We promised ourselves when we started the blog not to share any hard earned fishing secrets. But the unlikely series of events leading to Melissa and Lynne’s giant Striped Bass allows for a lapse in protocol. You see, our little secret weapon entails stopping the boat when trolling umbrella rigs. That’s right, we stop when we troll! The rigs then drop in the water column, near to the bottom. Then we put the boat back in gear and the rigs swim up, looking to a Striper like a fleeing school of baitfish towards the surface. This technique entices finicky Stripers to bite. Well, this afternoon, the trip had all but concluded and Capt Joe put the boat out of gear so that the lines could be pulled in without the tension of the boat pulling against them. But, he unintentionally paused before winding them in. That pause dropped the rigs into the depths, precisely imitating what we do when stalling the boat. You guessed it, UP through the water column came the rigs and Fish On! Making that particular long pause, one that Melissa and Lynne may never forget.