New to Striper fishing looking for tips

[Moorsey]

Can anyone help with some basics on catching Stripers. I've been reading some posts on here to try and learn a little as I have never fished for them before and it only gets me more excited when I read all your posts.

My buddy and I are novice fishermen (started this year) and we mainly have fished in the back bay Absecon Inlet/Longport. We've done fairly well with other species this summer with extremely limited knowledge but really want to learn more as we both have the bug now.

We'd like to try trolling but I think at this stage it might be a bit advanced for us as the riggings are not something we have ever done. We are heading out tonight or tomorrow and wanted to find out just a few things.

1) When is the best time to go out (i.e. hours before or after which tides). Is it better to fish for stiper at night?

2) What should we be looking for as far as location (I know no one wants to give a spot up just looking for what we should be looking for depth wise, structure etc...).

3) Would the action be better out front or in the bay and if either is it better to stay around structures like bridges in the bay and if out front where should we be and should we drift or anchor? (our bait is likley clam and bunker)

4) I've heard conflicting therioes on hooking up. Letting the fish drag for a bit and hooking right up without letting them run (any help and explanation would be great)

5) While we are fishing should we use any buckets of chum off the back of the boat (i.e. drop bunker or clams?)

6) Is it that much more helpful to use a rubber band type thing to hold your clam on the hook (and what type hooks should we be using?)

[levan]

if you are new too boating also the fall season in the bay is not the best place to just cruise around not sure the size of your boat but it gets nasty in the dbay this time of year so be carefull ...but as for some of your questions you can try fishing during the day as you are new to striper fishing and it would be easier for you to see what is happening and i have no special tide that i care for i have caught fish on both tides but some prefer outgoing better and hooking up i like to let the fish run before i set it but sometimes if a fish is just picking the bait up and dropping it i will try to set it on one of the pick ups

[lancer]

Moorsey-Book a trip on an open boat like the CHASINTALE-they are a barn sponser- you'll learn more from one trip then you can read in a year.

[Moorsey]

Thanks guys...we are not exactly new to boating a few years. The boat we have is a 26 footer so we should be good even if it gets a bit nasty.

Any depths that we should be looking for in particular? We have a fish finder that has helped a bit with finding holes (which we have a few regulars just not sure that that is where the striper wil be).

[Tuna]

I caught my first striper at 7 yr's old & have striper fished my whole life.

The things I've learned on a few charters could never be explained in writting.

The amount of money you will spend on gas & bait trying to learn what 1 charter would cost.
Take your whole crew on the charter for 1 day. Ask to chunk & fish the rips.

I am not a charter guy, so I'm telling you this for your own good.