I went striper fishing off Popham Beach Maine yesterday. Fished the last 2 hours of incoming tide and found I could not get my bait out to the breaking waves - very long distance of turbulent very shallow water between shore and breakers. Tried testing distance on dry ground with my 12' Ugly Stick, 3 ounce sinker and 20 pound test on spinning reel and measured 165 feet. Is this about what one can expect with this outfit? Are there better choices for this type of fishing? How much distance can one expect with more suitable equipment?

I would say with different equipment you could 70 yards or so with 3 ounces of weight and a chunk of bait that isn't too big. I have the same rod as you, i bought it last year for bait fishing figuring it would give me better distance than the 10' rod i have been using for the bait the last few years. I was mistaken, the ugly stick has too much flex to get it out there with my casting style. I usually use 4-6 ounces of weight and a decent sized chunk of bait, either a 1/4 of a scup or bunker or whole squid. I get it to wear the fish are but don't fish areas like what you described. Usually the areas i chunk are closer to deeper water. You may want to try putting braided line on your reel it will help with the casting distance a bit. Go with 40 or 50 lb braid.

Braid line will immediately improve your distance, dozens of feet I would guess.

You didn't mention what kind of reel you're fishing. Make sure it can handle braid and that it's spooled properly. Also, lots of guys on here fish in a wet suit. If it's that shallow, you can wade out to maybe waist deep, even just to cast.

[QUOTE=Rob Rockcrawler;1073992]I would say with different equipment you could 70 yards or so with 3 ounces of weight and a chunk of bait that isn't too big. ....QUOTE]

3 ounces weight is not enough for ocean. Current will move it nonstop. Even wire "moustaches" couldn't help.
Weight has to be 5-7 ounces or even more (depend from current, structure of bottom and line diameter). With that weight casting is not so easy.
BTW, long casting is not always required. Very often striper could be near the beach hunting for sand crabs. Extremely useful articles on that website about reading of the water (surf, beach, etc.)

Successful casting it is blend of casting technic, physical conditions, rod and casting weight. Length of rod and casting weight should match to your physical abilities. Longest rods are not for everybody.
Try to improve yours casting technic - it is helping a lot.
Good luck!