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Early Season Chunking for Bigger Rickfish

by Dr. Julie Ball

The Old Salt Fishing Shakedown

by Capt. Kevin Brewer

Early Season Chunking for Bigger Rockfish

by Dr. Julie Ball

           Simply adhering to a few small chunking points will make for a boastful striper-chunking excursion, not to mention chances are you will out-fish your casting buddies.

           Striper fishing is extremely dependent upon the movement of the tides, as is the case with most fishing for predatory species. A moving tide is an absolute requirement for enticing these stalkers to strike, but a raging tide (such as those accompanying a full moon) or a dead slack tide can lead to a sluggish chunk bite at best. Chunking is effective during both daytime and nighttime hours.

           So, while keeping the tide movements in mind, head to the nearest striper-holding bridge assembly and search for an area exhibiting changes on the bottom alongside the structure. Changes such as shoals and slews create Striped bass season is open, and anglers are out in force targeting the most sought after catch of the year. No other species draws more anglers out to join in the quest, and for good reason. Stripers are voracious feeders, with an aggressive strike followed by a powerful battle, making it worth bundling up to brave the chilly ride. These striped predators are also a favorite for the table, as this mild-flavored meat is easily adapted to many seafood recipes.

            Although striped bass are available all season, the fish tend to grow bigger with each passing month. But in the northern parts of the Chesapeake Bay, striper stalkers have known for years that the secret for enticing larger stripers earlier in the season is with a technique referred to as chunking. This approach has also caught on in the lower Chesapeake, and is a very reliable system for culling out the larger striped bass with good predictability. Fish ranging in the 20-pound-plus category are common, leaving the schoolies for top-water pluggers.

Where and When

            Since most anglers enjoy catching larger fish, but prefer keeping things simple, chunking for stripers is a great choice! The technique is quite easy, and requires very little planning or setup. And fortunately for us, stripers are very greedy and not too smart, therefore perfect procedure is not requiredattractive bait-collecting eddies and hideouts, inviting a larger class of hungry rockfish prowling for a meal. Successful chunkers agree that a water depth ranging from about 12 to 20 feet is favorable for striper chunking.
Once you are satisfied with your depth and bottom composition, simply anchor upcurrent of the bridge structure, allowing the boat to drift back toward the bridge. Make sure the scope of your anchor line is sufficient to hold your boat in the current. Pulling anchor and smacking a bridge piling is a sure way to ruin any striper event in a hurry.

Tackle

            Striper chunking early in the season requires equipment and tackle in about the 20-pound-class range. My personal preference includes a conventional style reel with an easily adjustable drag system, such as a Shimano TLD 15, spooled with 20- to 30-pound-test monofilament or braided line. A 6-foot live-bait or boat rod designed for handling fish pushing to about 30 pounds is a good choice. A typical fish-finder rig is a very good option, which is prepared by hanging a sinker-slide donned with an appropriate sinker above a stout barrel-swivel. Attach a 4-foot segment of 50-pound monofilament leader material, such as disappearing pink fluorocarbon by Yo-zuri. I always lean toward a sharp 7/0 to 8/0 circle or octopus style hook for striper chunking, which cuts down on gut-hooking these gluttonous fish.

Bait and Chum

            Although striped bass are not typically finicky, fresh bait is always best, and the cuisine of choice is one of their favorite flavors, menhaden.  If fresh bait is not available, a good alternative choice is fresh-frozen bunker. If you can’t find any menhaden, you may want to opt for a different striper fishing technique. I always ensure that I pack about 30 to 40 pounds of bunker onboard, enough to use for bait and extra for making chunking pieces.
Many chunkers will add menhaden chum to enhance the technique, but a quality stream of menhaden parts is usually sufficient to attract a generous following of eager takers. There tend to be plenty of dinks and other small critters willing to help take your bait off your hands by stripping your hooks. So, be sure to check the bait and replace it frequently. Fishing on credit or with washed-out bait will severely slow down the stampede, and cut into your bragging rights considerably.

            Prepare the menhaden as bait for the hook by cutting off the head and tail, and dividing the remaining body into about 1- to 1.5-inch segments. Work the hook through the body portions of the bunker, ensuring the barb of the hook is exposed. Try to keep the guts tethered within the body cavity with the hook. These “innards” are especially effective for luring in big rockfish.
Position your boat close enough to the structure to place the baits on the bottom within your spectrum, but far enough to allow ample fighting space. Some of these brutes can take your line into the bridge structure if you are not prepared. When fishing at night, place some of the baits near and within the light-line ahead of the structure, and inch the other baits between the pilings and under the bridge. The light-line is an unnatural line of shadow bordering light on the water, created parallel to the bridge by the street lights that stagger each side of the bridge. Striped bass will congregate along these light lines at night.

            Once the strike zone is located, the baits can be readjusted. Place the rods in the holders and back off the drag. Turn on the clicker so that the current does not pull the line. This setup will allow the fish to pick up the bait and move without resistance.

            Once you are satisfied with your setup, begin the chunking process by cutting the extra bunker into about ¼- to1/2-inch pieces, tossing them upcurrent near the boat, allowing them to sink into the vicinity of your enticing buffet of baits. Ensure your chunks are not frozen or they will tend to float instead of sinking, and thrifty seagulls will be happy to take those floaters off your hands, even at night.

The Strike

            Watch the rods for movement. Once a fish begins his run with the bait and the clicker sounds, gently pick up the rod, put the reel in gear, and quickly wind in the line. The circle hook will pull true, and your fight will begin. Adjust the drag firmly to keep the runs to a minimum and to help avoid the fish wrapping the bridge pilings. Once the fish is boat-side, gently net the fish with a large net and quickly de-hook him and return him to the water if releasing him. Be sure to check into the most current regulations and daily limits for striped bass.

            Chunking is an excellent method for catching rockfish anytime during the season, but for the earlier months such as October through November, this technique will give you an edge over typical casting methods, resulting with a larger class of fish.

The Old Salt Fishing Skakedown

by Capt. Kevin Brewer

             November is a great time for fishing in the Commonwealth of Virginia. There are plenty of species to target throughout the month, but most are looking for rockfish. Anglers flock to this area during this time of year for some of the best striper action anywhere.

             Expect excellent striper fishing after dark along the bridge tunnels. Good-sized fish, and plenty of them, are swarming the light lines of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel at night. Wire lining, chunking baits, or trolling under birds in the open bay are all effective in the daylight too. The bigger fish will arrive as it gets colder.

            With the great king mackerel bite this year, there is a chance at a king at the start of the month, depending on the water temperature. Tautog are another favorite for this region, and this month hallmarks the big rush to catch them. Use crabs or clams to catch tog on both inshore and offshore wrecks and configurations.

             Speckled trout is a great light-tackle choice. Expect the speck bite to improve through the month, with lots of fish available in the bayside creeks of both the southern lower bay and the Eastern Shore. MirrOlures and plastics are good picks for these good looking and good eating fish. Puppy drum are still available along with the specks. Puppy drum are also biting in the surf for now. We are having another good puppy drum year.

             Flounder fishing can remain very good within the bay throughout the month, but most will be looking for them on the offshore wrecks. Both inshore and offshore wrecks can harbor big flounder. November is the best month for flounder fishing on wrecks, where big fish are hungry and willing to take strip bait. Bluefish strips are good for this. Often flounder are caught by rockfish trollers along shoals and channel edges in the bay.

             There are also sea bass and triggerfish on the wrecks. The bigger sea bass are available on the deeper wrecks. Big bluefish will also make a showing this month on the offshore wrecks, with the Triangle wrecks a good spot. Bluefish are also still available in the bay.

             Tuna is what boats want offshore, with big yellowfin tuna popping up whenever warm eddies of water push near the 100-fathom curve. Closer to shore, bluefin tuna will move through, with some giants around. Often these fish will venture in as close as the Chesapeake Light Tower. False albacore can also be found in the same areas.

Yes, November is a good month for Mid-Atlantic anglers. So bait up.