I hit the canal early today, because the tide was crappy and was going to cause ripping water between 5:30 & 7:30AM.
I started fishing at 4:15AM at the beginning of a nice incoming tide, and got a nice 26 1/2 inch striper at 4:25AM. Quickly measured and a photo snapped, and back into the water he went, again on a 5 3/4 inch Fin-S in Arkansas Shiner finish. Oh another thing, I can't stress enough about setting a hook HARD on a striper, they have a very tough upper jaw and roof of mouth. Good thing I had a tight line the whole time, because the jig and Fin-S fell right out of his mouth in the net.
I figuered it was going to be a good morning, because the stripers didn't feed last night(or I just didn't catch any), despite light boat traffic yesterday. Well at 4:45AM, the boat traffic started, and still didn't end when I left at 9AM. Not another hit till the water went slack and I caught a bluefish. I didn't even wait for the tide to switch the boat traffic was so bad. Amazing the sheer number of boats, AND inept boaters. I'd say 30% of my casts had to be reeled in prematurely due to boat traffic. Thats it for me on weekends till the fall when the bennys go home, I'll just be fishing weekdays for the rest of the summer.
Water was clear, pretty free of weed and cabbage, but couldn't see any bait I would assume due to boat traffic. Tide was really ripping on the best part of the morning, almost looked like the canal was the beach with rollers coming in, boat traffic made it even worse.
Garry
