Fished for: Striped Bass
Date Fished: 8/23/98
Boat Name: Vina's Surprise
Water Temp: 79 Degrees
Water Clarity: 2 1/2 Feet
Seas: Slight Chop
Weather: Some Haze Until 1 PM Then Sunny
REPORT:
Crew: Tom Hughes & Peter Von Mehren
Predicted Tides: 8:36 AM/High 3:06 PM/Low
REPORT
Peter Von Mehren and I fished on Sunday, 08/23/98, from 7:00 AM until 6:37 PM, from South Locust Point Marine Terminal to Fort Carroll.
All fish were caught on light spinning and bait casting equipment using artificial lures. All fish were released.
We had to fish hard to catch Stripers this trip. The most productive time was between 1 PM and 2 PM. The tides were approximately 30 minutes ahead of the predicted times listed above. We did catch Stripers all day, but fishing was s l o w at times. Peter did find a deep water pattern in early afternoon by jigging soft plastic lures in 25’ of water just off of the bottom. This turned out to be the most productive technique during this trip.
FISH STORY:
We were fishing visible structures just inside a cove and casting lures as close as possible to the structure and retrieving them. This was not producing many Stripers, so Peter decided to cast out in deeper water using soft plastic bait on a 1/2 ounce round head jig. When I asked him why he was doing this, he explained to me that the Stripers should be in deeper water since the air temperature was so hot. Makes sense.
Within 10 minutes Peter had landed 3 nice Stripers. During previous fishing trips this location yielded some large Stripers. Peter was using the right technique so I quickly changed my lure to match his. I was still fishing close to the structure, but in deeper water. On the 2nd cast out I hooked a large fish. The drag was going out and the fish was pulling extremely hard and swimming away from the boat. This was one of the strongest fish I have had on all year. After a few minutes the fish was still in control, but it wasn’t pulling like a Striper. It felt more like a Bluefish or possibly a Catfish, because of the jerking motions I was feeling through my rod. The battle went on for the next 5 minutes before we could see the fish. It turned out to be a 10# Channel Catfish. The unusual part of this catch was the location of the soft plastic lure. It was 3 inches up from the tail on the right side of the fish. Yes it was snagged-but what a fight! Pictures were taken and the Catfish was returned to the deep.
STRUCTURES FISHED: underwater mounds, discharges, large bridge pilings, creek ledges, points, bulkheads, rock piles, wooden pilings, shoals, sandbars, and under piers.
LURES USED: soft plastic baits rigged on 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 ounce round head jigs, soft plastic baits fished on a worm hook, jigging spoons, lipless vibrating crankbaits, top water poppers, floating lures, and suspended jerkbaits.
TOTAL STRIPED BASS CAUGHT WAS 30. The Stripers ranged from 5 1/2 inches to 22 inches. The most productive structure was deep water outside of an old loading dock. Landed 3 large Stripers. One was 22" long hooked in 25 feet of water. One 18" Striper was hooked in 2 feet of water and the other 18" Striper was hooked in 4 feet of water.
NUMBER OF STRIPERS CAUGHT DURING THIS TIDE:
16 - Incoming
12 - Outgoing
2 - Still
MOST PRODUCTIVE LURE: Bass Assassin, Split Tail Shad, Soft Plastic Bait, 4", Albino Shad, #STS38330
MOST PRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUE: Jig & Stop-cast the lure out, let it drop to the desired depth (drops 1 foot per second), then lift your rod tip swiftly from 9 o’clock to 11 o’clock while taking up the slack line-pause for 1 second. Repeat this again and again, until the lure is back at the boat. The Stripers usually take the bait on the fall.
OTHER PRODUCTIVE LURES THIS TRIP:
Bass Assassin, Split Tail Shad, Soft Plastic Bait, 4", Rainbow Trout, #STS39332
Nature’s Own, Tender Tubes, Soft Plastic Bait, 3 1/2", Chartreuse Sparkle
Kalin’s, Grub, Soft Plastic, 3", Chartreuse
Soft plastic lures were fished on the following Cabin Fever Tackle Jig Heads with 3/0 Mustad Hooks:
1/4 ounce Round Head Jig, #CFRHJ2-143
3/8 ounce Round Head Jig, #CFRHJ2-383
1/2 ounce Round Head Jig, #CFRHJ2-123
1/4 ounce Tube Jig Head, #CFTHJ2-143
3/8 ounce Tube Jig Head, #CFTHJ2-383
*These jig heads are ready to use from the pack. You do not have to sharpen the hooks (please crimp the barb down), nor remove any lead from the eye. I have been using them for over 4 years now and strongly recommend them.
Smithwick, Suspending Rattlin Pro Rogue, Suspended Jerkbait, 5 1/2", 1/2 oz., , Model SDRC 1200, Blue Back/Silver Sides
OTHER FISH CAUGHT:
1 - Bluefish
2 - White Perch
1 - 10# Channel Catfish
FISHING TIP:
Always take along plenty of water. Make sure you drink this water periodically throughout the day whether you are thirsty or not. This can help you from becoming dehydrated or having heat stroke. You should not feel as tired and will have more energy at the end of the day.
Good Fishing…..Tom Hughes
Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association
Cabin Fever Tackle
http://www.cabinfevertackle.com/BALLJIGS.HTML