While our fishing for autumnal striped bass traditionally carries on through December and occasionally into the wee hours of the coming year – a few folks fishing them into January – the time for nailing the biggest, baddest bass is draining away like daily daylight.

Many a surfcaster will swear the trophy-bass days never began this fall. I’ll also similarly swear – but not so much in here … and even then only with the help of many an asterisk.