Fishing for Stripers with Spot under the Bay Bridge

[billd]

Im new to the live bait method, heard that Spot is the way to go to get the stripers. My question is, what is the most effective way to fish with Spot? What hooks to use? cast by the pilings or away from them? what type of rig/sinkers to use? anything else that would give me more knowledge here would be great, thanks for helping.
Bill

[Pinch]

Im new to the live bait method, heard that Spot is the way to go to get the stripers. My question is, what is the most effective way to fish with Spot? What hooks to use? cast by the pilings or away from them? what type of rig/sinkers to use? anything else that would give me more knowledge here would be great, thanks for helping.
Bill

use a simple hi-lo rig to catch spot using fishbite bloodworms. Use 30lb fluoro leader to a size 4 treble. Hook the spot just in front of the dorsal fin. Free line the spot right next to the pilings (literally right next to) or behind the pilings in the eddy that is formed by the current. You will feel the spot get nervous and then it will get inhaled. When you are using trebles use a short count say 2-3 seconds before setting the hook. A short count will keep the striper from swallowing the hook. If you are using circle hooks count to 7 or 8 seconds before setting the hook.

http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...ve-Lining-Spot

[bignose]

We like to hook the spot from inside of the mouth thru a nostril. This allows the spot to continue to breathe more or less normally.
Some will hook thru the area just in front of the dorsal fin. Both work.
The spot is simply lowered from the boat, or gently lobbed underhand, casting them beats them up too much.

We only use weights if the current is very strong. Spot want to head towards the bottom as fast as possible.
So we can change weights, we will place a sliding plastic hanger with a small coastal lock above a barrel swivel.
I use braid as the main line on my personal rods, we use mono with our clients, easier to untangle.
We use a 2-3 foot length of mono 20-30 lb. test (30 lb. by the Bay Bridge).

Hook selection: We use a 3/0 Eagle Claw 084 hook. This is an offset J hook.
Many will use a circle hook, but we are trying to put fish in the boat for our clients, so understand that we are not practicing catch and release. Our clients are often not very experienced fishermen, so this technique is appropriate for them.

There are many who will fish with a circle hook, but from experience, we still find that this still results in deeply hooked fish. When we reach our limit, we stop fishing with live bait and begin to use jigs and plastic baits or start perch fishing.
If you are skilled, then by all means use circle hooks when possible, it's easier on the fish and many will survive release.

Best bets are to try to place the bait a bit in the front , up current side of the pilings, and let the current carry the bait towards the structure.
The spot will "get nervous", it'll start some line twitching, and then there will be a "thump" that's the striper hitting the bait. Count to five-slowly!
Then set the hook, or with a circle hook, tighten up and let the fish hook itself.
I tell my clients that if they strike too soon, there will be another thump. That's me smacking them in the head to remind them to count to 5 slowly! lol.


You can spend a lifetime learning the nuances of the bridge pilings. There are several different types and I highly recommend Shawn Kimbro's book on light tackle fishing, which has a chapter dedicated to fishing the bridge.