Video of the Day- "You've Just Got to Find Them!"

 And, I found big numbers of fish today. They are not in all the locations along the south shore, but with a little looking, you might just find a blitz underway.  The fish are really on the move!

Photo of the Day....NLBN Paddle Tail Strikes Again!

 

The bait was small today, and the stripers were plentiful and fussy.
It was a perfect set-up for a 3 inch NLBN (No Live Bait
Needed) paddle tail.  And, it worked like a charm!

Loaded with Bait/Fish BUT Way Out

 I had a frustrating day of it yesterday.  For hours, I watched masses of birds diving onto bait as predators attacked from below (see video below).  This was happening in multiple spots. And, it was all happening out of casting range. This is a pattern that I've seen very often this fall.  A lot of the bait and migrating stripers are tracking well off the shore.  It was only during those northeast blows in September that we saw consistent action close to shore.

Yesterday, I was almost sure something big would happen close to dark.  And, just as the sun set I saw a small pod of stripers start busting right in front of me. I tossed my float and jig right into them two casts in a row but no takers.  So, I scrambled to quickly snap on a Yo- Zuri  Hydro Pencil which got hit immediately.  I was onto a decent fish when suddenly I lost it.  I reeled in quickly and ran to my right as the fish were moving in that direction.  Next cast, Bang! I had another fish on but I lost that one also close to shore after a decent fight.  And, those were my chances.  Darkness arrived and it was all over.

Yup, this was a frustrating day for a surfcaster, but that's the way it goes.

Photo of the Day....Stunning Rainbow off the Beach

 

Yesterday's rainbow was a stunner.
Unfortunately, there was no pot of gold
and no fish at the end of the rainbow!

2023 Chesapeake Bay Young of the Year Index of 1.0 Near Historic Low; Will this Trigger BIG Changes for Striper Fishermen in 2024?

 The future of our striped bass fishery took a big hit in the recent release of the 2023 Young of the Year survey in Chesapeake Bay.  Stripers spawn in the Chesapeake and this index is a measure of the the spawning success or failure.  This year's index was an abysmal 1.0, one of the worst spawning years ever (it was .89 in 2012). This comes on the heels of 5 poor spawning years in a row (see chart below).  In addition, the young-of the year index for Virginia waters was 4.2, significantly less than the average of 7.7. It is clear to see that the fishery is in trouble. Some blame warming waters, others blame over fishing and poor management.

For the average fishermen, this was a pretty good year.  We have had very good numbers of 26 to 34 inch stripers around.  But, there are big warning signs here.  First off, there are almost no small stripers under 24 inches.  Those should make up the bulk of the population. Poor spawning in the last 5 years has taken a toll on the small ones.  In addition, I think there are less of those 26 to 34 inch stripers around this year than in previous years. The recreational fishermen have taken those out in record numbers in recent years, and that's why the slot size was decreased to 28 to 31 inches.  Poaching and mortality rates have also reduced this population. And finally, those big fish (over 34 inches) numbers seem to be less this year than in previous years. The commercial fishery has targeted those fish. Those are the problems; the fix is more complicated and will be painful for many.

This Young of the Year result will force the issue for fisheries councils that have been simply kicking the can for years in an effort to appease a lot of user groups. If I were to venture a guess, I think we are in for big changes next year in an effort to preserve those slot size fish.  Right now, they are the hope for the future. 

Mayhem on the Beach!

The beachfront was running hot today with lots
of slot fish in a mid day blitz.

 I have been chasing stripers up and down beaches for the last three days. Today I set out on a long walk in search of them.  I saw a few birds working in the distance about a quarter mile from where I was so I went down the shore to investigate. As I got to the spot which seemed to be a longer walk than what I anticipated, the water in front of me erupted.  Birds diving, fish breaking all around me, peanut bunker flying out of the water. It was mayhem, and the stripers were on a rampage. They were jumping all over  my 5 inch NLBN paddle tail as soon as it hit the water.

It was a rare moment where I was completely alone on the beach. The nearest fisherman was maybe three hundred yards away.  For half an hour it was a fish or a hit on just about every cast.  And, the fish were decent, running 26 to 30 inches.

Right now, the stripers and the bait are on the move.  They are popping up in various places daily along the RI south shore oceanfront. I've seen everything from a few fish breaking to all out blitzes to completely dead in the last few days. You just have to find them. Realize, too, that those dead spots can suddenly erupt just when you think there is nothing around.

The fall migration is in full swing right now.

A Bonanza in the Dark

 

It was a bonanza of slots tonight
in the darkness.

Overall, it was a pretty dead day today in the daylight along the oceanfront.  But, there was some bait around, and I have been making an effort in the last couple of weeks to fish later at night.  So, I decided that I would stick it out tonight well after dark.

It paid off. As it got pitch dark, I noticed fish starting to break right in front of where I was casting.  As a bonus I also saw large 5 and 6 inch peanut bunker washing up onto the shore as they tried to escape the predators.  When I saw that I snapped on my 5 inch NLBN paddle tail with a one ounce NLB head, a dead ringer for large peanut bunker. All of it worked to perfection as I had a hit or a fish just about every cast for a solid hour after dark.  The fish were also good size with most of them either slots or just under slot size.

At this time of year it is always a good idea to stick it out until after dark.  In today's location, there were a few fishermen at sunset.  But, they just about all left right at dark and missed out on the nighttime bonanza.

Tonight's hot lure was a 5 inch NLBN (No Live Bait Needed)
paddle tail with a one ounce NLBN jighead.
This is a dead ringer for large peanut bunker.

Find the Bait and You Will Find the Fish!

 

Here's a slot fish from yesterday 
coming to the kayak. It was caught 
in the Bay.

Everybody was complaining about that persistent northeast wind in late September except us surf fishermen.  When we had the northeast wind  from mid to late September, the striper fishing was lights out.  It has cleared in the last week with some beautiful weather, and my fishing along the oceanfront went right downhill.  When we had the northeast winds, there seemed to be birds everywhere diving on bait and there seemed to be stripers breaking whenever the bait appeared. Some days they seemed to be everywhere.  In the last week, there has been little bait, no birds and few fish along those same stretches of oceanfront that were so good for me weeks ago.

So, I made a move in the last two days and headed back into the Bay in my kayak. There I found loads of bait (peanut bunker) and sure enough, there were loads of stripers of all sizes. Yes, there are still big numbers of fish in the Bay.

No question, the stripers are hunting for bait, and I believe the bait and bass are on the move. The fall migration has begun.  Fishing activity in the next week should increase as much colder weather comes our way.  The south shore backwater ponds and rivers along with Narragansett Bay are all loaded with bait.  As that begins dumping out with the cooling waters, look for the fishing to light up and get far more consistent and productive along the oceanfront.