Holiday Outlook: Slow Striper Fishing from Shore

Here's a 35 inch striper I landed in the last week.
There are fish around, but you'll have to work
for them especially if you are fishing from shore.

I'm in the slowest period of striper fishing this year. In the last week I spent a lot of time in that unmentionable spot to the north of us.  In four days of fishing, I had one decent day where I had a couple of keepers and some hefty schoolies.  But, that was it. My son Jon had one good daybreak morning in which he landed two fish over 40 inches and several more smaller ones. When Red Top Bait and Tackle is reporting slow fishing, you just know things are really slow and way off compared to recent years.  But, I know things can change in the blink of an eye in this location.
I've also been hitting the Bay on and off.  I'm still catching a few small schoolies here and there, and others are reporting bluefish, but the quality stripers are now scarce from shore due to warming waters and lack of bait.
Along the oceanfront, it's become a late night game for a striper here and there from shore.  Those who have boats have an easier time of it.  It's that time of year in which boaters fare far better than shore fishermen because they can fish deeper and cooler water as well as Block Island.
I know other fishermen who are targeting bottom fish.  Fish like scup, black sea bass and fluke are yet another good option at this time of year. Once again, boaters are at a big advantage.
While the striper fishing has been slow for me, I am on a roll in freshwater.  Many of you know I fish a lot for carp and I am in a period of the best fishing of the year for them. This morning I was out and landed 12 of them.  In the last two week's I've landed big numbers of fish from 8 to 25 lbs.
So, there are fish out there for holiday weekend fishermen. Good luck if you get out fishing.