Needlefish Newbie

[JJ2602]

Hi All

 

Looking for some guidance on needlefish. I know there is one for every situation and the conditions you’re in but there are a lot of options to choose from. For example Super Strike has 4-5 different weight options that vary by such small increments...which to choose??? There are other brands I have read about that are better in other situations  and so on..... Looking for a starting point to pick up 2-3 and go out and learn how to work them and grow from there. 

Striper

Daytime or Night

Sand Beach (Sandy Hook > IBSP)

Calm to Moderate to Heavy Surf

 

Thank you in advance!

 

[TimS]

Buy some Choopy 1 1/2oz and 2oz needles - olive/white, yellow/white and black/purple. They'll serve you very well in NJ all season long

 

TimS

[27conch]

I am a Stetzko needle fish guy.  What is a big misnomer is that needle fish have no built in action.  So untrue.  I swam some of the Stetzko's in my pool and the slow seductive side to side roll was incredible.  I fish both the 7" and 9" models which are both sinking.  Favorite colors are solid pink, green/white and black/purple. Needle fish are not meant to fish in heavy surf, more so in moderate to calm conditions.  Images are of some Stetzko's.

 

The surf asylum flat glides are pretty awesome as well..

Edited Sunday at 10:19 PM by 27conch
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[Buckscorider]

When I first got into this sport about five years ago I quickly realized I needed needles for the NJ surf. 

 

I quickly acquired five S&S super and fish needles.

Yellow 1oz, green 1oz which I loaded to about 1.75, blurple and black 2 1/2 and 3oz heavies.

Even got a stubbie in copper. 

 

Havnt caught a single bass of any kind on any of them.

 

There I said it.

[BassPD]

Stick with SS, best needles IMO.

 

 

[Mack26]

56 mins ago, 27conch said:

I am a Stetzko needle fish guy.  What is a big misnomer is that needle fish have no built in action.  So untrue.  I swam some of the Stetzko's in my pool and the slow seductive side to side roll was incredible.  I fish both the 7" and 9" models which are both sinking.  Favorite colors are solid pink, green/white and black/purple. Needle fish are not meant to fish in heavy surf, more so in moderate to calm conditions.  Images are of some Stetzko's.

 

The surf asylum flat glides are pretty awesome as well..

That 9” Stetzko needle is a killer plug! Had one of my biggest bass (38#’s) on one from a CC beach many years ago. Wish i still had a few. The shape of the head gave his needle some very seductive action.

[ThrowinPlugs]

Needlefish are killer. Finally cracked the code on them this year. I personally like the smaller "heavy" SS and the middle sized 2 ¾ oz stinkers. Swam low and slow at night or reeled on the surface with my index finger out letting the line slap it and bounce around. Colors... anything green, yellow or blurple.

[SnoozeFishing]

Needlefish in my opinion should be used as a search lure for the different water columns and nothing more. Buy a slow sinking needlefish, start at the top, then middle then bottom on a slow straight retrieve. Once you've found where they are holding put something else on that will be better at that depth. 

[stripedbassking]

Always found that a slower retrieving of the plug tends to get he most attention, with that said Vary the retrieval’s 

[ReelSharp]

.

[hobobob]

3 hours ago, Buckscorider said:

When I first got into this sport about five years ago I quickly realized I needed needles for the NJ surf. 

 

I quickly acquired five S&S super and fish needles.

Yellow 1oz, green 1oz which I loaded to about 1.75, blurple and black 2 1/2 and 3oz heavies.

Even got a stubbie in copper. 

 

Havnt caught a single bass of any kind on any of them.

 

There I said it.

Not even on this crazy sandeel bite we just had?  All you had to do is to hop it off the bottom into some moving water.

[Seabassplug]

also a good idea for some winter days to read D. Zambrotta book, lots of things about needlefish and a good book to read.

[27conch]

I have a bunch Mack26.  I used to fish with Tony back in the day and he gave me a bunch from his private stash after the lure company disolved after his partners sudden death.

[ReelSharp]

Mag #54 in SCJ “ needlefish junkie” it’s a good one 

[Mack26]

1 hour ago, 27conch said:

I have a bunch Mack26.  I used to fish with Tony back in the day and he gave me a bunch from his private stash after the lure company disolved after his partners sudden death.

Hold onto them brotha, they are gold! Out of all the sharpies to fish a tide with, he would be my 1st choice. Quiet, but a wealth of knowledge. You’re a lucky man to have shared time with him.