Vacation

[Jschumacher]

Thunder is slowing me down...fish are around but I am forced to sit and wait a decent storm out...

Good luck Jon. Let me know how you make out.

[lowaccord66]

I went, I caught, I would have caught more but the d**n lightning...some big fish around for sure!

[thetroutwhisperer]

Nice fish low.

[TT]

You can do better than that Jon.

[lowaccord66]

It was small 30" or so but after hearing of all the skunkings I had to go prove to myself the canal wasn't broken.  It's not broken, same old canal.  I do love any striper that hits the 9" shad so I snapped a quick pic.

Oh guys pay attention to your gear, about 130am ish despite rain and thunder a young man cased my stuff, thankfully I had seen his light from far off so I was on top of the path when he got to my bike, but it was clear what he was after when he walked only a few hundred feet past and turned around....carry your stuff down with you...

TT can and will do better, thunder screwed up the best part of the tide...going for the entire weekend, just need to get the work week over with!

[westernmas]

Nice work.  It sounds like there is a lot more bait in the canal compared to mid to late June.

[lowaccord66]

Nice work.  It sounds like there is a lot more bait in the canal compared to mid to late June.

There is always bait in the canal.  99% of the bass I keep this time of year dont have macks, herring or other finfish in their bellies, mostly crabs and lobsters. (both of which are always in the canal)

[westernmas]

There is always bait in the canal.  99% of the bass I keep this time of year dont have macks, herring or other finfish in their bellies, mostly crabs and lobsters. (both of which are always in the canal)

Agreed, but are you using lures that imitate crabs/lobsters?  I'd think using lures that look and move consistently with the type of bait that is most prevalent in the canal at that point in time would be best.  So if you are using bait fish imitations and there are more bait fish in the canal then the success rates should increase.  I'm not as seasoned as you but my understanding is that macks/herring or other bait fish do help draw more fish into the canal as well.

[lowaccord66]

Agreed, but are you using lures that imitate crabs/lobsters?  I'd think using lures that look and move consistently with the type of bait that is most prevalent in the canal at that point in time would be best.  So if you are using bait fish imitations and there are more bait fish in the canal then the success rates should increase.  I'm not as seasoned as you but my understanding is that macks/herring or other bait fish do help draw more fish into the canal as well.

Sometimes I am, most times it doesn't matter, the point I am making to you, patiently, is that you just have to go fish the place.  Reports of this bait that bait bla bla bla are not relevant by the time you get there.  I am alluding to a pattern that is ignored.  A big striper, regardless of its options is an opportunistic feeder, so as long as you can get in the strike zone you have shot.  (I am strictly taking about jigging at night all bets are off in the am where as it was seen yesterday matching the hatch was important) 

[Jschumacher]

Nice fish Jon. You did better than most last week. I'll get back down before the end of the month. Time put in always pays off. Bike is always ready to go.

[lowaccord66]

Nice fish Jon. You did better than most last week. I'll get back down before the end of the month. Time put in always pays off. Bike is always ready to go.

Lots of macks in the am, not sure what they were chewing at night but they were in the normal summer spot...chewing...forgot how much I love it down there.  Fish with great guys...always an adventure.