Sorry for the lack of reports, just been too busy to fish much unfortunately.
Got out on Sunday with BOSN and it was a great bite for us with lots of heavy trout hitting the deck.
Our first drop I was throwing a skitter walker and BOSN had a spook “one-knocker” and in short order I was down 0-4 [:0] I switched to a Pop-R and it hit the water, one pop and SLURP. It was on after that. Its amazing how your choice of plug on any given day can have a huge difference. Keep switching it up before giving up on a spot. We ended up with approx 12 nice trout on Top before it slowed.
Later in the morning we did real well on a variety of TE and RE jigs and Z-man plastics. I had a real nice flatty and we had several more nice trout. Ended up with a slam, just one red but 3 flattys and many trout. Really fun day I needed it!
We even took a jaunt to the rocks as I wanted to catch a red on one of our new striper eye jigs. I made contact but due to personal dumassedness it spit the hook -
Now is the time to hit the water and fish artificials guys
Fishguy98 This time of year through November it really shouldnt matter much what you throw, its gonna get bit. The Z-man is a huge advantage right now with 1,000,000 small bluefish and pinfish out there biting your baits. We even had a couple Elaztech baits get bit through which is no easy task. You’ll go broke fishing gulp right now. We switch them up a lot. I did well that particular day on the pearl minnowZ (one of my favorites) but did well also on a paddlerZ (redfish toad) and even a 3.5" streakZ (ralphs shad). They all worked well. These are the full gamut of colors (white, brown, blue/gray) They all worked.
What do you think as far as dark/light colors as we transition to winter? My mind says to throw lighter colors in clearer water (winter), but I have also heard to throw dark lures in the winter and natural colors in the summer, which contradicts that.
I fish mostly dark/neutral colors unless the bite is tough or the water clarity stinks. Then I start getting creative to try and trigger a bite. If you want action this time of year the Zman 3.75 Streakz on an 1/8oz Trout eye is unstoppable. You’re going to catch a lot of smaller fish but it will keep you entertained. If you’re not getting bites with it, move on. The bigger trout are hammering the bigger baits right now.
On YnR’s note about big bait big fish, I’ve been convinced that big trout will hit a Striper Eye jig with a 6" swim bait. We have done well for reds on them out at the rocks, but if you think about it, the profile is the same as a topwater plug or bigger suspending plug. I tried it last weekend and sure enough, it worked. One of the biggest trout caught that day in the same spot as we had been dragging smaller baits through (and catching somewhat smaller fish) for the prior 15 minutes. Pardon the poor focus, as Ralph is a great fisherman, but cameraman…not so much! I’m still experimenting with these bigger swim baits. I think you won’t catch as many on them but what you do catch will be significant. Also, since they are heavy they are a little more difficult to “work” so I have found its better to just swim them with a steady retrieve and let the tail do the work - that way you can feel the strike easier.
Hey, at least the CCA logo is in focus! That’s a pretty nice fish there! What’s the weight on those large jig heads? Do you have to work it pretty fast to keep it off the bottom, or is the big swim bait buoyant enough to help out some?
The SE’s are in 1/2 oz, 3/4 oz, 1 oz weights. This was on a 3/4. I did have to work it pretty fast - I used it only because I had it tied on already for fishing the jetties. A 1/2 would have been better here but hey it worked You are right the Zman material is really buoyant so that helps too. In general you need a little more jig weight when using Elaztech.
You are right the Zman material is really buoyant so that helps too. In general you need a little more jig weight when using Elaztech.