Many reservoirs suffer die offs in the summer as fish go below the thermocline in search of cooler water. There is no oxygen below the thermocline, so the fish suffocate. Rivers are cooler, better oxygenated, and lack a thermocline, and in the heat of summer, fish will seek them out. A tradeoff must be made with your tackle- periodically you will have to reach for the fish with long casts, but tackle that is too heavy will wear you out on those days when it seems you are casting empty water. Rods need to have a fairly fast taper to ensure good hooksets, as stripers have tough mouths.
Reels require a smooth, reliable drag and quality guts.
I use 15 LB test on my casting pole and 17 on my surf stick. Buy quality tackle. You do not need a boatload of rods and reels. You do need equipment that is still working at the end of the day. Plastic bushings and loose tolerances will not stand up to the forces put on tackle in this kind of fishing.