Surf Fishing Series - The Needlefish - A Very Unique Plug

[@johnrinehart4927]

Thank you so much for your informative log. You talk like I understand. I will be paying closer attention to all of your future blogs. I'm originally from Long Island and I used to fish there at night all the time in Smithtown Bay and West Meadow Beach. I'm retired now and I am going back to what I loved all my life thank God. I have time to fish again

[@richtroxler]

Hi John and thanks for the sub. A north shore guy huh? I used to fish the jetties on the east side entrance of Stony Brook Harbor, just south of West Meadow Beach, years ago, but I think it's all private now since they knocked down the cottages. Enjoy your retirement and catch'em up!

[@robg836]

Great video. Very informative. Thank you for taking the time to make this video!

[@richtroxler]

Hi Rob. You are very welcome. Be well and stay safe.

[@charlied4850]

Great info, Rich, thanks! I didn’t realize that you were here in Virginia Beach. I’m new to fishing, and I have enjoyed your videos. Maybe we’ll cross paths at the beach.

[@richtroxler]

Hi Charles. Been down here 6 years now. Was sidelined this fall by Menieres disease in my right ear and constant bouts of vertigo, but I've been symptom free now for over two months, so I'm hoping I stay that way. I fish a lot from my kayak in the spring and summer and nights on the beach all fall. Perhaps we will.

[@Gypsyboy932]

@@richtroxler Great news! Feel better.

[@shortyetm3190]

24/7 lures 9” black floating needle has been my go to for nite. Old timer gave me the best advice about floating needles at nite... “ if you think your cranking to slow... your going to fast”

[@richtroxler]

Yeah, I've heard that saying many times. Black floaters on the flats are fun for sure.

[@Exploremorefishing]

Thanks for sharing , I've thrown these plugs in the past and literally had no idea how to fish them LOL

[@richtroxler]

LOL, they can be confusing initially but they really are a very versatile plug with a lot of different ways to work them. Thanks for watching.

[@slabslayer]

Another great video with some great advice. Thank you!

[@richtroxler]

You're very welcome Aaron and thank you for watching.

[@jertan487]

Hmmm. Never used them and there are tons of needlefish in my area. I'll give em a try in a few days. Thanks for the tip. Great video as always

[@richtroxler]

Let me know how you make out. Thanks for watching.

[@vsonic86]

10:35 can you apply that same technique to a sinking needle fish by cast, let it sink, pull the rod 12 o’clock , let it sink, then pull 12 o’clock again?

[@richtroxler]

I don't see why not. There is no hard and fast rule for a sinking stick lol. I actually think that it would be a good technique to try. It would mimic a dying bait fish struggling while sinking to the bottom.

[@vsonic86]

Finally, there is another video that talk about needle fish beside John Skinner's needle fish. I love this lure except I lost a few before I got my 25 lbs on this lure.

[@richtroxler]

Hi vsonic. Didn't know John did a video on needlefish. One of my top 5 favorite plugs for Striped Bass. Thanks for watching and stay safe.

[@grandwonder5858]

Does the Super Strike Needlefish sink in a horizontal manner? Meaning the lure sinks with its entire body being horizontal to the surface of the water? That is a lure I'm looking for.

[@richtroxler]

From what I see when it's near me, it settles in a horizontal manner. It may plane some, but it definitely doesn't go nose up and sink. Thanks for watching.

[@michaelraspante318]

Thank you!! I'm thinking jack cravalle are going to crush these in the gulf of mexico. Can't wait to try them

[@richtroxler]

Hi Michael. A retrieve I didn't mention was a stop and go, or a rip and stop. The jacks might like that. Kind of like how the freshwater bass guys fish those neutral buoyant stick baits. Have a good time in the gulf and thanks for watching.

[@tomparker8932]

Not all that an unusual, very versatile and seemingly pretty easy to maneuver, BUT the key is WHERE in the current maybe or depth of in comming to shore. thanx for good info...

[@richtroxler]

Unfortunately, was out of commission again for a while, so for now I'm just trying to get caught up on responding to everyone and trying to finish up on some new content and other stuff. Thanks for hanging in there with me and I'll get this thing going again.

[@vsonic86]

I’m back at you again hoping you can give me some direction on how to use it I see it has zero action to matter how I use it. So how do I effectively get fish on it? I cranked it super slow to point my hand is sore cranking this thing. Should I use it like a popper by let it sinks, then popper and it drop again, then pop again? Please excuse for my writing as well. Thank you for directions

[@richtroxler]

The use of this plug depends on the type of bait present. If you have long, slender bait, then it is a good choice. Also, the type of water you're fishing has everything to do with retrieve speed. No current, faster retrieve, or stop and go type retrieve, but definitely not real slow. Current, depends on how strong the current is and how deep the water is. Sometimes you just cast up current and let it sink and swing around with very little retrieve, it's hard to sat because it's all spot dependent. Ocean, it's all about hitting the backside of a wave and slow retrieve in the back suck.

[@westtide]

So you retrieve slowly in the current until a wave breaks the current. Then you drop the needle to the bottom instead of increasing your retrieve speed. Correct?

[@richtroxler]

Unfortunately, was out of commission again for a while, so for now I'm just trying to get caught up on responding to everyone and trying to finish up on some new content and other stuff. Thanks for hanging in there with me and I'll get this thing going again.

[@kellyr8230]

Hi Rich, please assist. When wave has broken and releases your fishing line, lift your rod tip and reel your plug off the bottom. Keep reeling plug until another wave overtakes it. Then Repeat. My friend Mike would like to know when mention keep reeling plug until another wave overtakes it, just to be clear, on the second wave let the plug fall to the bottom, and as the wave breaks, lift back rod and begin reeling in plug again, is this right?

[@richtroxler]

Basically, the idea is to try not to let the plug be up in the wave zone where it'll just get pushed along in the break. I try to not to cast into a wave, but rather behind a wave, so I can fish the plug immediately. But when a wave catches up to to me, I try to let the plug sink to the bottom and let the wave roll over it, break over it, or wash over it, depending on where I am on my retrieve. as soon as the wave releases my line (kind of pops out and you make contact with the plug again is the best way I can describe it) I get the plug off the bottom and start retrieving again. I do this as long as I can maintain contact with the plug. If another wave comes, I let it sink. If you try and reel through a breaking wave, you will loose contact with the plug and it will get washed along with the wave. Not just this plug, but pretty much any plug. I hope that answers you question.

[@kellyr8230]

@@richtroxler Thank you so much! You are truly a master at work, and I am very satisfied with your explanation. Soon as I land the big one, I will keep you posted.

[@whome8845]

Can big bass be caught in L.I. Sound or just schoolies on SP minnows?

[@richtroxler]

Of course big bass can be caught in the sound lol.

[@wildman8601]

Another great video trox thanks bro

[@richtroxler]

Thanks Wild, and thank you for watching. Stay safe.

[@wildman8601]

@@richtroxler question for ya. New moon. Is it , fish the full 4 days before it and full 4 days after it or the 4th day only b4 it and 4th day after it ??? So many ppl arent comprehending this

[@richtroxler]

Hi Wild. Never heard of 4th day before and 4th day after a new moon. Makes no sense to me. New moon does 2 things primarily. The first is it increased tidal bulge, meaning it drags more water making the tides higher and lower (tide differential). This in turn makes more current (feeding advantage for predatory fish, disavantage to small bait fish). The second thing it does is, it makes it dark. Many predatory fish prefer this because it tends to ball up the bait fish, either around lights, or simply in open water (safety in numbers). So the short version, 4 days before and after, new moon inclusive is prime time, at least for the species I fish for.

[@joecontinetti6594]

Rich - ever use these in freshwater for largemouth? If so please comment. Thanks for the video

[@richtroxler]

Hi Joe. I never have but that's a very interesting question! I would bet that a pickerel finished one would draw some strikes. I might try one this spring :-)

[@joecontinetti6594]

@@richtroxler Thanks Rich. I live in central VA but learned to surf fish from the rocks in Rhode Island over 40 years ago. I was playing with the small Super Strike needle at my local lake th he other day and thought it might work for the bass and walleyes that live there. I fish mostly during low light and thought the subtle action might draw a hit or two. Thanks for your response; I'll report back if I have any success. Best, Joe

[@WeiK0]

Great video!

[@richtroxler]

Thanks Wei, and thanks for watching and for subbing. Be well and stay safe.

[@WeiK0]

@@richtroxler thank you and u stay safe too:)

[@juanarana1483]

Thanks Rich. How often do you use these plugs when sand eels are not the predominant baitfish? Do you still fish these plug when larger / wider bait is around?

[@richtroxler]

These plugs are in my regular rotation, meaning if I'm not sure what bait is present, I rotate through a handful of profiles that cover a range of sizes and the water column, top to bottom. It's not just sand eels, it's any slender bait, or bait like lizardfish. It's not always about matching the hatch precisely so much as making good presentations. Good question though Juan, and thanks for watching.

[@juanarana1483]

richtroxler thanks Rich

[@whome8845]

What about the sound, are they to big for the soumd?

[@richtroxler]

They're not too big for anywhere.

[@marshallkise6852]

Awsome video Rich. Do you fish needlefish plugs on both spinning and conventional outfits? And if so do you have mainline preference depending on conditions and outfits?

[@richtroxler]

Needlefish is a spinning outfit plug for me. I use the Super Strikes with braid because I don't want to impede their ability to sink at all. Mono has buoyancy so I have used it with floating models (custom made wood, non- Super Strike models).