Striper Noob

[Two IF By Sea]

I'm 38 and I've never caught a striper. I've not done a ton of saltwater fishing, my father wasn't much on it. I have gotten plenty of bluefish, scup, dogfish, etc. but not stripers. I want to get my 9 year old son fishing. I've taught him what I know for freshwater, now it is time for saltwater.

I live in Wareham. I work in Falmouth. I don't have a boat. I do have several surf casting rods and a tackle box with a few plugs, plastic shads, weights, and floats. I make my own leaders. Any and all advice on rigs, locations, times, etc will be appreciated.

I've been tossing shads in at the canal near the Town Hall. I've been tossing shads into the Agawam River off Apple Street.

First concrete question. Plug and teaser. Anyone got a picture of a rig like that? I read on another site how to make the rig, but there wasn't a good picture. (search "How to Rig Red Gills and Teasers" in google, first hit). Is it worth making this rig for a noob?

TIA

[Two IF By Sea]

Oh, I should mention, with my family of 5, I don't have much cash to spend so thrifty is the top priority.

Mods, if this isn't an appropriate post, please feel free to delete. A friend directed me to this site when I indicated an interest.

[JohnR]

To get you and your 9 year old fishing, using lighter 7' rods with small Storm shads or Cocahoes on jig heads early morning or late evening (morning preferred).

Plenty of water from home to work to fish with the kid. Also, see Mike at M&Ds on Main St in Wareham - great shop, prices, and he can give you better local info on where to go and probably offer advice where to take the kid.

Don't forget worms off a pier for cunners are fun for a 9 year old too

Welcome to S-B

[Clammer]

Pm me if your allowed to leave the cape ..,

[The Dad Fisherman]

Also look into a local fishing club....most of them run Kids programs to teach kids (as well as their parents) techniques and such.

[5/0]

Welcome to the site,you'll enjoy it here there are tons of good info here and you'll cut that learning curve in half.
You live & work in great locations so getting stripers will be a thing of the past as long as you keep at it!
If your going to fish in the canal before work plugs and shads are a must
Good luck out there!


5/0

[Two IF By Sea]

Sounds like I am on the right track. The boy has a 6 footer. I've got a 7 footer. We've been using shad. I've got a flourescent orange plug that has got me blues before. Would that be a candidate for using a teaser? I'll pick up some Cocahoes.

M&Ds was my place to go back in high school. It has been a while. If the wind dies down today, perhaps a trip out tonight.

If anyone is bored and wouldn't mind helpin' out a noob sometime, I am only a few minutes from the canal. And I am a homebrewer if that is any enticement.

[numbskull]

Forget the teaser idea, it complicates things and is a sure way to put a hook in your face when you bend over to unhook a fish on the plug. Teasers on 6-7 foot rods are also impractical. It is a technique for big gear when you want to fish small.

Buy a few small mambo minnows and maybe a couple of small Spoffords needlefish. A little later in june poppers work well too. There is a good one called a smack-it (I think)/ Go at dusk to any Buzzards bay beach or estuary. Cast from 715-815 pm. Reel slow with some pauses and shakes. From now until mid June you will find fish. Bring bug spray if it is a calm night. Crush your barbs.

[numbskull]

Here are all you need to start. The sharpie is for scale, although guys from Franklin often use it to mark the way back to their truck.

[piemma]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Here are all you need to start. The sharpie is for scale, although guys from Franklin often use it to mark the way back to their truck.

Us guy in Northern RI also. We is 'bout as sharp as the Franklin boys.

[Two IF By Sea]

Hey, I've got a sharpie too!

Here is my tackle box (as far as lures go), mostly hand me downs from my grandfather or given to me by others. Honestly never knew what to buy-the difference between fresh and salt water fishing is immense.



PS In the armpit of the Cape, we use blue sharpies, the direction arrows show up better on the yellow lines in the road.

[Two IF By Sea]

Another question. Do you use a leader for these? If so, how long and what material?

[Frankiesurf]

For the leaders, 2 1/2-3 feet of 20# mono will do fine on a 7 footer.

Lose those little rusty hooked crankbaits. A bass will rip those hooks right out. Take the hook with the orange tubing on it and put it on the back of that tin on the bottom using the split ring.

Use those tins and the popper by day and the Rebel minnow and the swim shad by day and night. Although that shad may be a tad heavy for a 7 footer depending on the rating printed on the rod.

[Two IF By Sea]

Rebel minnow = 4th from the top?
The crankbaits aren't rusty like they appear in the picture.
The "tin" is actually quite heavy, heavier than the shad but I'll give the tube attached to the back a shot. Remove the triple hook, right?

So stripers aren't as likely to cut the line as a blue where you use wire leaders?

[piemma]

One of the best ways to learn about how to do anything is to read books on the subject. Even if you cannot afford to buy the books I am sure the library will have some available.

One to start with is: The Ultimate Guide to Striped Bass Fishing: Where to Find Them, How to Catch Them.
Others are any of Frank Daignault's books, Striped Bass & other Cape Cod fish by Phil Schwind, Reading the Water by Bob Post, and, in my opinion, one of the best for a beginner, Secrets of Surf Fishing at Night by Bill Muller.

[spence]

Dude, PM me your addy and I'll send you some rubber, plugs etc...

-spence

[fishbones]

Originally Posted by spence

Dude, PM me your addy and I'll send you some rubber, plugs etc...

-spence

Same here, I have a bunch of poppers that will never see the inside of my plug bag. I'd be happy to send you some to help get you started.

[Two IF By Sea]

Really? That'd be awesome and really appreciated! PMs sent.

[Frankiesurf]

No more wire leaders! I don't remember the last time I got bitten off by a bluefish. Stripers will see that leader a mile away. If you are really concerned about being bitten off find some Perlon leader material. Check your local tackle shop. it is cheap and heavier duty than mono.

I was fishing last year a few times when there were nothing but big blues in the area. I put on a crappy plug and caught them for three hours on one day without changing my leader just to test it. 40 lb Perlon leader. It was nicked up but I never lost that plug.

Bass won't bite through any leader. They don't have any teeth.

[nightfighter]

I second visiting M&Ds.... Mike, Barb and Felicia are topnotch. You'll get more good local instruction from them than I could type.... Mention that you found this place.....

[Two IF By Sea]

Ok, going to stop at the tackle shop tomorrow after work then to the canal after supper. I'll be using my popper, 6" shad, and the "tin" with the tube attached to the back. I would like to make a leader with a snap swivel to be able to swap out the lures. What would I need to pick up?

I've got 50# test nylon leader material.
A handful of ~1" long brass barrel swivels.
Reel is loaded with 15# monofilament.

Anyone have a diagram of a rig from the end of the reel to the lure?

TIA

[Two IF By Sea]

M&Ds is actually where I was going to stop. Used to go there when I was a kid.

[Raven]

You'll be in Good Hands

[Swimmer]

Hey if I send you guys my address will you send me free stuff ALSO.

[Two IF By Sea]

M&Ds is always great to our boys during my Cub Scout Pack's fishing derby. Gave the kids free bait and bobber/hook setups. They give the scup heck at the Narrows every year. Best catch there ever was a freshwater fishing rod and reel that had obviously gone in within a day or so because it was in awesome shape, still had the plastic on the cork grips.

[Two IF By Sea]

Did I mention I hate being the noob at things?

[Two IF By Sea]

Work->M&D's->Home for dinner->Canal for bass

[fish4striper]

Originally Posted by Two IF By Sea

Ok, going to stop at the tackle shop tomorrow after work then to the canal after supper. I'll be using my popper, 6" shad, and the "tin" with the tube attached to the back. I would like to make a leader with a snap swivel to be able to swap out the lures. What would I need to pick up?

I've got 50# test nylon leader material.
A handful of ~1" long brass barrel swivels.
Reel is loaded with 15# monofilament.

Anyone have a diagram of a rig from the end of the reel to the lure?

TIA

Have Mike at M&D's show you what to use and how to setup the leader from swivel to lure. He'll be happy to show you.

[Two IF By Sea]

Stopped at M&Ds and got some gear. About to make some leaders now, then hit the canal.

[Two IF By Sea]

No luck. No bites, no follows, no nothing but cold wind. But lots of casting practice. 6:45-8:30 I was there.