Needle Fish

[Big Mike]

Went out this morning around St Georges Island at daybreak. Found a school of rock fish that were hitting top water and had 7 in about a 35 minute window using my new go to bait, the Chug Bug. My biggest was 19" (rock fish bites tonight!) and most were running around 16". I did have a fish I estimate at 24" or more that rolled on the bait on consecutive casts in deeper water away form the main bite. After the blitz things started to slow down until a bird decided that my lure looked like breakfast. He wasn't to happy and I didn't like reeling it in and having it peck at me like a Hitchcock movie while I removed the hook. I decided this was an omen to switch to a 4" chartreuse grub and to troll in just a bit deeper water. Immediately picked up 3 more rocks and then I had the surprise of a needle fish. Toothy slippery fish in a kayak is not a good combo but I emerged unscathed. The needle seemed to be the end of the rock fish bite and the start of the blues. Picked up perhaps 10 or so, but after numerous line bites I got tired of having to tie on new jig heads and called it a day. Will need to get some fine steel leaders. All in all a great morning. Will I be out tomorrow - does a bird like a Chug Bug?

[Cowpokey]

Nice! What size/color chug bug?

[Big Mike]

It's about 4" and is a silver and black color with an orange flash in the front. I think I've had it for 20 plus years and haven't fished it for the past 19 - little nervous that I only use 8 pound test with it, but Carpe Diem.

[JAR]

Awesome report! I always enjoy when stripers blow up and miss surface plugs, really gets the heart pumping. Birds are drawn to topwater action as it mimics that of breaking fish. I normally switch surface plugs out when birds are present and notice the birds will go away after a few minutes if there isn't other surface activity in the area.

[Pc4sun]

Mike,
Sounds like a fun morning. I spewed the soda I was drinking all over my desk when I read "having it peck at me like a Hitchcock movie" and thanks for treating the bird well by taking the hook out of him.
As I am just now learning how to fish with top waters, I wonderd what is the difference between your new "go-to" bait (the Chug Bug), and say, the crankbait I just bought - a Stillwater Smack-it Jr. They look the same to me. The Chug Bug review says it "pops, spits and chugs like a fleeing baitfish with every rod twitch.". The Stillwater looks like it does the same. Can you tell us why you chose the Chug Bug? Or are they all the same.

[Frogsauce]

I've been catching a lot of needlefish here at Chesapeake Beach too. Most of the ones I am getting are in the 10" to 18" range and very close to the shore in really shallow water.

[Cowpokey]

I think they all do the same thing Peggy, as long as it has the same kind of cupped face. I'm just trying to focus in on color and size that has been working, which may or may not be as important as the commotion the lure makes?

[JAR]

Stillwater Smack-Its and Chug Bugs are in the same category of topwater plugs: poppers/chuggers. The main difference being the size/profile, and one might spit more water than the other since the mouth is larger but the action is basically the same. Another difference can be the pitch of the rattles inside, and some poppers have no rattle at all. I prefer the Smack-It over the Chug Bug since it casts farther (heavier) and has feathers on the tail which gives an undulating action at rest, both are equally effective.

[Pc4sun]

OK, thanks JAR and Cowpokey. That helps.

[buzz]

Way to clean up Big Mike. Sounds like you had a very productive day.
I might have to get down there for a piece of that action.... except for the bird.

[Big Mike]

I fish the Chug Bug because it happens to be what I had in my tackle box and it was what I had on my line from fishing freshwater the night before. I'd love to tell you it was secret sauce, but more blind dumb luck, not that I didn't go out and buy a couple of other poppers today in case I lost that one..

[J.A. Veil]

FYI, if you hook a bird again (hopefully just a line wrap around the wing rather than an actual hook in the flesh), try to calm the bird down by draping a damp cloth over its head. Once you have stopped the flapping wings and shaking beak, it is much easier to unhook the bird.

I have never experienced a caught bird from my kayak, but have had several from my various power boats over the years.

[Cowpokey]

It's about 4" and is a silver and black color with an orange flash in the front. I think I've had it for 20 plus years and haven't fished it for the past 19 - little nervous that I only use 8 pound test with it, but Carpe Diem.

I picked one (same size/color: "Metallic Silver Mullet") up at BPS today, along with a couple 1 oz casting spoons, a new 7' medium action Lightningrod (spinning), a Penn Fierce 3000 reel and a spool of 20# Fireline. That quick trip to BPS got expensive quick...but I've been wanting a "heavy" spinning rod for the bay.

[Big Mike]

That's my kind of lure shopping. Glad that $7 Chug Bug got the proper equipment around it. Of course I was just going out for a drive and came back with my Hobie, so I understand the sweet seduction of just one more thing.

I hope you have similar luck.

[Cowpokey]

That's my kind of lure shopping. Glad that $7 Chug Bug got the proper equipment around it. Of course I was just going out for a drive and came back with my Hobie, so I understand the sweet seduction of just one more thing.

I hope you have similar luck.

LOL

I can't wait for morning! If I do any good with the Chug Bug, I'll have to tie up some big poppers and take the fly rod next trip.