Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

I hit the canal last night around 7:30 or so, to fish the end of the incoming tide. I couldn't fish where I wanted to because of the earlier arrival already set up there, so I moved farther down the jetty until I found another suitable "launching" site. Although the wind was blowing consistantly out of the E/SE, I was still able to get some decent distance with my 1 oz. jig/Slug-go rig.
The first few fish were all small, barely passing the 20" length, but they were there, so I continued casting away. I changed lures once, but returned to the Slug-go, since that was the productive lure last night. I had gotten 4 fish by around 9:00 when I had another "tap" on my retrieve, and when I set up, she ran like a freight train. If it wasn't running out from the jetty, it was holding fast in the current.
(picture trying to reel in a small parachute through the water).
When I finally managed to get the fish in, I had one of the fishermen that were passing behind me hold my rod as I climbed down to pull up the fish. I had to lie down and reach down into the surf, waiting for the waves to raise the fish enough for me to get a hand on the jaw (but not on the lure), all the while I was praying that the fish wouldn't come unhooked or break off on the rocks.
When I was able to grasp the fish and pull it up, the fellow anglers were impressed. The fish taped out at approx. 45 inches.
I would have loved to have taken a photo, but I wasn' prepared and would have had a hell of a time hauling the fish back up the rocks, so I let her go to continue on her way.
Man, I love this time of year.