Channel Bass And Stripers (1947)

Montauk Point at the Eastern tip of Long Island as for Generations been a favorite heart of striped bass surf fishing enthusiasts for taco the old hand of the game use a six foot six to seven foot Rod tip with about a 12 thread line on a 2-0 reel the same tackle generally used when surf fishing for channel Bass a black tin squid is an excellent lure for stripers or Rockfish as they are also called Montauk Lighthouse crowns The Cliffs and overlooks these famous fishing grounds at the southern portal of Long Island here where Mighty Atlantic endless knowledge White Caps against the Rubber and picturesque Beauty as well as thrilling sport foreign [Music] far out into the Silvery tumbling Breakers stripers in the surf mean white water and it takes a good arm plus a considerable amount of skill gained from practice to put the lure out where it belongs then it is reeled in past the Rocks where the stripers usually lie fish are always where you catch them knowing the right spots is extremely important knowing when to change location is also part of the game and exploring the good places often pays off but if this kind of fishing wasn't a gamble it wouldn't be half as much fun bang something strikes like the crack of a whip that surging rush repays you for all the casting reeling and wishing you've been doing especially when it's a big one never give him a slack be careful that he doesn't cut your line on a rock and keep on wishing you can never be sure of a big striper in the surf until you've completely whipped him and he rolls in the shallow water where he can be dragged up the beach this fish weighed better than 40 pounds although they have been caught on rod and reel up to 73 pounds but a 20-pounder caught in a cert means wonderful Sport and is Just Cause for celebration [Music] another Lighthouse at Cape Hatteras North Carolina looks down upon a long stretch of famous surf fishing coastline this lovely Beach of yellow sand is one of the finest Channel bass sections on the Atlantic coast and with a specially equipped car as our operating base we're going to see just how another expert gets results the well-dressed Channel bass fisherman should wear a rod belt with leather socket Gaff and a few other handy gadgets in addition to the six foot six or seven foot tip two old reel and twelve thread line when channeled bass fishing you should have a pyramid or cone Sinker weighing four to six ounces according to the strength of the current or surf properly rigged it will have free play on your two foot wire leader a 7-0 sprout Hook is about right bait is important no matter what you're fishing for in spite of the rare occasions when it seems that the fish will take almost anything the old standbys used for channel bass are Manhattan or bunkers and mullet especially in the fall although crabs and fresh squid will take bottom feeding fish of all varieties putting the bait on the hook is also important don't just slap it on you'd be surprised how much difference it makes and it's just as easy to bait your hook correctly thank you foreign off we go and now Mr Channel bass watch out Snowball the fissionist dog in the Carolinas is going to watch to see that everything's done just right and incidentally this is Harry stelwagon who in 1937 established a world record with a tournament cast of 378 feet snowball seems to think something's happening Channel bass are hooked after you're sure they've really taken the bait looks like you need some help says snowball it's a small one but it looked just right on the dinner table [Music] your partner restrain that enthusiasm a bit notice the black spot on the tail that's the channel bass trademark but let's get a bigger one [Music] sometimes schools of fish lie in the channels along the shore and they can be taken without too much trouble but these fish are generally not the big ones which every fisherman wants to get although this one proves to be far from a record breaker he's a mighty nice fish a good thing to remember is that these bass bite in three different ways some pick up the bait and drop it several times before making up their minds others grab it and run while some will carry it right in toward the beach in any case let the fish swim off until you feel his weight before setting the hook even after you're pretty sure that he's well hooked remember that he has a tender mouth keep a tight line at all times and reel in but don't force him or you'll probably lose your fish and you can't always be too sure that it's a channel bass you've hooked onto there are other things besides these gamesters out there in the ocean plenty of sharks for example and now and then as Stingray which carries a dangerous and poisonous stinger in its tail snowball enjoys bass fishing but he's one dog that knows the difference when a stingray is brought in no sir he wants no part of that little sea monster he'll just wait for something better to be caught [Music] thank you this time the line spins out in a different manner which tells the old master that he's into the real thing the fight is on Audi goes until the tide catches him and he's swept back in out he goes again and again but each Rush becomes shorter and shorter and weaker too and he's worked closer and closer to the beach finally the big fellow is beached in a few inches of water where it can be picked up and dragged proudly up onto the sand he's a big fish the kind that every surf fisherman dreams about catching and when he does he remembers every detail of the fight for the rest of his days thank you this fish tips the scales at 47 pounds which is more than enough to round out a wonderful day of surf fishing