Fall patterns

[ronaultmtd]

Thinking about my last couple of trips, there is definitely a change in the air...the fish are thicker, more of a "football," frisky and are feeding during the daylight hours. A 18 inch striper is much stronger than it was a month ago...and much heavier. The lures we used in summer still work, but larger lures in chartreuse color are coming into their own...top water is much more effective in cooler waters...yesterday, the water temp in Southern Maryland was 74 degrees...supposed to have a strong cold front move through Friday that will chill the region. Tide is king in the Fall pattern- fish the moving water...Early morning, late evening bite is not nearly as important in the fall as it was in the heat of Summer...it still is a factor, but not a "make or break" issue...soft plastic swimbaits are still the most effective lures I use and the flats, structure, grassbeds, rip rap, docks and obstructions are holding fish waiting to ambush minnows, crabs and baitfish. The cooling water chases Spanish Mackerel out of the Bay, but wakes up bluefish and striped bass...in our Southern Maryland waters we have a really good speckled trout and puppy drum fishery...this month we catch a visitor to our waters- the Lizardfish! Ugly damn thing, but I am told they are good to eat...If you are targeting table fish the big White Perch are obliging. Many 10-12 inch fish are crushing the Chartreuse with gold spinner Capt Berts Perch Pounders slow rolled just off the bottom...dress these up with a 3 inch Gulp and hang on...Redfish love em...Most of the perch I found were in 3-5 FOW especially around points and sandbars.Good luck and tight lines...hope to see you on the water!

[Slackdaddy]

Ron,
Thanks for the info and thoughts.
I have been throwing a 1/4oz under spin (silver blade) with white 3.5" paddle tail swim bait. Should I be "up sizing" and going with a chartreuse for rocks?

The area I am fishing is a consistent ~ 4' for 100yards or more out, then drops to ~10' (Brooms Island coves)
The puppy drums have been up along the shore structure, all in the 10-14" size. Any chance the larger ones will make it up here?
Continue to fish the 10' drop for rocks?

Thanks,
Slack

[J.A. Veil]

Ron is on target with his advice. This morning I found a strong current moving past a rip-rap point. I positioned the kayak just outside the current and cast out a paddletail with a large belly (to match the peanut bunker bait in the area). Moments later I had a good fight and caught my largest striper of the year at 25". That fish was really fat too.

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[ronaultmtd]

Ron,
Thanks for the info and thoughts.
I have been throwing a 1/4oz under spin (silver blade) with white 3.5" paddle tail swim bait. Should I be "up sizing" and going with a chartreuse for rocks?

The area I am fishing is a consistent ~ 4' for 100yards or more out, then drops to ~10' (Brooms Island coves)
The puppy drums have been up along the shore structure, all in the 10-14" size. Any chance the larger ones will make it up here?
Continue to fish the 10' drop for rocks?

Thanks,
Slack

If it ain't broke...don't fix it...i carry an assortment of Zman Diesel Minnow, Bass Assassin Sea Shads, a few packs of Gulp and some different weight Deathgrip Jigheads. 1/4 oz is the weight I use the most, although in the shallows don't over look 1/8 oz. I sometime use Hilderbrandt jig spinners In conjunction with the swimbaits, but mostly I run them without a spinner. Today I was bailing 19-22 inch stripers by just sitting and casting...wore me out! Had a 17 inch Red (puppy drum), several speckled trout and a few 12 inch perch all on a 1/4 oz jighead and soft plastic swimbait. The best advice I can give anyone is don't be a hard head...if nothing is happening or if you are only getting small fish, try something else...in dark skies, stained water, heavy overcast...try darker colors...in clean clear waters Opening Night, pearl, and white colors usually get the job done. "Hot rod" plain white swimbaits with a dip of Spike it dye on the tail...Be flexible and once you hit on the right combination, double down on it.

[Mark]

Moving water indeed is key.

Stripers were very active in the Patapsco during this morning's fast-moving outgoing tide.

I found them tight to shore as the water raced past riprap:

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Also, I found them hundreds of yards off shore under working birds:

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A simple paddletail and jig was the ticket. That's all I used.

The stripers are coming into the shallows more frequently as the waters cool. Soon they will be gorging themselves in the creeks here in the Mid-Bay region where baitfish are already plentiful. The best striper fishing is yet to come. Get out there and enjoy it.

It was a good day for pedals, both to chase after breakers and to reposition for casting in the strong current.

[summersoff]

Nice read - that crisp air always gets the blood moving
The chill this weekend should be nice

[Mark]

Slackdaddy,

There's an adage in our hobby that says big bait, big fish. However, there's also a saying, whether it be fly fishing or fishing with conventional lures, to downsize when the bite is tough. I find that to be true.

It amazes me that a 3 inch paddletail on a simple jighead will attract stripers from 6 inches to 26 inches. Also, I've lost count over the years of the number of legal sized stripers that have hit 1/8 oz. perch spinners -- channel cats too, for that matter.

Yesterday, I saw a powerboat on the Patapsco heading out for stripers. The rods stowed in the back were rigged with positively huge lures. I imagine they were destined for deep water trolling. They do catch some truly big stripers. I've seen the photos online and in outdoor publications. But I've also seen their photos with 20 to 24 inch fish lined up on top of a cooler. (That's a lot of boat, gas and heavy gear for essentially the same fish we catch in our kayaks.)

I think in the shallow waters we typically fish from kayaks, with our limited ranges, smaller baits work just fine. At least they do for me. I think your 1/4 oz. spinner is plenty large. In fact, you might want to try just a paddletail with no spinner.

Good luck,

[Slobber Bob]

Slackdaddy,

There's an adage in our hobby that says big bait, big fish. However, there's also a saying, whether it be fly fishing or fishing with conventional lures, to downsize when the bite is tough. I find that to be true.

It amazes me that a 3 inch paddletail on a simple jighead will attract stripers from 6 inches to 26 inches. Also, I've lost count over the years of the number of legal sized stripers that have hit 1/8 oz. perch spinners -- channel cats too, for that matter.

There is a saying that even elephants eat peanuts.

[summersoff]

Tying up for tomorrow and thinking of moving from summer spooks to my fall poppers. This cool weather might need something obnoxious.

[Mark]

Tying up for tomorrow and thinking of moving from summer spooks to my fall poppers. This cool weather might need something obnoxious.

That's an interesting theory to choose a surface lure based on the season. I'm not doubting your experience but I hadn't heard that before, other than the fall generally is a good time for surface action. You may be on to something.

For stripers in calm waters, I prefer top water lures that create less commotion on the surface, like Zara Spooks. I reserve poppers that cause more surface disturbance for choppy water.

The ultimate decision makers are the fish. They will tell me what they want by their behavior on a given day if I'm focused enough to realize it.

I carry both kinds of top water lures but start out with one dictated by the above rule of thumb concerning surface conditions. I may try your suggestion just to change my approach.

[Slackdaddy]

Curious,
Anyone use Buzz bait or Jump frogs? https://onestopmarine.net/products/h...ater-jump-frog

Bailing on tomorrow due to wind,, I'll see what Sunday brings, but that looks like I may sneak up a creek and chase Snakehead

[goldenyearspa12]

on vacation at pt lookout 6days. 8 speckled trout 19-25 inches, 1 small bluefish, 6 small rock, 8 small black bass, 1 18 inch red fish , 1 small flounder and 4 lizard fish. caught most with jighead skirted with chartreuse sf. pearl white gulp 3inch. sally chase me on the last day. what a great place to relax away from the daily grind. the cottage i rented was owned by a marine biologist for the epa. interesting conversation about plankten. most fish were caught in 3-15 fow.

[ronaultmtd]

I follow Mark's line of thinking, but with a slight twist...I throw three main walk the dog lures in fairly calm water...like Mark I let the fish tell me what they want...a Zara Spook Jr is usually my starting point, followed by a Medium size Badonkadonk, and the "clean-up" batter is a Mirrorlure She dog..The She Dog is one loud, noisy lure...then-a Tsunami 3 3/4 inch chugger popper in Black/silver...if-no takers, subsurface lures rule the day...

[summersoff]

That's an interesting theory to choose a surface lure based on the season. I'm not doubting your experience but I hadn't heard that before, other than the fall generally is a good time for surface action. You may be on to something.

For stripers in calm waters, I prefer top water lures that create less commotion on the surface, like Zara Spooks. I reserve poppers that cause more surface disturbance for choppy water.

The ultimate decision makers are the fish. They will tell me what they want by their behavior on a given day if I'm focused enough to realize it.

I carry both kinds of top water lures but start out with one dictated by the above rule of thumb concerning surface conditions. I may try your suggestion just to change my approach.

Unfortunately I don’t put much thought into it. Fall has always been my favorite season, particularly for the surf. Always throwing polaris and pencil poppers to hungry stripers. Im not sure the ‘what’ matters, it’s all about where and when. Although they chased the jumpin minnow but clobbered the smackit tonight. A spook bite is like a gator chasing a muskrat. A popper attack is a great white busting a seal. There is no inspection, no debate, it’s just pure anger.
Today was cold and crisp enough to count it as a Fall day, and no matter how much I slowed it down for specks - stripers were everywhere. As soon as I found a quiet spot from the wind, I was hooked up. A couple keeper size, but all full bellied bruisers, no matter the size. The wind really pinned the bait. I managed only one dinky trout. Tomorrow is supposed to be doable in the morning, but brisk. I’m already missing shorts and sandals.

[Mark]

I like your descriptions of tidal topwater hits, summersoff.

There is usually nothing subtle about them.