All Hell Breaks Loose

The Cocahoe off a float was the hot ticket
yesterday. Plus, the single jig hook made for
easier catch and release.

Have you ever gotten in that zone where everything goes right in fishing? You pick the right spots, you have loads of fish in front of you, they are hitting, and you are alone and have it all to yourself. And, you are doing this day after day. Well, I've been in that zone for the last week.
Yesterday, I decided to hit the RI oceanfront even though I had been doing very well in the Bay. I had a hunch, a sixth sense you might say. Conditions and tides were right, the time of year was right and even though I had marginal reports about what was going on, I decided to give it a try.
As soon as I arrived in my spot, I saw the signs.  Birds were flying around all over, occasionally picking up bait. I saw occasional fish breaking way out. Then, out of nowhere it happened. The surface erupted in front of me. Multiple schools of fish busting all over the place.  Peanut bunker flying out of the water.  And, suddenly I was onto a rare striper blitz in mid August, a time when this is not supposed to happen.
Blitz like conditions continued for three hours.  It was a hit or a fish on just about every cast.  My float and Cocahoe jig were nailing hefty schoolie after schoolie. The fish were running 20 to 25 inches. I landed no keepers, but that's the new norm here in RI. You want to fish for stripers, it's all schoolies here in RI.
So, fishing has definitely taken on a fall feel even though we are still in the middle of August. That's what peanut bunker will do. Looks like we are heading into a real good fall season.

Birds are diving and fish are breaking for big schools of peanut bunker.