Target the moon tides with live eels to catch a trophy striper.

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S T R I P E R S T R AT E G I E S
Nighttime
Eeling the Rips
Target the moon tides
with live eels to catch
a trophy striper.
by Captain Tom Mikoleski
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based in Montauk Point, New York. These
celebrated waters have long been a hotbed
for big bass activity, most notably the 76pound striped bass that was landed on July
17, 1981, by my good friend Captain Bob
Rocchetta.
Each season, a vast number of big bass
frolic in Montauk waters, and as a result,
these grounds produce thousands of trophysized bass for scores of happy anglers. The
reasons for this concentration of bruiser bass
are easy enough to understand: the bottom
here abounds with boulder fields and sandy
shoals, which in turn attract and hold a
variety of bait. Over these structures wash
the cool, swiftly moving waters that stripers
crave, and this combination of structure,
forage and current sets up ideal ambush
opportunities for striped bass.
Montauk is home to many famous spots
that produce huge bass on a consistent basis.
The list includes the Elbow, Porgy Hump,
Pollock Rip, North Rip and Great Eastern
Rip. What all of these spots have in common
is that they are pieces of structure that rise
off the bottom, offering excellent hunting
opportunities for feeding bass. Similar
structure can be found throughout the New
England portion of the striper coast, from
Long Island Sound to Nantucket Sound and
up the coast to Maine, so take a page from
this Montauk captain’s playbook to catch
trophy-sized bass on the structure in your
home waters.
In my opinion, the number-one way to
catch trophy stripers is to drift live eels over
structure at night. Some people may think
that anyone can catch a striped bass on a
live eel, and on some nights the bass will
indeed throw themselves at the bait. That
are much more selective in their attack. It s
true that everyone has the chance to catch
a truly large striped bass – there are times
when lady luck is on an angler’s side – but
if you wish to improve your odds beyond
luck, then read on.
Use The Proper Tools
You will go a long way toward catching a
big bass by using the proper tools. If you’re
after a trophy, don’t go out under-gunned;
stick with beefy rods rated in the 20- to
40- or even 50-pound class. Some over-thecounter rods make excellent cost-effective
tools, but in my opinion, if you’re willing to
spend the extra money, it is worth going with
a custom stick. I prefer one constructed from
a Lamiglas blank, model CGBT 841 M. This
blank is very light but has sufficient power
to turn a stubborn bass. Complete the combo
with a high-quality level-wind star-drag reel
such as a Shimano 600 Tekota. You’ll want
to have a reel with a smooth drag when a
cow bass starts ripping off yards of line.
Speaking of line, my choice is braided
line, and I like to top off the 50-pound-test
monofilament backing on my reel with 200
yards of 50-pound-test Stren Super Braid.
I like to use braided line because of its
no-stretch sensitivity and because its thin
profile allows anglers to get away with
much lighter sinker weights than when using monofilament. As a final point, its low
stretch is invaluable when it comes time to
set the hook into the jaw of a bass.
You should be aware of some of the
drawbacks of braided line, however. When
braided line gets nicked, the damage is extremely tough to spot, so you must diligently
check the business end of your line for any
BELOW: Circle hooks work well for drifting live eels and will usually find solid purchase in the
corner of a striper’s jaw.
S T R I P E R S T R AT E G I E S
A healthy bass in the
mid-20-pound range is
revived for release. You
can tell she is just about
ready to go by her erect
dorsal fin.
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S T R I P E R S T R AT E G I E S
Gerry Harrington with a 42-pound trophy of a bass. After this photo was taken the impressive
fish was released to rejoin many other quality bass that were encountered under a new moon.
abrasions. Another annoying trait is knot
slippage, but that can easily be mitigated
by using a palomar knot. If you are using
an improved clinch knot or a uni-knot,
just add eight to ten turns with your tag
end before cinching up.
Unfortunately, the lack of stretch that
is one of the strengths of braided line
also means that there is a chance the
bass will throw the hook if you allow it
any slack whatsoever during the fight.
Therefore it is crucial to keep the line
tight the entire time the bass is hooked. If
you have an inexperienced angler doing
the cranking, keep telling them to “reel,
reel, reel.” I can’t tell you how many
Use your fishfinder to locate sharp rises in the bottom and adjust your line to
keep your eel in the strike zone. Clearly visible on this screen are a couple of
big bass feeding just off the peak of a productive bottom hump.
times I’ve gotten a fish into the boat and
the hook simply fell out of its mouth
the instant slack was created in the line.
Remember that it is imperative to keep
the connection between you and the bass
as tight as possible, and this goes double
when your main line is braid.
Your reel drag should be set to onethird the breaking strength of your main
line, and then it should be left alone. By
setting the drag right, you are using your
tools properly, and this will help immeasurably when it’s time to turn a bass away
from line-eating bottom structure.
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lars are well known up and down the
striper coast: either a simple three-way
rig using a three-way swivel and a fixed
weight, or a fishfinder rig, which uses a
sliding sinker. For the business end of
the rig, you also have two options. Circle
hooks work great if you let the hook do
the work, allowing the bass to swim
away with the eel before simply tightening up to the fish without attempting a
hookset. I think these are a better choice
for inexperienced anglers who might be
a little slow on the trigger. My preferred
circle hooks are Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp
Billfish models in size 9/0. If you are an
angler who can’t help but set the hook
once you feel a strike, then you should
use J-hooks. My preference here is for
size 7/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hooks.
Both of these hook brands come out of
the package scintillatingly sharp, but be
sure to check them throughout the night
because contact with bottom structure
and the inside of a striper’s mouth will
eventually dull your hook point.
When it comes to hook attachment, I
don’t like to snell my hooks to the leader
S T R I P E R S T R AT E G I E S
knot. Usually my leader will consist of
5 to 7 feet of 50-pound-test fluorocarbon
leader. You can go heavier, but I find the
heavier fluorocarbon becomes difficult
to cinch up properly. Such a long leader
is necessary because a 50-pound bass
will be approximately 50 inches long,
and I’d rather not have my main line rubbing up against the armor-like scales of a
retreating striper. I will have a couple of
extra feet on the leader so there is line in
reserve to cut out, as I will re-tie the hook
whenever the leader gets nicked close to
the hook. Pay special attention to your
knots, and always moisten them before
tightening. If you have any doubt at all
about the integrity of a knot, by all means
cut it out and re-tie. You may be able to
get away with inferior knots when scup
fishing, but a big striper will make you
pay for it each and every time.
Bait Up
When it comes time to bait up, be
aware that getting your live eel on the
hook can be challenging if not done
correctly. The first thing you need is a
sharply against the transom a few times.
This is a crucial step that will slow your
eel down; if you skip it, there is a good
chance that your squirming eel will wind
itself up in your leader, creating a mess
known as an eel ball. If this happens, you
will have to cut the hook off and re-tie
– no fun when the bite is hot and your
buddy just landed a 40-pounder! Once
you have whacked the eel, pass the hook
point through the lower jaw and then out
one of the eye sockets.
Presentation Is Key
If big bass are your target, then you’ll
want to concentrate your efforts on night
tides. This is when the truly big girls
come out to play. If you want to increase
your chances even more, target the three
to four nights that surround the full and
new moons, when lunar forces cause the
currents to run a few clicks stronger. This
hunting advantage really encourages the
big bass to sling on the feedbag.
You’ll be targeting pieces of structure
that rise off the bottom, redirecting the
prevailing current, disorienting baitfish
fishing structure properly is to pull well
uptide of your intended target and then
drift over the structure, dangling your
eels right into the stripers’ dining room.
The best parts of the structure are areas
where bass can stage just out of the current flow to conserve their energy but
still easily pounce on any appetizing
morsel that passes by.
In order to place your baits in these
prime zones, you must use your electronics. A chartplotter will put you right
on the spot and allow you to track your
drift. When you hook up or get a bite,
save the spot on your machine and work
that spot hard before moving on. I also
always watch the fishfinder when I am
drifting; if the spot is barren of marks or
if I don’t get a strike or a hook-up in a
few drifts, then I’ll move on to another
spot. I may come back to that spot later
in the tide, but there’s no sense in beating a dead horse. Keep in mind that the
prime time to be drifting eels in any area
is always during the three to four hours
of peak current movement for that spot.
It will take you some time to understand
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June 2008 page 15
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S T R I P E R S T R AT E G I E S
d t g bette t e .5 ots, d ove a
po ta t s
to aste . you ca
cou d co e at a y o e t. e a e t stay s oot a d ca , ee g w e
on to another spot where the current is keep an eye on your fishfinder, you’ll and ready – no eating sandwiches, no ever the bass allows. When she runs,
stronger.
know when to turn the reel a few cranks sipping adult beverages, no stargazing! keep the rod tip high and let the bend
Always use heavy enough a sinker to to walk your eel over the structure and Stay focused on keeping your eel in the of the rod keep pressure on the fish. Be
keep the angle of your line as
prepared for another strong run
close to straight down as poswhen the bass gets close to the
If you want to score consistently with big bass,
sible. Get your rig to the bottom,
boat. If she is a really big fish,
then walking your eel up, over and back down any
and then immediately lock up
you can expect two or three of
the reel and take three cranks to
these boatside skirmishes. This
targeted structure is an important skill to master.
get your offering a few feet off
excitement is why we fish for
the bottom. Around Montauk,
striped bass, so just hang on
8 ounces of lead may be plenty at the when to let out line to keep your eel in strike zone and waiting for the strike.
and relish the moment. Once the battle
beginning of the tide. As the current the strike zone. If you can’t, free-spool
When the strike comes, it will feel is over, always net your bass headfirst
picks up, you’ll need to add weight, your rig to the bottom every 20 seconds like one or two sharp raps or tugs, and and then grab the loop of the net to lift
and when the tide begins to slack, you or so, and as mentioned previously, once at that instant it is imperative to drop your trophy into the boat.
should switch to a lighter sinker.
you touch the bottom, take three cranks your rod tip toward the water, allowing
Please remember that all the striped
If you want to score consistently with on your reel handle and bring your rod the bass to attempt an escape with your bass inhabiting our Striper Coast are a
eel in its mouth. No bow, no cow – it’s cherished resource, and it isn’t necesthat simple. Once your line comes tight, sary to keep your limit every time you
if you are using a J-hook, strike back as go out. I began this piece by saying I
If you’re after a trophy, then the time to
hard as you can. If you are using a circle am consumed with catching big striped
concentrate your efforts is on the three to
hook, just turn the reel handle at an even bass, but never did I say I enjoy killing
four nights that surround the full and new
pace. At this point your drag will be them. In fact, the only rush that is greater
moons, when lunar forces cause the tides
screaming and the battle will be on.
then landing one of these magnificent
and currents to run a few clicks stronger.
Remember to always keep the con- creatures is the one I feel when I release
Full Moon: June 18, July 18
nection between you and the bass as one to fight another day.
New Moon: June 3, July 3
Check Your Calendar!
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