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Fall Fishing Jersey - The Best Sand Eel Lures
Fall Fishing Jersey - The Best Sand Eel Lures
Just about every game fish in the region both inshore and offshore eats sand eels. You name it; striped bass, bluefish, fluke, tunas, mackerel, sea bass, cod, mahi and many more! They are also primary forage for marine mammals and seabirds. Anglers who best understand sand eels and how to effectively match the hatch in different situations succeed. Here's what you need to know about sand eels and sand eel lures to best tackle fall fishing when sand eels are present.
Everything eats sand eels!
Sand Lance are slender eel like fish BUT NOT actually eels. Sorry to break the news. However they are generally accepted and best known as sand eels, so I will carry on continuing with the reference. To preface, the primary focus here will be on sand eels and striped bass fishing, but some of these details can span into other fishing.
Sand Eel Profile & Color
Pencil shaped with a pointy snout and a tapered small tail, sand eels are slim. They are predominantly silver sided with a silver belly and a tan - olive back. Sand eels come in all sizes from minis in the 1-3” size up to 7-10”+ in the larger size range. Most commonly we see 4-6” sand eels that are the diameter of a standard sharpie marker.
Sand Eel Movements & Tendencies
Sand eel do not get flushed out of the bays like many other baits do. They can be found year round on the offshore sand bottoms, ridges, lumps and around wrecks in 10-50 fathoms. Their abundance fluctuates. Some years, sand eela move into the near shore - inshore waters during the late summer and fall.
These ferocious fall feeds, blitz conditions are easily identified by birds (terns and gulls) feeding on the surfaces. But what’s actually occurring? Sand eel which are bottom dwelling creatures that burrow in the sand, are disturbed and attacked by hungry game fish like striped bass. Since the sand eels can’t get away, they race in distress to the surface. There they're met by hungry birds, picking them off. When these feeds push in near the beach, things really get good for surfcasters. This is the heart pumping blitz fishing that adrenaline junkies live for. However many times in the fall both the bait and game fish hang low in the water column or right on bottom. This is when the jig bite prevails!
Usually sand eels can be seen scurrying on the surface some mornings in the golden light hour. At times they are in the wash. But commonly as the sun rises they move off the beaches and into deeper water to repeat the cycle another day. There are times when sand eels hunker down on the sand bars all day, day in and day out. These times are truly special!
4 Ways To Mimic Sand Eel Action - Distinct Fishing Techniques
1 - Bounce Off Bottom: Sand lance burrow in the sand. Jigging a sand eel lure with a yo-yo technique is a classic approach where the rod is lifted with a crank or two of the reel handle added and then the rod is slowly lowered. Repeat as you see fit and then drop back towards the bottom. Also tap dancing a sand eel lure on the bottom imitates a burrowing behavior creating puffs of sand that attracts predators and triggers strikes.
2 - Aggressive Darting: Sand eels are small baits that can scurry fast and dart in different directions. Using a fast retrieve while imparting erratic rod action can attract predators and triggers strikes. Active twitching along a retrieve and speed jigging are both very effective and fall into this category.
3 - Stop & Go: Using a retrieve, retrieve, retrieve, pause, twitch rhythm can be irresistible! The length of pause and the pattern can be shuffled, but always add a twitch after the pause. Then, be ready for the hook-set!
4 - Slow & Low: This fishing technique works best at night. Slow down the retrieve speed so the lure has just a little bit of resistance. To remain in contact with the lure a small tap of the rod, a gentle jig, can help ever so often.
By aligning the action with specific techniques to closely mimic sand eel behavior, anglers can more effectively fool predators, trigger strikes and increase fishing success!
To MATCH THE HATCH anglers must look to slim, silver lures with elongated shape. The best sand eel lure impersonations are done with metal jigs, soft plastics and skinny crankbaits.
Best Sand Eel Lure Imitations
These best sand eel fishing lures are top producers year in and year out. These are all sure to help you catch more fish when sand eels are present. Below find our top choices organized into three categories; Jigs, Hardbaits, Softbaits.
Top 4 Sand Eel Lure - Jigs
Diamond Jig Lures - One of the oldest and most effective striped bass lures of all time. Possibly the only lure that can challenge a bucktail for the most versatile lure title. Great lures for the beach or boat either casting or jigging. Fish ‘em slow, stop and go or quick and straight. Bass hammer them!
Hogy Sand Eel Jigs - One of the most realistic sand eel jigs you can find with rough side reflective scale finish and large lazer eye. They cast like a rocket and have a nice flutter fall with great action on retrieve and vertical jig. I like these much more than AVA jigs when vertical jigging because they foul less often and out catch. They are my favorite sand eel imitation jigs for both striped bass and sea bass.
If looking for a lighter jig with a slim profile? Hogy Epoxy Jigs should be in everyone's tackle box! One of the most versatile jigs in the world that will catch just about anything. Why? They cast great and have a good weight to size relationship (lighter than lead) and they resemble a small minnow baitfish or sand eels. Everything eats small baitfish!
Nomad Streaker Jigs - A stand out tuna jig when the bluefin and yellowfin tuna are keyed in on sand eels, this slender pencil style jig comes in a variety of sizes and colors so there is an option for everything from striped bass and black sea bass to tuna. Great for speed jigging!
Deadly Dick Lures - A phenomenal underrated lure that has a knack for catching finicky fish. These slender metal lures cast great and have an erratic action. They can be fish quick on the surface, mid-column with slower retrieve or jigging down deep.
Top 4 Sand Eel Lures - Hardbaits
Guides Secrete Needle Stick Needlefish - Ever fall in love with a wooden needlefish that catches but then heart broken when the lure gets chipped up and waterlogged? Check out the GS Needle Stick! These needlefish lures are a plastic version of the classic woods. They cast great and have a slow, level sink rate. The rattles entice strikes on slow days so be sure to impart twitches to ring in some wary fish.
Super Strike Needle - Super Strike makes the most durable and versatile needlefish lures. Don’t let the many size/weight options confuse or overload the decision as there are three size lengths (NF5, 6, 7) each with two weights (W = weighed, black eye & HW = heavy weighed, red eye). The NF6W 1.5oz lure covers almost all of the bases. But go NF5 if you want a smaller size or if fishing windy, sweeping current, deep water scenarios, go for the HW’s. These lures catch fish day or night from the beach or boat!
Gibbs Needlefish - The classic wood needlefish by Gibbs is a great option to slow crawl the surf at night. Wood offers weight to cast but also buoyancy so it is very slow sinking which is great along the surf. Wooden needlefish are a great large profile sand eel lure choice. Spice it up with a teaser ahead of it!
Daiwa SP Minnow - The Salt Pro, better known as the SP Minnow is a slender shallow tight swimming style jerkbait that is uber effective! There is no better search bait lure than the SP for open water, especially sand beaches. Stripers can not resist these great sand eel lure imitations!
Another great slender swimming plug sand eel lure to fish... the Yo-zuri LC Minnow.
Top 4 Sand Eel Lures - Softbaits
Tsunami Sand Eel Lure Softbaits - These life like long and slender softbaits have a mylar foil inside for realistic flash and a small paddle tail for just a touch of eel like swimming action. With a molded in weighed hook these lures are ready to fish right out of the package. These flat out catch fish and are easy to fish. Just cast and retrieve these sand eel lure to score.
Joe Baggs Miracle Minnow Sandeel - These have a strong hook for their size, slender bait profile with a small paddle tail to add just a little kick. Available in four sizes. Did you ever fall in love with the Vision Sand Eel or Surf Eel and have anxiety when they were discontinued? These are very similar! These are life-like imitations.
NLBN Straight Tail - Possibly the most effective larger profile bait that catches when big striped bass and tuna are on sand eels.
Red Gill Lures - The original and unbeatable sand eel imitation that has great durability. They can be intimidating to rig because unlike most all softbaits Red Gill have a much harder style material which don't accept a simple jig head. Take a look at a helpful rigging video below.
Honorable Mentions: These options could have all made the top four list: Lunker City Sluggo - a slender soft bait classic that can be fished in so many ways. Rig on a lead head, fish on a swimbait hook, carolina or texas rig… can even be used as a teaser! Billy Hurley - A very fishy line up of lures that lures! RonZ Soft Bait - slender softbait that is a well known killer of tuna, sea bass and striped bass.
Helpful Video: How To Rig & Fish Red Gill Lures As Teaser
Must Have Sand Eel Lures For The Beach & Boat
There are many ways to match the hatch with regards to sand eels. All of these are great options. On any given day, some are better than another based on the conditions. Here are the best sand eel imitation fishing lures to target and catch striped bass during the sand eel bite - run.
3 Sand Eel Lures Surfcaster Must Have
With regards to the surf conditions play a big part in a surfcaster's lure selection. However no matter what these three are essential must have sand eel lures when surf fishing the Jersey Shore in fall.
💥 Fish A Teaser!
Teasers can ignite a bite on a slow day and also be that consistent producer season in and season out. Fish a teaser on a dropper loop 18-24" up in front of a clip which attaches the main lure such as but not limited to a diamond jig, swimming plug or popper. Teasers can be just about anything from a softbait (Red Gill, Sluggo) to a specialty fly or a hackle - hair dressed hook. When looking for a teaser be sure to choose one with a good strong hook!
Here is a simple premade teaser rig. However, if you want to make up your own teaser rigs... Check Out The Video BELOW, it shows 3 Ways To Make A Teaser Rig.
3 Sand Eel Lures Boaters Must Have
Many of the imitation sand eel lure mentioned above can be used in the boat with phenomenal success. But to widdle down the list and focus... These are the three must have lures for the boat when fishing the fall in New Jersey.
- Diamond Jig Lures
- NLBN Straight Tail
- Trolling Umbrella Rigs - Tube style umbrella rigs are the best option when trolling with sand eels around. Cover ground, match the hatch and catch fish! There is no better option for quality and dependability than those from 9'ers Umbrella Rigs. As shown in the photo below, many times umbrella rigs not only get a bite, they get lots of bites!
Captain Greg Cudnik
Captain Greg is a Long Beach Island, New Jersey native who fishes out of Barnegat Light aboard Fish Head Charters, his light tackle guide service. Greg is also the general manager of Fisherman’s Headquarters Bait & Tackle Shop.
With deep love for saltwater fishing, Greg is an accomplished angler with state citations in both New Jersey and North Carolina for remarkable catches. As an elite angler with deep knowledge and attention to detail, he assists with the design and field testing of new tackle. Greg is affiliated with Penn Fishing Tackle Company, Aftco - America Fishing Tackle Company, Gray Fish Tag Research, Cortland Line Company and Rhodan Marine Systems.
From rigging to application specific techniques, Greg is always willing to teach and share.
When Greg is not at the shop you can find him fishing, surfing or having fun with the family. Greg resides on LBI with his wife Melanie and their two sons.
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