Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

Had a 45-60 minute window at the end of the incoming tide where at first spanish mackerel were showering bait and jumping out of the water followed by pods of albies doing the same. At times had both species busting bait 10’ in front of me. I was able to catch 2 spanish mackerel (my first NJ spanish mackerel) while I couldn’t connect with an albie (although I did have one leap out of the water after my jig as I pulling out of the water to recast). If I am able to connect with albie in the inlet, I’d be able to claim catching a speedster grand slam inside the inlet as I caught bonito there earlier in the summer.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

You had me fooled...from the title, thought thread was about boats recklessly speeding. That had to be a blast with both the macks & albies that close ...hope you get that "slam"...Nice.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

How cool is that.. Nice job Doc!!

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

What kinda jigs you pulling?

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

For the spanish mackerel (& albies) I was throwing a 7/8 ounce Hogy Epoxy Jig, for their bonito a 4” Tsunami Split Tail.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

Thanks Andy.

Been throwing the kitchen sink at em last week and cant get a sniff using the epoxies, small diamonds, dicks, flies etc....

Havent tried the split tails....time to buy some....gotta get lucky sooner or later:p

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

With the Epoxies, I don’t just do a straight retrieve but rather I’ll twitch the rod tip while retrieving then stop the retrieve for a second allowing the jig to sink before resuming. Same for the split tails. Also with the split tails if you get a bite but don’t come tight just stop your retrieve and 99% of the time the fish will come back and slam it.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

Caught 2 fish in the inlet this week.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

Nice catch! Looks like rays are on their way back South.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

This is a technique that you can try while casting and casting and casting at any of those speedsters. It works very well and cuts down on the number of casts per hookup. I use a snapper popper or weighted popping float like the kind used for popping for speckled trout or redfish. I replace the heavy mono leader leading to the surgical tube with a more appropriate sized test. A small crimp or swivel with a bead can be used as a stop for the popper at the end of the leader. The same can be done at the top of the popper. For quick changes, you can run a short section of heavier mono through the popper and attach a duo lock snap to the bottom end while making sure the loop knot or swivel at the top of the popper is short enough to keep the popper from sliding too far forward.

Tie on a Tsunami Split Tail or Tsunami Shrimp or epoxy fly or whatever fly or plastic you might like to the end of your leader. You can use FinS or RonZ unweighted plastics rigged on a freshwater bass long shank worm hook or a hook of your choice. The sizes can vary and so can the make of the plastic. A sluggo style plastic in the appropriate size can work too.

Cast toward the swirling or breaking fish and pop or twitch or just swim the rig back. Pause if you want to to let the bait drop. As was mentioned in another reply, the fish will hit a paused/sinking bait. If the fish are chasing rainfish or spearing, they slash through the bait and then show up many yards away. The popper gets their attention.

Just remember that you'll be frustrated because of how suddenly they will appear and then disappear. By the time you get one landed, the rest of the school might be 100 yards from where they were when you hooked the first one.

Try it. It gives you greater casting distance when using soft plastics that have little or no weight. Good luck.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

Yea saw a few guys hooking into cow nose rays. Most either broke off or had the hook pull just prior to being landed. Always interesting watching the person’;s face when the drag starts screaming & they have no clue as to what they’ve hooked into.

I have only hooked into one this year, oddly enough it occurred when I was targeting bonito and hooked up with it on a Tsunami Split Tail. It took a spirited run straight across the inlet before my light leader parted.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

I’ve doing exactly that for several years both from shore (mostly the inlet wall) and off the back of an anchored boat. It’s a great way to get some distance with a very light artificial bait. I usually use a 24-30” piece of either #15 or 20 flurocarbon leader from the popper to the bait. I found anything longer than 30”s effects casting distance and causes helicoptering of the bait. In addition to the baits you mentioned-a clouser minnow is deadly at times.

Another technique that I just picked up is to take the hook off of an A17 jig and tie on leader with one of the aforementioned baits. The weight of the jig will get your bait down deeper and the flash of the A17 with attract the fish. In fact, I’ve seen some guys use this rig with a tandem setup of closures minnows or a combination of a clouser and soft plastic—one bait is rigged off a dropper loop and the other at the end of the leader.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

You don’t think that popper would spook the fish? Albies seem so skittish I would think that long white popper would shy them away not attract em

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

Nope! The commotion actually gets their attention. Maybe their instincts draw them toward what they think may be other fish feeding on bait. Who knows? I just know that I always have that rig ready when I'm after little tunny and it doesn't spook them. It doesn't spook the snappers.

Re: Manasquan Inlet Speedsters 9/18
 

The popper simulates the sound of fish busting on bait and draws the attention of any fish in the area.