2012 Big "D" spring fishing reports(post here)

[robmedina]

Originally Posted by mu fish

Monday report: went out for 3 hours thus morning looking for some slots fish. Threw buck tails and koppers live blueback herring. Didn't manage any slots but bunker chunked 3 bass 33"-35" and several cats. Pop got the biggest one this day 37" right around 30lbs. On salt herring again! 27 ft water was the depth today tried 15-23ft early but nothing. Trolled stretch 25's for 30minutes but nothing. Allfish caught in last 2 days have all spawned out an all have had beet up looking fish must been alot of ruff sex going on this past week lol

On another forum the guys are saying the stripers are done and heading back out to sea.....

[mu fish]

I've told y'all in this thread there r bass tht will only come in the river spawn and then leave right after spawn there r bass tht get in the river and winter here and stay til late spring then there r bass tht move up river to spawn find an abundant amount of food available and conferrable water temps and will remain in the river til either one or both of those elements become unfavorable. Competition is another factor with bass too much comp for food will push them back out also. Also all bass do not spawn at same time and sparkly occurs up to 65 degrees our river is running at a consistent 60 degree temp currently. Herring are all over the place shad r still up river there is no reason for me to believe this r begging to wind down.
But the captains fishing the bay are not reporting decent catches of bass which tells me one thing.... The bass are still up river and water temps dictate tht this should be the case any how. I still personally have not noticed a drop off in mature bass. Have noticed a drop in the number of slot fish but I am chalking this up to the numbers of bigger fish around still.
But to each his own if u ready to call it quits cause all the bass have left lol go right ahead less presure on the fish. But rest assured they r here and there r plenty bass still spawning.

[robmedina]

Originally Posted by mu fish

I've told y'all in this thread there r bass tht will only come in the river spawn and then leave right after spawn there r bass tht get in the river and winter here and stay til late spring then there r bass tht move up river to spawn find an abundant amount of food available and conferrable water temps and will remain in the river til either one or both of those elements become unfavorable. Competition is another factor with bass too much comp for food will push them back out also. Also all bass do not spawn at same time and sparkly occurs up to 65 degrees our river is running at a consistent 60 degree temp currently. Herring are all over the place shad r still up river there is no reason for me to believe this r begging to wind down.
But the captains fishing the bay are not reporting decent catches of bass which tells me one thing.... The bass are still up river and water temps dictate tht this should be the case any how. I still personally have not noticed a drop off in mature bass. Have noticed a drop in the number of slot fish but I am chalking this up to the numbers of bigger fish around still.
But to each his own if u ready to call it quits cause all the bass have left lol go right ahead less presure on the fish. But rest assured they r here and there r plenty bass still spawning.

I hear ya. Since this year is really the first year I am paying attention to Stripers I like to catalog (at least in my mind) what people are saying about the fish.
I mean, to me it really doesn't make sense because I do know Stripers will run and have been caught way up north on the delaware, so how could they come in poke around burlington and then leave.

Thanks for confirming my thoughts.
Am I done? Well that would be a no- but I may not have all my efforts isolated to the river- I am hitting the bays as well- mostly because I like ot fish with others and that is where the destination seems to be. The Big D, particularly Palmyra is 20 min from my house, so I will still hit that spot- if for nothing else the big cattys.

[mu fish]

Good stuff. Me I'm more inclined to fish close to home love the river but I love the surf and bays more but I only fish the big d in spring and I try focus all my attention there til it runs dry then I won't c her again til march next spring. Then all trips will be bay for some time then at night the beaches then come fall it's mostly beaches and ocean no bays. I been doing the same routine for years.

[SoleOfGold]

So I should size up my circles and make sure they're offset?
Any recommendations for rod and reel I was planning on upgrading to a Penn battle 7000 and a 10' st. croix.
Yea taking my kid out is always a great time he prefers catties because they're more abundant.
Btw I am land locked at the moment. Any recommendations on bait for surf fishing them?

[SoleOfGold]

Originally Posted by mu fish

Monday fishing report: got out late around 1:30 fished til 8pm. Had a blast in the ruff stuff and it actually wasn't to bad out. Within first hour had 4 fish between 29"-35" then had a lul of nothing bit cats for 2 hours some really nice ones too one was 37" prob 12-15 pounds. Once the tide began to ebb this got hot and hot fast. Had one fish on several times and other rods would start going off. Had several double headers only I'm fishing alone so I went 2 for 5 on double headers. Only moved 3 times and the third move actually was back to first spot. Finished the day with somewhere between 13-15 bass lost count. Not a bass under 28". All bass were hung in 27-35 ft water bunker chunks did well live chubs did the best and clams took cats while only giving up 2 bass. Salt herring caught 2 bass as well. Bunker chunks on high low rig cleaned up this day. And eel chunk caught one. Drifting eel after dark didn't produce this day. Also ha caught 2 eels tht were prob 8-10 pounds truly huge eels one screamed off the bait runner and took a bunker chunk. Then he got chunked lol. Marked alot of fish suspended if it wasnt so ruff I woulda trolled or threw lures at them. All in all great day still going strong.

Thats a massive eel. I wish I had a boat so I could hit all of the spots I see.

[Mhas13]

Hey mu where you getting your salt herring?

[mu fish]

All my bait and tackle in the spring comes from Brinkmans bait and tackle shop at linden and state road in nephilly. Best shop in the city! The penn battle is a good reel and rod u got is good too. I'd check out the forum on surf fishing on here but send me a pm and I'll give u some tips I have plenty old thread on here about surf fishing it is my first love my wife is second lol yes go up to the size I recommend for hooks.

[mu fish]

All my bait and tackle in the spring comes from Brinkmans bait and tackle shop at linden and state road in nephilly. Best shop in the city! The penn battle is a good reel and rod u got is good too. I'd check out the forum on surf fishing on here but send me a pm and I'll give u some tips I have plenty old thread on here about surf fishing it is my first love my wife is second lol yes go up to the size I recommend for hooks u will still be able to catch schools too.

[SoleOfGold]

Originally Posted by mu fish

All my bait and tackle in the spring comes from Brinkmans bait and tackle shop at linden and state road in nephilly. Best shop in the city! The penn battle is a good reel and rod u got is good too. I'd check out the forum on surf fishing on here but send me a pm and I'll give u some tips I have plenty old thread on here about surf fishing it is my first love my wife is second lol yes go up to the size I recommend for hooks u will still be able to catch schools too.

I go to brinkmans faithfully. They have the best prices and good service. Ill be sure to check out the forum.

[barrys]

Originally Posted by SoleOfGold

So I should size up my circles and make sure they're offset?
Any recommendations on bait for surf fishing them?

Why would you use offset hooks? The inline catch fish and not as many get hooked so deep you can't release them. As far as bait clams or bunker works.

[mu fish]

Originally Posted by barrys

Why would you use offset hooks? The inline catch fish and not as many get hooked so deep you can't release them. As far as bait clams or bunker works.

Offset is my preference they are still a circle hook and the off set have a better hookup ratio and the majority of my fish are hooked right in the corner of the mouth. With inline circles the hook winds up in various places. The offset for me is just more consistent. Big bass mouth clams before sucking them
Down and I don't use bait runner with clams most times I see the fish mouthin the clam and I play with her then set the hook. With inline circles if u set the hook u miss the fish thy r designed to set themselves as u reel in and this sometimes causes me to miss hook ups as the fish feels the bait being pulle out and spits before hook can grab. I jus have more leeway with being able to raise tht rod and setting tue hook faster with offsets. And again Thts jus me and my methods. As long as u r using circles on big D u r in compliance wit regs so to each his own.

[montauk]

mu fish i agree. I do not think its over. But i am fine with people calling it quits. As far as fisn movinb north i have not found em yet but it is still early. We do still have alot of shad, but i have not seen herring yet.

[SoleOfGold]

I have yet to master the hookset with a circle. Im a traditional J hook cat fisherman

[montauk]

aaaaggghhh when does it end with regulations? Circle hooks, no herring, only two nooks allosec wnen jigging for herrin. Every time you turn around it is somthing new. Can you use a j hook when pursuing cats? Also lets jump to waterfowl, has anyone else stooped pursuing waterfowl because of the crippling of birds due to how light steel shot is. All iam saying is you have to read regulations before you go out evertime or you may not be in compliance. Why is it i nave to throw back a 17" fluke but i can buy a 14" fluke at giant?