Long Island Striper 5/17/26
What a day. I went out a dead low tide, into the NYS Channel (Long Island, South Shore) for a drift. After a couple of spots, and a couple of hours. I decided to turn that fishing trip a chance to look for some new "experimental" locations. Meaning I use a downscan sonar and look for major holes, and deep drops on the bay side (inside). I got along the Jones Beach fishin piers, and drifted west. I started the drift at about 16ft, as I moved with the tide, towards the meadowbrook bridge, I found a rocky outcrop, that is like and old crushed up cement, like a jetty but in the middle of nowhere. The depth started dropping, it went down to 24 ft, a I was only 20 yards from the shore. I was fishing for Fluke. I had a 3/4oz bucktail, and red/green 4inch gulp. This fish was curious t first, it felt like he slurped my gulp (then i knew was not a fluke) and i guess spit it out. I didn't move the rod. Once the tension was off (i thought it left) I flicked the gulp, more a sharp jerk, then bam, he slurped it again, and i set the hook. Thankfully, I was using a carbon fiber rod, with 20lbs braid. The fish I think was more surprised he got hooked. There was not much of a fight. I got him up to boat, pulled the net, and bam, he took a straight nose dive, out of the net, and almost pulled the rod along with him. I let the drag go, he ran, then again I got him up to the waterline, gaff in hand!
The fish came in at 31" which is our slot limit on this stripe bass. So the excitement wasn't so much the catch. It was the catch was right on the limit. So i finally got to keep one, and go brag about.
The moral of the story is, Fish where your Heart takes you, and you will find fish!