWALKER, im mostly a surf fisher but this should apply to any situation.when i first use a plug or any lure im not use to .make short cast with it, see how it swims or work. this should basicaly tell you how to retrieve it.

jaywalker33 · 06-19-2003, 12:37 PM

Thanks guys, I just have to keep at it I guess. Another thing that could have affected the plug was the fact I kept the swivel and clip I was using for trolling on instead of tying directly to the lure. Wonder if that had an effect on the way it swam.

striperjerk1 · 06-19-2003, 12:47 PM

jay ,if you keep the snap and swivel on just use a split ring on the plug should work ok.

beachwalker · 06-19-2003, 12:54 PM

Jay,

What kind of plugs were you throwing ? What were the fish feeding on ?

jaywalker33 · 06-19-2003, 01:08 PM

I couldn't really tell what they were feeding on. I think they were silversides or some type of minnow. There's a lot of seagrass in that area and usually that's what's around. I tried a Yo-zuri hydro topwater, has a mackeral color. Also a crystal minnow and an Atom Striper swiper, plus a pearl colored storm shad.