Can someone explain what levels of water I'd find what fish in??

by that I mean, how deep/shallow are stripers? Cod?? Blues??

Whats the order they normally go in, from shore to floor?

Yo - I found a net that would work for you. Sportsmans Den (http://www.striped-bass.com/tshops/sportsmansden.shtml) in quincy has it. Comes with 30 feet of rope, stays suspened below water, bring the fish in and lift it up. Have not used it but worth a look...

I've caught larger (25#s up) in as little as 18 inches of water

Sweetie,
If you mean how deep the water there's almost no telling. Cod can be caught in 20 - 200+ feet of water, and, of course, they almost always on the bottom. Stripers and blues can be caught in very deep water, but usually well off the bottom. I've caught bluefish in 250 feet of water but they were within the top 20 feet of the water column. I speculat, but don't know for sure, that the stripers and blues would remain above the thermocline in deep water during the warmer months.

One factor would be time of day.
Since stripers don't particularly like bright light, they tend to stay deep during bright sunny days. On the other hand, I've seen keeper size fish chase baitfish onto the shallow mud flats behind the Powderpoint Bridge (last fall) at night.

not only can it be thermoclines but shadows, foamy bubbles from wave action,current (rips) and rock formations....something that gives a predator fish the "edge" where they can see the bait but the bait cant easily see them....even if its only momentarilly ....and bright sunLIGHT is avoided because fish have no eyelids. Fish have an optimum temperature they prefer and will always gravitate to that depth. Of course they still have to follow pods of bait or cruise long distance until they find food.
When you think of it like that it becomes more of a science.
NilsC
is great at reading water and understanding the underwater environment and how things like sandbars help bass coral baitfish for ambush. Find the bait...and you'll find the fish.:)

I'm not sure I buy into the sunlight thing too much anymore. The numbers of fish I saw on the Nantucket flats last fall during peak sunlight makes me think that they will tolerate it if their food is there. The water is crystal clear and they were in water as shallow as a foot and half deep or so. And those fish seemed pretty comfortable as they just cruised around.

These weren't small fish either with the majority between 30-40", and several well into the 20lb range.

I grew up believing that fish avoid bright sunlight, but over the past couple years up here and in Florida I've seen alot of fish in very skinny water in very bright sunlight.

I think they use the cover more along the lines of the ambush point and maybe safety from predators. Just my $.02.

As far as depth, I don't know alot about it, but its mostly a water temp issue with most fish, isn't it? I think the fish go where the temp and oxygen levels are optimal while staying close to their food source.

(to borrow a phrase about gold).....

It is quite a sight to see stripers finning in shallow water, chasing sand eels and such. I have literally seen them *on their sides* in scant inches of water grubbing bait along Nauset...

On the other hand, bass can be incredibly spookable, and that is in part why large fish are caught at night or during the day in deep holes far from shore.....However, the shallows of the lower Elisabeth Islands (Cuttyhunk, Naushon, etc.) regularly hold BIG stripers, but a few flicks of their tails can send them to the nearby deep in a hurry, thereby affording some boldness to hunt the shallows, I guess. You can catch big fish in 5-10' of water, even under bright sun in this area, barring traffic and if you know how.

Generalities invite "Yah, buts"....but I take this to be Rule Number One of Successful Striper Fishing: THE FISH MUST BE PRESENT. Like the Real Estate mavens say: Location, Location, Location.

mmm
the Elizabeth Islands

you can work those beaches with plugs and pull cows right off the damn beach...

pretty impressive to work the boulder patches and have a big striper erupt from 4 feet of water...

just gotta know where the boulders are or you can get yourself in some big trouble

I agree with Schoolie Monster on the sunlight thing. Take a slow boat ride in June thru any Breachway on the incoming during the bright sunlight. With a good pair of polarized sunglasses, stand up on the bow - you won't beleive your eyes. Very finicky though.

I typically fish from 4-1 or 2pm and always take the days last few casts outside the harbor on a rocky point. You'd be surprised what I've caught at 1-2 pm, 90 degree heat and the sun turning you as red as a lobster and in 3-5 feet of water:). I'm not saying you should turn your attention to the shallows for consistant fishing, but don't overlook them either. When bait gets thin, stripers will forage were and for what they need to survive.

Ok, this all makes good sense, thanks guys.

Now about these polarized sunglasses....are they really all they say? Will I be seeing these cows that likwid tells me about?

Polarized glasses are the only way to go. Even when you are not fishing you will appreciate them.

being blessed with poor vision.....ifinally went and got me a pair of prescription sunglasses...POLARIZED! I love them....they even make the grass look greener!:D

Yeah, but the polaroids don't make me look any skinnier in the mirror. :eek: :smash:

So I should get a pair of blue blockers like this cool guy did???

oops. never do this right.....

Who's YOUR daddy!!! LOL

SF and anyone else who doesn't use them, I hadn't used polarized glasses throughout my fishing career. The primary reason is that I wear prescription glasses and have since I was pretty young. There wasn't much in the way of polarized clip-ons back then and couldn't really afford polarized prescription lenses.

In 2000, I went to FL for the first time and had my first exposure to sight fishing flats for redfish and seatrout. The guide saw several reds and I couldn't see sh#@.

I finally wised up and got some polarized clip-ons and it opened my eyes bigtime. Just day to day I could see much clearer and to be honest, I think my eyes are alot worse than they need be due to years and years of bright sunlight exposure.

The next year in FL, I nailed a few reds cause I could actually see them, but I still missed a few good shots mainly because of the glare from the sides and below made it tough at times. Then got even "wiser" and got some Fitovers, which are a brand of sunglasses designed to fit over prescription lenses. They provide good coverage all around to keep glare out.

Last fall, I spent a couple weeks sight fishing the flats of Nantucket and even though conditions were often less than ideal, I saw alot of fish... fish I'd have never seen. I've used both amber and gray lenses and amber provides the best contrast in shallow water.

This spring I finally got some prescription polarized sunglasses in amber and even on cloudy days or lowlight conditions, I can see better... just in general, not even talking about on the water. And I wouldn't not get them just because you don't plan on sight fishing flats. They'll help you see alot of important things other than fish... bait, structure such as rocks or bars, depth changes, etc. etc. And you don't need to spend alot of money. Cabelas has functional pairs for just a few bucks and I'm sure any tackle shop does too.

Sorry for the long rant, but I feel like a major dork for never using them all those years and just wanted to pass on a lesson I learned.