Tony's Tips

Fishing Tip #1 9-24-2000

Watch the wave action; see where and how it breaks. This indicates where the shallows are. Watch as a set of waves recedes and see where the cuts that this action produces are located. Also check the color of the water. It will give you a clue as to where the deep water is. After you learn to read a beach and scout it out at low tide, you will be ready to fish the bars, troughs and cuts that should produce fish.

Remember the beach changes constantly with the change of the tide and the weather. It doesn't hurt to keep a journal of the area you are fishing. It only takes a few minutes to jot down the tide, wind direction bait used or plugs, time, date and any other information you see as relevant. Now you have something to use for the next fishing trip.

Fishing Tip #2 9-30-00

In this weeks tip we will talk about a couple of things. Let's start with the jetties. The position you place yourself on one can make all the difference in the world. As the tide flows around the tip it creates a rip. If you are able to get near that rip, you should do better than those fisherman not in the area. Bass, being the strong swimmers that they are, like to lie in wait and ambush their prey in the turbulent water caused by that rip. Cast ten feet either side of it and you might as well stay at home. 

Another good time to position yourself on the rocks is when the baitfish is making their way around the point. They like to hug the shore and rocks for protection. Bass, weakfish and bluefish are close by and hungry. You don't have to be yards away from the rocks.

Remember these rocks can be very dangerous, especially when they are wet and have moss on them. Use proper equipment, Kookers or something to give you a good footing. Even old golf shoes will do the trick.

Tides are also another important factor. The bases of the jetties can be very productive even at low tide in the early morning or evening hours. Some large fish lurk in this area and they are in close proximity of the rocks. They are using the low light and rocks to their advantage. This is POPPER TIME. Work your popper slowly as close to the rocks as possible. Swimmers will only dig into the mud at this tide. Remember tide is really the key, but you must take into consideration what has been going on for the past couple of days. If the fish are there on the top of the tide for the past 3 or 4 days then guess what. Usually high tide dropping is your best time to fish. Stripers can herd baitfish into the corners of the rocks easily. But be prepared for changes weekly or even daily. This is where keeping the log we talked about last week comes in handy. Enough talk already, get out and hit the suds and hook up. Have a fun and safe week and keep a tight line. 


Fishing Tip #3 10-07-00

Ever been in a situation when you just have to wet a line, but the bunker have left and all the local bait shops are closed? We all know how effective live bait is, but have the thought of using an alternative ever crossed your mind? 

How about trying artificial bait like a Fin-S or Slug-Go. Fin-S makes a 7 1/2-inch version just for saltwater. Slug-Go's have a movement that closely resembles an eel when jigged slowly. These baits can be rigged Carolina style using an egg sinker, barrel swivel, leader and hook. Your running line is slid through the egg sinker and tied to the barrel swivel. From here you use a two to four foot piece of leader material attached to the barrel swivel and tie on a hook. Hook the Fin-S or Slug-Go as you would an eel. Twitch this rig slowly as you are drifting.

Want to try something a little different? Try using a floating RattleTrap instead of the Fin-S or Slug-Go. The rattletrap closely resembles a peanut bunker. A good point is to remove the rear treble hooks. Bass are headhunters.

Jigheads that are tipped with a 7 to 10 inch Culprit worm, in dark colors, works quite well when worked slowly across the bottom. Felmlee lures are also a very good choice. You can buy them either pre rigged or do them yourself.
All of the above is still not as good as live bait, but if you rig them right and fish them properly they will produce fish for you. Be a little innovative, you never know what these crazy fish are going to eat.


Fishing Tip of the week #4

Fishing shoreline structure. Working rocks from your boat.

This is a very productive way of catching bass from late spring to the end of the season. The rockpiles, inlets, jetties, sandbars, wrecks and piers are excellent bass haunts that can be fished from your boat. The methods you use are the same as those guys on the beach only opposite and can often produce more fish. Many times you will have to leave your engine running because of wind and tide conditions, to maintain or alter your position.

There are numerous jetties along our coast and they are home to many bass. Fishing these jetties in a boat gives you the advantage to move if one is not being productive. Your baits may vary depending on the time of year you fish, but as always cast and retrieve are the way to go. Live bait is the most effective thing you can use around jetties. Herring in the spring and bunker in the fall. Never pass up the chance to do this type of fishing if you have the chance. Eels are also very good bait. They can be fished either live or skinned. Poppers and swimming plugs are good producers of bass. Don't forget the world record was caught on a swimming plug. You can also use bucktails, tin squids or teaser rigs. Work the wave action. Let it move your presentation for you. Bass will often hit when a plug is swimming in place.

It is important to learn the rocks you are fishing, position and layout. This is very crucial when approaching rocks, not just for a fish factor, but safety. Let me point out that this procedure should not be done alone. You should always have a least two people in the boat, one operating and the other fishing. Just remember fiberglass does not handle rocks to well.

Take notice where the rip around the tip of the jetty forms up. This is where the fish lay in wait for hapless bait is caught in the turbulent water. Many fishermen are firm believers in certain tides when fishing rocks. You can catch fish on all stages of the tide. Again never fish alone and stay ever alert.


Fishing Tip #5 10/22/00


Tide and Current

Tides and tidal currents play a very significant role in where fish will be and when they will be in a certain area. Fish usually do not limit their feeding to anyone stage of the tide. When one area shuts down, they move and many times it is not to far. It doesn't matter where they go, you can be sure that they use the tide and current to their advantage. 

Fish that take up residence on the shallow flats are greatly affected by the depth of the water. While on the other hand, predators, who like to ambush their prey, use the current to their advantage allowing it to carry prey to them.

Using this basic knowledge that fish use the tides and currents to their advantage, you know can start to identify areas that should be productive. Example - Stripers. They will cruise flats on a flood tide, being constantly aware of the tidal changes they move out as the tide drops to the deeper cuts or channels. Work these areas as much as possible on the falling tides, bass will hold here waiting to feed on whatever is carried out by the tide.

On outgoing water, look for any place where it resembles a neck. This forces the baitfish and other small food into a tight area. Larger fish often line up to dine in these areas waiting for the tide to carry dinner to them.

Fish search for food continuously. If you get to know where they go during the different stages of the tide you can greatly increase your productivity in all the areas you fish. It's a never-ending process but worth all the effort. Take the time to experiment and write it down for future reference.

Tip # 6 10/29/2000

Bouncin' Eels


They're hungry, mean and the best at what they do. They are not timid, alone or in a wolfpack. They are not shy about stepping on each other to satisfy their insatiable desire to eat. These large chested linesiders are just waiting to test your rod and drag system to its limit. They are Stripers.

You can use heavy gear, but I prefer to us a Loomis 843C with a 6500 Abu-Garcia loaded up with 30lb Power Pro. I just like the lighter setup, but you can decide what works best for you. Remember Power Pro is a braid and it takes some getting use to. Again that's up to you.

I prefer to use either of two setups for terminal tackle. #1 consists of a barrel swivel (75lb), drail weight (enough to just bounce the bottom) and leader about 36 inches in length (usually 40 LB fluorocarbon). I like to use Octopus style hooks in the 5/0 range. Many people like the circle hooks, but remember not to set the hook if you are using them. #2 is a modified bottom rig. Use a piece of leader material or 40lb mono, tie on a barrel swivel, drop down about 18 inches and make a dropper loop with a barrel swivel in the loop then drop down another 12 inches and make a loop for your weight. At the barrel swivel on the dropper loop tie on your snelled hook. This keeps your presentation up from the bottom. 

Eels should be hooked through the mouth and out behind the eye socket. This keeps their mouth open and water can flow through their gills. Keep them cool and moist. If you are using a bucket, don't put water in it. A small bag of ice is always good; this will slow them down and make them easier to handle. Always use a dry rag, they are slippery. If you have trouble with them balling up on your line try crushing the tail with a pair of pliers about an inch or so up from the end.

You are now ready to start dragging them through the inlets, channels or best of all rips when you find them. Once that rod tip bends to the gunnels and your reel starts to scream, not only the fish but also you will be hooked.

Tip # 7     Nov 5, 2000

Using Clam for Bass

How would you like to catch a striped bass from the surf and at the same time lose almost all respect for the difficulty needed in fooling the most prized inshore game fish we have? Try laying a chunk of calm on the bottom.

In order to understand the attraction of clam, you first have to understand the predator. Stripers simply can't feed on live clam. They are not equipped with crusher teeth and have no way to remove the meat from the shell. As a result, they only get their shot when storms throw clams up on the beach where their shells break; they die and are washed back to sea unless the gulls get to them first. Simply speaking, bass never see a naked clam.

Rigging for clam fishing is as simple as the bait. #4, #5, or #6, preferably black, hooks are hung off a piece of 30lb test mono with dropper loops. And a weight is attached to the bottom. Use enough weight to keep your presentation in place. Clam is hard to keep on the hook, but you can weave it on utilizing the tougher parts. Rubber bands, dental floss or rigging string work very well also. A long cast usually isn't necessary during the favorite periods of the tide, which is usually two hours on either side of the high tide. When fishing the rocks, it is best to work the base area just beyond the surf line. The first couple of days after a storm, when clams are pushed up on the beach are particularly good.

Action tends to come in spurts as the bass pass through the area. A dead sea can suddenly come alive as the tide rises or falls. Select a spot and wait it out.

Claming won't do much for your skills, but usually dunking clam in the sea is the most consistent method of catching bass from spring through the fall. The rankest amateur is usually as likely to catch a bass on this bait as a pro and they often do better because their casts are much shorter and clam feeding bass tend to word the wash rather then the deeper waters.

Put in some time and you, too, will be able to brag about catching bass in the suds.

Tip # 8   

     Keeping a Personal Fishing Journal

      Remember the days when all the facts you needed where kept upstairs, and you could recall events at the drop of a dime?  But now because of to many birthdays, the aging process has taken over, certain things are hard to remember.  As with many others my age, as well as some of you younger ones, I find myself writing down those items I once entrusted to memory.  Sound like somebody you know?

     In order to maintain this information, either surf fishing or from a boat, it only takes a small amount of your time and will give you a wealth of information when memory fails us.  This journal will serve you as a great informational and research instrument not only of past experiences, but also in planning future fishing efforts.

     You have a variety of ways to keep a log.  Your computer is a good place to start.  You can set up a database very easily.  Don't forget to back up every thing you enter just incase your computer crashes.  Area tackle and boat stores carry some sort of log you can enter information in.  And if all else fails you can use the old standby of pencil and spiral notebook.  If you are a striper fisherman and are in the trophy tag program you can use the back of your log form and make a copy of it to send in when the season is over.

     No matter which way you decide to go, you must make the commitment to keep it up to date.  Keep the information simple and manageable, short, relevant and to the point.   Remember the information gathered is of, by and for you, so accuracy and truthfulness are essential.

     Setting up your log is totally up to you and how much information you desire.  Items included should include, Date (month and date), time, where you fished, the wind direction and speed, what the tide was doing (in or out and at what stage), results of your catch (weight, length and girth), bait or artificial used.  This may sound like a lot of information but once you get into it, it only takes a few minutes.  Also make note of the baitfish in the area.  These records will shed light on the arrival times of different species.  Now you have something to use in the future.  Remember honesty, record those bad day as well as the good ones. Soon you will be able to fairly accurately predict the arrival of different species and where you will catch them.  This will give you the advantage of many other fishermen who are just potluck fishing.

     Once Old Man Winter sets in you can go back and review your year.  You can zero in on the species of catch and compare to previous years.  You will know which lures will work best and where to use them.  Your log will probably never become a best seller, because it not meant for someone else.  To many fishermen these logs are as important as their rods, reels and other equipment.  Remember if you want one write it yourself.

Tip # 9

Eels; Natures greatest escape artist!

Yes it is true; eels are one of nature's best escape artists there are. If you put holes just a hair to large in your bucket, over a quarter of an inch, guess who won't be there the next time you need one. If you use a minnow bucket that doesn't have a lock on it they will not be there the next time you go fishing. Eels live through their tails; they bury in the sand tail first and use it to explore where they are and possible avenues of escape. Give them the smallest opening to get that tail in and they will be gone.

Eels are incredibly resilient creatures and far too many anglers go to extremes trying to keep them alive. Under No Circumstances should you store them in a 5-gallon bucket filled with water. Besides killing them, because they will deplete the oxygen in the water, you will spend more time trying to get hold of on of them than fishing. All you need to do is place them in a bucket with a damp rag and small bag of ice. The ice slows them so you can handle them. Use a dry rag to handle them, but be quick about it because the heat from your hand will bring them back quickly. If you keep them in an eel car make sure you give them a drink every now and then as the wood tends to dry them out as it dries. Remember to be quick when hooking them up, it is very unpleasant to try and hook up and eel when the are slithering and writhing.

You can hook up eel in a few manners, #1: insert the hook through both jaws from under the bottom and out through the upper; #2: insert the hook in the mouth and out through the top of the head just behind the eye socket; #3; bring the hook down through the mouth and out the lower jaw. I find that the second way is the best, it enables the eel to breathe while being hooked up. Once you get the hook in place get it in the water fast, these slimy critters have a tendency to ball up on your line and cause one heck of a mess. If it does happen to you don't try to untangle the mess with the eel still on the hook. Remove it first and then untangle your mess. An easy way to stop them from doing this is to crush the tail, about one-inch from the bottom, with a pair of pliers.

Fish Finder rigs, dropper rigs or and inline weight with leader and hook are your best ways of presenting the bait to those hungry linesiders. Use just enough weight to keep your bait in contact with the bottom. There is no doubt that a properly presented live eel is an hors d'oeuvre a linesider can not resist.

Tip #10

How to tell a Fishing Lie

     The fishing lie is an art form, but one that is easily mastered.  Upon returning from your latest outing, one of your dockside buddies asks, “How ja do?”

     Now if you are accomplished in this art form you know you have to cast out to this opening that has been created and see if you can get a strike.  You know have to decide which of your lures in your lie box arsenal you are going to use, Fib, Falsehood, Half-Truth, Little White, Bold Face, Fabrication or the deadly Prevarication.  You go with the Half-Truth.

     Your reply “Only Fair.”  “ I doubt I caught anything over 10 pounds” (your lone 15 incher certainly wouldn’t).  This Half-Truth, of course, implies that you caught so many big fish you might have overlooked a 10 plus pounder: thus suggesting that you are accustomed to catching fish over 10 pounds and that failing to do so results in only a “Fair” day and provides your inquisitive friend with nothing to challenge.  What’s he going to say, “You did too?”

     So how he has taken the bait, “Wow Man.”  What did ya catch all of’em on?”  You smile, take in your line, and tie on a Prevarication.

Tip #11  

LURE STORAGE FOR YOUR BOAT

      Ever been out, fish start biting, you need to change your lure, and you waste time rooting around in your tackle box.  Next time avoid this problem by placing a piece of foam pipe insulation around the forward grab rail of your center console.  It can be secured with nylon ties or hose clamps.  Cost is only a few dollars and replacement is quick and easy when it becomes tattered.

Tony