Bait-N-Wait when the Striper are Picky, with Equipment Recomendations
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
