Use a buck tail jig or natural bait and drag it along the bottom. Drag the lure so that it bounces, stirring up small clouds of sand or mud.
How do you bounce the bottom?
The key to bottom bouncing is having the bouncer riding along anywhere from a few inches to a foot or so above the bottom, letting it touch down only after you pull your rod forward and then it drift back.
What depth do you fish striped bass?
Tube and worm trolling works best in water 3 to 7 feet (0.9 to 2.1 m) in depth, though it’s possible to fish as deep as 20 feet (6.1 m). Let the line out slowly, keeping it taut, until you feel the rig bouncing off the bottom. Reel the line in one or two turns, to keep the rig just above the bottom.
Can you bottom fish for striped bass?
The fish finder rig kicks up the bait along the bottom, calling in fish with smelly thumps against the sand. To target smaller or finicky stripers with smaller bait, use a bottom rig. Bottoms rigs setup with smaller circle hooks between 2 to 1/0 is best for crabs, sand fleas, bloodworms, squid, or smaller clams.
Can you use bottom bouncer from shore?
You can also use a bottom bouncer from shore. Either way, as you drag, the bait or lure will bounce, raising puffs of sand or mud. It is also helpful to know how to make a bottom bouncer rig to keep your bait in the right position.
Can you drift a bottom bouncer?
In most instances, 1 ½- to 2-ounce bouncers do the trick for shallow to moderate depth walleye presentations, drifting or trolling from ½ to 1 ½ mph. You can run a shallow-diving minnowbait behind bouncers at slightly faster speeds; just be aware that diving lures may be scratching bottom.
How fast do you troll bottom bouncers?
A good trolling speed for bottom bouncer fishing ranges from 1.0 MPH to about 1.5 MPH. Speeds this slow are going to require a small gasoline kicker motor or an electric trolling motor.
What should I use to troll for striped bass?
While stripers will be hugging the bottom most often, at times, a bait swimming through the middle of the water column will get more bites. Different plugs will have different actions, so carry an array of deep divers including the Rapala X-Rap Magnum, Sebile Koolie Minnow, Mann’s Stretch, and Bomber CD.
What is the best lure for striped bass?
The 9 Best Striper Lures of 2022
- Best Soft Plastic Lure: Storm Wildeye Swim Shad at Amazon.
- Best Swimbait: Sebile Magic Swimmer at Amazon.
- Best Bucktail Jig: SPRO Bucktail Jig at Amazon.
- Best Spoon: Bass Pro Shops XPS Jigging Spoon at basspro.com.
- Best Crankbait: Bomber Saltwater Grade Magnum Long A at Amazon.
What is the best bait for striped bass?
Best Bait for Striped Bass
- Bunker (Menhaden) Bunker is hands-down the best bait for Striped Bass (we’ll lump in alewife here in freshwater, as you can use them in similar ways).
- Eels. Eels aren’t the surefire Striper magnets that bunkers are, but they’re not far off.
- Worms.
- Clams.
- Mackerel.
- Lures.
Are striped bass bottom feeders?
Striped bass are no exception to bass bottom-feeding behaviors, favoring insects, worms, and crustaceans. Like white bass, mostly juvenile striped bass are typically found closer to the bottom, but all will opportunistically and seasonally (in the winter) feed the bottom.
Can you catch striped bass during the day?
Anyone can catch stripers consistently during the day if they have a plan, know what to use, pay attention to conditions and have a little luck. The first thing a surf fisherman looking for striped bass during daylight hours should do is divide the season into thirds; spring, summer and fall.
Can you use bottom bouncers with crankbaits?
Bottom Bouncer with Crankbaits – Another method for fishing bottom bouncers is to use a long leader and a crankbait behind it. I LOVE to use this presentation when fishing breaks or ledges, where my depth changes a lot. The key is to use a floating crankbait, like the Rapala Original Floater #13 or the Smithwick Rogue.
How deep do bottom bouncers go?
The basic rule: one ounce of weight for every 10 feet of depth. A 2-ounce bottom-bouncer is pretty versatile, but a 3-ouncer may be necessary to get your spinner down to the bottom when fishing around 30-feet deep. You want to keep your line at about a 45-degree angle for the best action and feel of your presentation.
Can you use planer boards with bottom bouncers?
With heavy bottom bouncers I have found that Church Tackle Walleye Boards perform very well. Some planer boards will simply not pull those heavy weights very far out to the sides of the boat the way Walleye Boards will.
How deep do you troll for striped bass?
Light: Also sunrise and sunset hours are ideal for stripers. Also, as importantly, boat traffic is at a minimum during these times. Depth: Your focus is on bottom dwelling fish. Have gear for the depths you’ll be fishing, say 10′ to 50′.
Can you troll for striped bass?
Trolling remains one of the most productive ways to catch big striped bass for beginner and veteran fishermen alike. There are many different lures and baits that can be successfully trolled for big stripers.
Contents