# Spring Run Stripers-Sandy Point



## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

Hey everyone was hoping some of you Maryland fellas could give me a bead on when the striper bite starts at Sandy Point in the spring. I live in York, PA and have put all my eggs in one basket for stripers the past few years(VA Beach) only to find I can save myself 4 hours of driving for what looks to be a better bet anyway in the spring. Any info would be super appreciated as this will be my first spring down there and I'm ignorant to the timetable of the run I've heard of Mar.-Apr. but thats kinda vague and I wanna know the soonest possible time to get on'em! Thanks in advance


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

*Peak times St Pattys Day-Easter*

You can get them as eraly as late Febuary or first week of March if the weather is mild.The best fishing occurs from St Patricks Day to Easter;during this time its possible to catch 8 30"+Stripers in 5hrs.From St Patricks Day-Easter is the time to head down;I wouldn't waste my time before or after that.FYI;Sandy Point closes at Sunset.


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## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

Thanks Jeff, 8 30"+ stripers in 5hrs., dear God now I'm gonna have trouble sleeping for the next month!


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## BAYFISHER (Jul 6, 2001)

*Not [email protected] Point*

FISHED IT today along with a visit @ matapeake. no nibbles or bites,YET! WATER TEMP IS TOO DARN COLD.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

That water has to hit 40 degrees before they'll start biting.

Just keep your ears peeled for spring peepers--once they start their nightly racket you can be guaranteed the stripers are here.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2005)

This might be a dumb question, bu what are spring peepers and the nightly racket?


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## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

Let me know when you hear those peepers Flea, cause I'm an hour and a half north of ya and they usually begin their choral rantings at the beginning of trout season here(Apr.10). Keep us informed on your peepers, our little guys up here are a few weeks behind.


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

When the peepers come out thats the time to come down.The first Stripers will show up within 2-3weeks;maybe sooner if we can get a bunch of warmer days.The water has to be hovering near 40F;If it gets up in the mid 40's the bite will start.


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## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

Do these guys hit clam,eels, or squid or are they strictly bloodworm fans. I'd imagine they don't eat a lot of clam or squid in the northern part of the bay, but I just need a fix on what baits will work, bloodworms is the only certain I know of at this point.


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## johnnyleo11 (Dec 17, 2003)

PAUKY,

They're frogs!

and the nightly racket is the sound they'll be making after sunset. We don't get to hear them too much in Fairfax County.


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Bloodworms is the only bait to have;however once you get near Easter they can hit lures or a pice of Alewive(aka Bunker).But,I wouldn't waste my time with other baits get pleanty of good Bloodworms.Hey Stop by Tochermens on the way down its somwhat accessable from I-83.They have some DAM GOOD BLOODWORMS.


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2005)

johnnyleo11 said:


> PAUKY,
> 
> They're frogs!
> 
> and the nightly racket is the sound they'll be making after sunset. We don't get to hear them too much in Fairfax County.



Thanks for responding to my question. Are they really frogs? My google search said they were some kind of bird.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

From:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/narcam/idguide/speeper.htm

.


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

I also heard that when the dogwood blooms thats when you can catch cows near fletcher's boat house(potomac)...


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## chesapeakecarper (Aug 22, 2003)

sand flea said:


> That water has to hit 40 degrees before they'll start biting.
> 
> Just keep your ears peeled for spring peepers--once they start their nightly racket you can be guaranteed the stripers are here.


Excellent barometer. I got acres of these at work; when they 'go off' I know its time for me to 'go off' fishing. Mother nature knows best.


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## shaggy (Jun 18, 2003)

Then there is the Cherry Blossom bloom, but the only TRUE barometer of WHEN, is water temps in my opinion. Miss the mark from the get go, and you arrive late for the party, so the party is shorter. But, better a short party than no party.

Hat, not yet, but will keep tabs, cold front suppose to come, but didn't so, be keeping eyes out at different spots, and when the time is right, others can wait for blossoms and peeper, me, I'll be fishing!

Have Jeep will travel


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2005)

Thanks for the link bubba blue. One last question though: Does this frog live in saltwater in the bay swamps?

The Cherry blossoms is the indication the shad run is on.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Freshwater mostly... any woodland mud puddle will do. 

More info:



Key Characters: Large toe pads; dark "X" on back; dark spot or narrow bar between eyes.

Similar Species: Gray treefrogs, bird-voiced treefrog.

Description: Small (up to 3.5 cm SVL) tan, brown, or gray frog with dark diagonal lines suggesting an "X" on back. Belly white, sometimes with dark flecks. Snout projects beyond lower jaw when viewed in profile. No light spot under eye, or light stripe on upper jaw. Male with folded skin under throat indicating vocal pouch.

Habitat: Mesic forests, on trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Most often seen around woodland pools in spring; seldom seen outside breeding season. Breeds in ponds and water-filled depressions in upland forest.

Natural History: Aptly named because it is one of first frogs to call each spring. Diet consists of small insects and spiders. Mates late February through May; some males call in autumn. Call is a soft, clear, ascending "peeeep" repeated about once each second and heard both day and night. Males commonly call in alternating duets or trios while perched in vegetation over water or on surface of water. Several hundred eggs per female, attached singly to sticks or leaf petioles, hatch in a few days, and tadpoles transform in about two months.

Status: Found throughout much of the country, especially along wooded floodplains and wooded uplands where it may be locally common. 
.


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## striperswiper (Nov 30, 2004)

how do fish with the bloods for them cows i never used bloods for stripers


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## AL_N_VB (Apr 3, 2002)

striperswiper said:


> how do fish with the bloods for them cows i never used bloods for stripers


dbl bottom rigs...use size 6-8 circles


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## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

Do you thread a whole worm on each circle or do you halve them or what?


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## Green Cart (May 14, 2002)

*Size 6-8 Ok for Bait Fish*

6/0 - 8/0 is more suitable for rockfish


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## Excalibur (Oct 27, 2004)

*6/0 - 8/0 seem huge for bloods*

I was thinking more like 4/0 -- Can anyone provide some advice in this area...


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Some use a 1"pice but those that are willing to spend money on Bloodworms will even gob 2 worms on one hook.I gob one worm on one 3/0-6/0 Circle hook;I use a dropper rig(bottom rig with no hardware wire dropppers).I might try a Fish Finder rig with a 14"leader though it dosen't cast well.When NserchferDrum says 8-6 he must mean 8/0-6/0


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## AL_N_VB (Apr 3, 2002)

BigJeff823 said:


> Some use a 1"pice but those that are willing to spend money on Bloodworms will even gob 2 worms on one hook.I gob one worm on one 3/0-6/0 Circle hook;I use a dropper rig(bottom rig with no hardware wire dropppers).I might try a Fish Finder rig with a 14"leader though it dosen't cast well.When NserchferDrum says 8-6 he must mean 8/0-6/0



Thanxs Big J....that's what I ment....6/0 -8/0......ya want ta do anything from gut hookin em....C-N-R...catch em N release em


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## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

I'm tryin to visualize this and it seems to me a 6/0-8/0 hook with a bloodworm on it would look like an anchor with a unidentifible tiny strand of goo on it. I don't protest to know what I'm talking about here but I'm used to disguising tiny hooks with worms for trout and what have you so you can see this seems the exact opposite of hiding the hook to me. In other words I need some words of encouragment that the stripers don't give a krap about the metal beacause it just seems like too much hook to me??!!


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

no your right it looks like shPOOt. the fish dont care tho. i fished there before i moved down to richmond, they dont care, they dont care if your using the large metal bottom rigs, or a gold spot hook, if its got the slightest bit of a bl on it its gonna get hit if there are fish around... not BUD LIGHT AL


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## Green Cart (May 14, 2002)

*Give Credit Due*

I found the hook error first


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

*spsp questions*

First, let me say that I just figured out what P&S supporter meant. I will contribute on Friday 

regarding SPSP, is there some reason why the point is so much better than the side by the tree and the rock jetties? There must be a drop off or a hole or something. Last spring, as soon as a point person left, it was a mad dash to take his spot. 

also, regarding bloodworms, I know some people use 1/2 or 1/3 of the worm, but others use whole ones. it does not seem right that using a 4/0 or 5/0 circle hook would work with a 2" piece of worm. 

last spring a guy said that if you are using whole ones, you need to puncture them to let the juices/odor out. Anyone have any comments on this? must be why the pieces seem to work bette.

Thks, 

Jeff 
P&S supporter to be


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

I use whole worms;I might cut off them pinchers cause they bite.Other than that I just put them on;I don't think it makes much of a diffrence if the juices come out or not.If you use a smaller pice of worm a 2/0 or 3/0 Circle will work just fine.I've even done allright with a whole worm on a #1-1/0 hook but the 3/0-5/0 hooks work the best cause the gap of the hook hooks the fish better than the smaller hooks.


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## AI4WD (Aug 7, 2004)

*NO way before 40 degrees*

Just a note to my friends....Stripers will not hit a bait in water temps below 40 degrees. They like temps above 46 degrees, occasionally a local fish will hit in the 40 to 45 degree range, but your migratory Stripers will not leave 40 ft of water at temps below that! The bay has to really warm above 40 degrees to see a good bite. By the way the Temp at Thomas point is 38 and dropping!

Hooks up,
Forrest


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

*Floats on Rigs for bloods*

Question for the group. Does anyone put floats on thier rigs (either home made or fishfinders) when using blood worms at SPSP or the peak? Since most of you use short leaders (less than 10 ") it seems that the worm will be close to the bottom. And the same float question goes for the surf guys at AI and the del beaches? Cut spot, bunker, etc on float or just on a hook.

I always used the "blue fish rigs" that have the orange and yellow floats, but with no big success.

Thanks,

Jeff


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*I can't speake for the rest*

but I never use a float. My bait is always on the bottom in the spring with bloods. ....Tightlines


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

*Bottoms up!*

Agree with Hat - Bottom rigs only with no floats. Forget the fish finder rigs and use them in the Atlantic surf at DE or AI. I tie my own double bottom rigs (mono only). Takes about a minute to tie each one...the less terminal tackle the better. 

Sandcrab


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## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

Just curious about one thing guys, everyone seems to be in agreement that you should not use hardwire bottom rigs, floats, etc... except at the same time most seem to agree that you should be using 4/0,6/0, and even 8/0 circle hooks, now those hooks are pretty frappin' big for bloodworms, so how is it these guys don't shy away from anchors but you can't use hardwire rigs?


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*Wire high/low bottom rigs are ok and work fine.....*

This time of year it's all about scent. Thats why fresh bloodworms are so important. They never see that 8/0 hook, they just eat it! .....Tightlines


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