I've been working the back bays of ventnor using a tube and worm troll. While i have been killing the bluefish, I havent been able to catch one bass. Are they even in the backbays right now? Or are they out to sea? Am i using the wrong lure? I know everyone has been using bunker chunks but i almost can't fish like that if i can catch blues on the tube and worm. Hell maybe im a born bluefisherman. I donno what im doing wrong. help
I can't catch a bass!!
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I think the water temps out back are too warm.. try out front!!
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Cluch- I feel you should definitely hook up trolling like that. Are you there first thing in the morning- like pre dawn?
Are you trolling very, very slowly with your baits on the bottom? Maybe your lure is too light and with a fast troll it will be on the surface. I would swith to a white bucktail with a purple worm and bump troll as early in the a.m. as possible. Pick a spot that has little boat traffic and certainly no wave runners. You should hook into a bass or maybe even a weakfish soon enough.
Are you trolling very, very slowly with your baits on the bottom? Maybe your lure is too light and with a fast troll it will be on the surface. I would swith to a white bucktail with a purple worm and bump troll as early in the a.m. as possible. Pick a spot that has little boat traffic and certainly no wave runners. You should hook into a bass or maybe even a weakfish soon enough.
The back bays are loaded with bass...we've been
getting them behind O.C. for the last week. The
water temps are actually perfect for them. If
you check the current ocean temps you'll see the
water really hasn't warmed up that much...57.9
degrees in the A.C. surf right now! I was out a
couple nights ago and had readings in the upper
50's pretty far in back. I would suggest trying
at night during the outgoing tide. Find some
banks with a decent drop-off around feeder creeks.
Throw a 4" black bomber and bring it in along the
bank with a slowww, steady retrieve. I reel it
so slow that it doesn't break the surface and
leaves a wake. The bass can't stand it...
getting them behind O.C. for the last week. The
water temps are actually perfect for them. If
you check the current ocean temps you'll see the
water really hasn't warmed up that much...57.9
degrees in the A.C. surf right now! I was out a
couple nights ago and had readings in the upper
50's pretty far in back. I would suggest trying
at night during the outgoing tide. Find some
banks with a decent drop-off around feeder creeks.
Throw a 4" black bomber and bring it in along the
bank with a slowww, steady retrieve. I reel it
so slow that it doesn't break the surface and
leaves a wake. The bass can't stand it...
ok i guess i need to be hitting a predawn outing. I go out during the middle of the day or at sunset. The problem with bottom trolling is that the lure gets all fouled up pretty quickly. I'm still a bit spooked to go out at night, but i guess ill have to try it out.
I was nervous my first couple of night outings.
Like anything else, you'll adjust. Make sure you
have a flood light to spot the markers. I never
go out in the boat at night alone...other than
that it is the best time to fish. Night fishing
has almost become a therapy. It's calm and quiet,
plus the bass become more active under the cover
of darkness. Good luck!
Like anything else, you'll adjust. Make sure you
have a flood light to spot the markers. I never
go out in the boat at night alone...other than
that it is the best time to fish. Night fishing
has almost become a therapy. It's calm and quiet,
plus the bass become more active under the cover
of darkness. Good luck!
I agree out front is probably better but a long shot. Water temp behind Wildwood today was 70.6 at 2:30 p.m. Switch to flounder fishing or head offshore if you can and try for the smaller bluefins. Wait till fall for the striped ones or you are going to drive yourself crazy.
One more final thought, a few guys I know catch them at their marina in Sea Isle while cleaning their catch at the cleaning station. They just tie a bare hook directly to the line with a strip of squid and drift it out naturally. I have seen some nice ones caught this way. Try around pilings in marinas there are always resident fish around.
I do feel your pain brother!
One more final thought, a few guys I know catch them at their marina in Sea Isle while cleaning their catch at the cleaning station. They just tie a bare hook directly to the line with a strip of squid and drift it out naturally. I have seen some nice ones caught this way. Try around pilings in marinas there are always resident fish around.
I do feel your pain brother!
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A solid, resident population of bass will spend their summers 'round back, although finding large fish will get tougher as the water warms. This time of year through September, it's all about the darkness!!!
Before sunset try some floating poppers around the sod, pink zooms, yellow redfins. For goodness sake, get away from the boat traffic.
After sunset? One word:
EEEEEEeeeeeellllllsssss!
Seriously, try these suggestions. I catch bass all summer. They will be small but it beats catching snappers.
[ 06-14-2005, 10:12 PM: Message edited by: egghead ]
After sunset? One word:
EEEEEEeeeeeellllllsssss!
Seriously, try these suggestions. I catch bass all summer. They will be small but it beats catching snappers.
[ 06-14-2005, 10:12 PM: Message edited by: egghead ]
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483 Posts
I would invest in a mirror lure black in color or a bomber and then i would slowly drift through the channels hitting the mouths of the feeder creeks in the back at night for this technique alone should and will produce you bass of fine size and quality. Try in an out going tide or even at near low tide and your success should be greater.Aeound bridges and lighted structures would be a good way also to find the striped ones! Although the trolling thing is more about depthe and speed control of your boat. The jigging and reeling is about the casting and retrieveing speed. Its all good. Good luck clutch!
[ 06-14-2005, 10:28 PM: Message edited by: HarborNights ]
[ 06-14-2005, 10:28 PM: Message edited by: HarborNights ]
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10,022 Posts
1st of all I say you have to fish fo 40 hours before you can start moaning that you haven't caught a bass. And there are atleast 10 different methods of catching bass and Clutch you need to know When, Where, and How (and be lucky) to employ any of those methods successfully. And what works one weekend may bot work again until next year, so just mastering one way in one place can result in alot of wasted effort(if you don't adapt)
Most bass fisherman have spent hundreds of hours fiquring some of these out, and would rather tell you where their ATM card is and what the PIN is before telling you their when, wheres, and hows.
The good news is that they aren't lying to you when they give you a tip, they just are not giving all 3 pieces of the puzzle. SO you need to figure out what's missing.
SO you are doing the right thing ASKING! Ask at your local tackle shops (when where, and how). Ask on the barn. Ask on the radio. FOLLOW the boats you know catch fish. Get on someone elses boat and sponge off of them.
As for trolling in Ventnor I'm clueless as to where. How?... One can troll eels, black tubes, Mann Strectch lures, bucktails, live bait, spoons, bunker spoons, umbrella rigs, parachute jigs, etc. and have a chance.
Most bass fisherman have spent hundreds of hours fiquring some of these out, and would rather tell you where their ATM card is and what the PIN is before telling you their when, wheres, and hows.
The good news is that they aren't lying to you when they give you a tip, they just are not giving all 3 pieces of the puzzle. SO you need to figure out what's missing.
SO you are doing the right thing ASKING! Ask at your local tackle shops (when where, and how). Ask on the barn. Ask on the radio. FOLLOW the boats you know catch fish. Get on someone elses boat and sponge off of them.
As for trolling in Ventnor I'm clueless as to where. How?... One can troll eels, black tubes, Mann Strectch lures, bucktails, live bait, spoons, bunker spoons, umbrella rigs, parachute jigs, etc. and have a chance.
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