Susky Flats, 4-18-12

[HJS]

It seems like a lot of people are catching on BAs and there are little mentions of BKDs, I would assume that if BAs are working BKDs should work too, right?

Ryan - Sorry for not getting back, I had missed your question. I'd think BKDs would work fine too. The size closest to the 5" BA would be the right size (I think it's maybe 6" long). As far as BA colors I think I did slightly better using the albino 5" BA. I have no doubt other color BAs like crystal shad, opening night, or salt&pepper would work equally as well... just so long as it resembles a small silvery shiny fish. But then I caught a bunch using Chartreuse silver glitter which, to me, doesn't resemble anything other than a traffic cone... so, go figure. I only had 2 albino BAs on Wednesday and I nursed them along as far as I could.

I also kept switching to a rod rigged with the bigger 7" BA with hopes it would catch a biggie. But I didn't catch anything on the 7"er. Other years the 7" BA in opening night or albino worked wonders. So now I'm thinking the stripers on Wednesday were zeroed in on a smaller species of baitfish. There were lots of 17"-18" stripers in these schools and I doubt they can eat a herring, so it must have been something smaller they were targeting.

[Yak Fish]

Ryan - Sorry for not getting back, I had missed your question. I'd think BKDs would work fine too. The size closest to the 5" BA would be the right size (I think it's maybe 6" long). As far as BA colors I think I did slightly better using the albino 5" BA. I have no doubt other color BAs like crystal shad, opening night, or salt&pepper would work equally as well... just so long as it resembles a small silvery shiny fish. But then I caught a bunch using Chartreuse silver glitter which, to me, doesn't resemble anything other than a traffic cone... so, go figure. I only had 2 albino BAs on Wednesday and I nursed them along as far as I could.

I also kept switching to a rod rigged with the bigger 7" BA with hopes it would catch a biggie. But I didn't catch anything on the 7"er. Other years the 7" BA in opening night or albino worked wonders. So now I'm thinking the stripers on Wednesday were zeroed in on a smaller species of baitfish. There were lots of 17"-18" stripers in these schools and I doubt they can eat a herring, so it must have been something smaller they were targeting.

After 3 trips and only catching a single trip and then fishing with Capt Brady and catching several, I learned that I was using lures that were too big. The fish that the big fish are eating are 10" - 12" long herring/shad so you'd think that you couldn't get a lure that's too big. The single fish I caught on my own was on a 6" BKD. That should have tipped me off, but I was determined to catch a big fish or nothing....well, nothing is what I got. I learned that the smaller lure will catch both small and large fish. It also helps you to locate them. Live and learn I guess. Nothing beats getting out on the water and learning the hard way The posts on here have been great and helps get ahead on the learning curve.

[HJS]

I learned that the smaller lure will catch both small and large fish.

How true!!! I'm thinking on Wednesday the target baitfish that got the stripers feeding were all small stuff. Some of the smallish stripers appeared stuffed with bait, and these stripers were too small to be eating herring.

But when herring are on the menu that the bigger 7" BAs work very well.

I tend to be a high speed, fast turn-around fisherman. Only a couple seconds pass after releasing a fish do I get my lure back to the same exact location where I caught the last one. I gave up hard lures with multiple trebles long ago and now fish single hooked soft plastic jigs almost exclusively. Trebles take too much time to unhook from a fish. Plus, with hard-bodied minnow lures, it's not nearly as easy to know exactly how deep the lure is working as it is with soft plastic jigs. I like the jig to be retrieved a foot or two off the bottom, right in the strike zone.

[new2yaks11]

I'm definitely in for some flats action. I am blowing off chasing turkeys to try for some stripers. Anyone want to meet and try and catch some? Let me know. I'm loading yak this evening.

[Yak Fish]

I'm definitely in for some flats action. I am blowing off chasing turkeys to try for some stripers. Anyone want to meet and try and catch some? Let me know. I'm loading yak this evening.

I hope to be at Perryville launch at the open time, 7:30. Maybe I'll see you there. If not, on the water

[new2yaks11]

I'll be there waiting.to get in. Hope to see you there.

[Rockchaser]

I hope to be at Perryville launch at the open time, 7:30. Maybe I'll see you there. If not, on the water

Is Perryville a better spot then Havre De Grace?

[Yak Fish]

I've never been to Perryville, but from the recent reports and from where I've caught fish last week, it puts you closer to where the fish are holding. That of course is subject to change at a moment's notice, but if I have any info to go on, it's better than searching for them blindly over all that water.

See you there in the morning?

[new2yaks11]

I'll be there. Was hoping to fish earlier, but take what I.can get. Just going to be chomping at bit losing 1 1/2 hrs of.daylight. lol.