[b_eazy83]

I have never had much luck with artificial anything in the past but I keep hearing good things about gotcha plugs and stingsilvers. What colors, sizes, etc.... would you suggest to try at the pier? Would you suggest trying any other type of lure/bait?

I'm thinking I may not be using them correctly so any advice on how to fish them would be helpful also.

Been trying to :fishing: something other than spot and croaker

 

[Sully]

Gotcha & Gator

I surf fish usually twice a week and pier on occassions. Gotach's for spanish and blues also gators. 5/8 ounce on both, gotcha's in red/ silver or red / white , jigging bottom or on top with fast reteieve. sometimes a flattie will hit them. Also like a hammered 1 oz hopkins. I use a 6 oz when the choppers are around, never without a 6 inch 30 # steel leader any time, or you will be spending a lot of money on gone by lures.

 

[DavB]

LOVE gotcha...

... but rarely have great luck with them in the Bay and VA Beach. Maybe I get spoiled with the clearer water often found at the OBX.

Best Bay action is from the piers with blues around.

Get a few different ones since there is ofter a color of choice for the day, fish, and water conditions.

I don't use the steel leaders, but do use a blood knot with 20 pound leader in the clearer water I like to fish. I think it is called a surgeon's blood knot, pretty easy to tie, it is just a double overhand knot.

 

[b_eazy83]

I'll try that

What do u think is better as far as attaching them? Snap swivels or just tie on?

 

[DavB]

Tie on. Especially in the clear water, the less hardware the better.

Try them at night in the lights of the piers. Should be smallish blues around for the next couple of months...

On the wire, no-wire thing, You'll loose fewer lures with the wire. But IMHO, the wire can spook the fish too...

I do loose my fair share of gotchas...

 

[Justfshn]

I have yet to catch a saltwater fish on a fake lure and i have quite a few different ones in the box. It sucks, i hate having to lug aroung stinky bait.

 

[vbfdsooty]

Sarge, I feel your pain and up until this year, I had not caught a saltwater fish on an artificial (after 30+ years fishing). I am now a believer in Gulps and Gotcha's. I have caught Blues, Trout, Flounder, and Pup's so far this year on various baits. Even my 9 year old son is in on the action. We still bottom fish, but the fun has been with the plastics etc. Keep on trying...It does work.

 

[DavB]

All right Sarge... Go to OVP as soon as the heat breaks (now?) and fish at night in the lights for the baby trout with plastic jigs, and you can fish a gotcha when the little blues are there. You'll see them breaking around 10-pm or so...

By the way, the little blues are good eating...

Anyway, you WILL develope confidence in fake baits if you do this a few nights. The you can fish for the Stripers there later in the season.

See ya there in 6 weeks... Search the last several year's posts for more. Not big fish, but lots of them. Great action.