Tons of bunker/minnows but no stripers?

[surfcastersnotebook]

Hey guys, so yesterday I fished this skinny/shallow inlet throughout high tide (low tide is inaccessible for fish) and I found schools of bunker cruising the surface with their mouths open, along with small unknown baitfish. I had fish this area once a month ago and caught tons of schoolies, I came back today knowing that bigger baitfish were here with potential bigger stripers. I threw everything in my bag (even a live eel) with no hits. Am I doing something wrong? Or is it possible that no predators were in the area? Are striped bass known to go in shallow water, or are they hidden in the deep pockets near the rocks? I spent hours trying to figure out what was the problem. If you want to know the spot, PM me. Its somewhere in Peconic Bay, NY.

[TimS]

If there were bass there the bunker would have let you know - when they are calm and cruising with their mouths open (feeding) they aren't being hassled by anything trying to eat them.  If there were bass under them the bunker would school tightly and car sized areas of them at a time would be freaking out and scattering like spearing   Striped bass will go into shallow water - they'd rather do it in the dark...but they will come into shallow water to feed on bunker....but you would certainly be able to tell by the way the bunker behave

 

TimS

[bobber]

I'd go back at night and see how you fare......  its time for night fishing.   

 

shallow water bass are a little sketchy, especially for bigger fish.  your best options are gonna be at NIGHT

[bluerock]

Yep.

[surfcastersnotebook]

Thanks a ton for the advice guys. I was surprised the bunker were feeding like that, I even switched to the beach of the bay and the bunker were still feeding