[614078]

Since winter is here. And cabin fever has set in. Lets get this discussion board going. Heres my question.

When and where do you usually go to do some early season catch and release? And what lure/fly works best for you?

I usually start late February early March if we have a mild winter. Otherwise if the winter is a harsh one I will start fishing late March early April. I will always start fishing in Little Neck Bay. The best tide at that time of year is incoming. And the fly thats worked best for me there is an all white snake fly with a fast sinking line stripped real slow. My friend uses a spinning rod with a small white/red lead head with white bucktail that he makes himself. On a nice sunny day we're usually into fish. We always crush the barbs on the hook so its fast and easy for us to release any stripers we catch.

Lets hear how you catch and release early season stripers. Lets get this board going.

 

[mattyblazer]

Green shad bodies on lead heads worked well at LNB last season in March/April.

 

[Striper77]

I usually see them catching early Spring schoolies on worms at Hallock Landing in Rocky Point, but I have not had much early luck with a fly there. I am new to fly fishing and have a lot of trouble working with sinking lines, just cant seem to get the pick up right. Any hints ?

Striper77

 

[wader]

Just try tossing a flounder rig with worms on it into the Nissequoge when flounder season opens. You'd be amazed a the amount of schoolies that hit it. You'll get double headers.

First time it happened to me must of hooked up better then 2 dozen. Most 2 at a time.

Lasted for about an hour. Got a small flounder first - then bang - the line takes off. As I'm watching it peel line on the light tackle I was using - first thought that hits me - **** - that aint no flounder. Finally got it in - 2 schoolies to around 15 inches. Tossed it back in - bang - here we go again.

Also - try soft plastics (shad bodies, herring & worms etc.).

 

[Surfcaster]

I have found that all the above mentioned baits will work. The key element for me is finding shallow areas with dark bottoms. Such as Little Neck Bay. Sunny days will warm these areas quickly. Sometimes by as much as 4 or 5 degrees. Baitfish and bass will move into the warmer enviornment. LNB is also the first place East River fish hit when exiting. Although given the warm winter we are enjoying. The bass who have no interest in spawning. Will probably winter over in the bays. Both North and South Shores.

 

[614316]

The Smiths point bridge area can usually start producing around the first of april.Small bucktails or finesse lures are good. For flies I have had success with lime green clousers.Moving water is the key.Try both uptide and downtide of the bridge itself. As the water warms the adjacent flats are productive.

tightlinestdh

 

[614078]

Surfcaster writes:
The key element for me is finding shallow areas with dark bottoms. Such as Little Neck Bay. Sunny days will warm these areas quickly.

I couldn't agree with you more. Sunny days,dark bottom and lots of early season stripers.
But even though we are having a warm winter the stripers in our area will still take that journey up the Hudson to spawn. I read a report a few years back on stripers in the L.I. Sound. They will stay thru the winter in a hibernation type state in the deep waters(100ft plus)in the sound and just like salmon they will know when its time to leave and spawn. Not sure how true it is but it sounds right.

Mattyblazer writes:
Green shad bodies on lead heads worked well at LNB last season in March/April.

Did you notice if you caught less stripers there last year as compared to the year before? I noticed that for myself. I had to worked hard to catch a few. I thought it was due to the oil spill they had there.

Striper77 writes:
I am new to fly fishing and have a lot of trouble working with sinking lines, just cant seem to get the pick up right. Any hints ?


When I was using a snake fly with a fast sinking line I would use a 2 handed strip real real slow. You can easily feel the striper hit the fly. Sometimes they feel like dead weight sometimes they'll strike and run. Anytime you feel anything that doesn't seem right set the hook.

Wader writes:
Just try tossing a flounder rig with worms on it into the Nissequoge when flounder season opens. You'd be amazed a the amount of schoolies that hit it. You'll get double headers.

Your so right. When I used to baitfish for flounder in Manhasset Bay in a cove that would usually have lots of fish I would also get a lot of double headers with stripers on the flounder rigs. Great way to pass the time especially if the flounder aren't bitting.

bucktailer writes:
For flies I have had success with lime green clousers.

I like using Chart/white 1/2 & 1/2 clousers myself starting late May. Also olive/white epoxy flies.

 

[mattyblazer]

Hi FLYRODDER,

Last year was the first year that I fished that area that early in the season, but that spot was pretty productive. They hit other colors but green seemed to be the magic color. In years past I used to have luck at Center Island, Sunken Meadow, The Mouth, and the creek at Crab Meadow with 077's, and similar tins, or soft plastics.

Matt

 

[614078]

Matt I've been fishing LNB for early season stripers for 7 years. Last year was the slowest for me yet. I've had times there in previous years where I could hook into a fish on every other cast. So if you had it good there last year can you imagine what it was like there in prior years.
Thanks for your reply to the topic. If the weather stays as is we will be catching stripers in February.

 

[mattyblazer]

I can imagine,
And anytime

Matt

 

[617886]

you guys fishing in little neck bay, are you fishing on the douglaston side, near big rock?

 

[614078]

FishingMan asks:
you guys fishing in little neck bay, are you fishing on the douglaston side, near big rock?

I know that spot well. Do you usually fish there? I know last year and the year before that I used to see a guy carry his pontoon boat and fish that cove. This year I'll be using my kayak in that area.



This message was edited by FLYRODDER on 1-22-02 @ 7:02 PM

 

[Hunt n' Fish]

I know this is a surf casting board, but I do well with big red jelly worms around the Moses Bridge and FI Lighthouse in early April from the boat. This year I will be trying the early season surf, but I thought the stripers were few and far between below 45 degree water.



This message was edited by doughboy on 1-22-02 @ 11:04 PM

 

[614078]

doughboy writes:
This year I will be trying the early season surf, but I thought the stripers were few and far between below 45 degree water.

Surfcaster said it the best:
The key element for me is finding shallow areas with dark bottoms. Such as Little Neck Bay. Sunny days will warm these areas quickly. Sometimes by as much as 4 or 5 degrees. Baitfish and bass will move into the warmer enviornment.

Thats why LNB is that good. I wouldn't be surprised if I would've went out there today I'd probably catch a few. Since we've had such a mild winter.

 

[611906]

Pardon an idle musing whilst wracked in the throes of cabin fever----but if one were to venture out tonight at a place other than LNB and hang a decent bass, would that be considered a "late 2001 season" fish or an "early 2002" one?

Speaking rhetorically, of course.

 

[616843]

Green Island fishing area,north end by the grass,and undr the Captree Island bridge/state boat channel

 

[gebby]

HAGAR , RE YOUR GREEN ISLAND EARLY SEASON BASS POST, ARE YOU SPEAKING OF THE EAST OR WEST CHANNEL ON THE NORTH SIDE? I FISHED THE WEST SIDE NORTH TO ALMOST THE SECOND BRIDGE IN THE FALL AND IT JUST SEEMED TO BE WEEDED IN. ALSO FISHED THE EAST SIDE NORTH AGAIN TO ALMOST THE SECOND BRIDGE AND THAT SIDE SEEMED BARREN TO ME. AM I FISHING THE WRONG TIDAL STAGES OR AM I JUST LAME? ANY HELP APPRECIATED. GEBBY

 

[616843]

Just before you get to the parking lot look to your right for an area with sign for state vehicles only.Park in the lot and walk back to that area.Walk west towards the channel ,you will see a path that takesyou to the water to a small castin garea,almost like a pool.You will be standing on many mussel shells,bug spray in summer a must There is a ledge just south of the channel buoy.Cast to the south between the buoy and the grass.Also a great place for flounder



This message was edited by [email protected] on 1-24-02 @ 8:23 AM

 

[614540]

Early season stripers ......just follow there path.....sequine point in Statten Island (very under fished)...Great Kills.....Tullmans in college point....Under the throgs neck bridge....LNB....Douglaston side (big rock) and also like back by reeds pond in port washington....no particular order.....personally I like sandworms in spring....will usually get action before they start to hit tiny plugs or rubber baits....Long worms or two on hook a must....small hooks in the 1/0 to 3/0 tops and sharpen them to pin points or get gamakatsu hooks....I like siwash closed eye in the above mentioned sizes.....

I am sure I missed many spots along the way that I dont frequent like fort tilden / atlantic beach stip etc...but just follow there path coming down the hudson and east river.......

Good luck and dont forget .....bring in those reels to be conditioned or do it your self....worth every penny.............loosen the drags while in storage to avoid warping etc...

Fishon....
The Lenman

 

[gebby]

HAGAR THANKS FOR THE LOOK. SEE U IN MARCH
GEBBY