Stickbaits For Yellowtail: Learn How Now

Howie Strech is marketing manager at Newport Vessels and a lifelong Southern California angler who specializes in nearshore and offshore fishing. Strech started fishing the SoCal coast with his father and transitioned to working on one of the most successful San Diego charter boats. When kayak fishing hit the scene, Strech was an early innovator applying his local fishing knowledge to plastic boats.

Stickbaits for Yellowtail: Learn How Now

Take It to the Next Level

For most anglers, offshore kayak fishing is already a major level up. For experienced ocean anglers, like Howie Strech, going next-level requires making difficult fishing even more difficult. “Catching yellowtail with live bait is pretty easy,” he admits, “but targeting them with artificial lures is more fun.” Instead of slow trolling live bait, Strech casts a long, rocket-shaped lure called a stickbait. “Artificial lures seem to produce larger fish and the visual bite is incredible,” he explains. There are strategic advantages to fishing artificial lures. “When I’m fishing live bait, the whole trip revolves around catching and maintaining the live bait,” he explains. Removing the live bait from the picture allows Strech more time to focus on yellowtail.

How to

Strech says fishing with lures requires more strategy and higher understanding of the target species. “I make a lot of casts, so I want to focus on high-probability areas,” he explains. He casts stickbaits at current seams, floating debris, kelp beds and other irregularities. The next challenge is convincing a wary yellowtail that a chunk of wood is a tasty treat. The first step is choosing a lure that matches the shape, size, color and action of the natural bait. “Every lure performs differently,” he says. To prove his point, Strech shows a box full of handmade Japanese stickbaits with carefully designed shapes producing a unique swimming action. For example, in summer he chooses a stickbait with an exaggerated action but in fall, when yellowtail are lazing on the surface, he goes with a small, lipless stickbait less likely to spook the fish. For the best results, Strech recommends a long cast that allows him to avoid detection and cover maximum water.

Gear Upgrade

“I only carry two rods,” Strech says. He rigs one rod with a large stickbait and the other with a smaller model. “I want to eliminate distractions so I stay focused on working the stickbaits,” he says. Fewer rods also gives Strech more space to cast and work the lure.

Tip for Success

“When a yellowtail sees my stickbait, I have to make the fish eat,” Strech says. Stickbaits require the angler to swing the rod tip and vary the retrieve to impart action on the lure. “Experiment with different retrieves to entice the fish,” Strech says. When Strech adds a new lure to the arsenal, he makes a short cast and watches how the lure swims. He also watches online videos of expert anglers working the lure.

Level-up Kayak

Strech recommends a stable kayak for stickbait fishing. “Standing and fishing provides more space to make a long cast and work the lure,” he explains.

Fish Story

After watching his friend Kevin Nakada catch several yellowtail, Strech was hooked on the stickbaits. “Kevin outfished me and I realized I had to figure it out,” Strech says. First, stickbaits target larger yellowtail. “Only the biggest, most aggressive yellowtail are interested in the stickbait,” Strech says. The biggest payoff is the visual bite. Strech gets excited, “When a yellowtail commits to eating a stickbait the lure goes down the hatch.” Stickbaits don’t produce as many yellowtail, and Strech has to work for each bite, but catching yellowtail with an artificial lure is a next-level experience. Strech explains, “The thing that hooked me was the explosive strike and fast and intense battle.”

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Focus on one tactic to master the skills. | Feature photo: Howie Strech