Need Some Striper Help

[BassFishingMachine]

Hey, I plan to do some striper fishing from the surf sometime soon and wanted to know whats people usually use this time of the year. I like to plug because its more fun then waiting with bait, but if I have to use bait I guess I can. Anyway I usually do alot of plugging off the surf for striper in the summer, and I know in the summer they hit alot of topwater pencil poppers, and school bus pattern Bomber swimmers. But for the fall im clueless on what works. Now I know largemouth bass don't usually hit topwaters as often when the water becomes cold, is this the same for striper? Or does topwater work even in the cold water for the striper? Also are there any key patterns in color to try and go for? I know there are certain bait fish running certain times of the year, and they usually try and match that. So what colors and plugs do you find best particularly through october to december? Any help would be greatly appreciated  ;D.

[=Matt 5.0=]

Anything red and white.......

.......and live eels  

[Alpster]

Follow the baitfish and use clams in the surf. Where in NJ are you? There are lots of good places to fish, just no where to PARK! LOL

Ronnie

[5bass]

I bet LBH could give you some good advice on salty stripers.

[Alpster]

I bet LBH could give you some good advice on salty stripers.

I'm sure you are right about that!  I will sure be listening.

Ronnie

[granadethrow]

i usually fish at points when the tide is coming in or out and the baitfish are getting stuck in the fast current, try using live eels, caught a 45lber on a live eel one day, a striper will eat an eel any day. Also filet whatever baitifhs is there, put both filets on a hook, and start casting it, i catch lots of stripers on that too, they think it a wounded baitfish.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Well, the way it works here, our stripers head out of the bay to the mouth where it meets the ocean.  They spend a few more weeks out there as the schools get bigger and bigger.  The problem is that they stay deep.  They are eating but "congregating" seems to be the main goal.  we use the same old stuff as always to get these fish.  This entails wire line and trolling (not much fun or sport)  Soon, they will be gone on their winter migration back to the Chesapeake to spawn.

This means they will be coming by your neck of the woods but I'm clueless if they are catchable or not during this period.  Sorry.

[Crabcakes]

I'm not sure what part of New Jersey you're in but around Island beach state park/seaside heights area this is prime time. I caught 10 out of the surf last weekend in Ortley beach up that way. They are very catchable right now. 39 bass weighed in on the 19th of November and they caught them till Christmas last year. Plugging was bad while I was there due to dirty water. We got all of ours on clams.

Standard clam rig is a heavy leader with two dropper loops attached to 7/0 baitholder hooks. Use fresh clams and thread them on multiple times. Don't be afraid to use a lot of them. Clams have been small lately where I fish so buy a few dozen if you plan to fish all day. I prefer all terminal tackle to be dull black or bronze so it doesn't flash and use 14lb test to avoid line shy fish. Might be unnecessary but I caught 10 last weekend and nobody within sight of me caught a thing. Weight to hold is usually 4-6 ounces but you'll have to throw the heavy lead sometimes to get the big ones in rough water.

When I was there the bunker were out and they were on sand eels. Both the fish I kept had bellies full of them. They were on a sand eel/clam/general bottom feeding type bite. They were killing them with AVA jigs and little sand eely looking plastics. If the water is clear they'll hit plugs and I heard word of peanut bunker near the beach so they might be on fish again. They'll eat plugs in dirty water too it just usually isn't as good. I wouldn't screw around with live eels of the open beach. If your working a jetty or some structure they can bring in big bass but you might also feed the bluefish.

They certainly respond differently to temps than largemouth do. They can handle much colder water. I would try a slow retrieve with most plugs though especially for the big ones. With poppers you need to make enough commotion to be picked up above the waves and foam in rough weather but you can slow it down in calm. Color is not a huge deal. Natural in clear water and bright and flashy in cloudy usually works.

I like outgoing tides. Dawn and dusk naturally are best but any time is a good time to fish. Tide doesn't matter as much if you have good deep water but generally a moving tide helps. Look for areas where waves don't break or where the water is dark and choppy. Don't overcast if the water is deep in front of you. I caught all my fish last week about 10 yards of the beach in a deep trough. Guys like to get all macho and hurl it to the horizon and they plop it on a 6-inch deep sandbar.

Grumpystackle.com

That's your guy for central jersey north of Barnegat inlet. He'll give you up to date info and has a real nice store and website.

If you're in another part of New Jersey like Cape May or Sandy Hook this info might change. But for most of Jersey it's good.

Sorry for the book but I hope it's what you were looking for.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Great reply MD!

[mayassa]

Great reply MD!

+1

[BassFishingMachine]

Thanks for the info, I plan to go once I get a day off of work. Hopefully I can hook up with a fish, I'll probably try working pencil poppers fairly slow and see if I can get a fish to blow up on it, after my arm starts to hurt from throwing the pencil popper, I'll sit back relax, and wait for the hit with clams.