Fished for: Striped Bass
Date Fished: 9/19/98
Boat Name: Vina's Surprise
Water Temp: 77 Degrees
Water Clarity: Average 2 Feet
Seas: Slight Chop
Weather: Partly Cloudy, East Wind
REPORT:
Jim Flannery and I fished on Saturday, 09/19/98, from 6:40 AM until 12:00 PM, from just southwest of Pier 8 to the Key Bridge. The tide was still when we started. Catching fish with an east wind is tough. We had to work extra hard to catch what we did. While fishing a large underwater mound, Jim located 19 of the 21 Striped Bass caught on this trip. We were catching Stripers on that structure from 10:52 AM until 11:15 AM. Thanks Jim.
All fish were caught on light spinning and bait casting equipment using artificial lures.
LURES USED: soft plastic baits rigged on 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 ounce round head jigs, soft plastic baits fished just below the surface on a worm hook, lipless vibrating crankbaits, top water poppers, buzzbaits, shallow diving crankbaits, and suspended jerkbaits.
TOTAL STRIPED BASS CAUGHT WAS 21. The Stripers ranged in length from 10" to 14". The most productive structure was a underwater mound. Landed 0 Stripers 18" or larger.
STRUCTURES FISHED: Channel point, underwater mounds, pier edges, and large bridge markers.
NUMBER OF STRIPERS CAUGHT DURING THIS TIDE:
19 - Incoming
0 - Outgoing
2 - Still
MOST PRODUCTIVE LURE: Bass Assassin, Salt Water, Sea Shad, Soft Plastic Bait, 4", Salt & Pepper Phantom/Chartreuse Tail
BIGGEST STRIPERS CAUGHT ON: Cotton Cordell, Ratt’l Spot Minnow, Vibrating Crankbait , 1/2 oz., Smokey Joe—off white sides with a black back
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" , Chartreuse/Silver Glitter, #STS39452
OTHER FISH CAUGHT: 2 - Bluefish
FISHING TIP:
Support organizations that you feel are protecting our fisheries. Coastal Conservation of Maryland (www.ccamd.org), Maryland Saltwater Sportsmens Association (www.mssa.net/no_trawl.html) , and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation are just a few noteworthy organizations.
Good Fishing…..Tom Hughes
Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association