Fished for: Striped Bass
Date Fished: 11/28/98
Boat Name: Vins's Surprise
Water Temp: 52 Degrees
Water Clarity: 2 Feet
Seas: Smooth to slight chop
Weather: Sunny, west wind to 10MPH
REPORT:
Peter VonMehren & I fished on Saturday, 11/28/98 from 7:32 AM until 4:40 PM, in the Baltimore Harbor and on the Patapsco River from the Boston Street Ramp south to Cox Creek.
All fish were caught on light spinning equipment, spooled with 8# or 10# test line or bait casting equipment, spooled with 14# test line using artificial lures. All stripers were released.
LURES USED: soft plastic baits rigged on 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 ounce round head jigs, suspended crankbaits, shallow diving crankbaits, floating crankbaits, jigging spoons and lipless vibrating crankbaits.
TOTAL STRIPED BASS CAUGHT WAS 25. The Stripers ranged in length from 10" to 28". Stripers were caught at various depths from 1 foot below the surface to 20 feet on the bottom. Landed 2 Striper over 18".
STRUCTURES FISHED: Creek points, shoals, concrete pilings, wooden pilings, discharges, wooden bulkheads and rock piles.
NUMBER OF STRIPERS CAUGHT DURING THIS TIDE:
10 - Incoming
12 - Outgoing
3 - Still
BIGGEST STRIPER (28", 12#) CAUGHT ON: SMITHWICK, Suspending Rattlin Pro Rogue, Suspended Crankbait, 5 1/2", 1/2 oz., Model SDRC 1200, Chrome/Blue Back. This striper was 4 foot deep when it hit the lure.
MOST PRODUCTIVE LURE: BASS ASSASSIN, Salt Water, Sea Shad, Soft Plastic Bait, 4", Rainbow Trout #SSA25132 (8 stripers)
MOST PRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUE: Jig & Stop (Vertically)-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:
SMITHWICK, Suspending Rattlin Pro Rogue, Suspended Crankbait, 5 1/2", 1/2 oz., Model SDRC 1200, in the following colors:
Chrome/Blue Back (2 stripers)
Chrome/Black Back (1 striper)
BASS ASSASSIN, Shad Assassin, Soft Plastic Bait, 5", in the following colors:
Albino Shad, #SA10330 (5 stripers)
Rainbow Trout, #SA10332 (7 stripers, 1 was 19")
BASS ASSASSIN, Salt Water, Sea Shad, Soft Plastic Bait, 4" BASS ASSASSIN, Salt Water, Sea Shad, Soft Plastic Bait, 4", All American, #SSA25379 (1 striper)
FENWICK, Shallow Crank, Shallow Running Crankbait, 4 1/8", 7/16 oz., Chartreuse (1 striper)
FISHING TIP:
After each fishing trip, spray off all rods and reels with fresh water. Before going out again, oil each spinning or baitcasting reel. On spinning reels, remove the round cover just opposite the reel handle and insert one spray of WD-40, then 5 to 8 drops of your favorite reel oil. You should notice a smoother operation the next time you use it. This also works on your baitcasting reels.
Good Fishing,
Tom Hughes
Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association
Freelance Writer & Speaker