Are the strippers still in the bay?

[max27]

This is my second year fishing in the Raritan. We did good in Spring fishing Keyport, Princess Bay and Flynns Knoll but it seems that we are doing more and more flukin now due to the lack of Strippers.  We fish early morning mostly chunkin and using live clams. If anyone has any suggestions from places to go, time of day, bait or methods I would love to hear them. Thanks in advance.

Max, 

[ped579]

Hi Max,

I don't fish up there any more since I am in the Toms River area now but by reading the board I would have to say your best bet would be to find the bunker pods and fish either the outer parameter on close to the bottom.

It seems like the striper's are fairly lazy and would rather wait for food to drop than attach the pod like the blues do.

BTW, it seems like the blues are fairly picky eaters and if there is an abundance of food around especially bunker they will not eat the heads but the striper's love 'em.  Stick an old bunker head on a 6/0 or 8/0 Gami octopus hook and I heard through the lips is the best, get it down fast and if there are any striper's there, hold on.

Good Luck...

Happy Catching

Paul

[CapBob]

Max

Your best bite at this time of the year is real early or from dusk on..........there are stripers in the bay but I would be out there by sun up, Great Kills, Old Orchard, Romer Shoal, Flynn Knoll, Clam beds off Sandy Hook..

They have been working the Bunker pods from Deal on south.........hope this helps, good fishing

[mboy]

Strippers can be found at the Go-go bar

Always rats in the back bay (resident year roud).

Action has REALLLY slowed for stripers in the bay tho.

[salty pig]

Saw birds working  just past  keyport towards morgan ( West  ) think they were going for the little ones like  sperring or something.

[Skolmann]

Raritan Bay (Flynn's Knoll west) striper fishing is basically over by the mid/late June as water temperatures are too warm for  the striper's liking. Although I'm sure there are 1 or 2 around but for the most they've departed those waters.

Best bet is to clam on structure located in the area known as "Between The Channels" as I've taken bass there throughout July & August in past years.

Now if you want strippers, there are plenty of places along Rt. 36 that you could find those day/night & everyday of the year  or maybe that should be