Bridge Fishing

[SportFishStaff]

Fall migration has begun, stripers are hitting the bridges back bays and inlets here in Cape May County NJ.

I have my go to baits when fishing back around the bridges

Bridge fishing.
Night Time fishing under the lights for bass means one thing. Soft plastics on light jig heads.

The colors I use are pink and...... and...... and... oh thats right there is only one color I use almost exclusively and its pink. Pink zoom pink fin-s anything pink. I don't really know why but the night time bass seem to love pink in our area. Maybe I just have really good luck and confidence in it, but it is my go to bait
I fish an 1/8oz plain jig head almost all the time. I very rarely fish anything heavier. As you want to have your bait up high in the water column just below the surface

Most of your bass will be in the shadow line, so you will want to cast up current and let your baits drift back to but not into the bridge. This can be tricky as you don't want to loose contact to your lure but you also want it to be slow as more of a drift than a retrieve. Keep your rod tip up and you should be able to see your lure just below the surface until it disappears into the shadows, most hits happen just in side the shadow line. This leads me to your tackle.

I use a med hvy rod with a fast taper, as i like the softer tip. When using soft baits i need to feel and stay in contact with my lures. Down side is its hard to get a fish up the bridge with this set up as it doesn't have alot of back bone. Most of the fish we catch are 24 inches and below, but it does get tricky when a keeper size fish comes to play. Bridge nets or bridge gaffs are brought out when the big fish are around.

I match my rod with a Spheros or Daiwa BG. I have used alot of Penn products in the past, but since they went to mostly graphite and plastic in the SS series I have not had as much luck with them. The all metal ss reels where bullet proof, not the smoothest but I think one of the best reels for the money at the time

Line for this style fishing I use power pro or suffix braid, you need to feel the hits as this is a finesse style of fishing. Also with braids smaller diameter for heavier line than mono is a plus when fishing around pilings and the rip rap of the bridges.
I go with 30 most of the time. I will post photos of my lure and set up later on.
Thanks Tim

[SportFishStaff]

Heres my reel, I use a BG10 for this instance and it really is a stud of a little reel, Excellent drags, It isn't the smoothest reel i have ever fished but it is a work horse.

I think one thing that is so important is proper rigging of the jig it needs to be seemless no bunching and right down the middle.
I posted the proper way I rig my soft plastics