Gerry Zagorski
10-09-2014, 08:06 AM
Hoping this fall Striper season is a good one and all the signs indicate it should be. We have plenty of Bunker Around, Peanut Bunker have also been fairly plentiful this year and hopefully the late season Sand Eels make there push inshore. All this and it’s one of the few years I can remember where we’ve had good Striper fishing all through the summer.
For those of you that are new to this fishery here is the way it usually goes down.
Early in the season like right now, it’s usually best at night drifting eels or trolling plugs around structure like shoals, humps, rocks etc. During the day it’s a bit slower but some fish are had by chunking bunker from an anchored boat or trolling umbrella or Bunker spoons in the same areas. Once the season wears on, usually right around Thanksgiving, the water temps drop and we usually get a push of Sand Eels inshore. This is when it turns into a day time fishery where you find some working birds and cast jigs and top waters to them. Shortly after this is when the smaller fish show up and this is a sign that the season is coming to a close.
The Stripers come through in spurts along their annual fall migration path from the north to the south and the trick in any given area is to have some bait around to draw them in and keep them around. So, once you hear that a good bite is going on in areas like Montauk, our season here in NJ should get into full swing shortly afterwards.
Let’s first talk about the next few weeks for now and we will come back to fishing later in the season when that time comes around.
As mentioned above, right now and for the next few weeks its best at night and drifting eels accounts for most of the fish. You want to fish a moving tide. A moving tide does 2 things, it allows you to cover more ground from a drifting boat and a moving tide usually triggers the fish to put on their feed bags. A conventional reel and pole is best suited for this type of fishing… No casting is required, you simply drop your eel down to the bottom and drift and bounce along, very similar to Fluke fishing.
The rig is a pretty standard one…. A three way swivel or slide sinker and a 3 foot 30 pound leader with just enough weight to hold bottom. I like to keep my reel in free spool with the clicker on and adjust the line tension just enough to keep the line from coming off the reel as I drift, yet allow the fish to take line if he decides to hit the eel. I don’t usually set the hook immediately on the first few taps. Instead, I wait for a nice long run to make sure he’s got it and then click the reel into strike/drag and come tight on the fish. If you are fishing circle hooks simply engage the reel and lift the rod slowly when it comes tight you start reeling. If fishing J hooks I will point the rod down towards the fish, let the fish run in free spool, engage the drag and sweep the rod upward to hopefully set the hook before I start reeling.
Now for a few pointers here to be safer boating at night.
It’s always best to err on the side of caution. Slow it down, know where you are at all times and make sure you and your crew are paying close attention to your surroundings.
Make sure all your running lights are in working order before you leave the dock so you can be seen by other boats. It’s also a good idea to carry spare bulbs just in case. You should also be familiar with reading the light packages on other boats this way you know if they are underway, which way they are heading and are adrift or at anchor. Keep the lights inside the boat to a minimum so your eyes adjust to the darkness. Glare from your electronics can also be an issue, especially on boats with enclosures. Dim them to the point where they can be seen but not cause glare. If you happen to need the lights, turn them on briefly, shut them off and then wait a minute for your eyes to readjust to the darkness. If you are using a spotlight, do not point it at other boats and boaters, the glare on the water will blind them. Use your spot briefly to locate buoys and shut it off.
You don’t want to be fishing an unfamiliar area for the first time at night. Even if you are familiar with an area, it’s very easy to become disoriented. You need to know where you are at all times so pay close attention to your visual surroundings, land and light marks… If you are not sure where you are, be sure to orient yourself before getting back under way.
Although many years ago before GPS we’d navigate back home by looking at the lights on land to orient ourselves, having a GPS and knowing how to use it make things a lot more safe and less stressful. Having a good track back home that stays clear of buoys and pots is a good thing here. Having said this, don’t get married to your GPS and use it as your sole source of navigation. Your eyes should be up and looking around, not staring down at the GPS. Use your eyes to orient yourself to your location and general direction of travel and use the GPS to confirm it.
Be safe, have fun and here’s to what I hope will be the start a great fall run.
For those of you that are new to this fishery here is the way it usually goes down.
Early in the season like right now, it’s usually best at night drifting eels or trolling plugs around structure like shoals, humps, rocks etc. During the day it’s a bit slower but some fish are had by chunking bunker from an anchored boat or trolling umbrella or Bunker spoons in the same areas. Once the season wears on, usually right around Thanksgiving, the water temps drop and we usually get a push of Sand Eels inshore. This is when it turns into a day time fishery where you find some working birds and cast jigs and top waters to them. Shortly after this is when the smaller fish show up and this is a sign that the season is coming to a close.
The Stripers come through in spurts along their annual fall migration path from the north to the south and the trick in any given area is to have some bait around to draw them in and keep them around. So, once you hear that a good bite is going on in areas like Montauk, our season here in NJ should get into full swing shortly afterwards.
Let’s first talk about the next few weeks for now and we will come back to fishing later in the season when that time comes around.
As mentioned above, right now and for the next few weeks its best at night and drifting eels accounts for most of the fish. You want to fish a moving tide. A moving tide does 2 things, it allows you to cover more ground from a drifting boat and a moving tide usually triggers the fish to put on their feed bags. A conventional reel and pole is best suited for this type of fishing… No casting is required, you simply drop your eel down to the bottom and drift and bounce along, very similar to Fluke fishing.
The rig is a pretty standard one…. A three way swivel or slide sinker and a 3 foot 30 pound leader with just enough weight to hold bottom. I like to keep my reel in free spool with the clicker on and adjust the line tension just enough to keep the line from coming off the reel as I drift, yet allow the fish to take line if he decides to hit the eel. I don’t usually set the hook immediately on the first few taps. Instead, I wait for a nice long run to make sure he’s got it and then click the reel into strike/drag and come tight on the fish. If you are fishing circle hooks simply engage the reel and lift the rod slowly when it comes tight you start reeling. If fishing J hooks I will point the rod down towards the fish, let the fish run in free spool, engage the drag and sweep the rod upward to hopefully set the hook before I start reeling.
Now for a few pointers here to be safer boating at night.
It’s always best to err on the side of caution. Slow it down, know where you are at all times and make sure you and your crew are paying close attention to your surroundings.
Make sure all your running lights are in working order before you leave the dock so you can be seen by other boats. It’s also a good idea to carry spare bulbs just in case. You should also be familiar with reading the light packages on other boats this way you know if they are underway, which way they are heading and are adrift or at anchor. Keep the lights inside the boat to a minimum so your eyes adjust to the darkness. Glare from your electronics can also be an issue, especially on boats with enclosures. Dim them to the point where they can be seen but not cause glare. If you happen to need the lights, turn them on briefly, shut them off and then wait a minute for your eyes to readjust to the darkness. If you are using a spotlight, do not point it at other boats and boaters, the glare on the water will blind them. Use your spot briefly to locate buoys and shut it off.
You don’t want to be fishing an unfamiliar area for the first time at night. Even if you are familiar with an area, it’s very easy to become disoriented. You need to know where you are at all times so pay close attention to your visual surroundings, land and light marks… If you are not sure where you are, be sure to orient yourself before getting back under way.
Although many years ago before GPS we’d navigate back home by looking at the lights on land to orient ourselves, having a GPS and knowing how to use it make things a lot more safe and less stressful. Having a good track back home that stays clear of buoys and pots is a good thing here. Having said this, don’t get married to your GPS and use it as your sole source of navigation. Your eyes should be up and looking around, not staring down at the GPS. Use your eyes to orient yourself to your location and general direction of travel and use the GPS to confirm it.
Be safe, have fun and here’s to what I hope will be the start a great fall run.