We’ve all been stopped in standstill traffic on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge during the summertime. We’ve all wished we were on the deck of one of the many boats fishing around the pilings down below, as opposed to being stuck in a hot metal box hundreds of feet above the water. And, after watching someone pull a rockfish over the gunwale we’ve all jumped out of the car and hollered down “What’d ya get him on?” Right?
Alright, maybe that last one is just me. But many beginner anglers—including myself at the time—would take a hook to the thumb just to know the fishy secrets of those boating anglers who swing in rockfish by the numbers at the Bay Bridge. Well, spare your thumbs, because we’re here to tell you that oftentimes, those guys fishing the bridge are live-lining spot. And as a shorebound angler, you can take advantage of this oh-so-effective tactic just as easily.
What is Live-lining?
This method of fishing at its core involves the use of live prey on the end of one’s line to attract a bite from a larger predator. Live-lining in the Chesapeake is largely associated with using spot, one of the primary forage fish for predators in the summertime, to catch striped bass. Eels, alewife, and Atlantic silversides are other baits used for live-lining in the Bay, but we’ll focus on spot for now. They are usually the most accessible to shorebound anglers, and can be readily caught just about anywhere in the Bay during the summer months on bottom rigs or Sabiki rigs tipped with bloodworms or Fishbites.
Why Try Live-lining?
Because it flat-out works. Rockfish simply love to eat spot. This method of fishing is like dangling a crabcake under a Marylander’s nose—the thing’s going to get bit!
Okay, but why not cut the spot up and throw out chunks? Surely that would make for an easier meal, right? Maybe so, but rockfish are primarily predators, not scavengers. This means they have an evolutionary instinct that basically tells them the faster and more lively something is swimming away from them, the healthier the prey is and the more nutritious it will be. This is not to say that soaking dead bait for rockfish never works, because it does. But an erratic, panicked live bait is almost always more likely to catch the attention of a rockfish.
Gear for Live-lining From Shore
The number one most important piece of your live-lining setup is a non-offset circle hook. It is illegal to use any other type of hook in the Bay for live-lining with spot, and doing so would only put you at risk of a hefty ticket and put our beloved rockfish in harm’s way.
Choose a 6/0 size to 10/0 size non-offset circle hook and snell it to a three- to five-foot, 20-pound to 40-pound fluorocarbon leader (pre-snelled hooks and leaders can also be purchased at your local tackle shop). Hook size is much more dependent upon the size of the spot you’re using than the size of the rockfish you hope to catch. The key when deciding to go smaller or larger with your hook is to ensure that there is enough of a gap between the body of the bait and the hook point once it’s rigged. If the gap is too slight, go with a bigger hook to increase your chance of sticking fish. With too wide of a gap, you’ll run the risk of your spot fouling itself on the hook, so downsize. But keep in mind that hooks smaller than 6/0 can lead to more deeply hooked rockfish, something we’d all like to avoid as it can kill under- or over-slot fish that will be released. So, leave them at home. Regarding leader, go on the heavier end of things for abrasion resistance when fishing your bait on the bottom or near structure, and go lighter if you’re around more open water.
When fishing from shore in slow current or light wind, we’ll look to employ a live-lining tactic known as free-lining (more on this later). Use a barrel swivel or connection knot to attach your mainline to the leader with the snelled non-offset circle hook.
If the area you’re fishing has heavy current or the wind is howling, you’ll want to use a fish finder rig. Take a sinker slide and thread your mainline through the tube, then attach a barrel swivel to the end of the mainline. Now, tie your leader with the snelled hook to the barrel swivel. Grab a one- to five-ounce sinker and clip it onto the sinker slide. The advantage of using a sinker slide and having a wide range of weights in your tackle box is to find that sweet spot where your rig holds bottom while not being too heavy to the point where the fish will feel significant resistance when taking the bait.
Rod selection for live bait fishing is not as critical as with a more finesse tactic such as jigging. A medium-heavy or heavy power rod with a moderate action is a common choice, but, especially as a beginner, there is no need to break the bank on a new pole; you should use whatever rod you may have already, so long as it’s not too stiff. A stout broomstick of a rod will not have the bend necessary to allow your circle hook to set in the fish’s mouth. Spinning or conventional rods will both work.
Your choice of reel will require a bit more specificity than that of the rod. Whether it’s spinning or conventional tackle, a freespool function is preferred by many live-lining anglers. Most conventional reels come standard with this feature. Spinning reels, however, don’t always have it. There are certain models manufactured specifically for live-lining, so look for reels labeled “live liner” or “baitrunner.” They will be equipped with a secondary, lighter weight drag system that allows line to be pulled out when a fish takes the bait. Each of these reels will also be equipped with a switch or lever to engage the main drag system to set the hook and fight the fish. With most models the main drag will kick in if you begin cranking the handle, too. Spooling up with monofilament is preferred by most for this method of fishing.
If for whatever reason you can’t get your hands on a baitrunner reel, you can absolutely live line from shore with a regular spinning reel. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to leave the bail flipped open while your bait is in the water when free lining, and that your drag will have to be set very loose when using a fish finder rig in order to maximize your chance of hooking and landing fish. Doing so will make live-lining a bit more difficult on a windy day or in ripping current, but please don’t shy away from this incredibly effective fishing tactic because you may not have the “right” gear.
Tactics for Live-lining
Take a moment to survey the conditions at your fishing spot, be it a bridge, pier, bulkhead, or jetty. Is the wind heavy or light, the current fast or slow? These factors are critical in deciding how to present that tantalizing live spot to a hungry rockfish.
In mild to moderate conditions when live-lining from shore, it’s best to free-line your spot and hook him through the nose. This will keep him swimming in the middle to upper half of the water column, which is where the rockfish will likely be feeding in shallow water during the summertime. It will also allow for the most natural presentation of your bait. If it seems like your spot is not swimming deep enough, try hooking him through the back, between the dorsal fin and head. But beware, as this will force the spot to swim down towards the bottom where a hungry crab or ray might be eagerly awaiting a meal.
Extremely strong current and heavy winds require a different approach for live-lining from land. Firstly, we’ll be switching our setup from a freeline to a fish finder rig. Heavy current or wind will sweep a free-lined spot away from the place where you’re fishing in an instant. We have to use a sinker to keep our spot in place, since we shoreline warriors are not equipped with the capability to drift like our boat-owning peers. Use however heavy a pyramid sinker is necessary on your fish finder rig to hold bottom. Hook your spot through the nose when using this rig.
Once you’ve cast out your bait, it’s extremely important to keep the reel disengaged. That means we’re set to freespool on a conventional reel, using the freespool function or secondary drag system on a baitrunner reel, and/or the bail is flipped or drag set extremely loose on a regular spinning reel. When you get a bite, line will start ripping off of the spool. Count 5 or so seconds in your head, then engage the reel. Don’t set the hook hard or snappy. Simply just crank the reel handle and the circle hook should set itself right in the corner of the fish’s mouth. Fish on!
-By Adam Greenberg