In the last week, my son Ben and I have landed over 100 stripers from the Bay. These fish have ranged from small schoolies up to 20 lb. keepers (see photo at right) In addition, we have landed a good number of bluefish. All these fish have fallen for the same lure, a Rebel Jumpin Minnow. This plug is about the best thing to use when peanut bunker are around and the fish are hitting on the surface. And, the peanut bunker are around big time right now.The Jumpin Minnow is an inexpensive plastic plug. I noticed they were on sale this week at Cabelas for $5.79. The problem with these plugs right out of the box is that they come with super flimsy hardware and hooks. So, I get rid of the hooks and split rings and put in beefed up split rings and VMC 4x trebles in a size #2. I get this stuff from NJ Tackle.
My favorite colors in this plug are a bone color (white), silver with a black back and a blue back model (see photo at left). Note that this is a small plug weighing half an ounce, but it casts well. It is best used with fairly light tackle.
Here's how I work it. Cast out and retrieve slowly while pulling on the rod tip with a lot of small pulls. If the plug is darting back and forth along the surface, it is working correctly. A lot of times fish will whirl it. When that happens slow down the retrieve to a crawl. Usually they will take the slow moving plug.
This plug is hot right now. I have also used it a lot in the past in the fall when peanut bunker were along the oceanfront. It works real well there too.
