Needlefish Hit

[DZ]

Doc,
Takes on needles can vary depending on many circumstances. They can vary depending on whether you’re using braid or mono or whether your line is tight or has a belly. I’ve found that when the prevalent baitfish is sand eels the takes can be very subtle. When forage is larger bait the takes tend to be more aggressive. A good friend of mine was using a Gibbs needlefish and thought he was hung up in bubble weed – the bubble weed started to pull back and a short time later he landed a 49 lb bass. He never felt anything but slight pressure as that bass slurped down that wooden sand eel as gracefully as a trout sipping a midge. Expect all sorts of takes on needlefish.

DZ

[GonnaCatchABig1]

great i cant even figure out how to work the damn things right. and now yer tellin me if i did i might never know?

[WoodyCT]

Originally Posted by GonnaCatchABig1

great i cant even figure out how to work the damn things right. and now yer tellin me if i did i might never know?

You DON'T work a needle.
Just drag it through the water as slow as you can and try to stay awake. Every now and then you can give a little twitch or pause, just don't fish it fast or active.
As Hab's says, "If you aren't bored fishing a needle, you are doing it wrong."

[DZ]

Originally Posted by WoodyCT

You DON'T work a needle.
Just drag it through the water as slow as you can and try to stay awake. Every now and then you can give a little twitch or pause, just don't fish it fast or active.
As Hab's says, "If you aren't bored fishing a needle, you are doing it wrong."

Woody,
In all due respect I think Hab may have been talking about fishing with his own brand of needlefish. Conventional wisdom may say to fish needles slow (and I do most of the time) - but there are often times when an unconventional approach is the way to success. There are a few needles that actually shine when fished at a quick pace, most notably the Super Strike. Needles are a versatile plug - those using them should also be versatile.

DZ

[GonnaCatchABig1]

Originally Posted by DZ

Woody,
In all due respect I think Hab may have been talking about fishing with his own brand of needlefish. Conventional wisdom may say to fish needles slow (and I do most of the time) - but there are often times when an unconventional approach is the way to success. There are a few needles that actually shine when fished at a quick pace, most notably the Super Strike. Needles are a versatile plug - those using them should also be versatile.

DZ

oh so confusing.. i have limited access to needles. the only one i have in my arsenal is a super strike i found in some rocks. and of course (as woody stated) habs' statement is ringing in my head every time i use it. "if you think your goin too slow, go slower." "if you arent bored fishing a needle, you're doing it wrong.".

but now yer telling me the one i have is best suited for fast retrieves. uggg! while we are here. could some one please try to explain the most sought after presentation. and NOT how to reel and twitch ect. but more of what i should be looking for it to do. i can figure out how to make it do it easier that way. than trying to count so many spins of the reel or time between twitches.
i've heard top water leaving wakes, slow drags on the bottom. dead straight in. with a slight wobble. and i'm sure they all have their own moments on certain days. but what is the standard? the results the get speak for themselves. so i would really love to figure these things out.
(sorry for the hijack. but its still about how needles work right?)

[The Dad Fisherman]

I've been messing with needles this year and what I've learned is...

Different needles have different sink rates from the fast sinkers (i.e. Superstrike) to Floaters (i.e. Gibbs)

You need to play with a few different ones to figure out how they sink. Now the depth of the water being fished will dictate the retrieve speed, Fast sinkers will need to be retrieved faster than slow sinkers to maintain the same depth. so If you are fishing in 10 feet of water and the heavy ones are hitting bottom try a slower sinker at the same speed or speed up the retrieve of the fast sinker.

Current/Waves will also affect how you work the water column. the stronger the current/bigger the waves the slower you can go with the heavier needles to work the same depth and the lighter needles may end up being floaters if the current is to fast as well as if the water is too big the lighter ones will just get tossed around like twigs......you will need heavy needles to keep them running "True".

again this is what I'm figuring out about them....my needle knowledge is in its infancy. Hope this helps. And as I'm learning when it come to fishing......there is no such thing as "The Only Way to do It"

Originally Posted by GonnaCatchABig1

oh so confusing.. i have limited access to needles. the only one i have in my arsenal is a super strike i found in some rocks. and of course (as woody stated) habs' statement is ringing in my head every time i use it. "if you think your goin too slow, go slower." "if you arent bored fishing a needle, you're doing it wrong.".

but now yer telling me the one i have is best suited for fast retrieves. uggg! while we are here. could some one please try to explain the most sought after presentation. and NOT how to reel and twitch ect. but more of what i should be looking for it to do. i can figure out how to make it do it easier that way. than trying to count so many spins of the reel or time between twitches.
i've heard top water leaving wakes, slow drags on the bottom. dead straight in. with a slight wobble. and i'm sure they all have their own moments on certain days. but what is the standard? the results the get speak for themselves. so i would really love to figure these things out.
(sorry for the hijack. but its still about how needles work right?)

[WoodyCT]

Hit the net.
Salty's are GREAT and he sells direct. Ditto After Hours. Surfcasting RI, a site sponsor, has Super Strikes. Search around and you'll find everything except the boutique brands like Beachmaster or Hab's, but you don't need those to catch on needles. My personal best ate a Salty's blurple with glow eyes with a slight peck of a strike a couple seasons ago, so don't be scared off by affordably priced needles.

Some sage advice on this thread. Give it all at try and see what works best for you!

W

[GonnaCatchABig1]

thanks tdf and salty. (i do have access to one of yer 2.5s)

i understand the weight to depth/current factors.. i just cant figure out exactly what the lure it self is supposed to be doing. i was always under the impression that it was supposed to come in straight with no action. which never made sense to me unless it was topwater. as i have heard that sometimes just the v-wake is enough. after about 4 casts of that though i start with the twitches. it just doesn't seem right that a fish would chase a stick that did nothing. until just now though i had no idea what kind of action i was lookin for. now that i think about it. i suppose its pretty versatile. they are pretty much hard sluggos. and could probably be fished in just as many ways. hopefully some more insight when i get back from the surf. i'll give it a whirl while i'm there. can't hurt.

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by DZ

Doc,
Takes on needles can vary depending on many circumstances. They can vary depending on whether you’re using braid or mono or whether your line is tight or has a belly. I’ve found that when the prevalent baitfish is sand eels the takes can be very subtle. When forage is larger bait the takes tend to be more aggressive. A good friend of mine was using a Gibbs needlefish and thought he was hung up in bubble weed – the bubble weed started to pull back and a short time later he landed a 49 lb bass. He never felt anything but slight pressure as that bass slurped down that wooden sand eel as gracefully as a trout sipping a midge. Expect all sorts of takes on needlefish.

DZ

That is the most perfect description of needlefish hit types. DZ is a needle master.

99% of my fishig after July 1st is needlefish at night, once you have mastered them, there is nothing like them after dark.