LINEUP FOR LINESIDERS

The hands down winner for fall attention are stripers, whether fished from boat or surf. Angling techniques from a boat include trolling bunker spoons or gorilla rigs on wire line, bait fishing off the bottom with sandworms or clams, and jigging with metal or bucktails. However, bass are structure oriented so work channel edges and lumps as well as rocky bottom such as the Shewsbury Rocks. Use a fishfinder to spot marks just off the bottom adjacent to structure; they’re most likely bass at this time of year and your presentation should be made accordingly.

Eels are always an excellent bass bait, especially when tossed to the rocks at inlets or drifted around structure such as bridges. Drifting eels through shoals at the mouths of inlets or at close spots up or down beach of inlets often produces results.

Expect to encounter plenty of bait pouring out of the bays. Peanut or large bunker are prized so bring along some snagging rigs. When you find the bait ripple work the school and transfer the snagged bunker to a hook rig. If a feeding frenzy is on, toss the bait right back into the mix. Otherwise, take the live offering to an inlet jetty or shoally water and hold on!

Boat action should begin at first light as stripers can be found relatively close to the beach and nearby structure. Expect the fish to move to deeper water as the sun climbs, so expand your range accordingly whether trolling, bait fishing or jigging. Your fishfinder will show linesider movement.

SURF SIZZLES TOO
But one doesn’t have to fish from a boat to enjoy striper action this time of year. The surf can be a hot place if you watch for bird play close to the beach, or work jetties from on top. Techniques vary and clams or worms will produce for bait fishermen. However, by far anglers prefer lures this time of year and the list includes bucktails, metals and swimming plugs. A teaser with a swimming plug is a deadly combo. Poppers also work but use topwater (floating) kinds that can be retrieved slowly.

Timing is important and incoming tide as well as the early stages of a nor’easter are preferred. But time of day becomes somewhat less important to fish on a feeding binge than it does during warmer periods. You can work an incoming surf productively during a fall day, but an early or late tide is still best. Don’t overlook the benefits of swimming eels in a quiet night surf.

HOT SPOTS
When fishing by boat consider the flats on either side of the Reach Channel or the bayside of Sandy Hook. Work the Sandy Hook rip and the near-shore rips in the Tin Can Grounds. Try techniques at Flynn’s Knoll, Romer Shoals, and the clam beds, or along ocean lumps and the edges of Ambrose Channel.

The Shewsbury Rocks and all inlets are must spots. Further south consider the Atlantic City lumps and the Corson’s Inlet shoals.

Whatever and wherever, the linesiders are waiting and as waters cool it can only get better. So get ‘er going!