Dropping a Line

390

Record breaking striper, 74 pounds, caught off the Connecticut coast in 2012, proves March is good for striped bass fishing, and here’s a shot of me with my fish leading into March. Here on Beaver the weights are being run lighter with a lot of fish moving up off the flats, points and in the creek arms. Some fish are even being caught freelining with no weight.

Freelining is putting out different rods starting out with the longest, 150 ft., second 100 ft., then 50 ft. You can also add a little weight to the ones closest to the boat with heaviest being the closest. Throw a couple more off the side with heaviest weight, so stay close to the boat. Bait up with big shad or brood shiners and you’ve got a pretty good spread.

I like blowing up a ball and tie like normal but around the line with weights and freelining. With freelines being the furthest from the boat and about 20 ft. under the ball on. The balloon will slide down when it gets to the first eye of the rod. Or you can slide by hand to reset, estimating at two-foot pulls.

When first put out put bait in the water and count out line estimating between the reel and the first eye on the rod. Do this with the trolling motor slowly moving boat and always get the balloon wet before sliding.

To take balloon off, hold line tight and run up and down fast with slight pressure pulling in balloon. Fast, like giving someone a knuckle rub burn.

Here at the Island the walleye are the talk and being caught from here to Houseman Access. Most females still have eggs that haven’t fully developed, so the spawn should be around March 12, which is the next full moon and also the day we move our clocks forward.

If you go up river the water is low and you can’t get too far past Houseman, so be safe.

Johnson Guide Service, www.fishofexcellence.com (479) 253-2258.