THE STATE OF THE STRIPER PAST???

I JUST READ MY "BOB EVER" SALTWATER SPORTSMAN.
RIP CUNNINGHAM HAS A GOOD ARTICLE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STRIPER IN THE PAST AND WHAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WE WERE BLAMED ALONG WITH THE COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN WHICH MIGHT BE TRUE IN PLACES. IN THE 50'S AND 60'S IN SOUTH JERSEY,FROM THE DELAWARE BAY TO ATLANTIC CITY WHO CAUGHT THESE FISH HERE AND WHERE WERE THE spots THAT WERE OVERFISHED.I WAS AROUND SJ IN THAT ERA AND NEVER SAW OR CAUGHT A STRIPER.I KNEW A LOT OF SPORT AND HEADBOAT CAPTAINS AND NEVER HEARD OF THEM FISHING FOR THEM.MY FATHER TOLD ME A FEW GUYS ON THE JETTIES FISH FOR THEM AND CATCH A FEW BIG ONES.WE TROLLED THE BAND AND INSHORE LUMPS FOR YEARS FROM SPRING TILL MID-OCT. AND THE BEACHFRONT WHENEVER THE BLUES SHOWED UP THERE.IF YOU THINK THERE ARE BUNKER NOW ITS NOTHING COMPARED TO THEN.
THEN AS RIP C SAID BY THE LATE 70'S AND EARLY 80'S THEY WERE GONE. WHAT I'M ASKING OR TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS WHERE WERE THESE FISH IN OUR AREA.
I HAVE TALKED MANY TIME TO OTHER OLDTIMERS LIKE CHUNKING WHO LIKE MYSELF FISHED THE AREA FOR YEARS AND DIDN'T CATCH HIS FIRST STRIPER TILL AROUND 1990 ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE ME WHEN THEY EXPLODED. WHAT AM I MISSINGHERE?? WHEN DID YOU GUYS OVER 35 START CATCHING THEM.