That slough has been unfit for any fish for more than 15 years, and catching a striper anywhere in the South Bay now requires highly specialized skills and precise timing. They can also show near the flats off Candlestick Point and at the nearby Brisbane Tubes, and also off the Alameda Rock Wall in June during high and incoming tides and, even more rarely, again in September. The higher the rainfall during the previous winter, the better the chance of getting a bite. The same formula holds for excellent runs of jacksmelt in the spring, primarily from mid-February through early April. After decent winter rains, head to the western side of the South Bay near Burlingame's Fisherman's Park for the best fishing, using a chunk of pileworm under a big float.
Timing is important, of course.
Be there at the top of the tide then focus on the first two hours of the outgoing tide, when it will take your float out to deeper points. Although you'll need a boat, timing, technique, persistence, and the willingness to keep a constant vigil, the South Bay can still provide the stuff of magic. For finishers, be willing to go when the fish are going. This is one place where you'll have to tailor your schedule to the demands of the fish. Otherwise, you might as well buy a ticket for a slow boat to China.