Hey anglers! If you’ve ever had one of those days where the fish are laughing at you from the depths, this one’s for you. Today (December 26th, Boxing Day, yes, we’re still chasing stripers right after Christmas!), the conditions were just too good to pass up. The wind had finally chilled out, the bay was like glass, and the temps were warm enough that I didn’t need three layers of thermals. I hit up my buddy Vince, and he was game. Destination? Good ol’ R62. Let’s see what’s biting!
I launched with high hopes, rods rigged, coffee hot. Got to R62 and jackpot on the sonar! Tons of bait balls everywhere, and big marks lurking below them. Fish galore! I was thinking, “This is gonna be epic.”
Reality check: Those fish were playing hard to get. Deep, sulky, and absolutely refusing to come up for my lures. We trolled near, we trolled far, we covered every inch around R62. Crickets. Nada. Zilch. The stripers were down there throwing a party, but we weren’t invited.
Vince and I split up at one point (he stayed persistent at the hotspot), but as usual, I couldn’t call it quits without my classic “troll back home” move. You know the one, that stubborn last-ditch effort where you drag your lures all the way to the ramp, just in case.
I’m cruising along in calm waters, daydreaming about hot cocoa, when I’m nearing the old spot where 1GW used to be (before it was relocated). Out of nowhere, BAM! Rod doubles over, reel screaming like it’s on fire. This wasn’t a schoolie. This was a beast!
Solo on the boat, it was a full-on epic battle. Head shakes, runs, dives, the works. My heart was pounding, but after a fantastic fight, I netted this beauty: a thick, healthy 36-inch striped bass! What a tank. She fought like a champ and looked even better.
Quick hero shots (because of course), and back she went with a strong swim-off. No regrets. That’s the beauty of catch-and-release on these big breeders.
With renewed optimism (and a huge grin), I trolled the area for another 30 minutes. Nothing else wanted to play, but who cares? That one fish turned a potential skunk into a memorable day.
Moral of the story: Never quit early. That “troll home” tactic has saved me more times than I can count. The bay gave us a post-holiday gift today, proof that persistence pays off, even when the fish are being total jerks most of the day.
Tight lines, everyone! If you’re out there chasing winter stripers, keep grinding. You never know when that one big bite will make it all worthwhile.
