# cold snap cracks the elusives 19Dec15



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Timjb83, Jeffbro999 and I all met up just before the crack of dawn. This cold snap was as good as anticipated, it really got the bait moving. Just what we needed to press this transition period into a window of opportunity for the one the only The Elusive Striper...

As many of you know my foucus has been on the line sides and to take on the challenge of finding, catching and tricking the Elusive Beasts into taking any artificial worthy of such an opponent.

Opportunity came up not only with the bad* weather but when another PFF member reaches out to another to share fishing knowledge, experience, cacamaraderie, friendship, and the how 2's. So what Im saying is without PFF and the good folks who make it up this day would have been much different. For that Thank you Tim and PFF!! 

So as it goes, sun began to rise from the east, rods and reels pre set to strike and the anticipation to get the day started was high. We pulled up to our first spot and my eyes blew up like it was already Christmas. Pop, !!pop !!bust plow!! My goodness is this the Bull Run? Hahaha Striper! STRIPERS EVERYWHERE! 

Before I made a cast I looked at Tim and said today is already a success. Ive never seen this type of line sided white water action. Tim throws first, Smack and a miss and then another cast smack, strike 2 then before long he hooks up! As his drag is screaming I make a follow up cast twitch, twitch, twitch pause twitch Kanloosh!! Doubled up!!! Tim still fighting his and says his has some shoulders, Im hooked up thinking Jeffbro999 needs to make this a triple he throws and throws and with 5 I repeat 5 blow ups none took but he managed to land our fish with ease when the net was definitely most needed. After both fish were in the boat Jeff hooks up!!! To a........ slot red ( dang ) Jeff's up on deck to land the next one next trip... I think we all have the stripper fever lol

We ended the day with a few more stripers but small, a couple hybrids, rat reds and specks.

Im no Striper expert not by any means hahahaha, for that I leave the MIC open to Tim.... You da man, I owe you one now brother!


----------



## BlueWaterWarrior (May 28, 2015)

Those are some beasts. Congrats.


----------



## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Way ta get some goodens!!! Congrats ya'll!!!


----------



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

That's fine - mighty fine.


----------



## Capt. John Rivers (Jul 28, 2012)

Congrats guys, looks like you timed it right.


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Delete


----------



## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

Congratulations on some fine fish.


----------



## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Good job Josh!

Were they moving w/ the bait or had bait corralled up?
What about the wt., how much?


----------



## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Very Nice guys! Did they hit topwater?


----------



## rickmbp (Aug 29, 2013)

Amazing!! Great success. Congrats all around....


----------



## Lloyd88 (Jan 10, 2014)

Dang those are some monsters


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Thanks again for showing us around that area Tim, what an awesome spot. Congrats Josh on finally getting one, couldn't have been a better bite. I just can't seem to get away from the reds but still a very fun morning. Thanks for having me out there. Lets do it again soon.


----------



## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Great post and pics! Still waiting to hear what kind of top waters or swim baits you were using.


----------



## Reel fishing girl 86 (Sep 4, 2014)

OK I'm jealous the one day I don't go you guys catch them . Well glad you finally were able to hook in to them . Wanted to go today but someone is still sleeping lol. Oh well next time . Nice fish tho for sure .


----------



## snakeman14 (Apr 17, 2008)

That is awesome guys! Congrats Josh on getting your first big one!


----------



## timjb83 (Jan 23, 2013)

First and foremost, I wanted to tip my hat to LIM-IT-OUT and Jeffbro999. These were some stand up, professional guys that helped teach me more than I think I may have passed on to them. 

As Josh stated, we pulled up to the spot with absolute mayham going on. Finger mullet where flying out of the water like it was nobodies business! The Stripers where there and the time was just right. 

I am personally excited bc as we witness the chaos, and before we throw the first topwater in the madness, I'm glad the fish were there when I have some friends with me. I figured that even if we didn't hook any, the opportunity was definitely there. 

Josh pretty much hit the nail on the head with his detailed chain of events above. In all the striper hunting I've done over the years, I've never seen the water as active as what we witnessed. Great morning!! 

So if you're going for Stripers, don't judge a book by its cover. We were fishing a neap tide, ideally not good. The Stripers are elusive and I have not pinpointed any kind of water tide consistency that makes them better to target then another, other than the obvious, finger mullet doing the Jesus walk and cold weather. 

I hope to wet a hook again with these guys and need to do this more often on the PFF! 

Oh yeah, bait of choice for me was the Badonk-A-Donk topwater*and I'll let Josh and Jeff chime in on theirs as I don't exactly recall. 

Thanks all, God bless, and tight lines! 

Tim


----------



## timjb83 (Jan 23, 2013)

Measurements-
Length 35.5"
Girth 23"
Weight 20 lbs 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

I was using a 
Reaction Innovations Vixen, anyone who is a spook fan would appreciate this lure. Very very good sway, walk the dog type action, loud knocker, and a cuped nose to add to the noise... Ive caught alot of LARGEMOUTH with it on the California Delta and Clear Lake so I bought anotherone with the intent to catch a striper with it. Its about 6" long and throws great. It truly has the same aspects of a spook just amplified for those chopy conditions and getting the attention of big fish in low light conditions.

Although any topwater would seem to work, I think Im going to stick to this one hahahaha confidence has been built


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Josh pretty much hit the nail on the head with his detailed chain of events above. In all the striper hunting I've done over the years, I've never seen the water as active as what we witnessed. Great morning!! 

So if you're going for Stripers, don't judge a book by its cover. We were fishing a neap tide, ideally not good. The Stripers are elusive and I have not pinpointed any kind of water tide consistency that makes them better to target then another, other than the obvious, finger mullet doing the Jesus walk and cold weather. 


----------------------- end quote -------------------------

Just goes to show there is always a bite, you just have to find it
Good weather bad weather, hot or cold, calm or windy, high -low or neap tide. At some point in the day a fish will feed or can be fed.

Bass guys dont call off tournaments because the " Fish aren't biting" .... there is always a bite when you go up to the scales and realize you just got your butt handed to you by the top five hahahaha


Good times


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Check it out! 
Found the 3 amigos in her stomach


----------



## hooknpaddle (Dec 2, 2012)

Nice!!


----------



## jflyfisher (Jul 8, 2012)

Congratulations Josh your determination paid off


----------



## timjb83 (Jan 23, 2013)

The 11 Amigos!


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Dang

She had 2lbs of bait in her lol


----------



## timjb83 (Jan 23, 2013)

Guys I can't begin to tell you how great dinner was tonight. Family was over, kids running around, with the sound of grease popping in the not too far distance. 10 of us eat comfortably, off 1 filet, with Filipino sides to boot. 

Call to all PFF members, let's get together and have a fish fry!! 

I'm good for the tater salad!


----------



## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

nice josh!! I gotta trade you another AJ trip for a river trip!! hahah


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

PorknBeans said:


> nice josh!! I gotta trade you another AJ trip for a river trip!! hahah


Are you back in town!!! How was deployment!!! Give me a call bro

I believe AJ and trigger opens January Im all about some good eats and hard fights. I would love to AJ fish again


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

timjb83 said:


> Guys I can't begin to tell you how great dinner was tonight. Family was over, kids running around, with the sound of grease popping in the not too far distance. 10 of us eat comfortably, off 1 filet, with Filipino sides to boot.
> 
> Call to all PFF members, let's get together and have a fish fry!!
> 
> I'm good for the tater salad!


Wo-wo-wo....
Did you say Filipino food! What!?! Hahaha 
A southern fry with a pacific islander touch Oh my goodness... sign me up, PLEASE.


----------



## timjb83 (Jan 23, 2013)

Me casa su casa! I've got some nuggets marinating as we speak.. A little lunch time striper! I'll probably be pretty much worthless afterwards! Ha! 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Dinner is served


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

So I just got done eating the meal above. And I must say striper has a very mild tast good textured flake and soaked up the garlic herbs and butter well. GREAT eating fish!


----------



## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

*Shallow Water Redfish 12/15*

When I was a kid, my dad and I would occasionally catch a striper while crappie fishing. I remember us keeping one to eat and my Dad didn't like it. Therefore we never kept another one. When I moved down here I was surprised when people told me that stripers were good to eat. 

By the way, a 10 lb striper will reek havoc on a zebco 33.


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

dabutcher said:


> When I was a kid, my dad and I would occasionally catch a striper while crappie fishing. I remember us keeping one to eat and my Dad didn't like it. Therefore we never kept another one. When I moved down here I was surprised when people told me that stripers were good to eat.
> 
> By the way, a 10 lb striper will reek havoc on a zebco 33.
> 
> ...


----------

