Chunking Bunker for Striped Bass - A Mobile Approach Part-1

[@blazinferno79]

Rich, your videos have helped shed so much light on unraveling the mysteries of the surf to help me read the water and put me on a bite! Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and insight of this sport!

[@richtroxler]

You are welcome blazin. Part 2 is coming shortly. Working on it now. It's about 20 minutes of info.

[@getfurtherfaster]

Tremendous info Rich!

[@SouthForkSalt]

I think I have chunked over 100 nights. Many hours and many casts. On the move, rod in hand, hunting large ones. You have clearly done quite a bit more. My methods are almost identical to yours. It seems to me that you have optimized the chunking process. I've learned a good amount from this video and will utilize your tips. Thank you for sharing! -Tim Regan

[@richtroxler]

Optimization is a good way to look at it. With the bass stocks down, it doesn't guarantee you a fish, but if they are in the area it gives you the best chance of finding and catching them.

[@DemitriPanagopoulos]

Love chunking the beach. Seems to be a dying art form. Lami 136 + abu 7000 50 lb mono is a match made in striper heaven! Tight lines Rich I love your videos man!

[@richtroxler]

Chunking is a bit of a dying form. It's considered stupid fishing by purists, but it's not really. I'm glad you enjoy my videos and I hope they help you out.

[@FishermansChronicles]

Just saying, I've been watching your videos and absolutely love them. Seems like there is infinite information in them, all which is extremely valuable and applicable

[@richtroxler]

Thanks for the kind words. I cram a lot of stuff into them and they are kind of dense lol. Just trying to pass some stuff forward to a sport that's given me a lot of pleasure through the years. Thanks for watching and be well.

[@mueshow]

Hi Rich, I see you are multi-talented. The beach-reading series is great, and I am becoming a student of the surf. Anxiously awaiting the 2nd part of the mobile chunking video...

[@richtroxler]

A rare viewing of one of my music videos perhaps lol? Thank you for viewing that. I've been very busy with work the last 6 weeks but I have a little dead space coming, so I'm going to get right back at it and hope to finish part-2.

[@Kilkee4sheezy]

Enjoy your fishing vids. Good to see they're still coming.

[@richtroxler]

Thank you Lilkees.

[@saskaleb]

Great introduction, looking forward for part 2 👍👍

[@richtroxler]

Hope to have it done before too long. Trying to figure out how much "live" video from the beach to shoot. There's no bass on the beach down here in Virginia right now, but there are a lot of things I want to show that are beach related. I'll figure it out lol.

[@saskaleb]

i am sure u ll figure it out lol :):):)

[@coolvid]

Great tutorial as always, liking the poor mans vacuum seal 👍

[@joshuafigueroa6]

It works. When i was younger some of my chores consists of putting away groceries. This is a great way to store your bait. But even a better way to bring your lunch

[@richtroxler]

This comment just popped up in my feed under "not responded". Apparently it's from 6 years ago. I'm not sure what happened but please accept my most sincere apologies for not responding to your post. I try to respond to everybody who posts on my channel, so a belated thank you for watching my video.

[@gfortiz5544]

I went back and reviewed the video 50lb mono or braid got it. I have a couple of bait casters however I need a lot of practice, thanks again and happy fishing.

[@richtroxler]

You don't have to chunk with conventional. I just think it gives better overall control and it's what I'm used to. But if you hold your rod and don't spike it while fishing, either spinning or conventional will do. It takes a little practive to learn conventional but it's not that difficult. You just can't cast it like spinning gear, meaning you can't snap cast it. The overall motion has to be smoother.

[@getfurtherfaster]

Tremendous info Rich!

[@richtroxler]

About the only thing I miss about living up north. Chunking Striped Bass, a fish that is steep decline right now. When it was good back in the late 90's, it was a lot of fun. Miss those days. They have big Red Drum down where I am now, but the season for catching them from the beach is very short. I don't sleep much during that time lol.

[@Exploremorefishing]

Awesome video , looking forward to part 2

[@richtroxler]

Working on it now.

[@gfortiz5544]

Ahh! I have been following some guys northeast fishing for stripers. The east coast is a bit far for me however, I'm going to try the Texas Gulf coast this fall and see how that goes. Well it's been great chatting with you. I am going to stay subscribed and look forward to more informative videos. Oh, by the way I believe Lemi glass rods are great but, a bit pricey for me. Keep on hooking them and chow.

[@richtroxler]

Lami's are a good rod, but if you are looking for good value, try looking at some Penn rods. If you are going to the Texas gulf, go after redfish. Good luck!

[@marshallkise6852]

Awsome tutorials👍💪. Out of curiosity, when floating bucktails, plugs and chunking what is your favorite brand of heavy monofilament if you where using 30 or 50 lb mainline? Plus what are your thoughts of circle hooks when chunking on the beach and inlets in particular in todays current era and regulations ?

[@richtroxler]

Ande or Berkley Big Game Mono, but mostly Ande line. Plugs I use mostly braid now, specifically Power Pro 50 lb. to Spro 230 lb swivel to 40 lb flouro leader. I used J-hooks and Siwash hooks forever when chunking and had very few gut hooks, but I've gone to circle hooks now for Drum down here in VA. I use a non-brand name circle hook that has a little wider gap than Gami's in sizes 10 and 12. Big Drum must be released and the regs on Red Drum have been very successful, unlike most of the regs on other species.

[@marshallkise6852]

@@richtroxler gotcha.👍👍 With the change in regulations for circle hooks for chunking, what type of circle hooks do you prefer when chunking from the beach?

[@richtroxler]

Down here in Virginia Beach, I use a circle hook from Custom Offshore Tackle, which is a local company, in size #10 for Red Drum. It has a wider gap than other circles, which I like. But I've also used Gamakatzu circles #10 and Owner's #10, which are smaller than other #10 size circles, but heavier wire and sharper out of the package. For smaller drum I use Gami's and Owner in smaller sizes. For Bass chunking, I would still stick with the #10's

[@marshallkise6852]

For the gamakatsu circles for bass do you like the snell knot circles or straight eye inline circles?

[@richtroxler]

Offset for snell.

[@MrXinsizionx]

Great video as always

[@richtroxler]

Thank you MrX.

[@MrXinsizionx]

+richtroxler your approach to fishing has definitely put more fish on the beach for me.

[@gfortiz5544]

My favorite fresh water fish to catch bank fishing is the white bass which is hard hitting and puts up a good fight makes me think I would like to try out it's much larger cousin the striper. Some of the lakes here in Oklahoma have striped bass but, you pretty much have to have a boat to search for them or hire a guide. If you don't mind me asking where do you fish for stripers?

[@richtroxler]

Fished for them for 40 years on Long Island before moving to Chesapeake VA a few years back.

[@gfortiz5544]

I ended up.buying the 12' Pen Prevail for chunking bait however I am thinking about a 10' MH for buck tails and lures. Does that sound about right? I would like to know what to spool up with for both setups. Your reply and input is very much appreciated and thanks a bunch.

[@richtroxler]

10" MH should work fine for bucktails around 1 oz or more and plugs like bottle plugs and darters. I use 50 Power Pro on most all of my spinning outfits and 30 to 50 lb mono for my conventionals. Use mono backing for braid. Chunking and heavy structure fishing is 50 mono. You bring up a point I should have made on my video and that is why use long rods when chunking. The short answer is that it keeps more of the line out of the water allowing better contact with your bait and less influence from waves and sweep.

[@l.i.archer5379]

I've used frozen bunker to catch bluefish and striper. In fact, I caught a 41-inch/30-pound striper on a frozen bunker head back in May.

[@richtroxler]

Yeah, I was waiting for somebody to say they caught a bass with frozen bunker. It happens, but it's my distant second choice to fresh. Frozen bunker is mushy, doesn't stay on the hook well, and has lost a lot of it's scent, which is what attracts bass. Definitely not fond of the frozen stuff ;-)

[@l.i.archer5379]

+richtroxler if you use the head and hook it right behind the skull and through the shoulders, it doesn't come off. Also, if you put the fresh caught bunker in ice water immediately, it keeps the meat firm after thawing.

[@richtroxler]

OK, don't take this the wrong way, but I know how to hook bunker, including the heads. If using frozen bunker is your thing, then have at it. There are reasons why I do the things I do, and nobody is twisting your arm to do them the same way. You want to fish frozen bunker, then you are more than welcome to do so, and if you ever produce a video on fishing frozen bunker, I promise not to post comments about all the fish over 40 lbs I've caught using fresh bunker. Fair enough?

[@l.i.archer5379]

+richtroxler I've caught sharks on frozen bunker, and I don't need to make videos to prove myself. Been fishing for over 40 years, so I know what works.

[@richtroxler]

You know what you know, so go catch fish and have a good time.

[@pedrocaceiro3936]

Hey Rich! That fish finder of yours, how does that work?

[@richtroxler]

Thread it on the running line. Tie the running line to your hook and leader using a palomar lot. Attach sinker to fishfinder. When fish picks up the bait, it can take off with out dragging the sinker with it because the line passes through the fishfinder. Hope this expalains it for you.

[@gfortiz5544]

Hi Rich good tutorial. What do you think of the of the Pen V series reels? I'm thinking of getting the 5500, but don't know what rod to match to it for surf fishing. Could you give a suggestion?

[@richtroxler]

Hi there. Can't say that I've used a Penn V series yet. I have several SS and SSG series reels and they are pretty good reels. The pot metal gears on the SS series didn't hold up well but I don't think they use that anymore. If the 5500 is the same as the other series, then a 9 1/2 to 10 ft rod would be about right. As for what type, it depends on whether or not you plan to throw 1-2oz plugs and bucktails or bait and 8 oz of lead.

[@HAPPYLIFE-ml6yt]

hello.. how to set up the line, bait for beginner?

[@richtroxler]

Hi HAPPY. Sorry for the late reply. I've been working on some music projects and getting some of it out on streaming platforms. I wish I could clone myself LOL. I'll have to get back to you on that. I thought that was covered in either part-1 or part-2. I'll check.

[@jaimesantiago9352]

Excellent!

[@richtroxler]

Thank you and thanks for watching.

[@Halal_Fishing_69]

How much of this can I apply to fresh water catfishing

[@richtroxler]

For Blue Cats down here in VA, I'd say quite a bit.

[@markmarino7641]

What knot should be used to connect the mono to the line/swivel. I know to use and do a polymor knot for connecting the hook to the mono.

[@richtroxler]

Hi Mark, sorry I missed this post. I use a palomar for just about everything. I snell to the hook, palomar to the swivel for my rig. Then I thread a fishfinder on to my running line and tie the running line to the other side of the hook rig using a palomar knot.

[@flanker0761]

I'm curious why he says you need to snell hooks on the Gami's. Never had a problem with a palomar

[@richtroxler]

You don't "need" to snell Gami's but their hook eye is offset for snelling, so the word "need" might be a bit of an over-statement. Snelling keeps the hook more in line with the running line and that may improve hooksets although I can't back that claim up with hard statistics. I use a palomar on non-offset hook eyes like the Siwash and snell offset eyes, like the Gami. Just my preference I guess :-)

[@joshuafigueroa6]

I argee, the fresher the bunker the better. I try to stay away from tackle shops because of not all bunker are fresh. So i try to see if i can catch them locally. Snagging is my perfered choice.

[@richtroxler]

Sorry for the late reply, was away for a couple weeks. Snag and drop is a fairly popular means of fishing bunker from the beach when the schools are in tight to the beach and within casting range. When I lived on Long Island I used to ride a fair distance to a back bay salt pond that was usually loaded with them and snag them from there. I was also fortunate to have a couple B&T's that knew my preference for fresh and would call me when they got a fresh load. To me, fresh makes a big difference. Gotta have the slime lol. Thanks for watching.

[@joshuafigueroa6]

@@richtroxler 10-4

[@petercomeauhockey8]

Great video! How many bunker do you bring with you on a trip? What do you do when bait shops don't have fresh bunker?

[@richtroxler]

Hi Peter. First question is easy, the second, not so easy. If I know I'll be fishing several days I might buy a couple dozen bunker and pack them away in a cooler on ice, in the same manner as I do on my video. If I think there are fish around and expect a long night, I would bring the cooler and then load about 10 bunker into my shoulder cooler. If I run out and the bite is good, I high-tail it back to my jeep and reload, otherwise I call it a night and repack what's left into the storage cooler. Keeping yourself in fresh bunker can be a challenge particularly when there aren't a lot of bunker around. I've always tried to maintain a relationship with my local B&T's so that they know what I like in terms of bunker. Some will give you a call when the fresh stuff shows up so you can stock up. If nobody has fresh bunker, then I fish with live eels, plugs, or bucktails. If there was a storm and there are lots of surf clams washed up on the beach, go grab some of those and fish them in the lip.

[@petercomeauhockey8]

+richtroxler thanks!

[@scroogemcduck531]

What length spinning rod is ideal?

[@richtroxler]

For chunking, somewhere around 12'. Make sure it can handle 8 oz weights.

[@scroogemcduck531]

richtroxler do you think 11' would work?

[@richtroxler]

It would, but again make sure it can handle the weights needed.

[@scroogemcduck531]

richtroxler it is rated 3-8 ounce, also does that mean the total weight is the sinker with the bunker chunk included, or the sinker without the bait?

[@richtroxler]

If it's rated 3-8 oz it should be fine. I try not to use more than 5-6 oz when fishing. but if there is some sweep, sometimes you just have to heavier.

[@mueshow]

Part 2! - Part 2! - Part 2! - Part 2! Is that a Honey Lami casting rod?

[@richtroxler]

Coming very soon. Yes, it's an old Lami Honey. I have some newer, lighter, more up to date rods but have a sentimental attachment to this one lol.

[@mueshow]

We are waiting with (bunker) baited breath!

[@richtroxler]

Part 2 is coming shortly. Working on it now. It's about 20 minutes of info. Lot's of effort.

[@dmger14]

Thanks!

[@richtroxler]

You're welcome.

[@rmp608]

EXCELLENT!!!!

[@richtroxler]

Thank you rmp. Hope it helps you out.

[@stevethet1962]

Did he say 10/10 hooks? Seems too big

[@richtroxler]

I checked and I said 10/0 not 10/10. A 10/0 in the Octo's is just about right for large bunker chunks. With a piece of fresh bunker on the hook, bass are not hook or leader shy. You want a lot of hook bite when you set the hook. I tend to use big Siwash hooks now because of the wider gap and bigger bite.

[@stevethet1962]

ok my mistake , my buddy said only use steel leaders for bluefish, not for stripers They (stripers) don't like the steel ones , thanks

[@richtroxler]

Hi Steve. Actually when chunking, bass are not picky about leaders and hooks. If blues are around, it's ok to use those black wire leader / hook combos.

[@ommalaysiamancing9215]

Mantaf yaaa eee

[@richtroxler]

This comment just popped up in my feed under "not responded". Apparently it's from 4 years ago. I'm not sure what happened but please accept my most sincere apologies for not responding to your post. I try to respond to everybody who posts on my channel, so a belated thank you for watching my video.

[@TridentDriver]

Bob the garbage man would be proud!

[@richtroxler]

LOL, he is a piece of work. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYacl3d9p5usatU

[@justpeachy3583]

Brilliant!!!

[@richtroxler]

Thanks for watching!