[stripers247]

I spent most of my life close to the new york harbor in Staten Island, New York, more precisely. Im strictly a surf fishermen although in my favorite spot there is Not much surf. On occasion Ill go out on a charter or on one of my Brothers' boats or one of my buddies boats. Summertime is chocked full of slammer blues and fluke, blackfish, sea bass and porgy.

The Verrazanno narrows Bridge is within 5 miles of my favorite spots. Ambrose channell and the New York bight is well known by the Sandy Hook Connecticut and Long Island guys. The party boats like the Raritan Bay. That's east of the VZ bridge.

My location is on the Staten island side west of the bridge. There is an old army base nearby Fort Wadsworth.
Anyway it is about 125 yards (at low tide into the channel) a slope of about 25 feet of water then a sudden drop to 45 feet. Down there is where the big guys lurk. (An army corps diver told me they hang around the pipes at the bottom of the channell). He was diving down ther when they installed a bulkhead a few years back. He said MONSTERS... It was something I already had known for years, Other guys dont like to fish there because they get hung up on the rocks and its a treacherous walk down there if your not careful. This channel starts at the mouth of the Hudson river where there is an indigenous population of Striped Bass. They cruise in and out of the Hudson through this channel.

I usually use 20 lb ande or big game trilene, with 3 feet leader of mono (or flouro) tied to a good ball bearing barrell swivel. I use a plastic fishfinder that slides up the line much like an egg sinker would. Sometimes Ill tie on 9 feet of shock leader for distance cast. But at high tide they come close to the shore in search of bait. I use a 3 to 4 ounce bank sinker so as not to get hung up in the rocks with an 8/0 gamakatsu Hook. For bait I use a fresh piece of cut bunker. and I wear gloves when I handle the bait. I usually use bunker heads because a bass will slap a bait fish with their tail to stun it and then take them head first. Blue fish go for the tail. If I can snag bunker when they boil Ill use the whole bubker. I cant wait. The fish in this channel are usually upwards of 30 lbs. Some in the fourties and occasional 50. An old tackle shop owners wife pulled in a 64 pounder in shore about 15 years ago off their boat. Dozens and dozens in the 20's. Schoolies run in the spring. They are fun plug on top water. If i use sand worms I have to hold the pole. Eels work well but not as great as the bunker does in my spot. When the barometric pressure starts to fall I get in my car and drive the 80 miles to the same spot. ( I have since moved to the Pocono mountains.I dont go to the rockaways or the Hamptons I go right to my spot near the Hudson.)


Enjoy the stripers this year and have fun. Take pictures.