Bass Pro Shops   Daveys Locker Sportfishing  Newport Landing Sportfishing   The Fishing Syndicate  Carver Covers  Tight Lines Guide Service  Bob Sands Fishing Tackle 
Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 31

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

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Santa Clarita
    Posts
    3,898

    Default 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

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Antelope Valley
    Posts
    1,265

    Default

    I tend to use straight mono or flouro....same diameter. What size main line do use for leaders

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Bakersfield
    Posts
    6,388

    Default

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

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Bakersfield
    Posts
    6,388

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by cutbait View Post
    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

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Santa Clarita
    Posts
    3,898

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkyMark View Post
    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by cutbait View Post
    Have you thought of braid for the deep water to eliminate stretch
    I use braid in really deep water 120 foot +.

    Quote Originally Posted by cutbait View Post
    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.
    Last edited by fishinone; 05-08-2014 at 05:27 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Fresno
    Posts
    372

    Default

    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

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Antelope Valley
    Posts
    1,265

    Default

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

  8. #8

    Default

    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.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Santa Clarita
    Posts
    3,898

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by vampirebret View Post
    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkyMark View Post
    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by Stumpknocker View Post
    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.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Antelope Valley
    Posts
    1,265

    Default

    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

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •