Preparing for spring! - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

StarsnStripers · 11-04-2002, 08:17 PM

For the upcoming season, I plan to be prepared. SSX and I plan to be very prepared, much more prepared than this season (which we got a late September start on)
I'm working and saving money, and will also be gettin some money for christmas, and I have an idea of what to do with it.
I am going to get a conventional combo... Heres how it will work out.
I will rest my Skaespeare Ugly Stik Tiger with Penn Spinfisher SS5500 in my Surf spike with popper hooked on an eye and ready to go. I will then be sitting down with a cheap Penn conventional reel and undecided rod with a live eel drifting out there with live bait hook and leader, or a peice of cut bait on hook sinker and leader. Both ways, I will sit down and feel for a bite.
If I see any surface action, I will take my "lure" outfit out of my spike and replace it with the bait outfit, already in the water, just in case I get a fish. Then I will cast into the action, and when it ends, continue bait fishing. I think this strategy will work well and I will get more bites by fishing baits but being ready for lures.
Does anyone have any opinions on this?? Am I doing something wrong?? Also, does anyone know of a cheap $100 conventional combo (preferably Penn) that can handle 25 pound braid and is good for bait fishing? ALso, does anyone reccomend any terminal tackle for fishing live eels and cut baits, such as hook brand preferance and type of leader/sinker?
Please help a fellow fisherman

Thanx!

Slipknot · 11-04-2002, 08:41 PM

You may not want to sit down and fish with an eel out there swimming around by itself. You could end up reeling in an eelball. Eels should be cast and retrieve slowly, even slower than a needlfish plug.

Tattoo · 11-04-2002, 08:57 PM

One word.....

HERRING

StarsnStripers · 11-04-2002, 09:16 PM

1st off, ill keep that in mind slipknot, but what hooks and stuff should I be useing, and do u have a combo abnout 100$ in mind??
2nd, where do I buy herring?? My bait shop dont have it, Is there another name thats the same thing, they only got bunker and makeral i think.
THanx

Scotch Bonnet · 11-04-2002, 09:31 PM

1st off I don't know about the B&T shops in Warwick, but if you go to any of the shops in South County they will steer you in the right direction. Don at Weekapaug, Ronnie at Breachway, Snug Harbor etc, etc, etc will help you find the outfit thats right for YOU. Hows Slip gonna know what you want? Eel hooks? Cheap ones or expensive ones, its up to YOU. 2nd as far as Herring go - your on your own j/klol^5

TheSpecialist · 11-04-2002, 09:39 PM

I think for an off the shelf rod you can't go wrong with the Daiwa Sealine-X series rods. I was told about them by others on this sight, when I wanted to get away from the UglySticks, and they are excellent off the shelf. Of course I have slowy built up my custom rod collection. The Daiwa run about $60.00 or so. Then you will need a decent reel.

As far as hooks go, I have been using the Gamakatsu Octopus hooks exclusivly this year. I will never use another hook again. I use the 5/0 or 6/0 for eels. These are not the Octopus circles, they are the regular Octopus.

bud8fan · 11-04-2002, 10:18 PM

MY suggestion for a casting reel is for you to shop around for a
Abu Garcia 6500 series reel. You can generally pick up a new one for $80-120 depending on the model.
If you search the internet or post on some of the fishing boards there is always someone who has a used one in nice shape for under $60. If you want something bigger then go with a 7000 series. The 7000 series will cost you a bit more.
I agree with Specialist that you will be hard pressed to find a better factory rod for the money than the Sealine-X. Tica makes nice one also but they are a bit more!
Another option is a OceanMaster from Bass Pro Shops!!
I strongly advise you to go with monofilament until you get the hang of the casting reel!! Reason being if you backlash the braid its a major pain in the ___ to pick out!!!
Once you get the setup a little trick to avoid real bad backlashes is to let out a cast's worth of line and put a piece of tape on the line. Then reel the rest of the line onto the spool. This will make it so that the line under the tape will not unwind if a backlash occur's.
Hope these idea's will help!!!
One thing to remember!! Buying an inferior casting reel will only frustrate you!! Trust me I hated casting reels until I bought a quality one!!

StarsnStripers · 11-05-2002, 05:49 PM

Thanx Bud8fan, I think I'm gonna go with an Abu Garcia 6500,and I'll stock up on Gamakatsu 5/0 Octopus hooks. Does anyone have any suggestions on dead cut bait hook size and brand for Stripers?? Just a good general siize that will hook schoolies AND cows?? DO circle hooks work well? And also, what the hell is the dead with the red colored hooke, why does everyone make a big deal about them, are they that good?

Goose · 11-05-2002, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tattoo
One word.....

HERRING

aaaaaah yeah!!!!

TheSpecialist · 11-05-2002, 05:59 PM

Go with a 7/0, 8/0 or 9/0 Gami Octopus for chunks.

StarsnStripers · 11-05-2002, 06:31 PM

So, for a person with basically no hooks, a pak of 5/0, pak 6/0 pak of 7/0, pak of 8/0 Gamikatsu Octopus hooks will do the trick for both my eel and bait fishing.... any other hooks i need?

I decided to get a spinning combo for baits, to be specific, a shakepeare tidewater i think, it has a "freeline" feature, without opponing the bail, which lets fihs swallow and swim away when its in the spike, then u set it whenever u want....
Sounds like alot of gutted fish, huh??
Well, in any case, the reel is only 55$, and I need a good matching spinning rod for like 50$, appreaciate any help!!!

StarsnStripers · 11-05-2002, 06:32 PM

and, what do you do with herring, live or chunk fish it??
is mackeral as good?? I can get that

Van · 11-05-2002, 06:47 PM

I am almost strictly a chunker.
I use tru-turn saltwater hooks for bait, they have a long shaft and are easier to remove from fish. A quick set usually avoids
gut hooking. I vary between 5/0 to 7/0. Just a suggestion.

Octopus for live bait are my favorite.

StarsnStripers · 11-05-2002, 07:03 PM

Thanks Van, does Octopus work well with chunk baits???
And do you like Gamikatsus also??

Tattoo · 11-05-2002, 07:22 PM

Quote:

aaaaaah yeah!!!!

Goose,

This year, throw net....

You know when they hang out front and dont want to come up......maybe they are afraid of that damn racoon!

StarsnStripers · 11-05-2002, 07:57 PM

Would herring be near Connimicut point to net??

MountainBreeze · 11-06-2002, 08:02 AM

QUOTE:
"For the upcoming season, I plan to be prepared. SSX and I plan to be very prepared, much more prepared than this season (which we got a late September start on)"

I hear that S&S! I just got back into fishing, over 15-20 years off, and this is the first time I hit the surf / salt. Kinda' wish I hadn't dropped that $300 on a new fresh water rod & reel before hittin' the beach! Sure looks good with all that dust on it.

In any event, I have an ok 8' rod and spinning reel, a few lures and a very, very little bit of knowledge. I plan on gearing up as well AND reading up - searching on old messages here and some new books! Oh... and waders!!!

Good luck w/ your purchases and maybe we'll share a stretch of beach in the spring.

Regards,
Rob

StarsnStripers · 11-06-2002, 03:41 PM

Yes MtnBrz1,
Same thing happened here, when I got into freshwater I would got a 350$ combo and about 2,000 worth of Bass Pro shops orders.
Well, now it came back at me, my dad does not want to spend any more money (wouldn't blame em) but I have limited tackle, but I still have a combo I am proud of and this christmas will buy hooks and sinkers and swivels and leaders and lures and my extra combo and a soft tackle bag. I WILL be prepared for the next season, I CAN'T WAIT!!!
Hope to see you on the beach also, I'm sure next spring we can meet up somewhere!

striperswiper · 11-06-2002, 04:13 PM

If you live in Warwick just go to Buckeye Brook around April. Check out the spots that go under Warwick ave and you usually can net some for bait. Don't handle them much ..they die easy.

StarsnStripers · 11-06-2002, 04:16 PM

Oh, I see, there is an Old salt net at Boaters world for around 35$, will that do the trik??

And the herring, are they like an inch long?? Or like the 6 inches??

Goose · 11-06-2002, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tattoo

This year, throw net....

I hear ya Mike. I thought of using a gill net, but with Bloo's skills....I didn't have ta use it, I'm serious!!! I gota spend some time in the yard throwin again

Goose · 11-06-2002, 05:07 PM

Where do I begin......here's my opion. As far as terminal tackel goes, get your self a photo album that holds 4x6 photos. This is where you'll keep your hooks on leaders pretied. Tie 24" mono leaders and keep a few steel leaders fa da blues. I use 8/0 Gamikatsu octopus and 60# swivels. Also have in your album, pre tied eel hooks. I use 24" 5/0 Gamikatsu octopus and 60# swivel. I like jinki mono leader. Photo albums are cheap, I also keep another album with tog riggs and scup riggs ...... when the fish are bitting you don't wanna spend time tieing and untangeling mono. I snell my hooks and use polamar knots at the swivel. Your mentioning alot of different ways to fish. I would start with the ones that your most familar with and try to better by making those more productive. Its easy to buy a lot of unnecessary tackel and not use it correctly. Alot of guy's start out with ugly sticks. Nothin wrong with those....the 10' with a penn 704z is a good way to start......keep reading

hooked · 11-06-2002, 05:41 PM

Goose, Good advice on the photo album. I pre-tie my rigs, coil them, lay them on a piece of foil and fold the foil into a flat pouch that's about the same size. I use a sharpie to note whether it's a Hi-Lo, an eel rig or whatever.

Question for you. What type of a terminal rig would you tie for Tog? I've searched through a couple threads with no luck finding info on hook type/size and best way to rig a swivel & weight.

Thanks

StarsnStripers · 11-06-2002, 06:10 PM

hooked, doesn't coiling the rigs make them gain a certain "memory" and make them loop around and tangle when you cast them out?

hooked · 11-06-2002, 06:41 PM

The leader material will already have memory from the spool, so I coil at a similar diameter. I haven't had a problem after the rig is attached to the line.

If you have a problem with memory, try hooking a fat bass on the end of the rig. That will straighten it.

Goose · 11-06-2002, 07:16 PM

jinki 60# has very little memory......ever since I switched over to this tog bottom rig, I get far less hang-ups and alot more fish. I tie my own and save a few $.....I picked up this string at ship supply store, I usedta use black tog style hooks but Bloocrab got me useing these babies....Mustad 34007 size 1/0 . They are the sharpest and stainless steel. Best price to, ya can't beat them!! Notice I tie one hook a couple inchs higher then the other.....less hang ups and more doubleups. The three way ya shop around for....

almost forgot....give the hooks a little off-set

bud8fan · 11-06-2002, 08:50 PM

If you want to get a spinning reel with a baitrunner feature you cant beat the one the standby!!
Shimano Baitrunner 6500!!!!!!
Okuma makes one but that looks and feels nice but not so sure on reliability over time??
One word of advice!! Dont go cheap as you will be replacing them after a year!!

Christian · 11-07-2002, 04:48 PM

look into the abu garcia ambassadeur c3 ceries. i have had the ABU C3 6500 for 3 years now and i have spooled it with lines up to 30lb test. right now im looking into the abu 7000 which is bigger. my rod is a fenwick 7 1/2 foot 1-4oz. it is made for musky. it is my favorite plug rod. if you want a cheap penn look into the penn delmar. that is my second favorite reel and its going on about 30 yrs old now. i use that from the surf with a short penn rod. i think its a salt stick. i mainly use that for piers because its only like 6 feet long. the abu 6500 is about 65-75 dollars while the 7000 is 99 for the japanese made one and 130 for the finland made one. i see no difference just change in assembling places. the abu 6500 is best. do you know how to cast conventional yet?

StarsnStripers · 11-07-2002, 05:12 PM

Christian, I mastered my Quantum energy (now collectin dust

) baitcastin reel when I was freshwater bassin (it sux compared to this)

You are saying that this Abu garcia is a good reel for me?(baitin dead cut baits and live herring/eels for stripers/blues)
That will be it's only purpose, I use my penn/ugly stick combo for lure fishin)

MountainBreeze · 11-07-2002, 08:52 PM

Well... My wife actually shocked me and took me to Orvis tonight!

Got a pair of Pro Guide "No Sweat" Stockingfoots and Gallatin Fleece Under-Wader Pants! She even threw in a pair of 3/2 gloves!

Hmmm... I wonder what she wants done around the house Sunday!

Good luck this weekend.

Regards,
Rob