Thanks to successful conservation efforts, the noble striped bass has made another dramatic recovery, just as it has many times before. Although some adult stripers tough it out and remain in local waters during the winter, most migrate up and down the Atlantic Coast, depending on their age, the time of year, and water temperature. Anglers are also catching stripers at this time on the New Jersey and Pennsylvania sides of the Delaware River. My favorite place for both spring and fall is the Ocean City area, including Rainbow Channel, the beach at the north end of town, and, to the south, Corson's Inlet. If striped bass were human, we would call them gourmands, with large and indiscriminate stomachs.
Bloodworms are especially effective in spring.
A few weeks ago, two surf anglers were working the O.C. beach, south of 59th Street. One was using frozen, salted quahogs saved from last season's bait-larder. The other found some surf clams washed up on the sand. He opened them and baited his hook with gobs of the meat. His partner quickly changed to fresh clams when he saw how many more bites the other guy was getting.