South river stripers 10/2

[DOGFISH]

I got out around 4:30, and within 10 minutes of starting to troll the first fish was on. I no more than got that fish up to the kayak and the second rod went down. Both were undersize stripers. I hooked two more fishing within the next five minutes and lost them right at the kayak. They were better size fish. I fished for about three hours and caught 16 stripers and 4 bluefish, with about 8 being keeper size stripers. The largest fish of the day was 25". I had a really good time. After that first flurry of fish things slowed down until I relocated the fish. I knew the fish were still close, as I could smell the menhaden oil. As the sun started to angle down, about 6-6:30 things really broke loose. I just kept doing a elongated figure 8 and catching fish. Great fun.

My original plan was to go to the Fishing Creek side of Thomas Point and fish from there towards Tolleys. However, I started catching fish within 400 yards of where I launch. I just could not leave fish to go find fish. The fish seemed to be in a pocket of bottom structure and up from that area to the flat just adjacent to the drop off. At times, on several occasions, I spooked schools of stripers near the surface. They were feeding really shallow today, yet not breaking. I was using a Rapala Glass Shad Rap, in Glass Ghost color, deep diver and a YoZuri Hardcore Drum in painted shad color and prism color, lipless crankbait. Late in the day, with the fish feeding shallow, I put on a Sebile Magic Swimmer, which is a very shallow running lure. Within a few moments, I had a striper on that lure. I have not had much time to fish this year, so I needed a good day.

I must say, as one who really never has followed the solunar tables, the 6:30 to 7:15 good time to fish was on point tonight. I must agree with John Veil, I am going to keep an eye on those periods of time when I go fishing. It also looks as if the dropping water temps had the fish turned on.

I have some video. When I get some time to edit, I will post it.

rockfish 10-2 (1).jpg rockfish 10-2 (3).jpg

[JAR]

Nice fish! I saw you out there close to sundown and you definitely made the right decision to stay in the river. The boaters in the area you were headed did not do so well. Been a lot of traffic in that area recently and the fishing pressure is on.

[YaknBass]

Congrats on a nice day in your yak! Fast n Furious! with quality fish! Thanks for your report. Hope you can get at em again soon!

[J.A. Veil]

Great report Don. I hope those fish are still there for the Meet and Greet.

The fish and birds that you were hoping to target near Fishing Creek may have relocated a few miles to the south -- at least they were there this morning.

[Yak Fish]

I got out around 4:30, and within 10 minutes of starting to troll the first fish was on. I no more than got that fish up to the kayak and the second rod went down. Both were undersize stripers. I hooked two more fishing within the next five minutes and lost them right at the kayak. They were better size fish. I fished for about three hours and caught 16 stripers and 4 bluefish, with about 8 being keeper size stripers. The largest fish of the day was 25". I had a really good time. After that first flurry of fish things slowed down until I relocated the fish. I knew the fish were still close, as I could smell the menhaden oil. As the sun started to angle down, about 6-6:30 things really broke loose. I just kept doing a elongated figure 8 and catching fish. Great fun.

My original plan was to go to the Fishing Creek side of Thomas Point and fish from there towards Tolleys. However, I started catching fish within 400 yards of where I launch. I just could not leave fish to go find fish. The fish seemed to be in a pocket of bottom structure and up from that area to the flat just adjacent to the drop off. At times, on several occasions, I spooked schools of stripers near the surface. They were feeding really shallow today, yet not breaking. I was using a Rapala Glass Shad Rap, in Glass Ghost color, deep diver and a YoZuri Hardcore Drum in painted shad color and prism color, lipless crankbait. Late in the day, with the fish feeding shallow, I put on a Sebile Magic Swimmer, which is a very shallow running lure. Within a few moments, I had a striper on that lure. I have not had much time to fish this year, so I needed a good day.

I must say, as one who really never has followed the solunar tables, the 6:30 to 7:15 good time to fish was on point tonight. I must agree with John Veil, I am going to keep an eye on those periods of time when I go fishing. It also looks as if the dropping water temps had the fish turned on.

I have some video. When I get some time to edit, I will post it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13589[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]13590[/ATTACH]

Great report!
What's so special about that time frame?

[Cowpokey]

Well done! I keep hoping a bigger striper is dumb enough to bite my hook...some day.

[JAR]

Great report!
What's so special about that time frame?

Low light period just before and after sun down.

[JAR]

Great report Don. I hope those fish are still there for the Meet and Greet.

The fish and birds that you were hoping to target near Fishing Creek may have relocated a few miles to the south -- at least they were there this morning.

I believe you're right on this one John. The charter boats that have been trolling this area haven't been working this area as hard the last few days.

[DOGFISH]

Great report!
What's so special about that time frame?

The time period was one in which the solunar tables indicated was a good time to be fishing. http://www.usprimetimes.com/

[Cowpokey]

The time period was one in which the solunar tables indicated was a good time to be fishing. http://www.usprimetimes.com/

Thanks for the link!

[JAR]

The time period was one in which the solunar tables indicated was a good time to be fishing. http://www.usprimetimes.com/

Interesting... the predictions from your link are much different (with some overlap) than tides4fishing.com. I've used T4F since 2012 and can honestly say that I've never established a consistent pattern between their predictions and my logs. Although I'm still a skeptic, I will give your link a try to see if my results are better. Thanks!

[DOGFISH]

Interesting... the predictions from your link are much different (with some overlap) than tides4fishing.com. I've used T4F since 2012 and can honestly say that I've never established a consistent pattern between their predictions and my logs. Although I'm still a skeptic, I will give your link a try to see if my results are better. Thanks!

I am still a skeptic myself, and I have been looking at solunar tables off and on since the mid to late 1970s. They used to be printed in the back of sport fishing magazines. It is kind of fun to keep track of when the time period occurs. Of course, as with most folks, I fish when I get the chance to go. So, I can't always plan my trip around the tables. Even with the tables, if one fishes in the wrong place or with the wrong baits or lures, then they may not do well on any given day regardless of the tables. There are a lot more variables in fishing than just the tables. That is what makes fishing so fun.

[Snakehead Hunter]

I am still a skeptic myself, and I have been looking at solunar tables off and on since the mid to late 1970s. They used to be printed in the back of sport fishing magazines. It is kind of fun to keep track of when the time period occurs. Of course, as with most folks, I fish when I get the chance to go. So, I can't always plan my trip around the tables. Even with the tables, if one fishes in the wrong place or with the wrong baits or lures, then they may not do well on any given day regardless of the tables. There are a lot more variables in fishing than just the tables. That is what makes fishing so fun.

I don't believe in the table either. I believe in birds

[Cowpokey]

We used the solar lunar tables in Alaska, but up there it's more about what time and how big the tide is than anything else. You can't hold bottom when the tide is ripping during a 25 foot change, and the scent of cut herring doesn't get the fish moving when the water isn't moving.

I haven't used the solar lunar tables here, just look at the tide table and make a guess.

[Nitefly]

Nice report Don! I was out in the morning and after running around deep near the South River mouth, I was having better luck closer to your launch. I agree with John, hope they stay around another week!