Below 301 bridge 8/16

Launched at Aqualand at 3:00 with high tide. Started catching small stripers along shore just south of the bridge. Continued casting the shoreline past the plant to below the creek mouth and back. Lures of choice were Z-Man shad tails in opening night and chartreuse on 3/8 oz heads. The fish preferred the opening night. Totals for the evening were 20 stripers up to 17 1/2" and lots of perch to 9" along with 1 little puppy and 2 blues @ 9". The last fish was a 24" striper that made me stay past dark hoping he wasn't alone. Staying rewarded the mosquitos back at the take out.

I'd like to recommend the Z-Man tails. The elastek seems indestructible. I could feel the little pecks from small blues all evening and never had a knob bitten off. If I had been fishing my usual bass assassin tails I would have burned through 30.

[ictalurus]

Thanks for the report, Bob. I was wondering how the action was over there. I haven't caught a striper over 17" in my usual spots all year. I have some of those Z-Man lures but haven't used them yet. I have had good luck using Spro Durashads, but they seem to melt easily, even when kept separate from other plastics. Were you using the 4" model?

[Capt C-Hawk]

Bill, they are the 4" tails. The pack says to keep them away from other plastics, but they seem to get along with each other and the bags they came in. I think I'll just use them on the fish and not test them with the planos or other brands.

I haven't fished in a while, so I didn't know what to expect The plant was putting out 91 deg water and the river water was 87 everywhere. After seeing that I was surprised to see any rock. Could be a fantastic fall after a frost or two.