I spent one part of the day on a beach were bass and blues were chasing weakfish clear out of the water while on outer bar the gannets were diving into what I think it was large bunker. How do I know its bunker? Because we also had bunker pushed onto sand too.
The remarkable part was that most of the fish we caught were located within 15 yard of the beach. In fact, a 100% of bass were in the last 10 yard while some bluefish were roaming on outside. This necessitated use of metal lip swimmers, casting them almost parallel to shore. Casting lures straight out was pointless and counterproductive for the most part. It’s kind of sweet when you don’t have to wear out your shoulder trying to reach the fish.
I left these fish about 5 days ago and believe me when I tell you, they are still blitzing…it is that much bait in the area
but that particular day I had to leave the blitz and take care of stuff at home. In the evening I headed to another beach, this one much closer to the inlet and featuring a curved sandbar, not a parallel that you find on most beaches. I tossed metal lips for an hour, with a strong NW wind in my back, I was getting them out there pretty far. However, no fish showed any interests.
Then I launched a 3.5 ounce Yo Zuri Cruiser, aided by a wind in my back and as soon as I started working the plug I caught…Juan Valdes in Columbia…..ok, I am just busting your chops but we did do a good job on fish that evening but all the fish were caught at the end of the cast.
The wind was the same, the tide was similar, but the bait situation was different. This beach did not have the bounty of big baits and most importantly, did not have bluefish to chase the bait in. Stripers fed at the edge of the sandbar at will where in the morning they had to compete for a meal with bluefish. They had to come in the trough because that is where the blues have pushed the bait.
Don’t ever assume you need a rocket for an arm to reach a fish and don’t ever assume you will catch fish with a ten yard cast. But do assume that when you have bluefish present in the surf that stripers will be more aggressive too
I told you this story a few days ago. Back when I could move around effortlessly, and was surfing, I’d be walking my board out to where I could get on and start paddleing, and I’d either step on flounder, or get bumped by swimmers. This meant that the water was only about knee deep. They’re not always way out. The shallows are the perfect place for the bait fish to be. Look close and you can see them popping the surface all the time. Remember, Lead free, Bio safe. recycledfish.com Check it out. Thanks Z. And tell the guys thanks too. Ya do a great job.
↓“But do assume that when you have bluefish present in the surf that stripers will be more aggressive too” Something I experience when blues around. Never read it before or talked about…..
↓loose lips sink ships
↓i hear you. once i was fishing on a beach fish were so close to the beach you had to take steps back to catch them, because you couldnot set the hook from that close
↓Sounds like MY beach. only now the Birds have all gone (south or to New Jersey I think)and the Blues still show up at almost low tide. I had 2 bass just a roll cast off the beach. like the man says crank to your boot tops….
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