BIG Surf BIG Bass?

[7milebridge]

I was kind of curious about peoples thoughts on this question. Also, I figure it could be a good thread. I am curious if people believe the statement big surf big stripers. Last night I was fishing in newport where there was some very nice wave action that allowed for the shads to graze across the wave. It didn't seem to matter much though. I switched sides of the bay where it was dead calm with barely any wind, and that is where I found the bass. I was hoping people could pipe in on this topic.

[FishnGrega]

I agree with you on the big surf = "big stripers". I too was out in Newport over the weekend and the surf was fairly rough. Figuring that there would be some nice stripers in the foamy water. But what do you know not a single bump on my line.

[arden]

big surf is only as valuable as the feeding opportunities it creates. these opportunities include increased shallow water cover, new current/ feeding spots, and servering to disorrient and pod up baitfish. later in the year resident fish may use heavy surf even in the abscence of bait. however, most of the year the single most important thing is actually bait prescence or being near a place bait frequents such as herring runs and areas where salt ponds dump out.

fact is that right now most of the bait is in the bays or at best cruising by very fast. little is going to hold in oceanfront newport till just typically.

[7milebridge]

I read a striper book by frank denault, and he was mentioning how when he seas a storm he goes fishing. Have you guys been apart this philosophy?

[scottw]

I get excited when the weather gets crappy, maybe it's just more fun w/ water breaking all around me than standing in and staring at flat water, I sometimes feel a little lost when staring at flat water but that's from lack of knowledge and experience I think...getting to the point where I really don't care what the time or conditions are as long as I'm standing in some water somewhere...it's my favorite place to be when I'm not doing something with my family...storms are good, especially right before they arrive

[7milebridge]

Maybe the reason you always hear of great stripers in big stormy weather is because that tends to be the scene when there is actually time to fish. Sunny days things come up.

[arden]

though that may be big true my feeling is that big fish are often caught in stormy weather as the heavy surf gives big fish alot of cover and makes them significantly more compfortable in our shallow shorelines. it also caters to larger fish as things get rougher in that their larger masses and broad tails allow them to maintain control whilst bait and smaller fish get tossed about.

rember big fish are lazy.

[rirockhound]

Originally Posted by arden

though that may be big true my feeling is that big fish are often caught in stormy weather as the heavy surf gives big fish alot of cover and makes them significantly more compfortable in our shallow shorelines. it also caters to larger fish as things get rougher in that their larger masses and broad tails allow them to maintain control whilst bait and smaller fish get tossed about.

rember big fish are lazy.

Give me a dark, flat calm night with NW winds and no swell.
I'm much happier fishing for big fish in those conditions.
big surf is fun, but usually less productive for me....

[bart]

all the guys i fish with, who have many, many 40+# fish from the surf, prefer wind at their back, calm water conditions....

[rirockhound]

Originally Posted by bart

all the guys i fish with, who have many, many 40+# fish from the surf, prefer wind at their back, calm water conditions....

Thats a smart group of guys.
not particularly good looking, but hey, thats why we all fish at night, right?


Bart, not to hijack, but when do you head west?