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View Full Version : Bait-N-Wait when the Striper are Picky, with Equipment Recomendations



fishinone
05-08-2014, 03:50 PM
Sometimes the striper bites become almost undetectable. In the Springtime I've come to expect it.

With a carbon fiber fishing rod you may see the rod tip move 1/8 of an inch and then nothing or you may see nothing at the pole tip but see striper on the fish finder picking up baits but changing direction every time they feel the sinker.

Glass fishing poles let the tips move more easily but many don't have the backbone to set the hook properly in deeper water.

Many people downsize their leaders to 2 lb. test but this can be a problem if your catching worthwhile striper.

The most effective solution that I've found is to use a three tiered offense. By combining soft tipped poles with a decent backbone with baitfeeder/baitrunner spinning reels and switching to long (4-6 foot) leaders in 4 or 6 lb test flouro I get many more opportunities. Those opportunities turn into more fish. On slow days I usually get a limit.


I'll describe some of the gear that works for me, give some of the reasons why I think they work and tell you specifically what I'm using.


I like poles 6 1/2 - 8 foot long. I'm choosing poles that have very soft tips. Longer poles help to get a better hook-set, especially in deep water.

I use,
Shakespeare 6 1/2 foot ultra light action Ugly Stiks
Cabellas 6/1/2, 7 and 8 foot medium action Wuppin' Sticks. I recommend the 7 and 8 footers, they're long and have butter soft tips. In My newest set the 7 foot tip is better than the 8 foott tip.


I like second drag reels with a super light second drag. There are two styles, the most common style trips automatically to the main drag when you begin turning the reel handle, the Okumas and the Shimanos are this style. I have a Pinnacle that remains in whatever drag setting you leave it in while you reel. Both styles work but you want to keep track of which style you're using to help avoid messy tangles.

I have lots of second drag reels but I've never ponied up for the Shimanos. I've used them and they're very good.

I like Okuma Epixors the best. The Okuma Trio has a felt washer under the spool that I've seen coming halfway out and causing trouble but they are very smooth. Okuma also makes reels for stores. The Cabela's Salt Striker and The Turners Californian Baitfeeders are identical to one another except for the color. These are all 10 bearing reels. The store brand reels are as smooth as the Epixors but they're a little more difficult to get apart for servicing.

The store brand Okuma reels are just like the Okuma Avenger reels but have more bearings. The Avengers work well but if you watch for sales you can get the 10 bearing reels for nearly the same price.

My current hot sticks are 40 size Cabelas Salt Strikers with the Cabela's 7 and 8 foot Whuppin Sticks.


Combine the soft tipped poles with 2nd drag reels, use the lightest egg sinker that you can stand using in the conditions and double the length of your leaders instead of halving the diameter. You'll pick up fish that you may not have noticed or had time to get to otherwise.

Even with all of that I'm still catching fish that just pull the rod tip down 3/8 of an inch and hold it there. If it goes down and stays down, I swing.

Be sure to trip the drag lever before you swing. Not doing this makes a mess of your line and it's embarrassing.

Practice swinging straight out of your rod holders all in one motion, that way you don't have to worry about the fish noticing you and spitting.


Good Luck!
fishinone

MarkyMark
05-08-2014, 04:33 PM
I tend to use straight mono or flouro....same diameter. What size main line do use for leaders

cutbait
05-08-2014, 04:47 PM
Have you thought of braid for the deep water to eliminate stretch

cutbait
05-08-2014, 04:50 PM
Have you thought of braid for the deep water to eliminate stretch

BTW.. I hate glass rods. Might as well wear welders gloves and wrap the rod butt with rubber...

JMO ofcourse

fishinone
05-08-2014, 05:21 PM
I tend to use straight mono or flouro....same diameter. What size main line do use for leaders

I use either 6 or 8 lb Trilene XL for main line and Seagaur InvisX flouro for leader.


Have you thought of braid for the deep water to eliminate stretch

I use braid in really deep water 120 foot +.


BTW.. I hate glass rods. Might as well wear welders gloves and wrap the rod butt with rubber...

JMO ofcourse

I don't use them for working lures, just for visual bite indicators and to keep the fish from feeling the rod. I figure that if I can't feel them, they can't feel me.

vampirebret
05-08-2014, 07:49 PM
Excellent tip! Rod holders are usually tricky for me to get my rod off especially during trolling. But when I'm bait fishing, I like to hold my rod so I can detect the fish bite, even when its just sniffing my bait. LOL

MarkyMark
05-09-2014, 10:29 AM
Ugly Sticks are so underated for bait fishing....love them!

Stumpknocker
05-09-2014, 12:03 PM
Thanks for the helpful post fishinone...I'd only add that I've come to prefer short rods for baitfishing stripers, simply because it's easier to untangle the inevitable (for me at least) line twist snags at the end of the rod, especially when flylining sardine chunks.

fishinone
05-09-2014, 12:51 PM
Excellent tip! Rod holders are usually tricky for me to get my rod off especially during trolling. But when I'm bait fishing, I like to hold my rod so I can detect the fish bite, even when its just sniffing my bait. LOL

I"ve got rod holder extensions on all of my rod holders now. It makes swing from the holder work much better.


Ugly Sticks are so underated for bait fishing....love them!

They are tough too. My ultralight Ugly Stiks have stiffer tips than my medium action Whuppin' Sticks.


Thanks for the helpful post fishinone...I'd only add that I've come to prefer short rods for baitfishing stripers, simply because it's easier to untangle the inevitable (for me at least) line twist snags at the end of the rod, especially when flylining sardine chunks.

I'm not much of a flyliner. It's my last resort. They usually just steal my bait.

I use a slip sinker rig (like a Carolina rig) with an egg sinker and swivel then tie my leader to the swivel. I try to set the depth of my bait to just above the fish, constantly adjusting them as the fish come in at different depths.

MarkyMark
05-09-2014, 02:12 PM
I prefer Owner mosquito hooks, #2 or #1 depending on the size of the bait. I've heard people mention octopus hooks, they never work for me

fishinone
05-09-2014, 02:26 PM
I prefer Owner mosquito hooks, #2 or #1 depending on the size of the bait. I've heard people mention octopus hooks, they never work for me

The octopus hooks work for me but I like the mosquito hooks better. I use #2, #1, 1/0 and 2/0. I like the bigger ones better.

ZipperWurm
05-09-2014, 04:27 PM
i like this thread, since sadly i don't really understand how to bait for stripers. sardines are pretty large pieces of bait, do u guys usually just cut them into small chunks?

fishinone
05-10-2014, 01:02 PM
i like this thread, since sadly i don't really understand how to bait for stripers. sardines are pretty large pieces of bait, do u guys usually just cut them into small chunks?

We generally cut them into fish steaks. Cut just behind the gills so that your cut is square with the back of the dine then cut through the belly to make a fish steak that looks square from the side. You can get 2 or 3 pieces by working your way back.

Be careful to put your bait on so that the hook is centered so that it won't spin on the way down. This keeps the bait from spinning on the way down and tangling up the leader.

MarkyMark
05-11-2014, 08:47 AM
[QUOTE=fishinone;726993]We generally cut them into fish steaks. Cut just behind the gills so that your cut is square with the back of the dine then cut through the belly to make a fish steak that looks square from the side. You can get 2 or 3 pieces by writing your way back.

Be careful to put your bait on so that the hook is centered so that it won't spin on the way down. This keeps the bait from spinning on the way down and tangling up the leader.[/QUOTE

I'm a 1 inch chunk guy..but I don't get out as often as fishinone.

cutbait
05-11-2014, 09:31 AM
I'm no expert, this comment is only to share the discussion forward.


I'm a 1 inch chunk guy as well, I also use #2 or #4 mosquito hooks, I also fly line unless wind is blowing then I split shot. I like to hook from the belly, if it is fresh bait no problem but with old bait is tough.

My theory of belly hooking the bait is two fold

1. gut suckers get punished

2. hook point is always exposed

I will add I like to use smaller rather than bigger pieces so the fish will swallow the bait and not mouth on it.

Keep in mind, I bait fish 20% of my trips and is the exception rather than the norm.. I'm not comparing my technique to the hardcore bait guys, just sharing

fishinone
05-12-2014, 06:31 AM
That usually works but with big dines 1" let's them steal the guts to easy.

I belly hook at times too keep them from stealing guts.

Cutbait, Instead of using smaller baits in my dink spot at Pyramid, you need to find bigger fish. After all, you're a Bako Boy!

fishinone
05-16-2014, 10:24 AM
We generally cut them into fish steaks. Cut just behind the gills so that your cut is square with the back of the dine then cut through the belly to make a fish steak that looks square from the side. You can get 2 or 3 pieces by working your way back.

Be careful to put your bait on so that the hook is centered so that it won't spin on the way down. This keeps the bait from spinning on the way down and tangling up the leader.

I made some drawings of how I cut the bait.

http://i454.photobucket.com/albums/qq265/fishinone/Bait%20Cutting/20140516_0943381_zpsd5060bae.jpg (http://s454.photobucket.com/user/fishinone/media/Bait%20Cutting/20140516_0943381_zpsd5060bae.jpg.html)
I usually just cut the bait on the red lines.

The belly pieces with the guts are the best pieces when the striper are picky. When the striper are more aggressive every piece can work.

I hook them from the back or from the belly depending on what kind of shape the baits in and the mood of the striper. If the bait isn't firm when it's thawed out, belly hooking might not work because the striper just crush it on the first hit and it's gone. If the striper are squeezing the guts out of the baits and dropping the meat, gut hooking will get you more fish.

If the bait is soft or if I'm using anchovies, I hook from the back and make sure that the hook goes right between the bones and catches the ligaments and cartilage so that the striper can't steal the bait. I often reel up just a backbone and some ribs if I miss a fish.

http://i454.photobucket.com/albums/qq265/fishinone/Bait%20Cutting/20140516_0946081_zpsf026497c.jpg (http://s454.photobucket.com/user/fishinone/media/Bait%20Cutting/20140516_0946081_zpsf026497c.jpg.html)
When they won't take bigger pieces into their mouth, cut the back meat off leaving the backbone.

This increases the ratio of the delicious intestines to the merely succulent meat without making gut stealing easy.

This makes the bait weaker. Hook these pieces from the backbone side making sure that the hook catches some remaining skin and scales on both sides and that the backbone is trapped in the gap of the hook, so the bait won't come apart easily.

Even big striper will pick these up better when they prefer smaller baits or just want the guts.

I know it's time to do this when the striper are swimming off with the bait but setting the hook, while they have it, just results in swings and misses.

Stumpknocker
05-16-2014, 03:34 PM
As you said fishinone, they love the guts...when the guts fall out of a soft chunk on the cutting board, I've wrapped guts on a hook like fishing mussels in the salt, and they love it...gotta be quick on the strike though or they'll steal it.

fishinone
05-19-2014, 11:29 AM
I just found those Cabela's Salt Striker baitfeeders on sale. (click here) (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Saltwater-Fishing/Saltwater-Reels/Spinning%7C/pc/104793480/c/104765580/sc/104527980/i/103980780/Cabelas-Salt-Striker174-Baitfeeder-Spinning-Reels/1432816.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fspin ning%2F_%2FN-1100473%2FNs-MIN_SALE_PRICE%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104793480%25 3Bcat104765580%253Bcat104527980%26WTz_stype%3DGNU&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104793480%3Bcat104765580%3Bcat104 527980%3Bcat103980780)



As you said fishinone, they love the guts...when the guts fall out of a soft chunk on the cutting board, I've wrapped guts on a hook like fishing mussels in the salt, and they love it...gotta be quick on the strike though or they'll steal it.

I've done that too!

I've used bait that was spit out in the fish hold too!

CAPT'N
05-22-2014, 06:20 AM
Great info Ron!

Now just give them the longitude and latitude of our spots and we can have a party! LOL

:Food::Cart:

Don't forget the lawrys dip !

Capt'n

fishinone
05-22-2014, 02:50 PM
Great info Ron!

Now just give them the longitude and latitude of our spots and we can have a party! LOL

:Food::Cart:

Don't forget the lawrys dip !

Capt'n

Thanks Capt'n!

I'm thinking of titling my next tip "Capt'n's Favorite Fishing Holes". Kinda catchy don't you think?

CAPT'N
05-22-2014, 10:41 PM
Sounds like a best seller to me.............:-)

Index

Best Trolling Spot------- Follow Bobby

Best Bait Spot------------Follow Bobby

Best Top Water Spot------Follow Bobby

Capt'n

fishinone
05-24-2014, 08:56 AM
Oh! I'm not brave enough to write that one. LOL

TroutOnly
05-25-2014, 10:58 AM
Put the rod in the rod holder and wait till it goes super-bendo,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

fishinone
05-27-2014, 05:14 PM
Put the rod in the rod holder and wait till it goes super-bendo,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I love it when they're doing that, when the drag wakes me from a nap and the rod tip is in the water.

loweboat
05-31-2014, 01:17 PM
I prefer Owner mosquito hooks, #2 or #1 depending on the size of the bait. I've heard people mention octopus hooks, they never work for me

ANY TIME Ron gives fishin advice, take it as FACT!!!
I have been fortunate to fish with Ron many times.
He is the best I know at reading a fish finder and placing bait bait in front of a fishe's mouth.
He is an excellent teacher.
Ron has volumes of experience.
You should copy and paste the post he wrote above and save it.

fishinone
05-31-2014, 09:37 PM
ANY TIME Ron gives fishin advice, take it as FACT!!!
I have been fortunate to fish with Ron many times.
He is the best I know at reading a fish finder and placing bait bait in front of a fishe's mouth.
He is an excellent teacher.
Ron has volumes of experience.
You should copy and paste the post he wrote above and save it.

Hey stranger, thanks for the vote of confidence.

Where have you been?

loweboat
06-01-2014, 07:53 PM
Hey stranger, thanks for the vote of confidence.

Where have you been?

Just an OLD, (yes older than you Ron and T O,) grateful retired husband and father living out his days doing my best to catch fish. AND TRY to stay out of trouble, which for me can be difficult at times!!!

Cochetrigo
06-30-2014, 10:00 PM
Man I LOVE that you drew these sardines with a SMILE! This is great info and I can't thank you enough for the report. I almost always bait fish.
Also, I'm planning on driving up to fish Pyramid for stripers. I have a small 12ft. Valco. I've never been to Pyramid, so what can I expect? Also, I only have a boat permit for Kern County, is it a daily fee?

CAPT'N
07-01-2014, 07:12 AM
Congratulations Ron !

fishinone
07-01-2014, 04:46 PM
Just an OLD, (yes older than you Ron and T O,) grateful retired husband and father living out his days doing my best to catch fish. AND TRY to stay out of trouble, which for me can be difficult at times!!!

For me it's difficult all of the time.


Man I LOVE that you drew these sardines with a SMILE! This is great info and I can't thank you enough for the report. I almost always bait fish.
Also, I'm planning on driving up to fish Pyramid for stripers. I have a small 12ft. Valco. I've never been to Pyramid, so what can I expect? Also, I only have a boat permit for Kern County, is it a daily fee?

LOL Thanks! I had forgotten about adding the smile.


Congratulations Ron !

Thank you Capt'n. I'm using the ticket on the 4th of July. I'll plan to write a report.