lund1
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Posts: 284
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Post by lund1 on Sept 29, 2013 18:56:47 GMT -5
put a 500W halogen low to the water on the floater...couldn't wait to harvest the thousands of premium baitfish swarming around it....got to the lake 11pm friday...switched on the bait beacon and waited...and waited ...and waited....until 1;30 and went to bad...I am quickly realizing how important bait catching expertise is to the whole striper fishing game.
Slept past sunrise and headed out to the cove to hunt for bait....7,000 throws later I had about 12 decent alewives and 2 big gizzard.
Fished Staniford and the cliffs area from 3 - 8....caught 3 nice fish and one pig largemouth off a planer. Water was 73...fish in 30-50 feet at 15'...hit downrods and flatlines....big gizzard got slammed on a flatline and we all jumped....but never took it...planers never got a look....great day on the water with my son and his buddy....they love fishing....
I would really be thankfull for one of those long tutorials (i.e.... Bent Rod - " how I live bait fish").... entitled ...." how I catch bait"....I'm pretty confused about identifying baitballs suspended and where and when to throw at them...also....when the gizzard are flipping...do you troll motor over to the flip and throw?...or just wait till they flip by ypur boat...i must have looked pretty silly motoring all around the cove to flips....catching nuttin'
How about a veteran share some bait wisdom?...how do you do it? I got the part about throwing to lights....how about at 4pm?
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Post by Jason54 on Sept 29, 2013 19:13:31 GMT -5
That is exactly how I feel when I am running around in the back of a creek.
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Post by Shadslinger on Sept 29, 2013 19:51:28 GMT -5
Yea man, you was doing right, look for the bigger fips and quickly get em and throw. biggest thing is the right net for the job. if your net doesnt sink fast enough all that bait is just swimming out from under it before it gets to the bottom.
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piper
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Post by piper on Sept 30, 2013 7:39:00 GMT -5
lund, Your describing my experience earlier in the year. While I hated to drop the coin my best investment has been a nicer throw net with a faster sink rate. My net is currently 5/8 and 1 1/2 lbs per foot. Prior to that I was using the cheap walmart jobs and had to throw 1000 to catch one decent school. This new net Ive got bait after 5 throws. I will say I have the best luck in 15 ft or less with this net. Anymore and its a 50/50 crap shoot if I net anything. As far as finding the schools. When Im by myself its a royal PITA but Ive found if I see a flip I troll to the area and wait for the school to pop up on my sonar..After I see em I launch about 10-15 ft behind the boat as the sonar returns are a little behind. While its not 100% effective it works. With a friend catching bait has been much easier as he can motor and locate and all I do is throw. Thhheeennnn welcome to the new challenge of keeping them alive  Theres another thread about that..Ive found a relatively cheap effective method ($100) but still tweaking |
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Post by mwardncsu on Sept 30, 2013 8:00:42 GMT -5
Yea man, you was doing right, look for the bigger fips and quickly get em and throw. biggest thing is the right net for the job. if your net doesnt sink fast enough all that bait is just swimming out from under it before it gets to the bottom. And what Piper said...... What net are you using now - size (diameter), mesh & weight? Bigger gizzards are FAST and if you're over water over 10' or so they can get even tougher as they swim out from the net as it sinks. |
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lund1
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Post by lund1 on Sept 30, 2013 9:19:04 GMT -5
I have a quality net...8' calusa...don't remember the weave and weight size but I did consult the striper board last year before I chose it...I remember it was the most recommended combo....i will check the sink rate though
I think maybe I'm not quick enough...i'm assuming there's a school of gizzard below where the flipping occurs...so im gliding up and hanging around waiting to see they show again....and theyve probably scattered...then i throw in frustration and theres nothing there.
I need to get better at what Piper described...throwing behind the boat to a suspended ball....I see guys throwing from the bow...and can only assume they have a bow mounted transducer showing them whats ahead?...I'm surprised i don't see the net fall on the lowrance...shouldn't it show?
Really amazed nobody has a black market on native bait....I know it's illegal to sell it....so was moonshine. ....
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Post by mwardncsu on Sept 30, 2013 9:40:50 GMT -5
If its a 8' Calusa (probably a Cracker) it should be a 1.5 lb/ft net and if the "most recommended combo" then probably an 8', 1/2" mesh - good all-round net. However, when chasing big gizzards the 10' will make a difference when the gizzards are not schooled up tight if you can stand to throw it over and over and over.
Right now (at least on SML) the small gizzards are schooled up all over the place and you can see them as black clouds in the water. Generally, the big ones are not hanging with the little ones. You'll generally be able to learn the difference in the size of the flips - from a little "flick" of small bait, to more of a "splash" of bigger bait - then try and throw where the bigger flips happened.
Also, try throwing around docks, pilings and such. A lot of times the bigger ones are shallower - at least that's what I've found at the moment.
Catching bait is a love/hate thing...... buying it would take all the "fun" out of the chase.....
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lund1
New Member
Posts: 284
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Post by lund1 on Sept 30, 2013 19:07:26 GMT -5
thanks Mike...good advice....and its very true...there's something extremely satisfying in loading up a tank with good bait....i almost find myself more committed to the hunt for bait then the hunt for stripers...weird...but true. Probably the kid in us that was (is) so intrigued by lots of small fish....
Not sure how good i will be with a 10'...struggle at times to open the 8'...but always looking for opportunities to buy more gear that I can't really afford....
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Post by grasscutter on Oct 5, 2013 21:12:29 GMT -5
Not really related to this subject but I used to flat head catfish the river a lot.....the real fun was wading the creek and catching chubs and big minnows on a tiny gold hook....getting bait was better than fishing lol
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piper
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Posts: 727
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Post by piper on Oct 6, 2013 5:45:09 GMT -5
I have a quality net...8' calusa...don't remember the weave and weight size but I did consult the striper board last year before I chose it...I remember it was the most recommended combo....i will check the sink rate though I think maybe I'm not quick enough...i'm assuming there's a school of gizzard below where the flipping occurs...so im gliding up and hanging around waiting to see they show again....and theyve probably scattered...then i throw in frustration and theres nothing there. I need to get better at what Piper described...throwing behind the boat to a suspended ball....I see guys throwing from the bow...and can only assume they have a bow mounted transducer showing them whats ahead?...I'm surprised i don't see the net fall on the lowrance...shouldn't it show? Really amazed nobody has a black market on native bait....I know it's illegal to sell it....so was moonshine. .... I will say I'm throwing from a fish and ski which sits lower to the water. I am able to see the net fall and at times see it nail fish with the sonar . Throwing behind does have drawbacks as the motor and ladder and ....u get the idea. Also the net can pose a problem during the retrieve. I've also noticed that if I retrieve the net real close to my transducer it makes it go haywire and I'm forced to restart it....yes that's another day discussion. Your nt alone in the excitement to catch bait. My buddy laughs all the time when I tell him I'm done fishing after we gather bait..that in itself is an absolute blast to me. |
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Post by striperjohn on Oct 6, 2013 6:50:35 GMT -5
You guys can rant and rave about how great it is to catch bait and then catch fish-how pure that is or whatever--LOL. I've thrown that damned net 30-40 times and had nothing but tiny peanuts to fish with many a day. If we could pull up to the Captains Quarters or any place else and buy a dozen moneymakers for 12.00, and uh give me 3 dozen of those alewives and leave. We would all at one time or another do it! LOL I used to drive up to Atkins Landing on Moultrie in South Carolina at 5am many a day and do just that. When you live 2 hours away from the lake, I find most mornings I'm catching bait or trying, when everyone else is fishing. I usually miss the prime fishing of the day unless I get up at 3, leave my house at 330, get to the lake and in the water by 6 and then pray the first light I hit has bait--otherwise that day starts by getting up at 2am. No fun in that to me, not if I could just buy bait and go fish.
Cheers,
John
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BentRod
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Post by BentRod on Oct 6, 2013 7:30:20 GMT -5
I'd definitely buy shad at times if I could, but I enjoy catching it..makes it a challenge and I get more enjoyment out of it at the end if the day. Striper fishing isn't just about catching fish to me, it's about the whole process from start to end. It's like anything in life, there's frustrations and challenges, but when you do succeed, it's all the more sweeter. The older I get, the more I realize it's not about the fish, never was, it's about the experience and the memories made.
If you think anybody would sell moneymakers for $1/piece, you're crazy Striperjohn!!! Haha They wouldn't even waste their time. I know I wouldn't!
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Theres another thread about that..Ive found a relatively cheap effective method ($100) but still tweaking
