Yesterday's Striper trip ( about as good as it gets!)

STRIPER LOU · June 23, 2016, 09:29:19 PM

About 2 weeks ago a huge body of pogy's moved into the river. Its really massive in size and one of the largest I have ever seen in many, many years of fishing. Its so big pod's have spilled over onto the local reefs when there is no boat traffic, so weekday fishing is lights out.

Yesterday, the first couple of 20/25 lbers were caught on a new surface plug (spook style) that I've been working on for a while. They were coming up right thru the school of bunker to eat this plug! YAY!!!!
Snagged a Dozen and a half pogy's and thru them in the tank just for insurance and got out the wire rod's with bunker spoons. Fish from 20/45 lbs were smashing these things. The water's still pretty cold here so they have plenty of fight in them. A few took 50/100 ft of line on the first run!
When it quieted down a bit we went to the shallow area at 10/15 ft and trolled the pogy's on braid.

As many times as I've done this there's nothing that compare's to seeing a big striper come up, push water, and play with this thing, whack it with his tail, till he decides to eat it.

The final tally was 14 stripers to 45lbs and one big ole ugly bluefish. My partner and I both kept our one apiece which unfortunately were badly hooked and the rest were released. We dropped a 50 plus at the boat but it's all good!
That's why they call it fishing and we keep comin back!!!!

All have a great evening, .. Lou

Shark Hunter · June 23, 2016, 10:16:10 PM

They never knew what Hit them Lou.

Great Job!

Rancanfish · June 23, 2016, 11:33:05 PM

Nice, Lou! What rig you using? I love the fish reports but I want to see hardware too.

I belong to AT.com don't I?

STRIPER LOU · June 23, 2016, 11:53:36 PM

I hope I remember your name correctly Randy?
The Bunker spoon in the picture is a #4 Tony Maja adult spoon. About 8 to 9" long and weight is almost a pound. If the pogy's are bigger we use Captain Bruce otter spoons in white or pink Porgy when the bass are bottom feeding on Porgy's. 200 feet of .026 wire puts you at about the 20 ft depth at the proper speed.

Rod is super important and should be 8 to 9 ft long and have a soft tip and midsection. Once you get the speed correct the rod will keep the pumping action and keep the lure swimming properly. I use and old Harnell which was cut dwon from a ten footer. It sound's pretty simple but it took me a few years of practice to get it down pat.

There you have it, now, go get them!!!!!!

.........................Lou

David Hall · June 24, 2016, 01:32:50 AM

Great report Lou, we don't have striper fishing like that around here. All our big ones live in a resevoir (San Luis) Its a Fishery I have pretty much ignored in favour of the bay and offshore species. I'm going to have to give it some attention.

Rancanfish · June 24, 2016, 02:32:25 PM

Thanks Lou. David pretty much said it all, we don't see the big ones too often. My biggest ever was 30lbs that I put right back into the delta after the fight. Trolling broken back Rebels with a plastic worm trailer.

Since my striper fishing buddy passed years ago I haven't been back. But soon.

I love to hear about the set up to get a feel for how it happens to work. And of course the reels that were used.

conchydong · June 24, 2016, 03:21:58 PM

Nice fish and a interesting technique using those large weighted spoons. I wonder if they would work slow trolling for Grouper in Florida.

STRIPER LOU · June 24, 2016, 04:39:17 PM

Randy, as for reels, nothing but 113H's. Use these both for wire and leadcore. Several weeks ago I sold the first one's I ever bought. Still in service but I got tired of looking at them!

Here you have to fish structure and if your looking for big fish you have to be on the bottom. There's also an influx of smaller fish this year which is great to see. Read a bunch of articles on the Santee Cooper I believe.
Looks like for freshwater they get some large one's there.
They even live line live bait as we do! Interesting!

One method that I love to use is called the yoyo. A weight is loaded into the bunkers mouth and wired shut. The dead bait is then hooked in the top in front of the dorsal fin. At slack tide its lowered to the bottom and a rhythmic up and down of the rod is done. Raising the rod high and letting it down quickly is what is called to yoyo effect. They love it. Caught a 59 lber this way.

Have a great day, .. Lou

humboldtdan · June 24, 2016, 04:53:23 PM

WHat about the risk of lead poisoning to the bunker? (JOKE!)

Rancanfish · June 24, 2016, 10:00:53 PM

Thanks again Lou. I think I'll try that yoyo deal with anchovy in a local reservoir. They have reported 30+ size but I just can't soak baits, too boring.

Humboldt, you got anything growing in your yard we should know about? (joke also). My bud is from Humboldt / Eureka and has to listen to the same tired jokes from me.

mo65 · June 26, 2016, 01:17:15 AM

Quote from: STRIPER LOU on June 24, 2016, 04:39:17 PM

One method that I love to use is called the yoyo. A weight is loaded into the bunkers mouth and wired shut. The dead bait is then hooked in the top in front of the dorsal fin. At slack tide its lowered to the bottom and a rhythmic up and down of the rod is done. Raising the rod high and letting it down quickly is what is called to yoyo effect. They love it. Caught a 59 lber this way.

Great lookin' fish! That yoyo method is similar to how we fish swimbaits on a jighead in the river. We catch mostly Hybrid Stripers. I can't imagine hooking a 59 pounder...the little 10 pounders we catch really pull.