Small Fish Continue to Dominate

I landed 12 schoolies in the last two
evenings.  Small schoolies are around
in big numbers; keepers are scarse.

Sea robins seem to be
everywhere and are
aggressively taking lures.

It continues to be the year of disappointment if you are a surf fishermen looking for larger stripers. The big ones are not around in any numbers, but the small ones continue to dominate the fishing scene.  I have fished a lot in the last two weeks hitting spots in the Bay and at the oceanfront, and I've caught a lot of small stripers.  I've tried big plugs, small plugs.  I've fished after dark and in the evening daylight.  I've fished rough water and calm.  And, the results have been  the same.  I am getting very good numbers of stripers from 10-20 inches, and that's it. Surprisingly, I am also seeing tons of sea robins everywhere I go, and they have been aggressively hitting a variety of plugs and jigs.
I am not the only one having trouble finding bigger fish.  A frequent theme of The Fisherman magazine's reports have been about the lack of big fish in CT waters in the last month.  The Providence Journal's fishing report told of a surf fishing tournament last weekend in Narragansett in which no large fish were entered.  And, I have numerous friends who have been out trying with little success with larger fish.
So, it is what it is. Grab a light outfit and enjoy the schoolies in the upcoming holiday weekend. Things will change come fall.