Dispatches from fly fishing for striped bass along the Jersey Shore and the Delaware River www.theaverageangler.com 732.261.7291 colin@theaverageangler.com
Yep, August 8 1952, that was the day Al got his first striped bass after, if I recall, a year or so of taking the long drive from around the New Brunswick area to fish. He did at night either before or after work. Imagine saying, so Al stopped fishing say five years ago, that you have fished fro striped bass for 75 years. Howe many beautiful mornings, how many storms, and how many bass? I miss my friend Al, dearly, and I will make sure to email him this post. The last time we were together was September 2019 right before he moved down south to North Carolina with his wife Evelyn. I was afraid that would be the last time we got to talk in person although we have stayed in some kinda touch by phone and email since.
This fall I ventured down to Seaside hitting spots along way, Point Pleasant, Bay Head, Mantoloking, and points south. These beaches have gone through rounds of beach replenishment in recent years. And like we've said before, this is insanity. Throwing billions of dollars into a failed attempt to curb Mother Nature and the normal ebb and flow of the natural coastline, why, to protect those that feel encroaching and setting up shop right on the ocean front is s good idea. They have no worries, as long as vote hungry politicians like Frank Pallone are willing to make them happy and work with the DEP and ACE to pump useless large grain sand up onto the beach. Its makes for a nice, well really not nice, beach for a summer or two, and then its gone.
That stretch of beach replenishment probably cost somewhere around 5-10 million dollars. It looks they lost probably 60-80 of beach, from grade in the ocean to over 8 foot at the dunes. Well done, and this wasn't even one of those big fall storms.
People are stupid. You can't fuck with Mother Nature. Someone please stop this insanity.
So I know it waaayyyy to early to really start monitoring the river but I couldn't help but notice the ice that has started to form on the river. Haven't really seen that this year. Water temps down at 32 degrees, air temps around 25 degrees, and we're about to get 12-16 inches of snow out here along the river tomorrow. Its good for the system, better than the flooding rain s of the spring.
Yep, would have been a good time, for many reasons, to enjoy the fly fishing show n catch up with old and new friends. While my fly tying room is full, there are a few things I need to get, so I'll reach out to Brad Buzzi and see if I can stock up before the season.
Looking at the next year schedule Edison's show is Jan 28-30th.
And while this blog is political, it can skirt the fringes of politics, current, events and fly fishing. Memes- I still don't know what that word means, have become a daily occurrence on social media, and now the mainstream media. while I listened to the inauguration on the radio between patients, I guess Bernie Sanders put on a show with his outfit and look while seated and social distancing. Some of them we pretty funny, not mocking the man, just whitty. Here's one to do with fly fishing and the other, just funny.
January 21st and it s 37 degrees, that' snot too bad. They say the bass start moving up when the water hits 50 degrees an the spawn occurs when it rises above 60, with 65 the best temperature. While there other components that attribute to a successful spawning year, the water temps, in addition to their natural instincts, put them in or near their natal grounds where they will attempt to spawn.
We have become, or allowed us to become a nation divided. Divided because we pick sides, and even through the rhetoric and, well bullshit, we, as hypocrites, wave the banner and yell all the while we are holding ourselves in some higher morale character then the people around us. We have become a nation of cowards and followers, like sheep.
I prefer to keep myself in the middle of the road, you know kind of Average. Pulse doesn't change either way. I will always support, but may not vote for the current President. I supported Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and now Biden. Joe Biden is MY President. If Trump won he would be MY President. I always hated to see people saying "Not My President", well folks thats just not true. If you are a citizen of these United States, then there is only one President, and now, thats Joe Biden.
You can think that a president isn't your president, just like your parents aren't your parents, your boss isn't your boss, or that you don't have to pay taxes or obey the law, well you do. Now that doesn't mean you have to agree with everything that that person or party believes. Now that's hard to believe when you see how lopsided the votes are in the Senate and the House. Party lines, have to go, as does term limits, and hopefully one day the two-party system.
So now I hope, and may God Bless Biden and Harris as they lead us forward. They will do their best, succeed hopefully at most, hopefully be able to make amends when they fail, all the while the people of this great country stop hiding behind the bullshit and look out and care for each other. Stop believing everything the media tells you, stop reading to social media bullshit from strangers, family and friends, and take care of yourself and each other.
And can we all just go fishing?
So my wife asked what I wanted to do for my birthday. We, I said, "I want to take my boat and get some gas". I dragged my mom along for the ride, and she too thought, local gas station, get gas, be home in 30 minutes. However, the gas I wanted was ethanol-free and it was from WaWa which was located in Allentown, PA, about and hour and 10 minutes away.
Well I got to get the trailer out and about and some heat on the tires and axle. Found out that the drivers side lights are out and need to be redone. When I got the boat home I gave her a once over, emptied the compartments and fired her up. After a quick charge on the battery and some water to keep her cool she purred like a kitten.
March 1st the Delaware River opens and so does the Rarity Bay. I'll be out early this year, and the boat will meet the Delaware for the first time. No sense in winterizing her now, and forget the shrink wrap, I'm praying for a mild winter.
And for dinner on this 53rd birthday? A great meal with a trio of great ladies at Tony Da Caneca in Newarks' Ironbound section. We had cataplana a "algarvia, paella Valencia. and skirt steak followed by some delicious desserts. It was a Nic e change of scenery from the usual haunts in Mercer and Hunterdon Counties.
Was working yesterday so I didn't see what was going on in Washington. Doesn't surprise me. The events of this past year didn't surprise me. My pulse doesn't really change about these things. I stay in the middle, on just about everything. My knowledge and opinions aren't strong enough, or correct enough, to try and engage others or have them see my middle of the road views.
Now my pulse may not change, but that doesn't mean that I don't get saddened when I see people put their own beliefs and agendas into action, usually at the harm of others, either physically or psychologically, or both. I can have a conversation on just about nothing, and never feel the need to be right or change someones mind, unless its about something I do or about someone I love.
I always say, put other people first, stop to help others, and do the right thing when no one else is watching. I am sure I have harmed others before, and that is the part of each of us we have to improve and make amends for.
During the last year I have done just that. Share the peace and the love. Stay in my own lane. Understand that the actions of a few cannot be blanketed over an entire population, culture, even fanatic. I do believe that social media and the media has jumped the shark and is doing more negative than positive, that is why I don't watch or engage. My only social media I used is Facebook, to share some fishing and personal stuff with friends and family, but I am questioning if that is even a negative thing these days. This blog, never gonna stop, because its almost 100% fishing related.
Take care of yourself, and each other.
When I was walking down to the next groin met up with a guy who had just hooked a 14 inch bass. It was nice to get out, see you on the mid-Delaware in March.
