Pencil popper short strikes - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

steelhead · 07-23-2005, 08:51 AM

Was fishing an 8" parrot pencil popper this AM about sun up. I kept getting short strikes on it. Was doing sort of a medium retrieve. Slowed it down. No strikes. Speeded it up. No strikes. Went back to medium and got short strikes. Some of these hits were in skinny water at my feet. Saw the fish. They had some size to them. Tried pausing after the strike and then some twitches. Nothing... Tried to speed up after the strike. Had one follow but, a short strike again. I'm puzzled. I began thinking that maybe a floating needle might have been an option, cause something wasn't quite right. Any thoughts. A color change?

Christian · 07-23-2005, 09:08 AM

go smaller. it is the key.

steelhead · 07-23-2005, 09:45 AM

DAmn, NOw I have to turn a few more...
:-)

steelhead · 07-23-2005, 11:43 AM

I got a 6" floating parrot stubby needle. Maybe that would work, too?

Mike P · 07-23-2005, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelhead

I got a 6" floating parrot stubby needle. Maybe that would work, too?

Sure, just work it like a pencil. I've used the small Superstrike "Bullet" needles when the bass have been breaking on small bait in the Canal---they got hits where the 7" Gibbs and Hawgs were getting ignored.

Christian · 07-23-2005, 02:59 PM

yay! make more plugs!
also you may want to try a little chrome creek chub popper.