[likeitreallyis]

Hey guys, I've posted on this site a couple of times,

enjoy it.. I know people are quick to say "hasn't that been asked before" and what not, newbies may be intimidated a bit sometimes but this thread is for us, surfrats new and old.. please no spot burning but let's talk about what we love the most and what most boaters don't understand, the call of the surf..So anybody still fishing?

I do not claim to be a pro, but I do fish year round and target anything that swims and fished the area for over 40 years.. ask away there are alot of people on this site and forum that can answer the questions are share a story or two..

Just something new, see how it goes

 

[likeitreallyis]

Herring

So I'll start... Here it is Mid-January, and the spearing are still in the North Shore Harbors and beginning to show up on the South Shore...

Herring from what I seen love the sunset times... and follow alot of the same rules, fish right before an approaching storm, falling pressure, cloud cover all good rules of thumb.

Some of you may know but the biggest trick I've learned is the herring dodger. I like to put these on top of the rig. No hooks. Also use a lunker light along a sabiki rig tree.. but keep it close to a hook as they bite the light... I use as light a pole as possible, and only a 1 ounce sinker to feel the fish... I've seen 11 foot surf sticks work fine too, but..

Once hooked, if jigging, leave the herring in the water. This will lead to multiple hookups until that pole really starts to feel it

If casting they will follow a hooked fish in also...

There is no shame and catch and release either, if you have a couple in the freezer for bait and nobody is eating them, release quickly and smile

I think the South Shore will see the fish with the full moon and the spearing will be on the move with the moon....

 

[toyotaoffroad91]

i have a question...how do you properly rig a dodger on a sabiki rig?!

 

[likeitreallyis]

hey toyota

what I did was put a large snap ring on the dodger, attach a barrell swivel to the ring, another ring onto the barrel swivel of the sabiki rig (at the top), this keeps it away from the rig and gives it motion, if i get a chance I'll take a pic..

 

[toyotaoffroad91]

thats a good idea...it probally doesnt get all twisted that way either...will try it tommorow up there...ahhh thankkkaa yaaa -will

 

[rac37]

bait id

how do you id baitfish?i always hear about rain fish,white bait,ect..but how do you know what they are??except for bunker,shad,spearing,killes i really cant tell.

 

[654662]

Hey rac,

I got to be honest with you when i tell yo i have been fishing a long time and i still do not know what a rain fish is! haha lol

The easiest way to id most of them is to just google whatever questions you may have.. This will give you the best idea.. and if you are unsure post a pic up here or just bring it to your local bait shop.

every time of the year produces completely different baits...

I may be completely off track by saying this but i think they might call them rain fish but they are really small spearing? tinkers? not really sure but maybe someone else can help you but if you keep a log of every month of every year and everytime you fish you will eventually learn the migrations of the bait and when the bays unload and they start to travel.. This will also help you easily identify what is swimming around being chased by fish busting water!

 

[Lattitudechange]

rac37 wrote:
how do you id baitfish?i always hear about rain fish,white bait,ect..but how do you know what they are??except for bunker,shad,spearing,killes i really cant tell.
I have a few sites bookmarked. Here's one which is pretty good. Baitfish Gallery

Here's another one, although not as good, it still should help.Another fish ID page

Those should help.

 

[654662]

Awesome sites lattitude... but still makes my question stand out!

WTF if a rainfish!!

HAHAHA

I am thinking that people call them rainfish because they make a rain looking effect on the water!?!?

Is that the real reason or do they really exist? i have throw nets and nets and nets and i have never seen a rainfish.. call me stupif or crazy either one if fine!

but i can not figure out what the heck they look like!!

HELP! hahah

 

[deadlydan]

new to the whole herring thing. If frozen over winter to use as bait for spring, what would you use them to target? I assume bass would be one, but not too sure if they are into herring like they are in the fall??

 

[walleyeman]

Rain bait = bay anchovies. From the pic I put below you'll notice they have a distinctive rounded head. They are called rain bait because when around they can dimple the surface of the water.

 

[654662]

AAAAAHHHHAAAA!!!

Knew i could count on ya to make an appearance Walleye!

Thanks man i knew it had soemthing to do with the way they run the surface but people all over the beach continue to think it is because that is their name!

But i begged to differ and apparently i was right in a way! lol.

now my buddys owe me a 12 pack!

can not wait til friday night!! YEEEHAWW!

 

[likeitreallyis]

deadlydan wrote:
new to the whole herring thing. If frozen over winter to use as bait for spring, what would you use them to target? I assume bass would be one, but not too sure if they are into herring like they are in the fall??

Not really a great bait, but on the right conditions I will make an attempt at whiting from the surf, it's been a few years since I caught one, but I only tried once last year and twice before that.. it is great whiting bait for anyone who fishes through the winter..but the whiting numbers are down dramatically, and have pushed way off but I still go out there and do my best Linus and the great pumpkin imitation and fill the lungs with sea air

The remainders (I only keep a dozen for bait, the rest are released or given away to people who are kind enough to pickle me a jar..) are to be used to carry me over until March/April when there is plenty of fresh bunker.. what I like to do is use the head and most of the body and discard the tail...

hook through the head and cut the body long wise towards the back giving it some flapping action..

these I will throw into North shore inlets and near power plants early season for resident and newly arriving Striped bass, the herring are still in the water at this time and it is a bait they are still familiar with..

Will, this is a picture of the dodger setup I like,, also these are the hooks on the sabiki rig I use, seen some nicer ones that resemble shrimp, which have been good too..

 

[deadlydan]

thanks for the info.
Another question, I've never chunked from the shore (boat only) and am thinking about giving it a try in the spring. Any thoughts on what works/doesnt work North Shore vs South Shore?

 

[likeitreallyis]

It depends on what you are fishing for.. I like to eat bluefish, when fishing for them a whole butter fish on a treble hook (circle if releasing) will always get the blues interest, even on those hot august days of the doldrums..

Striped Bass BUNKER heads are great other parts too, I like to always "split" the chunks at the end to give it a little flair also (I split everything)

Fresher is best, keep the unused parts on ice, and hold the pole and go at night, a few hours after the high tide... I use a "fish finder" rig and the bail lose as any tension may cause you to lose a fish..

I use an 11 foot pole with a 706 loaded with 80 lbs. braid as sometimes some big rays will run with it and they are pretty cool looking...but I use a long florocarbon leader for the line shy, and a float to keep the crabs away...

Most times I'm throwing a six ounce "sand spike" type sinker, up to 8 when the current is running good.

A lazy dead stick approach sometimes works too and at night a glow stick on the top of the pole will alert you to anty taps while working on that cold one

Clams are a great bait for anything that swims, I'll use that when the beach is loaded with clamshells..

I do like to snag my own bunker and freeze it as soon as possible, I don't like to refreeze and use what thaws, and change every so often don't let it sit out there for a half hour and expect it to be as appealing to a bass..

This post edited by likeitreallyis 08:36 AM 01/17/2008

 

[ELIASV]

Hey, instead of using just a plain 1 oz sinker, why not use like a lure or something? Won't that give you a chance of some schoolie by catch or something else interesting. Like a 1 oz tin or rubber shad? Or does that spook the herring?

 

[likeitreallyis]

Hello Elias,

yes many people do that and I have also.. I use an ultralight pole and weight is an issue as I do like to feel the fish.. problem is once that jig is caught up you lose the whole setup also, but if casting I will use a diamond jig, but while fishing from the pier I am just dropping to the bottom and bouncing a few feet from the bottom so I like the tiny weight, right now I am using a 1 oz round jig similar to a fluke ball, but I replaced the feathered jig with a spearing (match the hatch) teaser from a mackeral tree ...I tried to take a pic, it's blurry but you may see the setup..

and the ultralight bending more and more as the herring fill up the tree (leave a hooked fish in the water they'll come)

 

[ELIASV]

Gotcha, any cool bycatch for you while Herring fishing? I've hit White Perch at the mouth of the Nissy one year, but that was it. Going to try some tricks on Thursday.

 

[rac37]

thanks

thanks for the bait answers guys

sfUSA i'm plaining on keeping better records this year

LC great sites thanks

one more question what is the first bait to come in in april???

 

[likeitreallyis]

April= BUNKER BUNKER BUNKER