How-To: Shallow Boulders, Monster Stripers

We spent 15 minutes on the phone with Daniel Putnam to discuss casting for monster stripers around shallow boulders off the South Shore of Massachusetts with the Hogy Original Series. Here's what we learned..

Daniel Putnam

Location: South Shore, MA

Tides: These fish were targeted early morning on an outgoing tide. 90% boulder field at mouth of estuary. Outgoing flushing bait out of the bay. Right on the edge of a boulder field.

Approach: These fish were feeding in a shallow boulder field at the mouth of an estuary. The bait would flush out through the boulders, then push over a drop off into deeper water. Using the trolling motoring to maneuver in and around the boulder field or on the sand bar edge that drops into 17’ – 18’. Try to locate where the fish are feeding on that portion of the tide.

Rigging Selection: The 10/0 Unweighted Swim Bait Hook was perfect for slowly working the bait on top.

Bait Selection: The Hogy 10-inch Original Series 

Why This Bait? As the tide went out of this estuary, it would pull out mackerel and herring along with it. The size, profile and color of this bait imitated what they were feeding on.

Colors: Scup

Retrieve:  The standard twitch, twitch pause retrieve worked perfectly. The key was to work the bait as slow as possible, while keeping it dancing across the surface. When a fish runs up and boils behind the bait, work it faster to trigger them to strike.

OUTFIT

Rod: 8’ St. Croix Mojo Surf, modified for boat use.

Reel:  Shimano Sustain 5000

Line: 30lb power pro braid for my main line.

Leader: 30lb Fluorocarbon tied line to line using the crazy alberto knot.