Stripers in the Inlet

[C-Hawk18]

Following Reeltor's suggestion I took my Pink Zulu's with me to OC this past week. Last Saturday was a night to remember. 2 big skates and a couple small blues and then somebody tried to get across the incoming traffic and was struck by 2 cars. (Did hear later in the week that he will be fine)
Had the bridge traffic tied up for a couple hours. On the way home I see not 1, but 2 vehicles flipped on their lid. (I didn't hear how those people wound up)
As the week wore on I got a couple blues each night along with some crabs and starfish.
Wednesday night I broke off what I thought to be a keeper striper.
Friday was the charm - Caught my first keeper striper off the bridge (31" and fat) along with 3 others. (18", 24"and 26") I was able to pull the 24 and 26 up easily without a net reassuring me that the one I lost Wed was over 28".
I did vary my presentation and dropped down to a 1/2oz head on the final day.
Sorry for the quality of pic as I only had the Cell with me. The fish was very clean so I gave it to the guy who netted the fish for me.
31"38672
26"38673

[jig monster]

Nice stripers!! Sounds like you had a good and entertaining week. How's the daytime bite? Headed to Bethany tomorrow for a few days. Hope to find some action in the inlet. Thanks for the report.

[C-Hawk18]

Nice stripers!! Sounds like you had a good and entertaining week. How's the daytime bite? Headed to Bethany tomorrow for a few days. Hope to find some action in the inlet. Thanks for the report.

Jig - the guy who netted the fish for me fished during the day on Friday and said all he had was some throwback flounder and croaker. He said he saw a few boats trolling around the bridge during the day hooking up with stripers. I did the family stuff during the day. (Beach, Go Karts, Pool, Etc.) Best time was the first 2 hours of outgoing, fish the south side of bridge. (Cast up under the bridge and work it out)

I know that the IRI was FULL of boats when I went across this afternoon. There is also a beach full of trucks just north of the inlet.

[jnelson]

i was there when i heard the crunch and smash of his taclkle box hitting the deck...I wasn't keen on a looksee...one guy said he had never seen so much blood coming from somebody's head...my understanding it was a hit-n-run...I did see the side mirror was left on the curb when I was leaving...glad to hear the guy was ok!!!!! then I saw the two vehicles upside down on coastal highway around 33rd through 40th st. Stolen car smashup. So many sirens going my wife fired up the police scanner on her laptop. oh yeah...I caught one tiny seabass...twice as long as my jig...evidently I fished the wrong side....I did grill the locals for intel...said it was a slow night...they worked tide toward the bridge....south side incoming north side outgoing. 5 -6 inch plastic swim jigs with red head. lots of blues slashing in the light line.

[C-Hawk18]

.I did grill the locals for intel...said it was a slow night...they worked tide toward the bridge....south side incoming north side outgoing. 5 -6 inch plastic swim jigs with red head. lots of blues slashing in the light line.

I noticed that on Saturday. I got to the bridge about 9pm. The tide was incoming and I was the only one fishing the North side of the bridge.

[rich daiker]

Pretty work Rob.......I managed a nice limit on sat night as well by boat:thumbup:

[reeltor]

Nice work Rob, I'll be going back shortly and will post. I've lost too many good fish under the bridge when I fish with the tide coming at me. Big fish will swim with the current and break you off on the pilings. I always swing the lure under the bridge and work the jig as its coming out from under the bridge.
Did you get the rockfish near the shadow line or further out?

[C-Hawk18]

Did you get the rockfish near the shadow line or further out?

He hit it at the first shadow line. (the one created by the lights on the south side of the bridge)
Later on in the tide I got the other 3 smalls in the shadow from the north side lights.

[Striper_MIKE]

I've never fished there before but was thinking about going in October ... are there still any spot that time of year for livelining? If not, what method/equipment would you use if you wanted to catch Stripers off the bridge?

[C-Hawk18]

I've never fished there before but was thinking about going in October ... are there still any spot that time of year for livelining? If not, what method/equipment would you use if you wanted to catch Stripers off the bridge?

Mike,

I'm not yet fished during the "off" season but I was picking the brain of one of the bridge "veterans". He fishes the bridge all year. He always uses the same baits. Shads, Assassins,Gulp eels. told me his best fish was caught in December