Fall is for football, but it is also one of the best times of the year to fish. I just made my first run to the Outer Banks.
Unfortunately, the weather was more summer than fall. I managed a half dozen bluefish, more than a dozen undersized speckled trout, and one spanish mackerel. Nobody got a drum run. I will be back down on October 16th to try again.
Post your reports here!
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My report, getting typical for this year, was for another day that things didn't work. Went to the CBBT yesterday to try live spot for flounder. Perfect baits, good weather, no flounder. We boated several fish, sea bass, bluefish, a redfish and a croaker, along with several oystertoads and even a pinfish, but no flatties. Feeling jinxed this year.
Have reliable reports of lots of spike trout and juvenile redfish (ok, puppy drum) in the local rivers and creeks (Middle Peninsula area, York to Rappahannock), but haven't chased them. Storm coming, waves are up already, so fishing is looking tough for near future. Good luck in OBX.
I will be near the New River near Fries, VA as part of a retreat. We have a few hours of free time that I can go fishing. Looking at VDGIF, seems like a good spot for smallmouth and catfish. Any tips would be great.
Went last week for 3 days to Nags Head. Got some great intel from French and IfishVTIam (Thanks guys!!). Had fun, caught fish, but no big reports. The three fishermen caught several juvenile reds (one in the slot), several small speckled trout, some blues and some Spanish Mackerel (one was several pounds). We fished a groin on the beach which was pretty productive the first day and then the other guys I was with fished the Avalon Pier for a couple days after I left.
Surfed some as well. A nice 2 - 4 ft SE ground swell was evident all week. Weather was great, water was 75 - 77 degrees (as french stated, a bit warm for the big fish), and the drinks flowed easily. We went to Oneill's in Wanchese and added more redfish and sheephead filets to our catch and blackened them (so there was enough for everyone) - it was incredibly good.
Good times had by all.
Great report. Thanks for the vicarious experience. Grew up surfing down there. Sounds like a great time.
Yep, me too. Lived in Va Beach and surfed the Outer Banks religiously from 1976 through 1980 (when my Dad was stationed to Puerto Rico - as a surfer, THAT was awesome!), weekly for most of the year. The surf quality vs VB is SO much better.
The outer banks have changed a lot since then.
hell of a trip. lots of folks were surfing the big swells on Sunday
Bass Pro was already high on fishing lures. They will go higher:
http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/inside-the-ticker/outdoor-giant-bass-pro-...
Headed out to North Topsail next week... how is fishing typically impacted after a hurricane rolls through?
messes up all the old structure. takes some time for the water to be fishable.
Am currently in Nags Head on vacation until we're run out by the hurricane. Drove down the Hatteras yesterday and went out on "The Native Son" for some gulf stream fishing. There was 6 of us and only caught 2 wahoo and 1 small mahi. The boat that came in next to us "Bite Me" unloaded a combination of 36 blackfin and yellowfin. Kind of disappoinTed I didn't even get to pick up a fishing rod on our trip but that's fishing. Will be home next week and back to Lake anna for bass and crappie to make me feel a little better.
I'd step over 36 blackfin and yellowfin to eat two wahoos. They are delicious.
The 2 wahoo caught on our trip were good. Marinated them in Italian dressing and grilled them. I especially liked the strip of darker meat.
HE KNOWS
You are correct about the groceries, but I'd rather catch my share of 36 tuna than have to watch somebody else catch two fish. Offshore fishing is a crap shoot, though. Not my thang.
Thing that got me about the charter is that the captain didn't change strategies after not catching anything for 5 hours. I have been on alot of trips from Key Large to Ocean City and the captain would atleast on the way in do some junk fishing so everyone caught something. In fact our captain quit almost an hour early because of nothing chasing. Will do more research next year.
Let me know. Out of Hatteras, you can't beat Marlin Mania or Bite Me. Oregon Inlet is The Pelican, Fishing Frenzy, Fintastic, Rigged Up, and The Legacy are all boats I have been on and would vouch for.
Yeah the Bite Me definitely showed they catch fish. I looked on their website and saw all their accolades over the years and we are planning on trying them next year.
This is true. I love pulling on the tuna. But, man wahoo taste so much better.
Heading to Palm Coast area next week. Hoping to try the surf for whiting and pompano. My Mom wants to learn to surf fish so I'm going to learn first then try to show her the ropes over time. Already read a bunch and watched tons of YouTube videos. I'm fairly confident in rod/reel/line/tackle/rigs/bait selections. What I'm not certain about it was what to look for initially when selecting a spot. Plan is to check things out at low tide and look for some cuts in any sand bars as well as deeper troughs between the bar and the main shore. Will probably fish the last half of incoming tide and first half of outgoing.
That's just what I've gleaned online but admittedly I have zero experience. Am I on the right track?
Look for structure. Best spots are breaks in the bar- you can spot those by finding places where the current looks like it is sucking out where around it the waves are coming in. Lip of the beach, outside of the bar, and inside of the bar are lesser spots.
Thanks French!
And also, don't discount observation and conversation, with surf anglers usually being pretty friendly and informative as long as you aren't crowding them. Local knowledge is invaluable. It is easy to just see the surf and not know the difference between here and there. French's tips are spot on, as usual, but a little shameless imitation is always a great way to cut to the chase and flatten the learning curve. Don't forget to report when you return, please.
Thanks! Great advice.
I'll definitely report back, with pictures I hope.
That is why I have had more success off piers than the surf- see, learn, do. Surf fishing is a much more precise art.
Whiting will be there (use sand fleas - with roe, live clams, or frozen clams). It might be a bit early for Pompano (they like water temps near 68F). The surf will be heavily churned later this week and it will take a few days for it to calm down. That being said, after a hurricane, the fish are usually displaced from their normal haunts and they are HUNGRY! I have caught some great catches of fish I would not expect to find in my normal spots in Central FL a day or so after the blow stops and as the water starts to recover. Palm Coast is a bit north of my experienced area (Melbourne, Grant, Sebastian Inlet) but I have visited there (not to fish) and noted the coastline. Find a spot where the bottom slope isn't too flat. I would prefer a trough immediately next to the shore (if you step in the edge is gets deep pretty quick) which is where the reds will prowl (I have literally thrown a live mullet 15 ft off the beach into the trough many times and scored within a half hour). If you can find areas with some coquina reef or sandbar breaks/outflows (as French and IFishVTIam say) go for that. A moving tide (incoming or outgoing) will be best. Whiting will be further out (Use a longer casting surf rod for them). There should be PLENTY of live mullet around (The fall run has been on for weeks down there), but you'll need a way to keep them alive (bubbler). I used to set up a couple beach rods and then walk the beach around there throwing a spoon, diamond jig, or Mirrolure twitchbait while waiting for a hit on the set rods. Morning bite (especially if timed with moving tide) is the best.
Good luck!
Excellent info. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully I'll have something to report in about two weeks.
If the game is canceled this weekend, who wants to go fishing at VA Beach?!
I went out today for a couple of hours with a friend who needed a ride to shuttle his skiff out of the water in prep for Matthew. We caught two 17" reds, four undersized stripers, one was over 18", two 13" speckled trout, one eating sized white perch, and a true dink of a flounder. All on gulp swimming mullet. We were at the top of the Piankatank River, got the stripers at the Rt. 3 bridge. While the fish were short, it was fun on light tackle and a great way to feel the Fall coming. First day I've been chilly on the water since the Spring.
I would give just about anything to get down there next week to catch every spot I could get my hands on!
Haven't done any spot fishing myself, but my buddy Dave is catching them at will in his creek. They are little bait sized fish, though. I'm not tuned into the yellow bellies.
Small spot have heads too!
Yeah, the perfect predator morsel.
They've been really catchin' Spot off the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier here in VB. Some decent sized specks, too.
We caught 100 stripers last Friday morning in the Piankatank and all on fly. Unfortunately only one undersized Red so we went home sans fillets. In two weeks I'll be back (and prolly get skunked).
There were a ton of stripers around. We were short on time and mainly after reds and trout. The river's full of fish right now, hope the 'cane doesn't screw it up.
the small streams in Shenandoah, and off the Blue Ridge Parkway are finally fishing well. temps are perfect (typically high 50's/low 60's) and given this past weeks rainfall are finally running at near normal water levels for the first time since June. Brookies are expected to start spawning by the end of this month, so these next couple of weeks are prime time to chase after some pre-spawn, full colored, natives.
I've had good luck tossing October caddis, and blue wing olive patterns upstream into the heads of any and all "fishy" looking plunge pools on these steep gradient freestones. Terrestrials (japanese beetle imitations/flying ants), very small streamers, and dry dropper rigs have also produced. Euro-Nymphing should also work, but tossing dries is a lot more fun on my 3wt.
Ive only gone after smallmouth on the upper part of the Rappahannock in early september with little success. but the cooler temps and rain should bring other large streams and rivers like the shenandoah, upper james, and non tidal potomac back to life.
33 comments and no fish pictures? Come on guys, show us some fins and gills.
You feel free to drop on by for a beer and teach me how to post pictures. I have more fish pictures than I have words, but I do at least know how to type and click on Post.
Next summer, I will show you how if someone hasn't shown you by then. Your fish pictures need to be displayed for everyone's enjoyment.
Thanks for the kind words. I have actually tried to do it, but failed miserably and gave up. I'm not hopeless with the computer, but pretty close to it. Fish pictures, though, are truly meant to be shared, and between French and the rest of us avid fishermen, I believe we could deliver a prodigious amount of fish porn if encouraged.
As for the beer, always welcome. If I know you're coming, I'll spring for a whiskey.
I'd love to see all of your fish pictures but all of this talk does have me chomping at the bit to go saltwater fishing. Getting my fix in a little when I go home next weekend, hopefully with a James River blue cat. Not much of whiskey drinker, stick to beer mostly, but for celebrating a great day on the water some whiskey would be a nice celebration drink.
Don't do much whiskey myself. I'll take you over to the Southwind for a good pint of craft.
Sounds like a plan to me. I'm easing my way into the craft brew scene.
You're on, and for five bucks more, you get a cool glass to go with it. Cheaper than the beer, actually. I'll buy.
Here is one of those trout from Sunday.
According to recent weather forecasts, the fields of Eastern North Carolina should be stocked with fish after this weekend. Just walk around and pick them up off the ground
and Pirates?
Who cares, we shipwrecked them already!
My buddy and I went fishing on the new river near Fries, VA this weekend. He caught a 11" smallmouth on a silver and black rooster tail. That was all we caught, with all the rain we had probably didn't help much but it was nice to get out and put a line in the water.
If the water was up and muddy, a dark colored small tube bait, fished on the bottom in eddies, is a decent bet for trying to find bigger fish. Glad you got out, though, and we all thank you for your report. Fries is an interesting area. Just downstream is Double Shoals, three miles or so of giant boulders and broken water that'll give an experienced paddler/angler fits trying to fish, sometimes, but yields some really nice fish. There are also walleye there in the river year round, but I've only floated from Fries down, never spent much time around Fries proper.
You're welcome. My bass fishing knowledge is very limited but have gotten some of the basic concepts from hearing what you and others. We found some trees and logs in the river and we casted all around it. The stretch that we could fish was pretty uniform.
My upper New experience is so limited, but the impression I have is of a shallower, flatter more homogenous flow when compared to the lower stretches. These areas still hold fish, but not as many and often not as big a fish as more diverse water. There are stretches that have been impounded, but the further up you go, the flatter it seems to be.
That makes sense because it would seem that bait fish would be seem to more spread out in uniform water. Thanks as always for sharing your knowledge.
Checking in from Emerald Isle, NC. The island seems to have almost been by passed by the storm, inland is a different story. Plan to hit the sand bright and early in the AM. Been seeing plenty of bait in the suds and watched a school of god knows what tearing up bait about a quarter mile out. I'll try and post any results, stories, and/or lies if they are worth it.
good luck. there should be spot around if the water calms down
Well here we go, fishing has been, well, suspect. Caught a bunch of little pomps and a few pinfish here or there. Went yesterday to try and exorcise some demons and tried the bloodworm fish bites. I've never considered them as an actual bait option. Fake food colored terribleness and all. Well I'm a believer. First cast, let it soak and oh shit a 6 pound black drum appears. Then the shrimp and cut mullet start producing. Have caught multiple 30ish pound black tips (I know some people hate sharks, I like things that tug back so I like sharks) and bunches of blues in the 1-5 pound range. Even caught a 14? Inch red drum with my hands. Thank you weird tides. All in all by all the bloodworm fish bites you can, they work miracles.
I'm not sure the conditions are the same or if you were even in the surf or or on a boat or pier, but maybe you can help with this question.
I'm down in Florida for the week and had thought about surf fishing. But the surf seems extremely rough after the storm. Much larger waves and seemingly more frequent waves than the last time I was here. We've had a pretty consistent N to NE (onshore) wind at 15-20 mph lately so I'm sure that isn't helping. Just curious about how to handle that when surf fishing. Skip it? More weight? I compare it to fishing rivers and creeks back home after a storm when they are swollen and the color of chocolate milk...I've never had much luck.
Anyhow, thanks for your report and I'm glad you had some success.
Well the trip is over and this might just be me being a little angry about the fishing as a whole but....we had to deal with a string of trolling boats right off the shore all week. Roughly 12 or so as far as you could see and they made constant passes the whole time. I'm not saying they took all the fish but there was a constant flock of gulls, cormorants, and Pelicans. They had a bad habit of flying into your line and getting tangled. Running out chest deep to rescue and tangled gull isn't much fun.
I spent Sept 26th through October 4th down at Cape Lookout, North Carolina. If you want the most underrated fishery on the east coast with possibilities to catch albacore, spanish macks, big bluefish, redfish, flounder, trout, sharks, grouper, jacks, tarpon, king mackerel and more all on light tackle and fly, along with the coolest lighthouse, wild horses and great sunsets, then do not go here. The place sucks.
We had an up and down trip with family/friends/clients. Put over 400 miles on the boat fishing and cruising for fish. Wednesday was the best day by far, over 50 spanish macks landed up to 31 inches. Very few under 20 inches. Dozens and dozens of blues from 2-5 pounds.
We dodged storms the rest of the week and got a few albies on fly, and some nice trout up to 23" on spin and fly. No redfish this year, did hook a couple of big sharks that made quick work of the fish on the line and then our leaders.
Links below are the best I can do for photos:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BK9y9nbATHC/?taken-by=knotthereelworld
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLKMj1QFlya/?taken-by=siessel4
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLFWetzDtWZ/?taken-by=siessel4
https://www.instagram.com/p/BK4GKoCDnsz/?taken-by=siessel4
31 inch spanish on the fly? I would have liked to have been the angler on that one. Whoa!
The 31 incher wasn't on fly unfortunately. It was still awesome a spin rod. I did get several 25 inch spanish on fly though
Headed to Palm Coast tomorrow but looks like fishing is out. All the local beaches closed due to hurricane damage. A1A at Flagler is severely damaged and might take months to fully reopen. Frustrating, but thankful all I'm losing is fun at the beach with the family. Thoughts going out to all those who lost much more.
a lot of the area from 206 to PC is a total mess right now
if you aren't too busy cleaning up, you should be able to fish the beach at Anastasia Park in St Aug
if you are still in town on the 19th, the cover band i'm in is playing at Gypsy Cab's Corner Bar from 7-10 pm in St Aug near the lighthouse
I'm the old guy playing bass
Thanks for the heads up! Unfortunately we came home yesterday. I didn't get a chance to fish but we visited the public beach access at the St. Johns County pier. Pier was closed but the water around it looked very fishy. Strong surf, several trough/bar sets, and a couple nice rips. I imagine I could have had some luck but we were doing other things.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next visit. I definitely plan to try to get out early and fish before family obligations begin later in the day.
Thanks again!
Headed down to Weaverville, NC for some roll cast fishing Friday and Saturday. All the kids are gonna learn, this should be fun!
NC just stocked everything so this should be good for the boys and girl.
Great day introducing the kids. Caught and released about 10 rainbow, 2 brown an 2 brook trout.
Laurel creek near Hot Springs NC
Brown trout, striped bass, and mahi mahi- the three prettiest fish in the world. That is a beauty.
Had a great first day in the OBX today (southern shores). We caught close to 20 drum with 5 keepers, and one undersized speckled trout:
Now if we can finish with wins by the caps & nats it'll be a damned good day!
Well so much for that. It was still a great day of fishing, and hopefully another one is about to begin.
Nice work! I head down after the Syracuse game ends for a week. With spot and bluefish being hard to find, I am going to hope for some cob mullet and will chase pups, speckled trout, and hope for a few bruiser drum.
Excellent, hope you have good luck as well. At least for us, the fishing has diminished somewhat as the ocean has settled down, but we're still pulling enough keepers to eat and send everyone home with a few fillets. This took a lttle sting out of that loss yesterday, about 30s after I made my first cast this morning:
Unfortunately I head back tomorrow morning, but the rest of the group is here another week.
ETA: Fixed imgur link issue.
Ok final report here now that I'm back at the office. As I mentioned the drum activity slowed down somewhat, although we were still pulling multiple keepers per day between the four of us. However, we started to have luck with some other species, with a few small trout, black drum, whiting, and a beautiful 21" trout one of the other guys pulled in:
Overall, in the five days that I was there we pulled over 100 red drum with something like 18 keepers, so it was a pretty amazing trip for my first surf fishing experience. I told the guy who rents the house that I expect the same thing every year now. :-)
I also drove up to Corolla Sunday morning. Mrs. Freefall needed a resupply from Lighthouse Bagels and wanted me to check out a few houses that we're thinking of renting next summer. While driving through Whalehead Beach I snapped this picture of Bonita Street facing towards the beach:
Luckily most of the houses up that way are on stilts so the damage isn't likely to be catastrophic like it is elsewhere in the state, but I was surprised to see that much water still there a full week after the storm.
I have not fished since August and that makes me wonder WTH? Anyway, I'm going out this week end looking for that 13 lbs. bass in the lake. Its always good.
I'm still catching a lot of smallmouth below Claytor Lake on the New River. I caught this 16 and 3/4 inch a few days ago. The river is cooling down and they've moved from the faster currents to pockets of deep water before and after the current. I watched a huge muskie eat about a 12 inch smallmouth.
Nice fish man! Very nice. You have to love that musky. Get yourself a 7 1/2 rod/60# braid and go after one!
I may have to do that here soon since it's cooling down. Any suggestions on lures. I hate to go spend $30 on a musky lure just to find out that is useless.
It is true that they can be expensive. Hell lures in general have gone sky high. I figure a "musky lure" starts at 25.00. I bought a 14" Jake for 50 last year. This past year we had much luck with the 6" Husky Jerk. It has a fuller body and won't break the bank. It is not so hard to pull. Really I would try any bigger spinner or crank. I don't know what colors are hot up there. Something to watch for. Throwing these larger baits will fry your bass gear. Beef up your rod and casting reel equipment and I would go with 60# braid / 12" wire leader.
If one follows to the boat don't go wack (but you will want to). Everyone else will tell you to figure 8 your lure. I do not but instead pull it in a long oval. Literally jam 2-4 feet of your rod into the water and start pulling your lure in the oval. Remember a big fish needs a big turning radius. Keep the lure in front of his face. One reason I don't figure 8 is I always end up crossing over the fishes back and he loses sight and interest. Trust me if a 50 incher follows to the boat you will s^%$ your pants. Don't worry about scaring the fish. He cares not!
I make these "Insane Anna" they are 10" and 3.5 oz:
They move a ton of water therefore you cannot throw them with lighter tackle.
And these "Annamite" 6" 1.5oz:
I show these because both were trashed by a musky. One 40" and the other a 36". I am building a beefier version in the future.
Caught on Jakes:
Both are 40" northerns (bummer)
Caught on Annamites:
Second is a 40" James River fish.
Anyway I am sad to say that if you hook up a decent fish the bronze backs won't do it for you any more. Tell you what. Contact me at walleye0 at G mail dot com and I will send you an Annamite. Just tell anyone where you got it if asked.
Good Fishing:
If you have anymore questions about muskies. Just ask! I'm eatin' up with it!
Please I am not trying to advertise here. Just a love for musky fishing.
You look A LOT younger in that last picture. Guess Musky fishing takes the years off!
LOL! That's the boy. I took him musky fishing 5 years ago and he is eatin' up with it now. That's on the upper James. Funny story right after that trip he came over to the house for some bass fishing. After catching a few we gave up saying that this was just not getting it.
Thanks for the tips. I've learned more off this board in the last year about fishing than I have the previous 10 years I've fished. A lot of good people on here. I'll send you an email now. Sounds like I've got more gear to buy. I'm glad Christmas is right around the corner so I can justify it.
To add some to the great advice by Musky, I had some go-to baits on the New. When they're on spinners, I did well with Buchertails, with black and for a while orange doing well. Also the old Mepps Musky Killer is a good one, either natural squirreltail color, or most any other they offer. Sometimes, a glide bait was the ticket, and for a couple of years I did really well on a short Suick in bumblebee colors, of all things. Did better on the smaller Suicks than the larger ones, but both will work. Grandma plugs will also get them up. While most of the muskies we got into came as a result of smallmouth fishing, therefore on tubes, jigs, cranks and jerkbaits, we did fish for them sometimes and there are so many in the New that you stand a pretty good chance of catching one if you stay at it for any length of time. It can be tiresome throwing and retrieving those big lures all day, but you need to invest the time. Days of multiple hook-ups/follow-ups are possible. I like Musky's idea of an oval sweep for a follow-up. At that point, the musky is using its lateral line to chase, and doesn't even see the boat or the rod stuck down in the water, or you looming over it excitedly...this can be heartstopping. Good luck.
Great advice fish. But a Grandma? Buy Jakes! That's a joke they have the same basic motion. It is a good one though.
I was introduced a long time ago to a few basic lures by a couple of guys who were some of the few guys musky fishing on the New at the time. But that was a long time ago and lures have progressed so much since then, and the fish are being educated more than the days when musky hunters on the New were few and far between. I'll admit that ole Granny is antiquated, but I saw a couple of bodacious 'lunges put teeth on her my first couple of times out with those guys, and got a couple myself on the six inch size. Not fishing for them anymore, though. I readily defer to the more updated pursuers.
Was over on Cape Lookout last weekend. Saturday was a good day with 15 red drum, 5 black drum, and several nice size sea mullet. Most drum were 17.5 inches, but we managed a few keepers in the slot.
Well this past weekend I found a few bass but nothing to write home about.
](https://postimg.org/image/55d3uw9at/))
But it is definitely fall because these guys are eating anything! Largest was around 18". I could have probably thrown out a bare hook and caught them.
](https://postimg.org/image/4jepqw9ij/))
If you are a freshwater fisherman do your self a favor and buy some Bandit cranks. I swear by them. You might want to change out the original hooks for something bigger. They just friggin' work. Smallmouths bang them.
](https://postimg.org/image/o3hpw181p/))
And no, they don't pay me.
I have walleye in the freezer. I think I will go fry some!
And how COOL is this crankbait.
It took all week, but on the last day of the trip, they started chewing!
Conditions- WNW 20mph, 60 degrees, dawn
Bait: Spot Head
Rig: Fishfinder rig- 50lb bite leader (3 inches) on a 9/0 Mustad Demon Circle Hook and a 40lb shock leader
Rod: OM12H Spinning Rod with a Daiwa Saltiga 4500
It was a weird week. My first five days were bluebird sky, 80 degree, southwest wind days. Sand perch was the primary catch early in the week. As the week moved forward, I caught a wide variety of small fish. Spot ran really small (almost all were about four inches long.) The first day I caught the two biggest croakers I have ever caught, and not much else. The spot bite got a little better each day but didn't become a real effective way of making bait until Wednesday. On Friday, the speckled trout were blitzing in the north pocket of the pier all day. I left them alone for the most part. My father was catching 13 inch speckled trout on almost every cast. He asked me to come watch his spot so he could take a bathroom break. Using two old junky chartreuse Gotcha grubs on a double jig rig, I caught 20 specks on 26 casts before Dad got back to take back over. Sadly, only a handful of keepers were caught.
The drum were MIA in the calm water. I caught countless little Atlantic Sharpnose sharks and hooked a few car hood rays. There was a cold front that passed through Friday night, so I got up at 4AM to fish dawn behind the front. The change was just what was needed. I had worn shorts and a t-shirt all week. Saturday I was wearing two layers and a sweatshirt, jeans, and my Grunden rain paints. It was still cold.
The wind was the ticket. Unfortunately my equipment betrayed me. On my second cast, my Oceanmaster 12H conventional heaver cracked on the base. I had my OM12H spinner and Saltiga 4500 Surf as a back up rod. On the first cast, I got the drum in the above picture. Four others were caught by 9AM. I re-baited after releasing the drum and when I casted, the eyelet popped out of the rod. Tom Wilson and I set the drag loose and tried to get the eyelet back in the guide, and while we fooled with it, the line took off again. I led the drum up just short of the shock leader before the wear broke the line. With that (and texts from my fiancee asking me to come spend time with the family since I broke my skunk), I packed up to go get the spinner fixed. It is repaired, but my conventional is toast.
Thanks for such the detailed write up French! Glad you finally got over the hump and caught a few old drum. What's your general range in the weight of sinker you use off the pier?
On the west wind days, 6oz held. I was throwing 8oz 95% of the time and almost went to 10 on Saturday. If you use the three sided pyramid sinkers, they hold better than the four sided pyramids.
Direct link to my big red drum: http://imgur.com/WNk1D2V
Friend just called the office to brag about the fishing trip their on in Georgetown, SC, that I could not go with them on. Boat off Pawley's. Everyone got limits on black and red drum, flounder and trout by mid afternoon yesterday. Best fishing they've seen in years. Is that an after a hurricane thing?
Don't think there any many folks in the New England area, but the Striper season is ending while the Blackfish season is lighting up.
Tough as hell to catch the sunrise on a morning high tide when its under 40 degrees, but the bite has been well worth it. Warm enough and livable for the next month or so, at which point my season for the most part ends.
I dont much enjoy spending every ounce of daylight on the weekday in the office, and I am very interested in getting the heck out of here for a week or so in the winter. I usually head down to visit my old man in retirement on the coast of florida to rid his neighbors docks of sea trout by night, and drum and sheepshead by day. Fishing is one of my real passions, where I am most at peace, I'd really like to take a vacation and do some angling this winter, ideally in a warmer place.
Anybody here take a winter destination fishing vacation and have some testimonials? Where, for what, lodge or charter you recommend? I've really only looked into getting up to Alaska for king salmon and halibut - it's pricey but I will get there one day.
Headed down to Beaufort, NC for my Thanksgiving break. From the reports, the speckled trout bite has been really hot. I will report back with how we do.
I managed to get down to the Bill Burton Pier on the Choptank River (eastern shore of Maryland) last night. I managed four striped bass between 15-21 inches, with a 21 inch keeper that was also released. I also caught a bunch of rats (fish under 12 inches.) I used my light spinning tackle (10lb test, 2500 size reel) and a tandem jig with a 7/16 oz storm shad on the long end and a 3/16 oz storm shad as the teaser. The bigger fish all hit the bigger storm shad.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/vWCV3KH.jpg[/img]
http://imgur.com/a/37Nvm
that 2" storm shad in bunker color with red eyes is far and away my favorite soft plastic bait.
21" is a keeper in Maryland?
That is something. I know Mass and RI are 28", I think everywhere north of Jersey is 28" for recreational anglers.
In my lifetime, I'd really like to see some statewide reciprocity for the Atlantic fishery. I think there is a private lobbyist group trying to accomplish that exact thing. Uniform regulations and licenses that are good for the entire body of water, even if it costs more. Really though, there is no logic in why you can take a migratory fish at 1 size in one state, but not the others. I know flounder regulations are all over the place as well.
Same for bag limits, Stripers are 1 per angler since 2014 in the northern states. This is a good thing in my mind - A single legal bass feeds a family for at least 2 days. No need to be greedy, there weren't enough bass to catch in the 90's due to unchecked over-fishing.
20 inches keeps during open season in the bay. It is 28 inches for a keeper on the oceanfront. I believe the limit is two fish per person in the Bay. I only keep one if I am fishing with buddies and they have not landed a keeper for dinner.
Sure - Had no intention on imposing my views on your own take. Was just surprised in the large difference in regulation legal limits for the bass run up the Atlantic.
This is one of those instances i'd be interested in the science getting to the point of slots, like red drum. To the idea that, we should take them when they are young and immature, take them when they are old trophy fish that are no longer prolific breeders, find a easy way to sex the males and eat them.
I for one, think the younger bass are much more delicious. If i could find a way to just eat the males, or at least understand when I am doing more harm than good by taking fish in it's peak reproductive stage.
Black sea bass are a very sustainable take for example. By 12-16", aka of legal limit, they have all morphed to be males. We have figured a way to eat only the males, any there are still plenty of them left for genetic diversity and reproduction.
Blackfish are another, with a shred of angler education. By the time they are legal, the males grow an easily distinguishable hump on their forehead. It's easy to pick which fish to take on a good day of angling.
the FL slot limits on reds are based on escapement rate (% of fish reaching age 4) which they monitor by region of the state. their target is 40%. when FWC raised the bag limit a few years ago, the escapement rate in NEFL was 70%.
personally I'd like to see them add an inch to the top end of the slot and make it 18-28
The Chesapeake Bay limits now are two fish per angler, 20' or over, one of which may exceed 28" in length. We must've caught over a hundred today, but only four fish were 20". While it is no skin off of my teeth, I don't much care for rockfish and seldom keep one for myself, it is interesting how many small fish there are around here. Hopefully bodes well for the future.
I hate that the mortality rate is so high on rockfish. They are not my favorite to eat, but I love catching and releasing them.
Worked on the schoolies at the mouth of the Rappahannock and the Piankatank yesterday. Fished less than four hours, but managed six over 20" and a whole bunch of smaller fish. Lots of birds and tons of boats, but we stayed on the edges of he fleet and averaged bigger fish. All on bucktails slow trolled. There were a bunch of birds, bait and fish. All fish also on ten pound tackle, smallmouth rods and 2500 reels.
I was out there too in my Carolina Skiff
I see mostly salt water on here, but this is my wife's second ever trout. She humored me and did a day of fly-fishing on the Davidson with some success:
She caught her first one just a bit earlier...we used a green hare dropper pattern behind a parachute Adams.
That is a real nice one, especially on the fly.
nice fish!
Caught a puppy drum and under slot drum this morning. Fishing in the marsh, I sight casted to a school of about 20 reds for about 20 minutes. After I caught the second drum, they never came back our way. I had two other hookups before the last catch but they spit the hook. I was using a 3" gulp shrimp.
pretty work!
Schooled up puppers are the best.
It was really cool to sight cast to them... I'll being going down to Kiawah Island for the week of New Years. We are staying on the Kiawah River and renting kayaks. I remember you were in the Charleston area last year around that time. I figured the reds and trout should still be around then. Is there anything specific to the area that I should know?
I've kayak fished all over Charleston but never been down to Kiawah. It is very difficult to get intel out of the Lowcountry folks, 98% of them will tell you to figure it out on your own. For whatever reason, I think it is because the water is so crowded down there and prime spots are at a premium.
Trout fish well this time of the year. I like to find oyster bars on points up in the creeks on a falling tide. Popping cork with a DOA shrimp fished below was always my best rig for them. Pop it, then wait, pop then wait. They will pull it under, set the hook.
For redfish the key is finding the schools. They will huddle up in bays on mud flats that heat up in the sun. I know the weather is still warm down there right now so I'm not sure how schooled up they are, but if you found schools other places, you can find them there likely. It's all a matter of searching. I prefer kayaks for searching as you can be more stealthy, but you do cover less water than a skiff/boat. Careful if you go out in certain bays, they will drain all of the water of them and you'll be sitting on mud until the tide comes back in. If the tides are right, you can make a nice full day on the water with a nap in the kayak when the water runs out. Coppahee Sound is notorious for this. North of Charleston, this is where I go searching for reds. DO NOT TRY TO WALK IN THE MUD. Trust me on this. You'll get stuck.
As you learned, the schooled up reds can be really picky/spooky. You will probably want to use smaller lures in darker colors this time of the year and work the edges of the school. I recommend fly fishing if you can due to the ultimate stealth mode and well, it's fly fishing.
What kind of popping cork do you prefer the egg shaped ones or the ones with a concave top?
I have a fly rod but only have a couple trout flies. I was reading up on a Charleston charter guides blog about how fly fishing for them was best when sight fishing because it doesn't create a big sound. However, I am a novice with fly fishing so it would be pretty epic to catch one on fly.
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Popping cork design doesn't make a difference to me. I haven't used either enough to warrant an opinion either way.
Fly fishing is definitely the most quiet way to sneak up on the schooled up reds. Sometimes you can get very close to them, particularly in a kayak. I've cast to tailing and cruising reds with just the leader out of the rod tip. You should definitely take it with you just in case. For winter, use dark flies. Black Clouser will work, lightly weighted.
I don't know if the kayaks we are renting will be stable enough to stand up and fly fish is my concern. Thanks for the advice.
Possibly not. I'm not sure if y'all are getting singles or tandem, but unless you are adept at a wet entry, I would stay seated.
That being said, you can still cast a fly...You will be limited in distance. In a kayak, you can get pretty close...Just read the water and find your spot and sneak up.
Try to practice at home:
Floated the New fly fishing for musky on Tuesday with Mike Smith who guides down near Pulaski. We fished hard as hell and Mike had one fish eat but missed him. I got absolutely nothing. Not even one follow. The water is lower and clearer than I have ever seen. Anyone else have any luck with musky??
Just wondering if you guys ever fish below Claytor when you go with Mike? Some of my friends were catching them just below the dam near the Sportsman, and downriver in Giles. Not fly fishing, though.
Too cold and windy to fish here, now. Hoping for some mitigation to allow more local schoolie fishing action, and hoping to get out eeling, when possible, for the bigguns.
The big ones are getting caught over near Cape Charles. There have been a bunch of 40-50's weighed in before this cold snap hit. I hate being right about the weather, but winter and spring, right after a big storm, it is always windy as hell.
Yep. Having a small boat by local standards, I am dependant upon the kindness of fishing friends when it comes to the run across the Bay to Cape Charles, so I haven't been over yet, but it is the area that year in, year out, produces those bodacious fish. Eeling is very productive, with the planers being a good way to increase the spread.
Keep at it! That is musky fishing. Big girls will show up!
From our Charleston area contingency, have any of you fished in January at the Mount Pleasant pier for sheepshead? Any pointers?
Just corresponded with a friend of mine who fished yesterday out of Oriental NC on the Pimlico Sound. He got 47 speckled trout in four hours. He said they were from 12-18", but most were 15" and up. No word on bait. He said the air temp was 22 degrees. Wish I could give you more...hell, wish I'd been with him.
that is strong. I am in Atlanta until Wednesday. :/
I'm going to try to slip out Tuesday if the forecast holds. I'll let you know 'sup. I've heard they're getting good sized schoolies out at the cut channel.
Saw one boat catching 50 plus and said all were 23-32 inches. Method though, not sure.
Did those Bowed Up's show up?
Not yet, French, but could have come in over weekend, will hopefully get them today in time to get them good and slimy tomorrow. Will let you know as soon as they arrive. Looking forward to them.
Bowed up bucktail jigs arrived, but after I got home. Wouldn't have mattered. Didn't get skunked, but only got three undersized stripers. No birds, no boats, waves and a breeze made it tough to decide to trek out into deeper water. I suspect they were getting them out there, but it wasn't in my arsenal today. Oh well. Those bucktails are the bomb-diggity, bro. Can't wait to use them.
With the multiple defections today enjoy this vid! Wish all 3 the best but I don't think it will be pretty. Maybe Ford.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKjv2bK8XFM
Went back to visit family in Central Florida for Xmas. Stayed on Grant Island (where I used to live) from 12/23 to 12/29 (every day temps were in the 80s!). Only had a little time to really work the fish (lots of family stuff to do - all justified). Used live shrimp around the docks on 12/26. My son, brother in law, my nephew, and I scored the following:
1 slot red (20")
6 sheephead from 14" to 19" long (2 were big fat mommas!)
1 really fat black drum at 24"
Lost another really nice red on a piling wrap and run! Saw the fish, easily at 32" range!!
It was slow on 12/24 and 12/25, and then turned on 12/26! Friends fishing in other areas that day around Grant Island in the Indian River were catching Snook, Reds, and Pompano in solid numbers (Snook were returned - out of season). 12/26 was On. Fire!
Was a ton of fun and some of the fish required some shrimp hooking strategy to fool them once we found them and they treated us like a buffet - worked to perfection!
Also, did some SUP-ing with an ex-neighbor around the island and saw many, many dolphin and manatee at close quarters. A nice distraction!
I brought some nice fillets back to Christiansburg for some winter blackening! Sweet!!
NOTE: We drove by the Belk Bowl on I-77 at the moment Arkansas went up 17-0. We promptly lost radio connection near Statesville and didn't reconnect until on top of Fancy Gap, and behold, the VT 3rd qtr comeback had begun. Got home in time to watch the 4th quarter (I for one was thankful for the Beilima (sp) delay!)!
Okay so not quite fall reports but Im looking for some advice on the new river in regards to smallie fishing. Im a smallie junkie living in richmond and Im looking to take a nice vaca in the new river area to spend some time floating the new river as I've heard its fantastic in regards to smallmouth fishing but I'm completely uneducated on how or where to fish the new river. Im also looking for any close by campgrounds or cabins etc I can stay at while I'm there, my thought was august or september since thats the best time for the james and other local fisheries but if there are better times to fish the new river I would be interested in those times!
Obligatory pic of my biggest smallie from this previous summer!
I wade fly fish the New around McCoy area quite often. It is loaded with smallmouth and musky. I also float quite often in my kayaks various sections. Favorite float is McCoy to Pembroke.
The New is not hard to figure out how to fish. You can get out and wade fish any rock outcropping that spans the river and tear them up. Topwater can be very productive in late summer/early fall. The idea here is to imitate a dead/dying cicada. Personally, I do my best swinging white streamers through riffles. My biggest smallmouth to date (19.5") came on a hellagrammite fly. Crayfish patterns work well of course. My best color for those is brown/yellow. There are a lot of big fish in the river so you can throw big patterns.
If you spin fish, I'd suggest a Senko.
For camping, there's lots of places in the National Forest.
Thanks for the info I'm used to floating the James and other smaller rivers in a canoe doing like 10 or more miles a day usually trying to catch 60ish fish a day most days the biggest is like 18-19 inches I'm learning fly fishing again just now I usually use flukes, plastic craw dads, senkos, dead sticking tubes and my personal favorite in late August the buzz bait and spinner then cranks. Last summer I re taught myself to fly fish and on poppers(big ones) I caught a few 16 inch smallies and that was fun I haven't had in years I'm planning on trying to learn to fly fish other stuff from poppers this summer. I'm debating on a guide or not for the first day atleast to learn from a local before a few days on my own. Thanks for all the info!!
Edit: Is there anywhere I can find some reccomended floats for public ramps etc that are managable in a canoe, im not there for whitewater I'm only interested in fishing/not losing tackle in rapids. If so it would help Im hoping to do a few floats this summer in my 2 man canoe in the spring summer or fall.
Musky mentions the Stoudenmires (New River Outdoor Company) above for cabins. They also provide guide service. I prefer independent guides myself to the larger outfitters for several reasons. If you want info I'd be glad to give you far too much of it, but would prefer not to continue to over represent myself in these fishing threads. Feel free to email me at newriverangler@hotmail.com. I'd be glad to have a conversation with you and refer you to a top notch fly fishing (or spin, or both) guide that has decades of experience on the New. While I left the river four years ago, I lived there for 26 years, was a guide for ten, and know many if not most of the major players there.
I will definitely email you later this week when I have a minute thank you for the reply the main reason I'm asking a lot of questions is I've heard it's a big river and all with whitewater more than on the James between Lynchburg and Richmond where I usually fish or on the south, north Anna or pamunkey rivers so I'm trying to get a feel for how difficult it is since I've only briefly floated the gauley once a long while ago.
Please do reach out. I have a great suggestion for a fly fishing (or spinning or both) guide that can show you the ropes. Popping bug fishing seems easy, but there are a few things you can do to change the size of your fish and it isn't intuitive. Proper popper fishing at the right time on the New is a recipe for citation smallmouth. Also important is the river craft. Canoes are great conveyances, but for really getting the most out of a float, it is almost impossible to beat a well set up guide raft and with an expert at the oars. There is no doubt you'll learn more in one day than you'd think possible. The New is indeed a big river, and almost every float has its rapids to negotiate, but it is nowhere near as wild as the Gauley or the New over in West B'God. Still, I can talk you through every float from Foster Falls to the WVa line. There are definitely places to avoid, like Narrows Falls and Shumate Falls, and others that a little advance warning would be helpful to avoid getting caught on the wrong side of the river, but an experienced canoer can get through most of them without losing all your stuff if you know 'sup. Glad to help.
You really have to pay attention to water levels on this river. The best small mouth water near Blacksburg is can actually pretty easily tip a canoe in low water with someone fishing if you get hung up on a ledge. That being said there are a couple floats that you can really easily do.
114 Bridge to Whitethorne boat ramp: Long float and slow water for most of the trip so you can navigate where ever in the canoe. Fishing on this stretch is eh.
Whitethorne to McCoy Falls: This float can take a while or not to long depending on how you fish the top half. It will start with some really slow water. You'll hit a small riffle and then a couple islands and then a quarter mile of continuous ledges. This stretch you can definitely tip a canoe. Fishing is exceptional.
McCoy Falls to Eggleston: This is actually a float I wish I did more. Its fairly calm the whole time I've had good luck fishing but have always heard mixed reports.
Eggleston to Pembroke: This is a pretty common float for people fishing its a solid trip again not too rough but you will go through some minor flowing water depending on water level you'll have to watch out for rocks quite a bit.
then its Pem to Ripplemead and generally from Pembroke to WV line you start to see more and more rapids
Never done a lot of wet fly fly fishing, always used a fly rod for break/largemouth with poppers but I got these crawdad weighted flies I'm itching to try out this spring
Edit:
The New is an awesome river. I spent most of my 4 years at Tech on the New and worked for a local guide service, I go back at least once a year and I live half way across the country now. If you're wanting to go out and catch a hundred+ smallies in a day go in the summer, clear water throw soft plastics (Case Flukes work exceptionally well in green pumpkin and silver), stained water you'll have more luck with square bill cranks. If you want some size hit the river on either side of summer. Generally the fishing is slower and you'll catch a lot less but you can catch some PIGS if you find the right areas, this is the time of the year I would say a guide is beneficial.
I wont' start on musky fishing that's what I really enjoy chasing on the New but there is so much info to know about those fish it would take me the rest of my day at the office.
I can tell you nearly anything you need to know about the New from Claytor to the WV State line for musky and smallies.
Edit: Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter (handle on profile) and I'll answer what ever you need answered and point you in the direction of the best guides in the area, I don't agree with the suggestion that you've been given but I'll leave that at that.
Sounds like most of the same tactics I use on the james and other rivers around here soft plastics and cranks in the spring early summer then once the water gets real warm in august turn to senkos, 4 inch tubes and buzzbait buzzbait and fly poppers then in the fall I usually turn to crankbaits until the bite stops. Im trying to learn more to fly fish but not having anyone to learn from makes it tricky so I may take a fly guide one day to see if I have any bad habits that make it harder for me to have as much success as I do with spinning gear etc. The main reason I stick to just poppers is the simplicity of them little genius required to know how to present a popper makes it easier plus topwaters awesome with smallies but the other reason is Im usually in smaller rivers locally not like the James where room is very limited unless I like to go squirrel fishing quite often.
Met these folks at a Richmond fishing show. Very nice folks. They rent cabins also. If you don't want a guide.
Britt & Leigh Stoudenmire
New River Outdoor Co
www.newriveroutdoorco.com
Pembroke, VA 24136
Here is a news letter from them:
https://mail.google.com/mail/#section_query/in%3Ainbox/158fe999852c2daa
Also give a shout out to New River Hokie on this site. He lives up there and is also a bronze back freak.
Good Luck!
Thanks for the link I might look into them for a guide as well! I've done some pickerel fishing id like to try musky id need bigger gear my gears all med heavy bait casters and ultralights for bream!
Yes buck up your equipment
Is Jake Grove still guiding smallmouth trips on the James?
From what I heard this fall, no. He does fish all over though
Looking into putting braid on my penn pursuit 3000. I've only used mono but I want to try out braid. Which brand do y'all use/think would be best? Capacity of reel is 10 lb/280 yd, 15 lb/240 yd, 20 lb/175 yd.
First, if the reel doesn't have a rubber gasket in the spool, then put about 20 yards of 10lb mono on the spool and connect it to the braid with a double uni knot. I would go with 20lb braid because it will match up the closest with your mono. And top it off with about 18 inches of fluorocarbon leader- also tied with a double uni knot.
+++ on the mono backing and flouro leader. My fishing buddy uses the fat rubber bands that come on broccoli as a gasket. i use mono because I usually have an old spool somewhere lying around.
use no heavier than 20 lb braid and make sure your drag isn't too tight so the line doesn't bite in on itself on the spool
on my 2500's i use about 70 yds of 15 lb braid over my backing and reverse the braid on the spool annually. so new braid every 2 years.
big modified Albright knot advocate here...stronger, smaller, and in my opinion, MUCH easier to tie (though ymmv)
I typically use 5 (and never more than 7) wraps of the braid over the flouro
here is one of many videos you can find
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs4Wdoc8-0o
edit: pro tip...invest in a good pair of stainless small pointy, curvy tip scissors for cleaning up your knots
Okay, I will check that out later. Any difference on brand of braid to use?
I have always used spiderwire but I recently fished with Seagard braid. It behaved itself brillantly.
I use Berkley Power Pro
edit: when tying the modified Albright, which I see some are now calling the "Alberto", wet the braid before you wrap it, as well as when you cinch the knot, and the process will go much easier...5 wraps in and 5 wraps out tying 15 lb or 20 lb braid to 20 lb flouro makes a tiny and strong knot.
The best cobia guide I know does a double uni. I am using 50 pound braid to 50 fluoro with that application and then another uni to the bucktail. There may be an advantage to the other knots, but that works for me. Downside, it takes awhile to tie until you are very practiced
the Reverse Albright, Modified Albright, and Alberto (and others like the Yucutan that use the same principle) are the same knot and routinely test stronger, significantly stronger, than the Uni to Uni
All it takes is one well placed guide or pro to say that a knot has slipped or failed and everyone goes back to their old favorite and I think that is the issue for some with the reverse albright.
An Albright knot (which doesn't have the second reverse wrap) will slip with braid; a miss-tied Reverse Albright (usually going back thru the loop the wrong direction) will slip...easily upon testing when you tie it; but a Reverse Albright (and synonyms) will not and it carries with it the advantages of strength, size, and ease of tying.
But like many aspects of fishing, confidence is critical. If you like what you have, stick with it!
When I'm in a hurry I'll just go loop to loop, braid to mono, making the loops with surgeon's knots trimmed closely. Looks clunky at first, but flattens out quickly with use. Never had one break, no problem going through the guides. Very quick, very easy, hard to screw up.
What does reversing the way the braid is put on do?
braid fades and loses its slick coating over time. so once my line starts to fade pretty good (about a year) i'll simply wind line from one spool to the next (it has no memory like mono) to get the fresher line on the business end of things. every couple of years i replace the old and put on new.