Fishing Seminars this Weekend- NE Fishing Expo!

 

Hope to see many of you at the NE Fishing Expo
this weekend!

I will be at the NE Fishing Expo this weekend on Saturday and Sunday doing my latest carp and striper fishing seminars for 2024. The NE Fishing Expo is a pure fishing show that has gotten rave reviews in recent years.  This year it will move to the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough, MA which is right off Rt. 495. This is a show that caters to both freshwater and saltwater fishermen with loads of vendors, tackle dealers and the latest equipment on display. Show info can be found at their website at www.nefishingexpo.com

Here is my schedule.  Hope to see many of my followers at the show.

Saturday- 2:00 PM- Seminar- Finesse Approach to Catching Stripers.  This show is loaded with info on using a finesse approach to catching stripers from shore and kayak when the bait is small (which it was most of the time last year). The show is filled with tackle and plugging ideas. Some terrific video footage and photos from last year's fishing are in the narrated presentation.

Sunday, 11:00 AM- Seminar- Carp Fishing Strategies.  This show focuses on different approaches to catching carp. also nicknamed "freshwater tuna"! These monsters of freshwater can be difficult to catch on rod and reel, and I'll offer many suggestions on how to do it that should appeal to beginners as well as seasoned pros. I've got some serious photos in the show that include multiple potential state records.

Surprises of 2023= New Ideas for 2024!

 

Hopkins No Equal- 3 oz.

In terms of fishing lures, 2023 brought some surprises.  Normally, I stick with the same stuff year after year because it has worked.  But, in 2023 I branched out a bit and found some surprising new effective lures which I had not used much of in the past. We'll give these a worked next season.

*Metal- I was out on a windy and rough northeaster in September.  I could barely cast my trusty egg/jig combo with the stiff wind in my face.  I had a big metal Hopkins lure (4H-3 oz.) in my bag that I barely used in the past.  What the heck.  I snapped that on and heaved a booming cast into the wind, way beyond what I was casting with the egg.  A few cranks of the reel and I was onto a decent over slot fish.  I was sold.  On just about every adventure after that day, I at least tried the Hopkins when I needed a long cast in rough water. It delivered good numbers of slots and over slots for me in that two week period of northeast roughness in September.

Yo-Zuri Mag Darter

*Yo-Zuri Mag Darters- I was never much of a darter fisherman.  I tended to opt for skinny plastic swimmers like a Daiwa SP Minnow when I wanted a plug that swims.  But, one night, while plugging one of the breachways, I unsnapped the SP Minnow and snapped on a Yo-Zuri Mag Darter.  Right away, I hit a decent fish. I suspect there were mullet around and that smaller Mag Darter ( 5 inch) is a dead ringer for imitating a mullet.  I continued to use this plug and the larger Mag Darter (6 1/2 inch) for much of the fall as my primary swimmers, and I landed a lot of fish on them at night in moving water.  I'm sold!

*NLBN Paddle Tails- I used these as my primary paddle tails along with the NLBN jigheads. I used to fish Cocahoes a lot but these NLBN lures will far outfish the Cocahoe.  They have a tighter wiggle due to a smaller tail and that seems to elicit more hits.  When the bait was small, I went with the three inch models.  When we had large peanut bunker around, I went with the 5 inch models. I used only white colors. And, they were killers!

5 inch NLBN paddle tail

NE Fishing Expo....Coming SOON!

 

SHOWTIME

 It's that time of year when I will be going around various big shows doing seminars. I've got a great striper fishing seminar planned for this year titled "Finesse Approach to Catching Stripers". I lived this during much of the striper season often turning to small "stuff" to fool many of my stripers from shore and kayak. Because of the abundance of small bait, a finesse approach was often needed to consistently catch stripers this year.  This seminar should be informative as well as entertaining since I have packed it with all new photos and video clips shot in the last year. I know many of my loyal readers attend these shows since I have seen a lot of you there in recent years.

I will be doing my striper fishing shows at the New England Fishing Expo that runs from Feb. 2-4. It will be held this year at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlboro, MA. The seminar schedule is not out year  so keep and eye on the website for more info. It can be found at www.nefishingexpo.com 

I will also be at the Springfield Sportsmens Show at the Big E in Springfield, MA . That show runs from Feb, 23-25.  Once again, check the website for updates. It can be found at www.osegsportsmens.com

Photo of the Day....First SLOT of the New Year

Yes, it can happen in January if you are 
fishing the right spot and the right time.
And, you need a bit of luck!

 

Celebrating New Year's Day.....From the Kayak!

 

This hefty schoolie was one
of three that I landed today
from the Yak.

I'm on the board for 2024.

I went out today on New Year's Day in my kayak, the first adventure of the year in the yak.  I had low expectations but was fishing a winter holdover location. I figured one striper, any size, would be an accomplishment. Well, I ended up with three of them along with another hit. They were all schoolies from 20 to 24 inches.  All were caught on NLBN paddle tails.

One New Year's resolution for me is to fish more from the kayak this year.  Last year on many occasions that I went out, I landed staggering numbers of fish, sometimes under a noon day sun. And, I had a lot of big ones in the 30 to 40 inch range. There was rarely anyone else fishing in the spots I frequented, much like today. No crowds to deal with and good numbers of fish- can't beat it!