These days a lot of the big stripers that are being caught are being caught on bait. And, that bait of choice here in RI is adult pogies or menhaden. Most boating fishermen tend to snag their own bait and then place it in a baitwell to be used later as live or chunk bait.
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| These Smith "Guide's Choice" sunglasses have been excellent for spotting schools of menhaden under the water. |
I've seen some crazy techniques this spring when it comes to snagging. Some fishermen will just cast randomly and pull away with one yank after another in an areas where they think menhaden exist. It's what I call the "torn rotator cuff" technique. It's just not efficient.
The way my son Jon (who by the way is the best snagger I have ever seen) and I do it is that we cast to an area where pogies are present. We then reel our 1 1/2 oz. snag hooks very slowly toward the kayak. When we start to feel slight taps on the rod tip caused by hitting the bait, we then will pull. Note that you almost have to be using braided line for this to work since the braid will give you the best feel.
Another key ingredient to snagging is a stiff rod. Many boaters are using equipment which is far too light for snagging. A stiff spinning boat rod that's 7 to 7 1/2 feet and rated for 20 to 50 lb. test line will do the trick. Jon uses a spinning rod geared for tuna that he calls "the Beast" when snagging.
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| Most fishermen get their menhaden that will be used for bait by snagging. There is an art to snagging and some fishermen are very efficient at doing it. |
Finally, where do you cast? Menhaden often give away their presence by flipping on top of the water. Cast ahead of where you see the jumps and reel the snagger in slowly. Another way to do this is to spot those light brown patches of bait schools under the water. I have some fantastic polarized sunglasses that I bought this year that really allow me to see the schools. The are Smith "Guide's Choice" sunglasses made specifically for fishing. They are the best I have ever used. I'll warn you they are not cheap, but they are some of the highest quality glasses you can find for fishing.
