04-09-2012, 05:41 PM
I had a little better luck saturday 4/07/12. I went out to 33 hole, except I took the first right instead of going straight to 33 Hole (can't remember what the name was on the sign). I fished off a point facing an island. I got there around 3pm fished until 7:30pm.
I have the 2 pole stamp so I had one with chovies bullet weight and about 2 foot leader, on the other I used lures. I had no luck with any top lures or really any lures maybe I got them too big? This time I packed the chovies in my cooler under the ice instead of on top and they seemed to stay frozen longer. I used just the heads (chumed the rest of the body) and ran the hook from where I made the cut, into the head, and up through the top of the head, so the hook was exposed out the top of the head with the point of the hook going towards where I made the cut (shouldve taken a picture). Baiting up the chovies this way worked really well for me and I didn't have a single one fall off during casts.
I caught 2 stripers both around 5:30pm and both on my chovies pole. The first one was a decent sized one and measured 22" (dont have a scale so I dont know the weight) and the second was about 13". Both were a bit on the skinny side but I kept them and was able to get decent fillets.
My problem with live bait is
A. I have never used it before
B. Its one more thing I have to carry with me (can't just be thrown in my cooler with my barley pop)
C. It just seems like more of a hassle than cut bait
Maybe one of these times I will give live bait a try. If it works and catches fish thats all I really care. Cut bait seemed to work for me so I will probably keep using it for now.
[signature]
I have the 2 pole stamp so I had one with chovies bullet weight and about 2 foot leader, on the other I used lures. I had no luck with any top lures or really any lures maybe I got them too big? This time I packed the chovies in my cooler under the ice instead of on top and they seemed to stay frozen longer. I used just the heads (chumed the rest of the body) and ran the hook from where I made the cut, into the head, and up through the top of the head, so the hook was exposed out the top of the head with the point of the hook going towards where I made the cut (shouldve taken a picture). Baiting up the chovies this way worked really well for me and I didn't have a single one fall off during casts.
I caught 2 stripers both around 5:30pm and both on my chovies pole. The first one was a decent sized one and measured 22" (dont have a scale so I dont know the weight) and the second was about 13". Both were a bit on the skinny side but I kept them and was able to get decent fillets.
My problem with live bait is
A. I have never used it before
B. Its one more thing I have to carry with me (can't just be thrown in my cooler with my barley pop)
C. It just seems like more of a hassle than cut bait
Maybe one of these times I will give live bait a try. If it works and catches fish thats all I really care. Cut bait seemed to work for me so I will probably keep using it for now.
[signature]