After reading a couple of posts and talking to Geoff from the OCEAN EAGLE, i think this is one topic that should be reviewed. Deepwater blackfishing is very frustrating when the fish are not biting right. These are some things YOU SHOULD DO.
First you have to understand that the winter blackfish bite is much different then the fall bite. Many days you do not get that pounding on your rod tip when a tog bites, but a more subtle rap on your line. The key is:
"TO KNOW WHAT BITE TO SWING AT"
One poster on this board noted, 'that i felt bergall bites'. Ok, that sounds resonable......right? WRONG! When you see a slow pick, and tough bite at 17 fathoms, New Grounds or BA BUOY area, right away you have to be aware that the blackfish are feeding differently. Those pecks you feel, then the cleaned hook or hooks you constantly bring up, are blackfish bites. The fish out on these deepwater areas are not bunched up, and are not as aggressive as they were on the inshore grounds or on wrecks. On many days, these fish will just push the bait, and peck away at it. Unlike a wreck where their is more competition, the open bottom grounds mentioned above, the fish are spread out and are actually swimming around large areas of the busted up bottom. That is why you see many times, a number of fish caught at one time, then a pick here and there, then another bunch of fish caught, and again, a slow pick a little while later. This is small bodies of blackfish moving around these areas, getting the scent of some crabs and following the scent to the piece of bottom you are over.
So what should you do?
Their are a few things.
The key here is:
'FISH WITH A BELLY IN YOUR LINE, AND WATCH THE LINE JUMP'.
This is the most important thing to watch. All of us have read in many fishing rags, and reputable magazines to fish with a tight line for blackish, aka the 'VIOLIN STRING'. That taut line only does TWO things....it makes you jump when you get a slight peck after standing at the rail like a statue for a few minutes, and gives feedback to a fish when he grabs your crab, resulting in the fish dropping the bait. So you swing and miss, and lose your bait on the hook. And with spectra lines now being used, you are basically fishing with a very tight line. I know this goes against all you might have learned, but when the fish are just pecking, and bites are few and far between, fish with belly in your line. This is one reason why you now see some pin hookers and sharpies bringing out blackfish outfits with mono line.....mono line, due to its diameter, will give you a belly in your line when you start fishing the deeper water.
Another thing to do, is to change your sinkers, either heavier or lighter. This is another area where you always hear, 'fish with the heaviest sinker possible'. Well over the last few seasons, we have learned that a lighter then normal sinker sometimes gets a fish to bite hook. Lighter sinkers will allow your crab to tumble along the bottom, and stop when it goes up against a object on the bottom. This is tough to get used to, but i have seen it work, and is something to consider. Along with the lighter sinker, i fish a rig with a slightly longer leader. You want that fish to feel as little resistance as possible when it picks up your bait.
As far as what size bait to use, either whole, cut, or trimmed bait, this is one area where you have to experiment, but we have seen that this is the most consistent way you should put the bait on your hook. When you have the fish pecking at your bait, it is very frustrating, just waiting, for the right hit....it NEVER COMES, especially when you are fishing with a trimmed bait. Peck-Peck-Peck, then nothing. Your best bet, is to use a whole mid size crab, and crack the top shell and thats it. You want the fish to take the bait with a solid hit, not a peck type of bite. Many times, you will stand there, have the crab get washed out, and have to rebait again. Fine, because when you do get a hit, it will be from a aggressive fish, and the bite will be good one! What you want to do when you get that hit, IS TO REEL DOWN REMOVING THE SLACK IN YOUR LINE, THEN STICK. Sticking without removing the slack will many times lead to missed bites. And, if you do miss a bite with a whole crab, leave it down, do not reel it up. Sometimes, the fish will come back, or another fish will come over and pick the bait up. I cannot remember how many times i have missed a 'big' bite on these types of days, then get another lighter hit, and reel up a small fish, all because i did not remove the belly in my line!
So lets connect the dots with all this info.
1)Fish with slack in the line which gives you a belly.
2)Adjust sinker weight either heavier or lighter (most cases) then what you expect.
3)Use a whole crab and just wait out the big fish bites.
4)When setting the hook, take in slack before sticking.
Finally, i know these are things that go against all conventional wisdom when blackfishing. But i am being very specific here. This is WHAT WE DO WHEN FISHING THE DEEP when we have those days when fish are just picking at the bait. This is why i laugh when i read fishermen looking forward to fishing 17 fathoms and other deep water spots. I have always found the fishing is not as consistent as the inshore fishing, you have to contend with things such as 'cross currents', sluggish fish, and of course cold weather. But knowing the above techniques will definitly put some more fish in your pail. Me, my blackfishing is over for year....give me the springtime shallow water fishing anytime!
EC NEWELL MAN*
First you have to understand that the winter blackfish bite is much different then the fall bite. Many days you do not get that pounding on your rod tip when a tog bites, but a more subtle rap on your line. The key is:
"TO KNOW WHAT BITE TO SWING AT"
One poster on this board noted, 'that i felt bergall bites'. Ok, that sounds resonable......right? WRONG! When you see a slow pick, and tough bite at 17 fathoms, New Grounds or BA BUOY area, right away you have to be aware that the blackfish are feeding differently. Those pecks you feel, then the cleaned hook or hooks you constantly bring up, are blackfish bites. The fish out on these deepwater areas are not bunched up, and are not as aggressive as they were on the inshore grounds or on wrecks. On many days, these fish will just push the bait, and peck away at it. Unlike a wreck where their is more competition, the open bottom grounds mentioned above, the fish are spread out and are actually swimming around large areas of the busted up bottom. That is why you see many times, a number of fish caught at one time, then a pick here and there, then another bunch of fish caught, and again, a slow pick a little while later. This is small bodies of blackfish moving around these areas, getting the scent of some crabs and following the scent to the piece of bottom you are over.
So what should you do?
Their are a few things.
The key here is:
'FISH WITH A BELLY IN YOUR LINE, AND WATCH THE LINE JUMP'.
This is the most important thing to watch. All of us have read in many fishing rags, and reputable magazines to fish with a tight line for blackish, aka the 'VIOLIN STRING'. That taut line only does TWO things....it makes you jump when you get a slight peck after standing at the rail like a statue for a few minutes, and gives feedback to a fish when he grabs your crab, resulting in the fish dropping the bait. So you swing and miss, and lose your bait on the hook. And with spectra lines now being used, you are basically fishing with a very tight line. I know this goes against all you might have learned, but when the fish are just pecking, and bites are few and far between, fish with belly in your line. This is one reason why you now see some pin hookers and sharpies bringing out blackfish outfits with mono line.....mono line, due to its diameter, will give you a belly in your line when you start fishing the deeper water.
Another thing to do, is to change your sinkers, either heavier or lighter. This is another area where you always hear, 'fish with the heaviest sinker possible'. Well over the last few seasons, we have learned that a lighter then normal sinker sometimes gets a fish to bite hook. Lighter sinkers will allow your crab to tumble along the bottom, and stop when it goes up against a object on the bottom. This is tough to get used to, but i have seen it work, and is something to consider. Along with the lighter sinker, i fish a rig with a slightly longer leader. You want that fish to feel as little resistance as possible when it picks up your bait.
As far as what size bait to use, either whole, cut, or trimmed bait, this is one area where you have to experiment, but we have seen that this is the most consistent way you should put the bait on your hook. When you have the fish pecking at your bait, it is very frustrating, just waiting, for the right hit....it NEVER COMES, especially when you are fishing with a trimmed bait. Peck-Peck-Peck, then nothing. Your best bet, is to use a whole mid size crab, and crack the top shell and thats it. You want the fish to take the bait with a solid hit, not a peck type of bite. Many times, you will stand there, have the crab get washed out, and have to rebait again. Fine, because when you do get a hit, it will be from a aggressive fish, and the bite will be good one! What you want to do when you get that hit, IS TO REEL DOWN REMOVING THE SLACK IN YOUR LINE, THEN STICK. Sticking without removing the slack will many times lead to missed bites. And, if you do miss a bite with a whole crab, leave it down, do not reel it up. Sometimes, the fish will come back, or another fish will come over and pick the bait up. I cannot remember how many times i have missed a 'big' bite on these types of days, then get another lighter hit, and reel up a small fish, all because i did not remove the belly in my line!
So lets connect the dots with all this info.
1)Fish with slack in the line which gives you a belly.
2)Adjust sinker weight either heavier or lighter (most cases) then what you expect.
3)Use a whole crab and just wait out the big fish bites.
4)When setting the hook, take in slack before sticking.
Finally, i know these are things that go against all conventional wisdom when blackfishing. But i am being very specific here. This is WHAT WE DO WHEN FISHING THE DEEP when we have those days when fish are just picking at the bait. This is why i laugh when i read fishermen looking forward to fishing 17 fathoms and other deep water spots. I have always found the fishing is not as consistent as the inshore fishing, you have to contend with things such as 'cross currents', sluggish fish, and of course cold weather. But knowing the above techniques will definitly put some more fish in your pail. Me, my blackfishing is over for year....give me the springtime shallow water fishing anytime!
EC NEWELL MAN*
