Bay trolling question

[MikeMMM]

Still waiting to get out for my first time on the yak. I have another noob question. What line and leader (if using) are you all using and what baits when hunting these big rock? Trolling, live lining, bottom fishing. I'm still looking for that trolling for rock book everyone talks about here. Haven't seen it in the local bait shops around Chesapeake Beach.

[Mark]

Wish I could answer your question but I haven't caught a truly big striper yet!

Lots of nice healthy ones that give a good tug, though.

Alan's book is available on Amazon if it's not in bait shops your way.

[tight lines]

Still waiting to get out for my first time on the yak. I have another noob question. What line and leader (if using) are you all using and what baits when hunting these big rock? Trolling, live lining, bottom fishing. I'm still looking for that trolling for rock book everyone talks about here. Haven't seen it in the local bait shops around Chesapeake Beach.

It really all depends on your preference. I use 20 pound braid with 30+ pound leader. Trolling seems to be the most popular and effective way to entice a trophy fish into your yak or boat. Most boaters run planer boards with tandem Bucktails and umbrella rigs set out at different depths. Us kayakers generally troll a 2 rod set up, I prefer to use tandem bucktails with paddletail swimbaits and a hard bait, like an x-rap or crystal minnow. Target locations are channel edges and ambush positions(points, drop offs, humps). If you can find fish suspended in the water column you have a good opportunity of jigging one up, but generally the big fish hug the bottom. When trolling in shallower water for smaller fish I'll use a single 1/2 or 3/4 ounce bucktail or jighead with a paddletail swimbait. I always diversify my baits at the beggining of the day to key in on what they are going to hit more that day(color of bait and size). Hope this helps a bit. I am no pro like some of the guys on here but I have caught multiple trophy fish from a boat so these are just tips I have picked up from other people and my own experience attempting to get a big one on my yak.

[MikeMMM]

Thanks guys. Kind of what I thought. I now may be able to get out today. Mid day. I know not the best time but better than not going at all.

[Mark]

I know not the best time but better than not going at all.

Mike,

That's very true.

The point of my reply was that if your quest is really big fish, you may be disappointed unless you are as experienced and skilled as some who post here. But there are plenty of 18 to 21 inch stripers in the Bay's tributaries right now and they're lots of fun and they're good teachers for novice kayak trollers.

I fish relatively light with 12 pound test mono on LM bass rods and 17 pound fluorocarbon leaders. That's enough for the fish I catch which are mostly in the range I mentioned above.

Paddletails have been the bait of preference for the vast majority of stripers I have caught this year. I often troll a paddle tail and a crank bait simultaneously. The paddletails on 1/2 oz. jig heads have caught more stripers than the crank baits by a wide margin in my main fishing areas -- the Severn and Patapsco.

I usually do not know the tide when I launch because I get out when I can. But you'll learn that moving water makes a big difference. Often the bite will slacken until the tide starts moving again.

Work the areas that Andy suggested above because stripers do like changes in their underwater terrain and have fun.

Good luck today,

[MikeMMM]

Thanks Mark. I just want to catch fish. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping to land a monster. Even if I get skunked, which I'm sure will happen a lot, I'll be happy to just be out on the water.