Report is a little delayed, as after fishing on the morning of the 5th, came home to a phone call and had family business to attend to.
Started fishing about 4:30Am on the 5th. Caught a 22 inch striper in the dark shortly after. 5 3/4 Fin-S on a 3/4 ounce jig, as usual.
Tide went slack shortly after daylight, and blues invaded up to the 88 bridge, where I was fishing. After losing several Fin-S to the blues, I put on a 3/4 ounce Hopkins shorty. First cast I bounced the Hopkins off the wall on the opposite side of the canal, started reeling and caught a 21 inch striper, go figure.
After that is was bluefish from the 88 bridge to the mouth of the canal at the river, all you wanted or didn't want, you didn't have much of a choice.
Fished last night about 4:30PM till well after dark, and didn't do a thing with stripers. Bluefish at the mouth ot the canal from 2 to 4 pounds, they were getting them one right after the other when I left there about 5:30PM to go fish by the route 88 bridge.
It pretty much confirms my theory that the stripers are feeding at night till shortly after daylight. I have a favorable tide tonight with fishable water from 1AM on an incoming tide to slack water at approx. 3:30AM to an outgoing tide. I'll give that a shot and see what happens. I much prefer to fish in the daylight, as I like to see the fish coming in, but one has to fish when they are on the feed. I'll report back tomorrow AM if I did anything.
Garry