Striped bass hooked in the New Jersey surf on a T-Hex metal—a variation of the classic diamond jig. Photo Courtesy of Matt Farrell. Metal lures are boring. Scan the pegboard at any saltwater tackle ...

LIVE BAIT is cheating. If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it 10,000 times. The level of cheating, of course, varies by species and age. Any child under 15 can use live bait for whatever he or she wants.

Plugging the surf can produce big, brawny striped bass when packs of these voracious predators corral schools of baitfish against the beach. Nick Honachefsky Perhaps no other fishery commands such ...

Fishing is fair to good for most species, reports Jon Conklin, fishing guide. Striped bass fishing is a very early morning proposition. Lines need to be in the water before sunrise. Stripers are ...