On the launch pad? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Back Beach · 09-09-2008, 06:23 AM

Its week two of "fall fishing."
We got the usual head fake at the end of august followed by a little slow period. I would say we're within one week of things starting to really break open for the surf guys. I eagerly anticipate the third week of September every year.

What do you expect to see in the next couple weeks?

NIB · 09-09-2008, 07:07 AM

I will check my crystal ball an get back to ya..

Mid September in NJ means the start of the mullet run..And my fall season..A early morning V wake of bait round the front of the jetty gets NIB going..
You will have snapper blues spearing in the mix also.Pluggin can produce a quality fish as they seem to get stupid when among the mullet.In general numbers of fish improve.Dawn and dusk are my favorite times.Small metal lips Bombers Yo momma crystal minnows.,poppers..Get the job done..Years ago when my rebirth started in the salt I took one close to 30 on a yo zuri on sept 16th here in NJ.It was a quality fish at the time.Took it off the bar.Talk about your tarpon.Thing went ballistic.I remember it like it was yesterday..
One other thing..In your other thread on fish jumping.The one time they really seem to get airborne is during the mullet run..
Maybe, as Mullet are a southern fish they are acting like the tarpon from FLA.

JohnR · 09-09-2008, 11:18 AM

Absent of major storms, I expect to see goooood fisihin' end of September beginning of October

Flaptail · 09-09-2008, 12:16 PM

It's still officially summer by the calendar. Every year, depending on moon phase I take two weeks (this year 2-1/2) starting 'round September 15th, this year will be starting the 19th. Right now waters around my playground are the warmest of the year, days are getting shorter noticeably ( around 7:30pm is dusk now).

If I have learned one thing Striper fishing these past 40 years it's that no two years are the same, a decade can go by between fat years and lean. Last years hot lure is a backseater to this years and some that haven't made the scene in a long long time will be re-introduced as the hot number.

Can we bet on something good happening over the next week or two? Maybe, maybe not. Oft times better days are right around the corner. To be there to take advantage of the blips about to show on the screen you have to make the time available for yourself to take full advantage and have to have a good grip on the area you fish as to when, where and what it takes to make it happen.

Ive got a plan, now we will just have to wait and see. The days are falling off of the calendar fast, I am ready it's up to the bass the bait and the weather gods now to make my dreams come true.

Hopefully all of yours will too!

Back Beach · 09-09-2008, 12:36 PM

I'm hearing the water is still fouled a bit in many locations. Will hopefully pop once we get a few days of northwest wind to clean things out. Looks like its coming right behind this front.

RIROCKHOUND · 09-09-2008, 12:42 PM

Another week or two.
Usually NFL week 3/4 it blows wide open for me.
Usually numbers with size mixed in...

JLH · 09-09-2008, 02:59 PM

Hoping for good things! I took off Sept 22nd – 30th and am hoping for a chance at some quality fish in SoCo. Have another week off right in the middle of Oct.

redlite · 09-09-2008, 03:26 PM

You missed it.......The ship took off 3 weeks ago...........Sept 21st, gear gets hung up.

tinyboatbigfish · 09-09-2008, 03:29 PM

you crazy red i have been on the water almost every day and no big action yet but i can say any day now

piemma · 09-09-2008, 05:09 PM

Sept 15th and Mr and Mrs Mullet will be around. The big push is EARLIER than you think. Straggelers after Columbus Day. I know a lot of you guys disagree but I have the log books to prove it. Sept is better than OCT.

BassDawg · 09-09-2008, 06:37 PM

with piemma i must concur!!

my limited amount of basslawgs (3yrs)
indicate that Sept is the killer AND the beginning
of the staging before the big push S which has been

last week of Sept ~Cape Ann,
1st week of Oct ~DI,
2nd week of Oct ~the AQ and beyond.

but as the wise Flappy One suggests,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
ya just never know til it gets here. question is

will YOU be there??

Back Beach · 09-10-2008, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redlite

You missed it.......The ship took off 3 weeks ago...........Sept 21st, gear gets hung up.

On Sept 21, things will be heating up at west island.

Flaptail · 09-10-2008, 08:02 AM

There was a sea change last night in the fishes un-cooperative mood of late, went to bed in the wee hours with a smile for once after standing alone on a beach in the pouring rain by myself, suffering a bout of my stomach suddenly starting to jerkulate then with rain pouring down needing to you know what very quickly and very far from any sanitary facilities, whereupon nescesity overtakes dignity (good thing I packed some paper towels in my pocket for lens cleaning) and then suffering not one but two braid malfunctions which caused me to loose 60 yards of expensive braid someone up stairs took pity on me and my fortunes changed dramatically.

The one bad thing was having to leave still biting fish because of, ugh, work responsibilities today.

But it was a happy hour and a 1/2 drive home. ( WMOR plays some wierd sh!t around two in the morning.

DZ · 09-10-2008, 08:31 AM

Great advice Paul.

What I've found is that in September the local fish (those that "live in your general area") start to move. When they are gone you have to rely on other fish as they migrate through your particular area and that is always a crap shoot.

There is usually a slow buildup to our September bite and it has been very slow for me lately but I've managed to drop one nice fish each night for the last three I've fished. Indications are good - just hope I'm free when the consistant bite begins.

DZ

numbskull · 09-10-2008, 08:36 AM

[QUOTE=Flaptail;619106].... after standing alone on a beach in the pouring rain by myself, suffering a bout of my stomach suddenly starting to jerkulate then with rain pouring down needing to you know what very quickly and very far from any sanitary facilities, whereupon nescesity overtakes dignity (good thing I packed some paper towels ...
[QUOTE]

That ought to get the fish moving for sure.

ProfessorM · 09-10-2008, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flaptail

There was a sea change last night in the fishes un-cooperative mood of late, went to bed in the wee hours with a smile for once after standing alone on a beach in the pouring rain by myself, suffering a bout of my stomach suddenly starting to jerkulate then with rain pouring down needing to you know what very quickly and very far from any sanitary facilities, whereupon nescesity overtakes dignity (good thing I packed some paper towels in my pocket for lens cleaning) and then suffering not one but two braid malfunctions which caused me to loose 60 yards of expensive braid someone up stairs took pity on me and my fortunes changed dramatically.

The one bad thing was having to leave still biting fish because of, ugh, work responsibilities today.

But it was a happy hour and a 1/2 drive home. ( WMOR plays some wierd sh!t around two in the morning.

Take me fishing I will bring the Charmin

Back Beach · 09-10-2008, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flaptail

There was a sea change last night in the fishes un-cooperative mood of late, went to bed in the wee hours with a smile for once after standing alone on a beach in the pouring rain by myself, suffering a bout of my stomach suddenly starting to jerkulate then with rain pouring down needing to you know what very quickly and very far from any sanitary facilities, whereupon nescesity overtakes dignity (good thing I packed some paper towels in my pocket for lens cleaning) and then suffering not one but two braid malfunctions which caused me to loose 60 yards of expensive braid someone up stairs took pity on me and my fortunes changed dramatically.

The one bad thing was having to leave still biting fish because of, ugh, work responsibilities today.

But it was a happy hour and a 1/2 drive home. ( WMOR plays some wierd sh!t around two in the morning.

Truly %$%$%$%$ luck if I do say so.

ProfessorM · 09-10-2008, 12:44 PM

i keep one exactly like that in the truck. Care more about being warm than looking stupid

Brother Brian · 09-11-2008, 08:08 AM

Quote:

rockhound and I saw what I am pretty sure was mullet last night in gansett, so things may start happening. we fished a great spot at the right tide, although it was a weak tide with live eels and didnt get a tap.

Based on the above I'm pretty sure I crossed one of you guys

.
The fish were off to the far right (5-7lb) and the surf being what it was I just couldn't get there except with a perfect cast. And you are absolutely right there were mullet banging into my waders the whole time

RIROCKHOUND · 09-11-2008, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother Brian

Based on the above I'm pretty sure I crossed one of you guys

.
The fish were off to the far right (5-7lb) and the surf being what it was I just couldn't get there except with a perfect cast. And you are absolutely right there were mullet banging into my waders the whole time

%$%$%$%$ happens.
Nebe only cursed your name, 3 maybe 4 times.

no harm no foul. Tough conditions that night