Striper Slayers Apparel, Best Fishing Gear 2012

Striper Slayers Apparel is a brand-spanking-new fishing apparel company.  Based out of Worcester, MA, Striper Slayers Apparel has this Urban Hooker jones-ing for more.  I met with the Founders of SSA at the 2012 NE Saltwater Fishing Convention in Rhode Island.  They explained to me that the company just launched and these styles are literally hot off the presses.  The owners are not only running the company but they are also tattoo artists by trade.  When they are not beautifying their clients skin with masterful tattoo artistry, they are focused on creative visions for future t shirt designs.  Their style is a perfect blend of old school tattoo art and my favorite past time, striper fishing.  A f#$king match made in heaven.

Their styles are eclectic and the quality of their t shirts and screen printing are exemplary.  Disclaimer: At this point I personally own only one single piece of their fine work, but lucky for me, there are more to come!  I was told that there are many more styles being drawn up now including a fly fishing line.  Ooh-boy!  My buds from Bug Slinger might finally have some reel real competition.  If you have any sense of cool, go ahead and check them out.

Best Striper Fishing Lures (2011 Best Striper Fishing Lures & Best Striper Plugs)

EastCoastAngler.net is proud to continue our second installment in our new series about the craftsmen behind the lures we can’t get enough of. We are bringing you a little bit about the lives of the people who make beautiful, hand made, wooden lures; the producers of true Americana. It seems only fitting that our second post is about an indie plug craftsmen, the artist behind Murph The Surf, Classic Wooden Lures & Plugs. Read on and meet Mr. John Irwin. 

John hails from Mystic Island, New Jersey and spent his childhood near Gravelling Point. John and his family reside in Folsom, New Jersey, his native state. He began making plugs about 20 years ago, and in my opinion his creations are reminiscent of Tim Burton masterpieces. He began creating plugs for a few specific reasons. John primarily fishes using wood plugs, loves working with his hands and has creative, artistic talent. Blend all these elements together – and bam, Murph the Surf is born. Read on.

Best Striper Plugs Fall '09: Fish on 8 Lures

Best Striper Plugs for Fall '09: Fish on 8 Lures

Thirty years of experience of general contracting plus a lifetime of fishing plus one stealthy antique wooden lure collection equals eight. What, you ask, in God’s name am I talking about? Fish on 8, and our latest Artist Spotlight Feature, Mr. Robert Yudichak. Robert is the brains, brawn and beautiful artistry behind Fish on 8 custom wood plugs. Here, my fellow angler is his scoop:Everything is in a name and with this company that holds true. We all know the frenzied, ecstatic angler cry of, “Fish on!” Use these plugs and that will be your mantra. And speaking of things spiritual, the later part of this company name, 8. The number eight is considered an extremely lucky number in most spiritual and religious cultures dating back centuries. Fishing with a Fish on 8 brings the luck right to you.Now, about the artist, Mr. Robert Yudichak. Robert, along with his two sons runs Fish on 8. They are, as their art proves, die hard fishermen. Bob began making his own lures and would fish them. He recalls losing his handmade plugs many times only to go back the next day to his favorite spot to see another angler fishing his plugs. He would tell his fellow anglers those were his lures, the anglers would ask where he got the lures and that got that little light bulb illuminated in the mind of another artist. Read on.

Top of The Line Fishing Pliers (CRC Composite Fiber)

(CRC) Composite Reel Company, LLC
Prolite-os"TM" series Pliers; The Game Changer.
Over the years I have forged friendships with many very important people within the sport fishing industry. These people have been the tipping point for the products that become the next big thing in the tackle world. These products are the type of gear that make us lie, cheat and steal our way to ownership. This little piece of equipment is the future of fishing tools.
The storyI was recently introduced to a brand new product that just hit the market. CRC's or Composite Reel Company's carbon-fiber composite pliers called The Prolite-os"TM" Pliers. Allow me to explain what makes this tool so special: they are made of a proprietary carbon fiber; this allows them to become one of the lightest weight fishing pliers on the market. They are corrosion free and will stand up to even the worst of saltwater conditions that Poseidon and the rest of the sea gods could throw at us. Read on.

Hot New Striper Lures (Fishing)

Photo By: Paul Arbitman

Lured in by Some Hot New Striper Lures
Well, you all know I love me some stripers. Some fine new striper candy has come across my radar, and helped me snag some monster stripers here during their Connecticut run. C & C Outdoor Adventures makes some mighty fine handmade lures – and they work like a charm. C & C is an outdoorsman’s paradise located in Northern California. The folks at C & C also guide, which means they know what fish want, and they make it right there – handmade lures! Word has spread all the way to the Eastcoast – The Eastcoast Angler, specifically, that these bad ass lures are a yummy treat for big stripers and blues. (Thanks, Jeff, for the tip.) Well … tested and true, fished and caught, brother. I was lured into love with these lures and had to pass on the word to my readers.
Want to catch a stripe-ahh? A blue? I’ve picked my favorite east coast C & C lures. Read on and see what I think these lures can do for you, besides be a pretty damn good investment:

~ My very own “Midnight Marauder.” The word ‘maraude’ means to loot … any old school hip hop fans out there? This is the Eastcoast Angler, after all. Tribe Called Quest looted for ears, the Eastcoast Angler; for fish. I was able to loot big daddy stripers thanks to this lure.

Here’s the lure: The Marauder Minnow (Shad Shallow)

- It is designed to be trolled fast and be durable. They come in a variety of colors and patterns, 7" shallow, 8" deep, and 5" shallow. The lures are made from lexan, are welded (not glued), and after they are painted, the 3 –D fish eyes are applied, and finished with a rock hard UV topcoat. The top coat protects against scratching, and lost eyes. The lure held up, even after getting viciously attacked by monster blues. Nice work, C & C!
~ Pop, pop, pop, pop, POP! The CC Pencil Popper

- This is the perfect surface plug. The Pencil Popper is made from a polymer and is weighted in the rear to provide those long casts in the surf. Perfect weight for a good, long cast! They are not hollow plastic and have the same durable top coat as the Marauders, but they are coated twice because C & C knows well the beating they will take in the surf. They have internal glass rattles. They are also available in 6", 7" and 8." All bodies have a wire-form one-piece frame.

~ Tempted yet? C & C has more. The Temptor Lure is their newest line of lures.

And features everyone’s favorite; a real Red Head. The Redhead Holo is one delicious striper lure. They are made from welded lexan- you know the stuff bullet proof glass is made from? Yikes – watch out bluefish teeth! They have the same construction as the Marauders. They are 7" and have a very erratic design.

~ So, I’ve spent most of this post giving you great lures for those fierce stripers and blues. But some of the species can be lazy. In steps the Temptor II Minnow. Same basic design and action as the Temptor, but a small presentation for those days when the fish are lazy and don't want to take on a big bait.
It is clear to me the people at C & C know what it takes to catch fish – they helped me catch some stripers. On these lures you won’t find any cheap hardware commonly found on commercial baits. After the folks at C & C assemble the lures, and they have passed quality inspection, they are tested to make sure they swim correctly at speeds up to 5 mph. Intense standards = long lasting gear.
To make these lures even more of a catch, they are family made. Jeff swears they are his pride and joy. As they should be, my man, they are fine specimens of workmanship. But, more importantly, they are durable; their paint withstands the salt water and THEY WORK. If you are ever in the No Cal region, check Jeff out and have C & C take you fishing, for an abalone dive or hunting. But, if you’re like the Eastcoast Angler and dig the right coastline more than the left, purchase his lures online to snag some monster stripers and blues.

If you want to catch big striped bass then click here to check them out

Montauk Point, Montauk, NY (Fishing)

Fishing Methods: Plugs and lures
Species: Stripers, blues weakfish, blackfish and fluke
Best time to Fish, best tide or currents and other FAQs
Directions:
Go east on Route 27 to Land's end in Montauk.

(For best results you must visit my main site. I will give you tips and tricks needed to land the biggest fish.)

Jones Inlet (West End 2) Jones Beach, NY (Fishing)

Photo by: Paul Arbitman
Best Months to Fish: October and November
Fishing Methods: Swimming plugs
Species: Striper, blues and weakfish
Best time to Fish, best tide or currents and other FAQs
Directions: Take Southern State Parkway to Meadowbrook Parkway south to signs for the west end 2 parking lot. Inlet is to the west.(For best results you must visit my main site. I will give you tips and tricks needed to land the biggest fish.)

Breezy Point, Rockaway, NY (Fishing)

Best Months to Fish: October and November
Fishing Methods: Swimming plugs
Species: Stripers, Blues and weakfish
Best time to Fish, best tide or currents and other FAQs
Directions:
Take the Belt Parkway East to Flatbush Avenue, then head south over Marine Parkway Bridge. Coming off the bridge, take the first left and follow signs to Fort Tolden for a National Park Service parking permit. (For best results you must visit my main site. I will give you tips and tricks needed to land the biggest fish.)

Troy Dam, Hudson River Troy, NY (Fishing)

Photo by: Paul Arbitman
Best Months to Fish: Late April through early July
Fishing Methods: Big Jigs and swimming or surface plugs
Species: Stripers, white shade and small mouth bass
Best time to Fish, best tide or currents and other FAQs
Directions: From I-95 in downtown Albany, take 787 north for just under 6 miles to a traffic light. Take a right turn to Green Island on Tibbits Avenue. A couple of blocks on the left is an old ford plant parking lot where you can park, then walk down to the bank. (For best results you must visit my main site. I will give you tips and tricks needed to land the biggest fish.)

Shinnecock Inlet, Hampton Bays, Long Island, NY (Fishing)

Best Months to Fish: May through November
Fishing Methods: Plugs
Species: Bluefish and striped bass reward surf fishing enthusiasts
Best time to Fish, best tide or currents and other FAQs
Directions: Take the Hampton bays exit off route 27 from the west side; cross the Ponquogue Bridge to the dune road and go lfet to the old Coast Guard Station. The east side is approached by oversand vehicles from southhampton (county beach permit required).(For best results you must visit my main site. I will give you tips and tricks needed to land the biggest fish.)