Rocky Point Needle - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Tagger · 08-26-2006, 01:58 PM

My 52 years of needle experiece yeilds this very slow sink needle . This needle is very retrieve sensitive . On a faster than slow retrieve it will surface making a wake. I vary retrieve and even pause, letting it slowly go down sometimes just touching the bottom .. The trick is weighting it so it sinks slightly nose up like 10 degrees.. I'll loose this tonight probably .. They hate it .. This is the good side .. eye is broken on the other ..

numbskull · 08-26-2006, 02:35 PM

A trusted warrior, going to a noble death. Hope I find it!
On a more serious note, does it swim or is that unneccessary? The shorties I built don't swim, at least as well as the longer needles I own. The one that is most balanced (i.e., the least tail heavy) will zig zag and glide a little if I work it with short jerks. The others just come to the top and leave a wake, maybe the feathers sway a little. Not what I was hoping for. Much to learn.

Tagger · 08-26-2006, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by numbskull

A trusted warrior, going to a noble death. Hope I find it!
On a more serious note, does it swim or is that unneccessary?

George .. This comes in like a stick .. no wiggle,, no wobble.. I'm able to vary depth if I have an idea on the bottom .. I'm going down and getting right in there face with it . Cut all my good needles in half last year to see how I made them .. LOL ,, I'm knocking off myself .

Backbeach Jake · 08-26-2006, 05:02 PM

I saw you gesturing at plug nite and just knew you were talking about a slow sink needle.

now I know! Getting deaf so I learned sign language...

MAC · 08-26-2006, 05:34 PM

I gots one of them. Hafta get it wet tonite too.

Slingah · 08-26-2006, 06:27 PM

I would of lost that last nite there.......I was trying to watch you retrieve...but I was getting tossed around too much.....Ill be able to watch at the other place

.....

justplugit · 08-26-2006, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backbeach Jake

I saw you gesturing at plug nite and just knew you were talking about a slow sink needle.

now I know! Getting deaf so I learned sign language...

I can picture it BBJ.

Tagger · 08-27-2006, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slingah

I would of lost that last nite there.......I was trying to watch you retrieve.

Matt,, I'm tempted to tell you some mathematical count down method ,consisting of reeling and a twich of the wrist on every 3 rotations with a rod tip raise on every 10 and a pause on every 20 . I would sound smart and I'd be pretty impressed with myself ..Truth is . I usually hook up after a wave hits me and I have to regain my footing or I stop to dig my waders out of my arse .

capesams · 08-27-2006, 10:23 AM

[QUOTE=Tagger]Matt,, I'm tempted to tell you some mathematical count down method ,consisting of reeling and a twich of the wrist on every 3 rotations with a rod tip raise on every 10 and a pause on every 20 . QUOTE]

that's the same thing you do for an eelskin needle...why people don't use them is beyond me.

Tagger · 08-27-2006, 10:36 AM

surprised ,, nobody called me on my 52 yrs. of experiece ? I got a needle when I was a baby , so I'm counting that .

justplugit · 08-27-2006, 02:07 PM

Eddie, what do you find is the best way to fish the Predator/Alien. ?

Tagger · 08-27-2006, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justplugit

Eddie, what do you find is the best way to fish the Predator/Alien. ?

3 ways
reel it down and let it rise
throw it in current ..
somebody eles told me they were doing well ripping it and rest .. rip and rest .

justplugit · 08-28-2006, 03:35 PM

Thanks Tagster, got just the place in about 3 weeks.

NIB · 08-28-2006, 06:36 PM

[QUOTE=capesams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tagger

Matt,, I'm tempted to tell you some mathematical count down method ,consisting of reeling and a twich of the wrist on every 3 rotations with a rod tip raise on every 10 and a pause on every 20 . QUOTE]

that's the same thing you do for an eelskin needle...why people don't use them is beyond me.

Tagger · 08-29-2006, 04:47 PM

[QUOTE=capesams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tagger

Matt,, QUOTE]

that's the same thing you do for an eelskin needle...why people don't use them is beyond me.

There in primer now ,,have made swimmers,not needles, " Rocky Point Eelskin Needle "..

NIB · 08-30-2006, 07:10 AM

It looks like it's around 5" what does it weigh?
1.4 ?

Why bother painting eelskin plugs.Just epoxy em.

Tagger · 08-30-2006, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIB

It looks like it's around 5" what does it weigh?
1.4 ?

Why bother painting eelskin plugs.Just epoxy em.

6.5 inches 2 ounces...
use one 8" 2.5 ounces does the same thing
Heads with (glow in the dark) eyes in it is going to show ..I want too paint it ..

NIB · 08-31-2006, 06:39 AM

I remember fishing Montauk on the drop.Not a good tide there??? I was usin Hab's 2 oz.They would hang if u didn't go fast.So I made something slightly lighter.Are u usin em to cast to the deeper water of a rocky point or to fish a rocky point itself.
The one I made was 7" they go 1.7.This weight enables me to retrieve em nice an slow.Without getting hung up.There is a slow sweeping current there also.I had 20-30 fish on a tide there on one of em Nice an slow.they where stacked like cordwood.Not NIB fish but good sized ones.

Mine was kinda shaped like the one in the pic but stretched out.But fatter in the middle.I think the shape helps to keep em up.Whatta u thin.

Tagger · 08-31-2006, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIB

So I made something slightly lighter.Are u usin em to cast to the deeper water of a rocky point or to fish a rocky point itself.
The one I made was 7" they go 1.7.This weight enables me to retrieve em nice an slow.Without getting hung up.

Exactly Tony ... doing the same thing .. People have told me "You can't fish needles down there" I'm in maybe 12' of water on the end of my cast .. rocky bottom .. If your fishing sinking needles you'll loose every one. These are the ones I cut in half to see how i made them . no secret .. posted them .. I take them out during day light and just plop them in the water right in front of me . I just watch how fast they sink in like 3' of water .. I'm looking for slow sink .. I cast them and see how fast I have to retrieve to keep them on top .. I still want slow retrieve on top too .Then I cast and see how slow I can retrieve them without getting hung up . If I get it right I can reel slow and slower .. even pausing and working them deeper.. I got some nice fish like this last year .. I had a Nib fish on last year I could not turn .. By the time the train stopped I was almost empty and stood there like 20 minutes not knowing if I was wrapped up in the rocks or what finally broke off .. When I mature as a fisherman , I'll land that fish .

NIB · 08-31-2006, 09:37 PM

I have alot of needles.Three or four large plano boxes.I mark the weights on em.It's the only way to tell what I have. I can pretty much tell where or when to thro em.Weight an size taken into consideration.I constantly fish new terrain.Lots of times for the first time in the dark.The good things about needles is u can jam a bunch of em in a slot in ur bag so I'll go armed with a few different weights an colors..Looks like i'm changing plugs alot but I'm really usin my needle feelers.....
In needles it's all about the weight and or sink rates.I love em they are as a whole the most versatile lure made.
Tagger would probably agree.
The NIB fish where for the most part easy to land.
Eddie we all have cryin story's.
Eben took me to a place an he goes "look thats cryin rock"

Slingah · 09-02-2006, 05:02 AM

it works the nuggets.........
and it caught a nice fish tonite.........first cast

thanks a bunch.......you da man

Tagger · 09-03-2006, 11:35 AM

Rocky Point (slow sink) Eel Skin Needle

Slingah · 09-03-2006, 12:44 PM

oh %##*....now your killin me

Tagger · 09-03-2006, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slingah

oh %##*....now your killin me

This should bring you back ...

kinda cheating...

Flaptail · 09-03-2006, 02:58 PM

Eddy, I have noticed when I fish a skin that fish tend to hit more aggresively on a plug where the head exposed matches the same tone as the skin. Blue head on blue side out and black head or green on dark side out, Don't know why it would make such a difference but it seems to. Wierd I know.

Nice stuff though, got just the place to try 'em too.

Tagger · 09-03-2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Eddy, I have noticed when I fish a skin that fish tend to hit more aggresively on a plug where the head exposed matches the same tone as the skin.

I'll flip the skin on the next one and paint up a blue head .. interresting . This ones going out tonight as is . I got the olive needle as back up . I wish I could match that skin blue perfectly .. great color .

Tagger · 09-03-2006, 03:15 PM

if i paint the head black and put the skin on or paint the head blue and put the skin on inside out ,I'm still going to have a contrasting ring where I fold it back over the tie .. no ? I'm fishing skins the rest of the season .. maybe I'll have it down when it ends .

NIB · 09-03-2006, 05:59 PM

Sometimes I just rap the skin around the eye loop no cuts or anythin elaborate.
I like my skin needles to have 2 belly hooks no need for tail hook.Does that tangle one the tailhook.

Tagger · 09-04-2006, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIB

Does that tangle one the tailhook.

not often, but ya sometimes .

Flaptail · 09-04-2006, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIB

Sometimes I just rap the skin around the eye loop no cuts or anythin elaborate.
I like my skin needles to have 2 belly hooks no need for tail hook.Does that tangle one the tailhook.

Agreed that is the best way.