Winter Schoolie Numbers Plunge in Recent Years

We are in big trouble with schoolie numbers. Winter fishing is way off. I also saw it this whole season where my catches were way down. In fact, numbers of the last several seasons have been dropping like a lead balloon. Everyone in southern New England seems to be concerned about what's coming this season.
To illustrate just how far down we have plunged, I looked back over my logs of the last 4 years of winter fishing in the Providence River. These are my numbers for the months of January and February. Note that I went about the same number of times each year so it's a good comparison.

2008- 235 stripers

2009- 78 stripers

2010- 15 stripers

2011- 12 stripers

I think the winter fishing is certainly a reflection of what is going on in Narragansett Bay and along our coastline in recent years. It is not a pretty picture.

Persistence Pays Off

You have been reading in my blog just how poor the winter holdover striper fishing has been in the Providence River. In one stretch about a month ago I had blanked nine times in a row!

However, I stuck with it, and I have now caught fish seven out of my last eight outings. While this is an improvement over the previous run of poor fishing, I will also tell you that the numbers are way off. These recent "good" nights have generally produced one or two schoolies per outing. Living just ten minutes from the River, it is worth giving it a shot several times a week. For anyone living a good distance away, I'm not sure the effort is worth it this winter.

Shallow Saltwater University Coming

Once again this year, I will be part of the Shallow Saltwater University line-up of seminars that will take place on the weekend of March 25-27 at the Sheraton Inn at Warwick, RI. This weekend of seminars will feature an all star line-up of some of the best saltwater shore and boat fishermen in New England who will present seminars all weekend long. I was part of this show last year and it was a big success. To order tickets and to get a schedule of seminars, check out the website at:
http://www.shallowwaterstripers.com/ShallowSaltwaterUniversity.html

Next Shows...Fri., Feb. 11, DCU Center, Worcester

My next stop on my 2011 seminar tour will be at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA on Friday, Feb. 11. This will be at the ASA Eastern Fishing and Outdoor Expo, one of the largest fishing and outdoor shows in New England. I will be doing my "Secrets of the Striper Surf" seminar at 4:00 PM and 6:30 PM. The link to the show information is pasted below. Hope to see you there.
http://www.sportshows.com/worcester/index.html

Van Staal Reels.....Worth the Price?

One question I am frequently asked is whether a Van Staal reel is worth the over $700 price tag.

I have been using bail-less Van Staal reels since they came out over a decade ago. I have a VS 150 and VS 200 reel and I have had them for about 12 years. I got the reels as gifts from the original company after I made a very successful promotional video for them when they were just getting started. Since then the company has been sold several times.

Here are the positives. The reel has become the workhorse of real good surf fishermen. Fish a spot where the sharpies hang out, and I would say 7 out of 10 of them will be reeling Van Stalls. Their toughness and durability is unequaled in the surf and breakdowns are rare. They are sealed reels and completely corrosion resistant. I also love the instant anti reverse bearings that only allow the reel to move in one direction. I also favor a bail -less reel. Maintenance is minimal....spray them down after use, occasionally lightly lubricate exposed parts.

Here are some negatives. I was never that thrilled with their drags, not real smooth, but only adequate. Their rollers suck as I tend to replace them (about $30 apiece) just about every year because of grooves that develop from the braided line, and rollers are not covered under my lifetime warranty. Casting distance is only adequate; big pit reels will easily outdistance them. And, maintenance is costly. I curse every year when I have to send my two reels in for yearly service ($50 apiece) in order to maintain the lifetime warranty. I love reels that I can take apart and repair myself like the old Penn 704's and 706's.

So, that's about it. Are they worth it? They are costly, no doubt, but most diehard fishermen say they are well worth the big bucks. If there is a better reel on the market these days for a reasonable price of under $200 I think it would be a hit. I haven't found that reel yet.

Building up the Arsenal

I'm reloading for the upcoming season. At this time of year, I usually assess my plug situation and look at what was successful last year. From there, I decide what I need more of and begin working. I'll make a lot of wooden plugs and jigs, and I'll buy some other stuff.

Here's what I think will be hot in the plug department for 2011:

1. Pencil Poppers- I fished the Canal last summer and was amazed that two plugs were catching the vast majority of the fish. These were pencil poppers and Sebile Magic Swimmers. We don't use many pencil poppers here in RI. Maybe we should. They cast like bullets and have that darting surface movement that really attract stripers. So, I plan to use a whole lot more of them this year. Made a bunch of them in a light color (see examples in photo).

2. Small Needlefish- There were decent numbers of sandeels around last year. I had very good luck with small, 5 inch needlefish. In the past, I made a lot of large ones, but I suspect small will be in this year. That's why I just made about a dozen smaller models.

3. Bucktail Jigs- You never have enough of these. I have the molds, cast a lot of different sizes and models and they all work. This is the most versatile lure you can stock in your plug bag. I am making a good number of 1 1/2 oz. hotlips jigs for deep currents (see photo at left). I am also making a lot of small (1/4-3/4 oz.) flathead jigs to use when small bait is around.

4. Swimmmers- I've bought some 6 inch Bombers in a pearl or black back. These where hot after dark when the mullet were around last year. Should be hot this year also.

5. Skinny Plastic- I'm sold on the Hogys and I've stocked up on these. I like all the sizes....6 inch, 9 inch skinnies, big 10 inchers. Go with the white or black models. Also, stock up on the Hogy swimbait hooks which made a big difference for me.

Color, Does it Matter?

You bet it does. I don't know much about the science of how stripers see or view color. But, based on experience and a lot of trial and error I know that the color you are using does make a difference.

Here are some examples:

1. Just about all my bucktail jigs I use are white with a white head and white bucktail. Thread is white or red. Ditto for plastics with a white body and white jighead. This applies in daytime or nighttime.

2. For my skinny plastics (Hogys), I generally use black at night and white in the daylight, although white also produces at night sometimes. Once in a while, a strange color (pink or electric chicken will work in the daylight), but white will usually work on those times also.

3. All my needlefish are either made with a white base or a black base. On my white models, I might paint the backs in a yellow, green or blue for a little contrast, but the colors are basically light. Use light colors in the daylight and black at night. Once again, white sometimes works at night too.

4. My Deceiver teasers are white or black. White in the daytime, black at night.

5. When using swimmers, I like a black back model at night and a light color in the daytime (same pattern as above).

6. As far as poppers are concerned, I only use them in the daytime, so most of my poppers have a white base. I like all white, or a white one with a green or blue back.

That's about it. Quite a simple choice that boils down to mostly light colors in the daytime and dark at night. Sometimes a wacky color will work but all of the above choices will catch 90% of the time when the fish want to hit.