Rock question

[Sundowner]

When you find an area or even a rock and think, "this is definitely fishy", how long do you give it to produce? Do you think you know the right conditions, or do you fish it the entirety of every stage/method/wind and combination? Do you come back all season, next year?

[FishermanTim]

Are you fishing for rocks or fish?

I see a rock, or group of rocks and think about what may be hiding around them. In a moving water environment it is more enticing as any rock in moving water can create a form of shelter for fish to use.

In the ocean, large rocks and rock formations give smaller fish a place to hide, and larger fish a place to hunt!

Keep in mind the tidal flows will repeatedlt wash things out from around the rocks. When these things get washed out, they become fair game for the larger predators.

It would be a fairer question/comment to say "Do you use rocks as markers for where fish may be caught during a tidal change?"

I have a number of "rocks" at the cnal and in freshwater as well.

The key is to know the waters AND the shoreline, and have an understanding of the topography of that partidular water's bottom.
(I had to "re-learn" a section of the canal after they cleaned it up a few years back. I took some time, but I was able to locate some fish and was able to find that spot again based on the "rock marker" on the shore.)

Hey, as long as you can catch fish, whatever you do is great when it works. When it doesn't, you try something or somewhere else.

Good luck!

[Fly Rod]

15 - 20 mimutes...no fishy on the hook I move....people stay way to long thinking the fish will show up

[Swimmer]

Eel fisherman I was friendly with years ago in Orleans use to give every spot he stopped at until he found fish a dozen casts, no more.
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[OLD GOAT]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

Eel fisherman I was friendly with years ago in Orleans use to give every spot he stopped at until he found fish a dozen casts, no more.
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I fished the beach in my youth with the late Charlie Ferlita who would stop at a hole and make five casts. Eight o'clock, Ten O'clock, Twelve O'clock, Two O'clock, Four O'clock then move to the next spot.
You can cover a lot of ground that way in a beach car.

[iamskippy]

Originally Posted by OLD GOAT

I fished the beach in my youth with the late Charlie Ferlita who would stop at a hole and make five casts. Eight o'clock, Ten O'clock, Twelve O'clock, Two O'clock, Four O'clock then move to the next spot.
You can cover a lot of ground that way in a beach car.

I am far from a sharpie, but i would say this would work providing you have some understanding of the area first.

I think the OP is refering to scouting for current and future activity.

I will say over the last week i found potential in an area both from fishing it and satalite imagery. I work both stages of the tide completely as well as winds and time of day. I found what seems to be the best producers in these challenging times and applied it.

That leg work has paid off and set me up for fishig this area im the future.

Long story short, it comes down to the effort you are willig to put in for reward.
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[snake slinger]

I'll try a new spot a least a few times at different tide stages. At a spot I know no more than a half hour with out a hit
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[Phreddy]

I'd give it all the time you can spare until it produces or not. But note all the variables on a spreadsheet and start a log. A great spot may only be good for 15 minutes of a tide. Note:Tide, Sun Rise and set, Moon rise/set, Moon Phase, cloud cover, baraometer, wind direction and speed, water temp, productive lure, lure color, cigar smoked (lol). Make sure you stay for the very last of the outgoing or incoming. Big fish are lazy and they may move at that time. Good luck!

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Phreddy

I'd give it all the time you can spare until it produces or not. But note all the variables on a spreadsheet and start a log. A great spot may only be good for 15 minutes of a tide. Note:Tide, Sun Rise and set, Moon rise/set, Moon Phase, cloud cover, baraometer, wind direction and speed, water temp, productive lure, lure color, cigar smoked (lol). Make sure you stay for the very last of the outgoing or incoming. Big fish are lazy and they may move at that time. Good luck!

Pretty good advice here.

[PaulS]

yes, good advice there. I'd also add time of year and bait present as I've had some spots being productive a certain time of year bc of different baits being around.

[piemma]

An interesting story. One of the biggest fish I ever had on, and lost, was on a night and a tide you would least expect.
July 1, about 90 degrees and humid as it gets. Full moon and the very bottom of the tide on a reef in Narragansett. Black, home made jointed wooden metal lip swimmer. Fought this fish for what seemed like 10 minutes, then.....nothing. Plug came back with 2 out of 3 hooks on a 3/0 4X VMC treble straightened and the lip bent flat.

Wrong plug, wrong tide, wrong place and a full moon. You just never know.

[Clammer]

I,m good at finding rocks

[Sea Dangles]

I pulled up a rock from 48' whilst flunking recently.
Safely released,a good 2 pounds
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[spence]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

I pulled up a rock from 48' whilst flunking recently.
Safely released,a good 2 pounds
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Sounds like Nebe's epic bath mat.
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[stripermaineiac]

If your truley trying to learn a spot it takes more than a few casts or mins to do so. You don't know what tide the fish show up where they hold an where the holes an rips are.Taking a few casts or spending 40 mins is like a crap shoot. You don't know when the fish go through that area nor how long they stay there. I work an area for an hr or so around both sides of the turn and when I think a spot really does have some nice fish there I'll put the change and the tide in fishing it say 6 to 8 hrs. There is no quick way to learn a spot and the fish really don't care about whats written nor on the web sites LOL. If your gut is telling you there are fish there give the place a good shot and spend some time there. Work every rock and don't stick to just one styles-needles,swimmers,eels,poppers switch it up. I've found some real quality fish by doing this.Think about the number of stories you've heard about the guy that left too early-You shoulda stayed longer the fish moved in just after you left. Remember there are no short cuts in fishing just missed oportunities.

[bart]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

I pulled up a rock from 48' whilst flunking recently.
Safely released,a good 2 pounds
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

rock bite has been hot. nice work, Chris

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Clammer

I,m good at finding rocks

I was on a couple, "you know where" with your name on them, this morning.

[Clammer]

more pogies coming your way Paulie ><><>

[piemma]

Thanks Mike. That helps. I'll run the other way this morning. Headed out now.