Bass keyed in on bunker. - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

PNG · 10-05-2006, 08:41 PM

Stink your plug

t.orlando · 10-05-2006, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNG

Stink your plug

Ditto

piemma · 10-06-2006, 02:03 AM

I think they take an eel over a plug because it smells like food. I agree with the guys who said stink your plug...

piemma · 10-06-2006, 02:04 AM

BTW, 3:04 AM and Mr. #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& are gonna head down the Bay with some of them Bunkers...

Clogston29 · 10-06-2006, 06:01 AM

My guess would be that a plug (or atleast most of them) is worked near the top of the water column where the pogies are and its basically competing directly with the pogies for the bass's attention. An eel, on the other hand, is worked nearer to the bottom where the bigger fish are hanging around looking for an easy meal - be it a dead bunker, eel, lobster, whatever. For a plug to be really effective in a school of bait, again only my opinion, there have to be a lot of bass around competing for the bait. Now I'm not into throwing chunks, but the situation that you describe would definately tempt me into throwing a nice fresh piece of meat out there.
I also think eels are pretty much an ideal meal for a bass because they are long, thin and have no protection (spines, gill plates, etc.) so its hard for me to imagine them passing them up. I've heard some fresh water bass pros talk about what rubber worms represent to a bass and there answer is usually just "something long, thin and easy to swallow".

tlapinski · 10-06-2006, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clogston29

My guess would be that a plug (or atleast most of them) is worked near the top of the water column where the pogies are and its basically competing directly with the pogies for the bass's attention. An eel, on the other hand, is worked nearer to the bottom where the bigger fish are hanging around looking for an easy meal - be it a dead bunker, eel, lobster, whatever.

You know, that is something I did not even think about.

Numbskull, that is a plug I wish I had. Never had the opportunity to make any back in the spring when I wanted to.

Flaptail · 10-06-2006, 07:28 AM

A. the Eel is alive, B. The eel exudes a natural body scent C. No plug in the world can swim as good as a live eel.

but most importantly Toby, you need a snagging hook to cast out, snag a pogie and then hold on!

(Numbskull and his bananas make me crazy)

NIB · 10-06-2006, 07:37 AM

i just had this conversation with someone the other day.
I would try a big storm shad.Soak it up good in stink.an drag it an let it sit on the bottom.if u can't pull that off one of them 7 " Tsunami's are good also.Do the same thing Drag it on the bottom an let it sit.They can't stand that.
They Take big fish..
If ur really hard up for a big one chunk em..

tattoobob · 10-06-2006, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clogston29

My guess would be that a plug (or atleast most of them) is worked near the top of the water column where the pogies are and its basically competing directly with the pogies for the bass's attention. An eel, on the other hand, is worked nearer to the bottom where the bigger fish are hanging around looking for an easy meal - be it a dead bunker, eel, lobster, whatever. For a plug to be really effective in a school of bait, again only my opinion, there have to be a lot of bass around competing for the bait. Now I'm not into throwing chunks, but the situation that you describe would definately tempt me into throwing a nice fresh piece of meat out there.
I also think eels are pretty much an ideal meal for a bass because they are long, thin and have no protection (spines, gill plates, etc.) so its hard for me to imagine them passing them up. I've heard some fresh water bass pros talk about what rubber worms represent to a bass and there answer is usually just "something long, thin and easy to swallow".

Josh,
I think you nailed it, bucktail jigs and tins maybe a good choice.

Joe · 10-06-2006, 07:40 AM

A lot of bass have fallen to plugs when they were on bunker - I've seen certain fishermen be able to catch large on plugs when everyone else found them overly finicky or only interested in a particular bait. I also had a buddy get a 47# and a 48# on successive eel casts when the fish were on big bunker.

Eels are not called striper-candy for nothing - it's like if you were not that hungry but somebody offered you your favorite food - you'd probably eat it anyway. Plus the way that eels are typically fished - dead slow and sub-surface - gives them a huge presentation advantage.

Without being there, and knowing the plug selection and how they were presented, its hard to say.