The days before needlefish...

[Bill L]

What plug did you use before you used the needlefish, in the places you now see as "go to" needlefish spots?

I am a relatively new convert to needlefish. I got a few in the late 80's when they were written up a lot, but I never really did fish them. I dont think I had any confidence, and other stuff was working.

Some of the places I now see as "go to" needle spots are shallow rocky areas, where I like to work the needle on top in the wash, with or without a teaser. The plugs I used to use a lot here were poppers for low light conditons, and bombers at night. Now the needle is the first out of the bag, and many times its all I use, besides switching up colors and sizes.

[zimmy]

I certainly don't qualify as an old timer...but I have had this discussion with my grandfather. He started fishing the salt fairly seriously in the mid 1950's. He has never used a needle. Said he didn't see them untill later and never saw a reason to try them. "There's always something new." Back then he used eels, tins...like hopkins, bucktails and various wooden plugs, atoms and such. When the rebels and redfins came around, they were used much of the time. Luckily, he has some hoem movies from the late fifties and sixties of he and my grandmother and friends fishing. The buggies, the lack of any buildings along most of the beaches, really incredible and inspiring to see...