Fishing in deeper water doesn't' necessarily mean you'll catch big fish all the time. During the spring and fall, and even sometimes in the heat of a hot summer's day, you can find good numbers and sizes of fish in just waist-deep water. In some instances, if the water gets up to your knees, then chances are you may already be fishing too deep. This holds true whether you are fishing from a boat or from shore. From shore most angles walk right past the fish, and in skinny water most boaters can't get in close enough.

  When you see anglers go down to the beach or shore to cast, they try throwing their lure or bait all the way across the Atlantic. In some areas, that is exactly what you need to do and how you should be fishing. But in most cases, especially in New England, you are throwing far beyond the areas that are holding fish that are feeding. This is even truer when you are fishing near rocks or along beaches that have a rapid drop-off.

 Shallow Water Up North:

  The Northeast has some of the finest shallow-water fishing available along the entire Eastern seaboard, and arguably the entire world. The only difference between those better-known fishing areas and those in New England are they get a lot more press coverage than we do. The idea is totally alien to those angles who stick to the more traditional methods and don't take advantage of this local shallow-water excitement. In everyone's defense, it's probably because many of us were taught from a very young age that the biggest fish were found far from shore. But if you think about it, it's easy to understand why you're missing out on the action if you ignore the shallow water areas.

  When the tide floods a sand flat, mud flat, back cove, sand bar, river or estuary, the baitfish in the area will immediately retreat as far inshore as they can get to escape predators looking for a meal. Predators usually mean striper's, blues,or weakfish. Game fish will often follow them right into the grass line and as far back as the water will allow them to swim safely. This phenomenon partly has to do with a limited supply of baitfish that we now have to contend with in offshore areas.

 One of the biggest things that has changed over the last 20 or 30 years is that commercial fishing has seriously reduced the number and amounts of menhaden, mackerel, squid, and butterfish which drew large numbers of game fish to deeper-water feeding areas in the first place. Yes, some of these baitfish have made a comeback in recent years, but it is still below historical levels. Even the river herring or alwives are down in numbers and many river systems are closed to taking or possessing them for fishing.

 Today, most game fish have or are being forced to feed on shrimp, crabs, juvenile lobsters, mummies, worms and silversides to get a meal. The latest national marine surveys and studies indicate that smaller baitfish now account for well over 75-percent of most fish's dietary intake. All one needs to do is look at how the size and weight of striped bass has declined in the last 10 years to see the outcome of its change in feeding. For the most part, we are seeing long and leaner fish than in the past.

 Learn to Be a Hunter:

  In shallow water, striped bass can maneuver very well. Their tails are built for power and quick bursts of speed. They can turn on a dime like a high-tech Formula One racer and are capable of catching almost anything in their path in shallow water. And one thing the Northeast has is acres and acres and thousands of miles of virtually un-fished shallow water, where on any given day monster size striper's can be lurking.

 These areas do not necessarily have to be big, vast expanses of water t to be productive. They only need the right ingredients to make them worth fishing- baitfish, moving water, and a nearby escape route to deeper water. Look for areas that hold a large quantity of baitfish on a regular basis. A quality pair of binoculars is definitely a good tool to have with you, whether fishing from a boat or plugging the shoreline. They will help to spot potential areas to fish before getting in too close.

 Before going into a likely shallow water area, stay back a bit and look the area over carefully. Try not to spook any fish that may be present in the shallow water. Instead of walking right to the water and wading in, try casting from 10 or 15 yards back first from the shore. Trout fishermen understand this tactic more than saltwater anglers do. Taking our time, looking an area over before you commit to fishing it, and fishing it with stealth will go a long way in eliminating dead water and will save wasting time.

 Northeast anglers can also take a page from their southern counterparts while stalking shallow-water game fish. Southern flats fishermen have this tactic down to a science. Be extremely quiet and as inconspicuous as possible. If you force yourself to be quiet and approach these area with some degree of stealth, you will be amazed at how many more fish you will not only see, but catch, too.

 Shallow Water Anchoring:

  One tactic we started using a few years ago involved dropping an anchor away from a productive fishing area and wade-fishing the flats to intercept any big striper's or schools of feeding striper's that were up close to the shoreline. After doing this, we found we'd' upped our score dramatically, especially in the springtime and again during the fall run, when monster size striper's move in close to shore.

  After leaving the boat walk as slowly and quietly as possible through the water. When you think you're moving as slow as you can, slow down even more. Approach it as a hunter would. Most fishermen get way too excited once they spot fish and start moving too fast and making too much noise.

 Also, take a hint from some of the successful predators, fish-eating shorebirds. Birds such as herons and egrets stalk their prey and take forever to pounce on their food. After watching them awhile, you will quickly notice how long it takes them to approach their food, and how long they spend watching what they are trying to catch. Their secret is being slow, low and quiet. Follow the "pros" lead.

 Know the area you are going to fish or wade before your feet ever touch the ground. Check it out at low tide before sliding over board or stepping off a bank or down the rocks into the water. The best time for checking an area is during the low portion of a full-moon tide. The least amount of water will be present at this time, and more of the bottom will be exposed. Not all areas are condusive to wading either. Many have mud-sucking potholes or extremely soft bottoms. These areas are best fished from a boat, canoe or kayak.

 Another misconception about shallow water striper hunting is that striper's won't feed in shallow water during the day, when the sun is bright and high in the sky. Nothing could be further from the truth. Striper's are not as light sensitive as many think they are, especially when they are hungry. I've seen and witnessed monster size striper's up to 30 or 40 pounds cruising in water that was only two or three feet deep at high tide.

 So this year, check out those shallow water areas regardless of where you live or fish along the coast. You might just be surprised at how many monster sized striped bass you will find. And by the way, save some for the rest of us too.

Captain Jim White