I know that if i tell you , this is a MUST read material for and surfcaster and give you a link, some of you will click, most of you wont. So instead and I am featuring the Surf Plugology on the Blog here and urging you to visit bassdozer site at http://www.bassdozer.com/. Particularly the Saltwater Article section. Russ “Bassdozer” might be a bass master these days in Arizona but at one point he was part of Campo’s Crew I believe that wreck havoc on beaches from NY to Cape. You might not be a history buff but there is a WORLD of information within these descriptions.

Enjoy and visit Russ site at http://www.bassdozer.com/

Surf Plugology Metal Lip Swimmers, Plastic Lip Minnows, Needlefish, Darters, Topwaters and More By Russ Bassdozer This story provides information on striper surf plugs that were used during the heyday of striper surf fishing in the Northeast. Striper surf fishing hit its peak from the mid-seventies to the mid-eighties, which is about how long these plugs have been in storage. Many of these plugs are over twenty-five years old. Most are no longer made. This is a collection of plugs that you cannot normally buy off a tackle shop wall any more. I have guarded these closely, but feel it’s time to open the treasure chest, the spoils of saltwater campaigns, and share the booty with other surf anglers and plug collectors who may appreciate hearing about some of these legacies, thereby keeping the fascination of surf lore and surf lure collecting alive and handed down from generation to generation. Before we get on to the actual lures, let’s tarry a bit upon what was happening with surf fishing back then. It was the heyday, the golden age of this sport. There was great fishing all up and down the striper coast, and there were great striper anglers dispersed along the coast also. These were guys who plied sections of New Jersey, the west end of Long Island, the western Sound, the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound, Montauk, and Point Judith and Jamestown, Rhode Island to name a few of the more proactive angler areas. Even the Cape Cod Canal was a different culture and group than the Cape Cod Outer beach gangs, of which there were several. There were maybe 2-3 dozen key guys – point persons shall we say – who came into play. In most cases, these guys were the proactive agents in surf clubs or the heavy hitters among gangs of surf anglers. Usually, they were associated with a group, held a high reputation within a region, even if they were only known to a bunch who fished together within that region. Mostly, these were isolated theaters of bass fishing, yet some of the top guys traveled around or got to know their peers in other regions. A few truly became luminaries, legends, shining stars of surfdom, and had camps of followers, almost entourages. So when I say 2-3 dozen guys up and down the coast, they are really like the representatives of 2-3 dozen clubs or gangs or tribes of guys. Now, the Cape – Cape Cod – was a Mecca, a magnet that attracted the best and brightest – and most all of the hot shots strung along the coast line – these guys made pilgrimages to journey to the holy sands of Cape Cod. The Cape always had great fishing – but it never reached mind-blowing proportions until the mid-seventies, and it truly became the surf fishing equivalent of Camelot for a brief and shining moment in the late seventies. But prior to the mid-seventies, the Cape was more of a casual thing, more of an avid angler’s vacation retreat – and more of an individual or family thing versus a large group or surf clan kind of thing. By the mid-seventies, when the sand eels and the super-run of cows came to the Cape, all that was to change. The run of fish on the Cape beaches in the late seventies was Continue reading →

Few announcements and new video

First, the SJ store is back to being fully restocked. All sizes of SJ Mermaid shirts including 3XL, New long Sleeve Night Crew T’s, All short sleeve Night Crew are back in stock and yes, Nigh Crew Zipped hoodies are back after a long delay. We have only few 100 % SJ wool hats left, there seems to be a run on those suckers this week. I guess a cold spell ? We’ll give you guys a first shot on all gear.

 

 

 

 

 

In bad news department, Canon has returned my XA10 camera as unrepairable. Too much corrosion damage to main board to be fixed is what they say. Real bummer as not only is the most expensive camera I ever bought but it was a gift from Da Wife. I guess we should expect that being around the water and all. Still a bummer

 

and last but not least, a new video from SJ reader Steve Gallant

He is currently working on a short surfcasting film project that encompasses all the best footage he has gathered this year as well as hopefully some quick interviews with the guys he fishes with and folks from the local tackle shop in between fishing action. He just finished a quick teaser trailer and is shooting to have the finished product (about 15-20 minutes long) done sometime around the holidays.[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/108967689[/vimeo]

A special giveaway today on the Surfcaster’s Journal Magazine Blog from a company whose lures have been fooling stripes for half a century, Gibbs Lures. As you read in the recent interview in the Surfcaster’s Journal Magazine with Matthew Smalley, Gibbs Lure Co has undergone many changes over the years, Their new Pro Series feature VMC Hooks, , glass eyes, improve finish, Wolverine Split Rings and Spro swivels. I am glad to see Gibbs Lure continue in the tradition of late lure inventor Stan Gibbs, whose designs are probably the most influential ever in the sport of surf fishing in the northeast. Visit Gibbs lures at http://gibbslures.com/

Today we are going to give three of a our readers a chance to win one Pro Series Gibbs Lure each

A Pro Series Rainbow Canal Special 3.5 ounce Pencil Popper

A Pro Series Black Scale 3.5 ounce Glider

A Pro Series Yellow Canal Special 3.5 ounce Pencil Popper

A Pro Series Rainbow Canal Special 3.5 ounce Pencil Popper

A Pro Series Black Scale 3.5 ounce Glider

A Pro Series Yellow Canal Special 3.5 ounce Pencil Popper

Public Service Anouncement 🙂

by our Rod Guru, Lou Caruso

In the last 3 weeks I have now heard of at least 14 rods snapping. This is the most I have heard of in any one season, especially so early in the fall run. It is not one particular brand either. It runs the gamut. Lami, both GSB and Super Surf, CTS, St Croix, Fiber Star you name it. No one has been spared.

A few quick tips and I’m back on the beach.

1 – STOP high sticking !!!!!!!! That means if you have a fish under the light, don’t think you can lift a fish up by the rod instead of going down the rocks and grabbing the leader

2 – Follow number one if you are up on a jetty fishing…. Remember, you change the angle to the water drastically when you are up on the rocks either under the light or atop a jetty fishing. This causes high sticking by default.

3 – Make sure of what is behind you when casting. You would not be the first to hook a rock or fence behind you when casting. The outcome is never good when this happens.

4 – If you are fishing a 2 piece rod make sure the rod is together tight. I have seen what appears to be a rod that twisted on the cast and exploded, also a rod that snapped at the ferrule. These are usually indicators that the rod was not tightly together. It can also happen if you are a side caster and twist the rod following through the cast.

5 – Like it or not, if you snap cast you stand a good chance of snapping a rod at some point…..The compression of the cast will eventually take it’s toll on the blank.

6 – This one is easy to remedy, watch what the hell you are doing with car doors, windows and rear hatches…   In the heat of battle it becomes too easy to loose track of where the tip of the rod is …..nuff said.

With all that being said, if you have been using a rod for more then a week or 2 and snap it, it’s most likely not a manufacture defect. It’s user error. There have now been many tests done on blanks to determine how a blank snap. There tests have been done in slow motion and the results recorded and published. Be honest with your builder or tackle shop where you purchased the rod.

That’s it for now.

Lou Caruso

For those of you who have Montauk fever, my attempt at Skinnerlicious video. Not that great, hell, I might never get where he is but I try

New video from a nor’easter two weeks ago

Hope all you guys are catching

 

[youtube]http://youtu.be/s9_nxdOTswo[/youtube]

 

The winners of the  Mackerel Super Strike Darters giveaway from my personal stash are

Eliot Ray tess3289@aol.com

and

Greg C fishhead.greg@gmail.com

bOTH OF

 

I am not much of a person who throws around a  “must see”  designation unless name Kate Upton is part of that sentence. There are very few ” must see” videos on You Tube, but there is one that was posted yesterday that will become a “must see” for every surfcaster.

Produced by Surfcaster’s Journal former contributor and one of the sharpest minds ever to make a cast into the ocean, Rich Trox.

This is from what I can see a first video in his series, I watched it in one sitting and can honestly say that it made me a better educated surfcaster after 9 minutes of watching

Great job Rich and we are looking forward to more installments of “TroxVision ”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQPXu-TsMKU[/youtube]

We had a share of hard winds last two weeks. I was hoping to show in the video “Skinner style” exactly what I mean but my Cringlish skills are not up to par for voiceovers. So here is just one thought.

We found last night most drive on beaches closed due to storm tides. We ended up fishing in some very, very crazy white water almost tailored made for bottle plugs and bucktails. Fortunately the wind laid down for about two hours so we haven’t had issue with loop in the line but that wasn’t the case many of times during last two weeks.

No contact with a plug = no fish. Simple as that. If you have a strong crosswind, you will get some bow in your line. You cant avoid it. Even if you reel like madman by the time you regain contact your plug will be where the waves or sweep took it, not where you intended to cast. Here is one key (there are other like directional casting, under wind casting and others but this one is the most important).

Get the line on the roller and start reeling BEFORE your plugs hits the water, day or night. Yes, it takes a little practice but it will make HUGE difference in your success rate. In the daytime, you can use visual, trying the pick up line and start reeling about a second before it hits the water. That way you will have a line on the reel and picking up the bow in the line before the plug even hits the water. At night, I use the “sound” of the line coming off the reel. I can tell when it stops “whooshing” off the reel which tells me its just about to land in water. Try it during the next storm, it will make a tremendous difference in the way and where you present your plug.

 

Two new videos (yes, we been busy)

Wayne and Peter Hess, makers of Guppy Lures. Read a full interview in the current, September issue of the Surfcaster’s Journal Online Magazine. The opening sequence vodeo clip delicious looking bluefish credit goes to ZeeBaaS Ron DiCostanzo who shot this in the Sound last week

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JY9ByDGn9c[/youtube]

Second video, new PENN Battle II spinning reel, winner of the Best Saltwater Reel at this year ICAST 2014 in Orlando. $99 to $129, in stores this fall
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuICRuVzV-w[/youtube]

The SJ crew enjoyed some real nice action last night with some teen size bass and some gorilla blues. Of course there are no pictures of me, as I am the only one who runs around trying to take everyone’s picture. But then again, in all honesty my fish were smaller than anyones’ else. No joke. All the fish came on Super Strike Darters and I think Tommy had one blue that was close to 18 and one at 17 or something like that. I think I’ve seen a dozen of blues over 15 pounds beached and they were spitting out HALF of adult bunker,

In honor of the greatest (imho) darter ever made, I will give away two Super Strike Darters from

my personal stash. Two winners, each gets one darter of my choice

Thank you Don and Steve Musso for making such awesome lures

 

First some good news/bad news mix

The good news

Winner of the Bomber Long Shot lures giveaway is Montauk Gal Jnaso.fed@gmail.com

Congrats and thanks to people from Bomber Lures. The winner has 5 days to contact us at info@surfcastersjoural.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bad new is that my Canon XA-10 camera went to craper last weekend in Montauk. Trying to get a footage in pouring rain is not a good idea I guess. Its really bugging me as it was a gift from my wife and most expensive piece of video gear I ever purchased. Its on the way to Cannon but it looks like water got in and that means it might be done. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to fish the rest of the fall. Sorry guys, I thought we had stuff lined up for you watch this winter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part II

After not making any headway for awhile I finally got the fish to move. It was zooming up and down the cove, using the pushing current against me. I would have swore it was snagged but no, a 17 pounder hooked in the mouth. Never got my ass kicked liked that before by a teen size fish. But then again, that fish looked like it could have eaten all other fish I caught that day.

I got to Camp Hero around 5 after feeding Silver Fox with some pizza. Poor guy was coming down with a cold and he passed out in his van in the short order. I could have too, after walking for miles and casting my butt off, but I told him I will take a peak at south side first .

As I got to Camp Hero tide was just about the start flooding. Those perched on lead rocks on the reef in right position were all hooked up as long as they were in proper relation to the way water was breaking. The other half just looked and scratched their heads. I said screw it, might as well suit up again for the fourth time and I drove to lower parking lot. Within ten minutes I was on the lead rock in front of rat hole banging little tiny bass. I think I got nine before again, the bite inexplicably shut off. At this point the sun has set and I jumped off the rock and waded to my car. Fully dressed I drove to the weed bowl, grabbed a rod and went under the bluff.

There I found Mr. Surf Guide Bill Wetzel and his charter. After exchanging pleasantries I let Bill take the better rock, courtesy to old-timers is important..haha

I managed three more tiny fish in about a hundred cast before I retired for the evening and went to Vito’s cottage to watch Giants demolish Washington. By 10 PM I was back in the lot, sleeping in my truck, convinced that bigger fish will be there in the dark in the morning. Or at least I was told that

We shall see

Friday morning I made sure I grabbed my rock of choice early in the dark. I managed 3 fish before it got light and then two fish afterwards but by dawn the lousy bite was totally done. I grabbed a cup of coffee and walked deep into the south side. I swore that the water looked BETTER then yesterday. But the sun was out and wind was dying. I managed a schoolie in the cove and then went onto a reef where I spent a good two hours casting into the craziest white water without a bump. Finally in early afternoon I gave up , grabbed a snack and went to Camp Hero. Vito and Frankie were plying their craft at the rat hole and after getting dared by Vito to take my drone out in the still windy conditions, I did. I bothered them for a little bit by zooming it around their heads until I was joined by Ron D from ZeeBaaS Reels. I asked him if he was fishing or taking pictures and he said he’d like to fish. All right then, I put the gear back on and we walked into the south side at sunset. At first spot we got our asses kicked and could not hold rocks on incoming swells. I really was not that confident that we would find any fish but Ron was a guest so off we went. We followed great Vito’s advice to “fish the corners” and sure enough Ron landed a feisty striper on a bucktail. At this point I was shot and done and could have gone to dinner BUT the sight of his fish got me all worked up. I switched to a lighter bucktails and managed to nail 6 fish within an hour by just letting waves carry my bucktail into the cove. I unhooked each fish without a light. We were standing on a sandy beach and guys were constantly passing by, no doubt, looking for The Fisherman or Paulies tourney winner. Around 9 o’clock my bucktail got walloped and when I set the hook I told Ron “this is better fish that we been catching, at least I know my drag is functional”

It took a little effort to get it out of rocks in front of us and the heave did not help either but I landed it with no issues, just a hair short of 20 pounds. Few shots with camera and off in the drink it went. We cast a little bit, then onto Murphy’s for a dinner and then sleep. We actually got up and rushed to Kings for sunrise, figuring we might get some shots when we found not a SINGLE guy fishing the first of the incoming. That was strange. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in the fall.

But that’s it. I had video but it went to hell with my camera and now I will be on pins and needles until Canon calls me. And sick as a dog to boot. Where is that DayQuill?

Until next Nor’easter

 

 

I just had to call in dead at work on Thursday and Friday. The forecast looked so enticing, 25 mph northeast wind gusting to 35, rain, 6 to 9 foot waves….. I could barely sleep the night before. Actually I did not sleep at all. My plan was to head to Montauk on Thursday after work but I could hold it out that long, so Wednesday afternoon after work I was on my way with Silver Fox

 

I have not fished much this year for myriad of reasons but if you called me and told me you found giant bass on bunker schools and they were talking pencil poppers I would be mildly interested. I only tossed a plug once this year at Cuttyhunk in May due to my fear of blowing out my elbow again. I been fishing nothing but bucktails and I got VERY proficient in catching nothing this year……………..back to Montauk. You can call me, tell me about a bite, guarantee me some big fish and I probably would try to come to document it with camera. You tell me that the winds are out of northeast and all I will catch are rats…and I would be on my way before you can say “Got pork rind”

 

I cant explain but playing a part in the incredible show Mother Nature puts on is exhilarating and borders almost on verge of insanity. I feel so alive and pumped up, just like a bass when you hook in that highly oxygenated water. It goes berserk……… I cant explain but to say that I never feel more alive then staring at hard northeast in the teeth when rain is coming down sideways, where it stings your face and you keep firing your bucktails into the frothy mess. I know I am weird that way. I have other hang ups besides that like you cant get me out of the wetsuit in Cuttyhunk. There are very few rocks I wont swim to , few which take a good twenty minutes to half an hour to get to. Montauk? I don’t think I wore a wetsuit in Montauk in at least ten years or so.

 

For the life of me I cant understand few wetsuiters who think they sucked God’s brains when they barge in water like bulls only to get pummeled by waves in few seconds. Every time they leave with tails between their legs. Every time. There is time to impress those around you by getting ahead of us old farts and cutting out our casting lanes, but during nor’easter we actually do care if you get hurt. Its one of those rare times we don’t want to hurt you ourselves. So grow up and be a man and fish like the rest of us, with an idea of going home to your family in one piece. Wetsuits are an awesome fishing tool but it seems like they make some amongst us go a little too adventurous. Or maybe I am just getting old

 

Thursday morning I awoke to stinging rain and rocking NE wind in the parking lot of Montauk State Park. I wanted to get into water just at false dawn although as I found out later, I should have fished in the dark. The water has built up over night and waves were powerful but easily fishable……if you used a bucktails of right size of course. I loaded the TA pouch with 6 bucktails and few leaders, grabbed a CTS Vapor trail and ZB 27 and off I went. I found few guys already perched on few rocks under the bluffs while UPS Rich was walking out a low teen size bass out of the water. Promising I told myself.

Few minutes later I fired up my first cast, quickly took in all my slack line and was immediately greeting by a bump on which I set a hook.

God, I love to fish in this crazy weather

On first eight casts I hooked eight fish. Unfortunately if you put them all on scale together they barely would crack 30 pounds. Small, tiny, rats, November bass, call them what you want but this was in no way “normal”. Unless this is new normal?

After 8th fish in the row the action shuts down complexly. Now this was weird, there was still few hours of prime tide left yet the fish vacated the premises. You cant catch what’s not there so I checked the south side. Not much doing there so I returned to the north side and made few hundred more casts on last of the incoming in gorgeous looking white water for nothing. Supposedly fish were there in the dark. I just got onto tail end.

 

Around 10 am , knowing that my camera skills are useless in a pouring rain and seeing that everyone just about gave up on casting I walked deeeeeep into south side as our resident Montauk expert Bill Wetzel likes to call it. I fished the reef on dropping tide and there looked to be no blue water in sight. The whole reef was one frothy mess of waves colliding and rushing towards me. The dropping tide, pushed by NE winds was moving water over the reef so fast, I was afraid that I might get swept in the cove as I waded to the first rock. But that water begged to be fished !

Of course once you finally get your ass beaten by the ocean and you finally get on a rock, you see an even BETTER rock right ahead of you. Its maddening. I cast for an hour in best looking water I’ve seen in years and nothing. On the way to South Side I ran into SJ Rod Guru Lou Caruso who was walking out. I think he told me he had one rat all morning. I thought of this after I made a cast after cast after cast. Then I said, screw this, I am making ten more casts and I am out of here. Its going to take me at least an hour to get to my truck and then get something to eat.

First seven casts were as productive as a hundred or so before but on the eight cast I managed to entice a schoolie to eat it. Ok, now I got to make few more casts. In the next hour I managed 8 more fish, seven tiny, tiny stripers and then I hooked into a fish I could not budge. The water was spilling so fast over the reef that once you hooked a 5 pounder in the cove, it felt like you had a twenty pounder. My first impression was that I snagged the fish in the back as I could not make any headway with line retrieval

 

part II coming up