09-16-2009, 12:35 PM
There are a lot of things that come to mind as to why you didn't get a strike. Lucky for you, i'm in a typing mood and I have a little time. So...........................
First of all, was there bait fish jumping, schooling, or running around the jetties. Usually, there are some time of baitfish if there are larger fish feeding. What type and size of bait fish were they? Do you have a way to catch live bait, maintain it, and do you know how to rig it? You'll probably need a flow troll bucket at a minimum. A 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled in it attached to a rope to keep it from floating away works best. Especially for menhaden. Menhaden don't last very long in anything but large, round baitwells. And they need constant fresh water, so don't leave the bucket out of the water for long.
Were the gamefish feeding on top? If not, the next issue is finding out where in the water column they are feeding, and get your bait there. Once again, do you know how to rig your baits for different depths? Do you know how deep it is off the point you are fishing?
It's very possible that the fish you saw feeding were bluefish. Like stripers, that area is known for bluefish. Weakfish, sometimes mistaken for speckled trout a little further south, are also thick along rocks and eddies like you were talking. Try some downsized inshore tackle in the 12-15 pound class, and toss some lures along the rocks. You might be pleasantly surprised. Something like a 1/4 or 1/2 ounce jighead with a saltwater assasin soft plastic attached. If the tail starts getting bitten off, you're into the bluefish. Switch to a light steel leader and attach a gotcha plug or a spoon. Toss it and work it fast.
Weakfish are very good eatting when cooked fresh. They don't freeze very well, so don't bother.
Personnally, if I were fishing those rocks, i'd tie a fish finder rig on a 30 pound casting rig, use a 40 pound fluorocarbon leader, a 6/0 circle hook (depending on the bait size of course), and cast it out on the bottom with a live bait on the other end. It won't take long.
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First of all, was there bait fish jumping, schooling, or running around the jetties. Usually, there are some time of baitfish if there are larger fish feeding. What type and size of bait fish were they? Do you have a way to catch live bait, maintain it, and do you know how to rig it? You'll probably need a flow troll bucket at a minimum. A 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled in it attached to a rope to keep it from floating away works best. Especially for menhaden. Menhaden don't last very long in anything but large, round baitwells. And they need constant fresh water, so don't leave the bucket out of the water for long.
Were the gamefish feeding on top? If not, the next issue is finding out where in the water column they are feeding, and get your bait there. Once again, do you know how to rig your baits for different depths? Do you know how deep it is off the point you are fishing?
It's very possible that the fish you saw feeding were bluefish. Like stripers, that area is known for bluefish. Weakfish, sometimes mistaken for speckled trout a little further south, are also thick along rocks and eddies like you were talking. Try some downsized inshore tackle in the 12-15 pound class, and toss some lures along the rocks. You might be pleasantly surprised. Something like a 1/4 or 1/2 ounce jighead with a saltwater assasin soft plastic attached. If the tail starts getting bitten off, you're into the bluefish. Switch to a light steel leader and attach a gotcha plug or a spoon. Toss it and work it fast.
Weakfish are very good eatting when cooked fresh. They don't freeze very well, so don't bother.
Personnally, if I were fishing those rocks, i'd tie a fish finder rig on a 30 pound casting rig, use a 40 pound fluorocarbon leader, a 6/0 circle hook (depending on the bait size of course), and cast it out on the bottom with a live bait on the other end. It won't take long.
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