Swimbaits and my new Rig

Fished DVL today, 3rd day in the last week to no avail, I am new to the swimbait sensation and matching the hatch....fishing trout replicas in search of stripers. I started late this season and missed the rush of BIG stripers that are available nov and dec. I even bought a quality rig Calcutta 400 on an 8' okuma graphite casting stick----sweet set up and casts like a dream anything over an oz. This was probably why I stayed out and froze my knuckles off. It was one of those days where after the it was obvious they weren't going for the swimbaits I began to target Black bass and rainbow stockers, fishing smaller and smaller baits close to shore....it was an ARGHH day but still better than sleeping in on a day off....I am used to killing on the trout and Bass from the shore(warm weather) but the persistent lake level dropping has turned the coves into lifeless inlets, all the cover that was fishable from the shoreline 3 months ago is now on dry land and the subtle contours are walkable sand. Hoping the newly laid snowpack can rejuvenate the level in 08'.