Let the sorting, selecting and slotting begin!
No angler can predict what will be the most abundant baitfish during the fall run, but it is to every angler’s advantage to know what the most common baitfish are during that time. For example, adult and juvenile bunker dominated our waters over the past few seasons, whereas in other years sand eels were the primary bait along Long Island’s shores.
When these species inhabit our inshore waters striped bass can be very selective in what they eat. That means that anglers who prefer using artificials will need to choose their lures wisely in order to be successful during selective feeding times over the next couple of months.
1) Metal-Lip Swimmers
You’ve heard it a million times, “big plugs mean big fish.” It is proven every fall by striper fanatics all along the Striper Coast. Some of the bigger woods are generally unfamiliar to some of the current breed of surfcaster that prefers to throw small size plastic minnow swimming plugs. Don’t get me wrong, these small plastic minnow swimmers still have a valued place in the arsenal, but when big baits like bunker and sea herring are along the beach, a larger profile plug might just be what you need to score with that trophy-sized striper you’ve been looking for.
Bigger 3- to 4-ounce metal-lip swimmers are one of the deadliest offerings you can throw in the surf. They can be used at the mouth of inlets, in strong currents and during coastal storms in rough seas. Using large metal-lip swimmers directly off the surf can be very rewarding, which is why there is never a fishing trip without a few of these in my plug bag. Large striped bass are known to chase large bunkers right on the dry beach; Also, look for holes or deep pockets near sandbars, areas that attract large baitfish which in turn appeals to resident and migratory stripers on the feed; cast these swimming plugs on top of the sandbars and work them through the deep pockets.
My favorite metal-lip swimmers are those of custom plug makers. Lefty Car introduced the totally sealed metal-lipped swimmer around 1996. Today there are many top custom plug builders who make metal-lip swimmers, including Sunset Lures, Lights Out, Z. Shore, Salty C, Big Rock, and Salty Degenerate Custom Plugs, just to name a few.
Hopefully large bunker will be plentiful again this fall with large stripers right on their tails. Sharpen the hooks on those big wooden swimmers, make a few casts and maybe that elusive 50-pounder will be waiting for you.
2) Pencils & Polaris Poppers
The action of a pencil popper is excellent for bringing trophy-sized striped bass to the surface. The top of your rod should be shaken vigorously enough on the retrieve to produce a side-to-side dancing action of that pencil popper plug while reeling in slowly. Deep fish will come to the surface and attack the pencil with a tremendous strike. Pencil poppers work well in rough surf and when stronger onshore head winds are in your face. Some solid options in the world of pencil popper selections include those made by Lights Out Lures, Outcast Lures, 247 Lures, Salty C, Tsunami and Stan Gibbs.
The Gibbs “polaris” style poppers are long distance lure selections for striped bass and bluefish alike. I like the 2-1/4-ounce white finish. Super Strike Lures make a Little Neck polaris popper that’s wire-through for maximum strength and will hold up to heavy abuse. They cast great, and are consistently one of the most popular choices for a surfcaster. Make them part of your fall arsenal!
3) Walk-The-Dog Spooks
A number of seasons ago I was fishing with a pencil popper and a young angler about 30 yards away on sandbar was catching stripers on nearly every cast. I was amazed at his success and wanted to find out what he was using; it turns out he out he was throwing an offering made by Drift Tackle called the Muskie Mania “Doc” spook. This plug has a classic walk-the-dog topwater action, and has exceptional triggering capabilities resulting from its mesmerizing side-to-side action. The Muskie Mania Doc in the 7- and 9-inch sizes has become one of the hottest plugs along the Striper Coast.
The best way to fish any spook style lure is by using the walk-the-dog technique; when you twitch the rod tip you will make the lure zigzag on the surface which is mostly irresistible to all gamefish. Another top quality spook style plug is the Hogy Charter Grade Dog Walker in 6-inch, 1-3/4-ounce size. The lure has been carefully tuned for easy walk-the-dog action.
The advantage of fishing any style spook is that you can cover more ground which in turn can attract more fish. The best way to fish a walk-the-dog style plug is by angling your rod tip between 25- and 45-degree angles. I like a medium to fast retrieve, using intermittent rod jerks to make the lure get that side-to-side action.
4) Swim Shads & Bucktails
One of my favorite swim shads is the Tsunami swim shad. They are available in a variety of models that all boast consistent swimming action. Last season the Tsunami “heavy deep diving swim shads” were a must! Thes shads are best use in deeper water and strong currents. They have a large paddletail that gives off a strong vibration. Equipped with heavy-duty Mustad hooks they’ll hold up against large stripers.
Other solid soft shad selections include the Hogy Slowtail Swimbait series. Last fall I had tremendous success with the 6-inch Protail Thumper series swim bait with the Ultra Barbarian jighead, finding it to be a perfectly balanced selection.
Another one of the hottest swim baits of the ’23 fall run was No Live Bait Needed (NLBN) in the 5-inch paddletail swimbait size. This particular swim shad has a paddletail that’s thicker in profile size than most, and is designed to work with NLBN’s own screw-lock jigheads.
5) Sand Eel Imitations
Some seasons sand eels have become the primary bait along Long Island shorelines from end to end. Sand lances (ammondytes americanus) are most commonly referred to as sand eels and they are a primary food source for most of our popular target species including striped bass, bluefish and weakfish (not to mention fluke and tuna!) When this bait species inhabits our inshore waters striped bass in particular will get very selective in terms of what they eat. Anglers who are intent on throwing artificials will need to choose their lures wisely in order to find success during this selective feeding time.
Sand eels have a slender body profile and usually average from 4 to 6 inches in length, although adult sand eels can be as large as 7 to 10 inches. Sand eels have an olive and blueish-green color on the back, with bright silver sides. At times thy may also have a reddish or purple tint.
There may be times and situations this fall when schools of sand eels will be well-defined. Then again, there are also times when they’re loosely strung out along a sandbar. During the fall striped bass will be rooting around the bottom and gorging themselves on this primary food stuff. My all-time favorite lure when sand eels are the dominant bait is the needlefish. This artificial lure has been widely adopted by surfcasters throughout the state in other areas as well.
The lure has real action on its own. It is very important to fish these lures with a slow retrieve. I like to give the rod random twitches, which makes the needlefish dart from side-to-side and thus makes it look a sand eel in distress. One of the most popular needlefish is by Super Strike, my favorite being the 1-1/2-ounce size. Other choices are the Gibbs Needlefish, Lights Out needlefish, 247 Lures, and Tsunami’s Timber Lure Needlefish. These plugs are so productive during some fall runs that my plug bag would be stuffed with more than a dozen different colors, sizes and weights. Needlefish can be a “magic lure” when sand eels are the predominant bait, and they will often outperform everything else in your plug bag.
That said, other “must have” sand eel imitations include the Tsunami Holographic Sand Eel, a great soft plastic that replicates sand eels of all sizes. These sand eel imitations from Tsunami come in 6, 7, 8 and 9-inch variants, and are great when matching the hatch.
Migrating peanut and adult bunker have cruised in along the coast in vast schools, and hopefully they’ll be plentiful again this fall with huge striped bass hot on their tails.
Sharpen the hooks on your plugs and lures, make a few casts, and maybe that 50-pounder will be waiting for you this fall!
