Help me please!

Tony_615 · #1 05-03-2009, 07:35 PM

Okay...i am a beginner surfcaster....and i have used alot of different methods to catch stripers....and trying new different techniques really is not working for me...all i really have is a 9 foot rod with line with 50 lb. test and a few lures....castmaster and storm...and like two jigging eels...they have all failed me....can anyone please tell me how what can i do...or what am i doing wrong because i have not caught a single fish... HELP ME PLEASE!!!

Striperjim · #2 05-05-2009, 03:55 AM

Try some lighter line. and or a flourocarbon leader.
Read up on fishing productive water and threads like how to read the beach. Learn how this predator hunts and the conditions that are favorable. scout your areas at low tide. and put your time in.
Attend some seminars, read as much as you can on the subject and even consider hiring a surfcasting guide for an outing.
Dont get discouraged. Its not always about the fish. Enjoy the day.
Try fishing at night as well on a dropping tide.

Tony_615 · #3 05-13-2009, 08:18 PM

Okay i have took your advise and dropped to a 25 pound test and my casting has improved...and i have also upgraded my leader and sinkers so my distance in casting have increased quite a bit..and i have been getting some bites.....but i have another question though...i use Storm swim shads when i don't have the money for bait....is using lures for surfcasting a good idea or am i just wasting energy?

Striperjim · #4 05-13-2009, 08:43 PM

Quote:

i use Storm swim shads when i don't have the money for bait....is using lures for surfcasting a good idea or am i just wasting energy?

Actually i would encourage the useage of lures. I wish I had used them years ago. Practice casting and retrieving. Storm shads mimic all kinds of baitfish that hang around the rocks. You can cover much more water than plopping out dead bait.
Get a book on how to bucktail and practice.
Read the stickies in the stripers101 forum - what to buy with 50 bucks.

Clams are a cheaper alternative and are just as deadly during the spring as cut bait and worms are.
Dig your own sand worms with a pitch fork.
If you have a minnow trap drop it somewhere where you can trap your own eels. Somewhere where it wont get stolen. Read up on slinging eels. Usually no weight is necessary. Just toss it out let it swim to the bottom and reel in ever so slowly.
Under the right conditions eels are deadly at all times of the year.
Sometimes not so easy to find them. So try trapping your own or learning how and where.

It takes time and practice. Dont get discouraged. Watch what the other guys are doing and dont crowd them.

Tony_615 · #5 05-13-2009, 09:11 PM

Okay..i have learned a few things by watching others like placing the sinker at the bottom of the the rig can increase the distance of casting....but the catching my own eels interest me alot...i know about reading up on it...but what kind of bait would i use to catch eels...and would i catch them just a plain ol' minnow trap?....i have never heard of that before...This information is proving very useful...thank you very much

Striperjim · #6 05-13-2009, 09:34 PM

Crushed Horshoe crabs and a brick

Everything you need to know is in these two threads.
Roccus posts are required reading

https://www.stripers247.com/phpBB2/sh...ht=minnow+trap

https://www.stripers247.com/phpBB2/sh...ht=minnow+trap

Doublerunner · #7 05-13-2009, 10:02 PM

I am new to this as well. What I have learned is you have to know what bait is in the area and where are the structures where the bass will be. Your lures should be similar in color to the baitfish plus how they may swim in that particular area.

The other thing I know for sure is I need to develop a "touch" or "feel" for knowing when a fish is striking my lure as I have missed some chances by being late to react to these situations at times.

The best time to scout your area is at low tide so you can find the areas the fish will be in during high tide

I know this is very basic as I still have a lot to learn but from reading almost every thread on this forum I have gathered a wealth of knowledge on what to look for. Scouting can take a lot of time and I realize that is not always possible but with experience it will come easier ( I hope )

Tony_615 · #8 05-13-2009, 10:17 PM

Wow thanks alot!!...this information is very useful...okay what about...Cast nets i think they are called...is that a very useful way for catching bait? i hear alot of things about them..and i wanted to hear from...well i would call you professional..compared to me...is there anything else i am missing would you throw me a last bit of advise?

Striperjim · #9 05-13-2009, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony615

is there anything else i am missing would you throw me a last bit of advise?

Dont run out and buy a bunch of chit you wont or cant use. Take your time
learn each lure one at a time and watch how it swims. Vary your retrieves and have fun.
Dont neglet your responsibilities or your family. This thing we do can become an obsession rather than a passion very quickly.

The search feature is your friend. Be creative with your keywords.

https://www.stripers247.com/phpBB2/search.php

zimno1 · #10 05-13-2009, 10:54 PM

cast net? why not? go for it...
listen up...
your focus should be to concentrate on how to fish the area you most frequent.
your concerns should be conditions of the body of water you will fish.
ie; tide - wind - air quality = air pressure/overcast/rainy/clear/foggy etc.
there are times when all the chit you amass in your quest for a fish can be all for naught if your unfamiliar with how and when to fish your waters. take the time to learn to read the area (see structure of the lay of the sand/rocks/inlets/and an assortment of other things like pilings/abutments/piers/bridges/outcroppings etc). with all we do we can fish an area based on it's conditions. most importantly, having fun learning to do this! as fish don't readily come from blindly doing what you have been doing as of late. your assessing the situation first and making the proper decision on what to apply comes with time on the water and on the site. if your fishing open beachfront - do a search on "how to read the beach" and threads will pop up for you to browse through. fishing a jetty "jetty fishing" etc//////
you will do this because if you ask questions in that thread, all involved will answer. if you ask a million questions like you have been doing here you will drive "well, me in particular" absolutely nuts! the search button is your key to reading massive amounts of information to which your inquisitive self instinctively wants instanly. you'll get help here yes, but most people want the answers without doing thier homework and grasshopper, you have not made the leap of faith as of yet. do me proud and search the site and ask in the threads wtf they mean by what you may not understand.

Tony_615 · #11 05-13-2009, 11:03 PM

Okay then that is what i will do...but then again that is what i thought everyone was doing in the beginning was starting threads asking questions i have no intention on driving anyone nuts just looking for what i am doing wrong before i do my homework so i can do it properly

I am a dedicated fisherman I am not a half arse it type of person who looks for the easy way out but okay if that is the best way to get the information i look for then thank you for telling me that!!

zimno1 · #12 05-13-2009, 11:24 PM

no no no! i didn't imply you were a half arsed guy looking for the easy way out.. you will notice by the threads you search and the info they contain that you can literally answer your own questions and it provokes thought into asking multiple questions you may never have thought of. trust me, you can't drive me more nuts than i am already "uh oh>>> that will come back to bite me in the arse!

Tony_615 · #13 05-13-2009, 11:37 PM

WOOOOAAAAHHH we are soo off track....i did not claim that you said that i did anything half arsed...i was just saying that to show what kind of person i was....i am just not claiming that title before it is slapped on me so that was just to clear it up and i appreciate the info i am given....and i'm sure you being nuts......I could not even tell...

Striperjim · #14 05-13-2009, 11:53 PM

Grand Master Zim

Sudsy · #15 05-13-2009, 11:56 PM

The best fishing advice anyone ever gave me was "Learn how to find and catch bait"
The best fishermen I know are the ones who can do that consistently.

Remember the old phrase "Find the dinner and you'll find the diners"

Even if you're a plugging or fly fishing purist being able to find the bait will usually put you on fish.