Wednesday, October 31, 2012

10.31.12 Went on a mission to find a friend's boat, did find dolphins..and an open gas station.


     Went on a mission today to find a friend's boat down at the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina. Got down there after a dark ride around 630 and spoke with the cop at the entrance who said the marina was locked down, and that the National Guard was patrolling the parking lot and marina. I tried to find several ways down to see if I could see it and take pictures of it for him to see. (Continued)








                        




Navesink River, Middletown 

On my way home stopped at this scene on the Middletown side of the Oceanic Bridge. Even though there was damage and destruction about, I found several dolphin chasing bunker just west of the bridge. 








Got lucky to find a gas station in Tinton Falls that had power and gas. Lucky for me I was about the 13th car in line of about 250 cars lining Water Street.


















Tuesday, October 30, 2012

10.30.12 Quick ride to see how Plaza Ct held up



     Took a quick ride down to see how Plaza Ct. in Elberon fared during and after Sandy. There are two homes on the water and neither of them did well. The house above had water blowing through the center of it and the below home, newly constructed and finished last week, was gutted.





This home is located on Hathaway Ave in Deal.





10.30.12 The morning after Sandy....


    Lost power last night about 7 o'clock. Uneventful night for us but out neighbor had a large tree crash through their house around 930. Woke this morning and took a ride to Ocean Grove and found the Great Auditorium with a damaged roof, the Ocean Grove Fishing Club pier building gone and the pier itself damaged and widespread damage from the wind and downed trees throughout towns up and down the shore.






Monday, October 29, 2012

10.29.12 Late afternoon Sandy just about arriving



     Well I couldn't resist heading down to see what was going on around 3 pm, just over an hour after low tide. The police were chasing people away from the beach but I didn't want to gawk as much as see if the Ocean Grove and Belmar Fishing Club piers were still up, and as of this writing they were.
     I headed to Avon to look at the Shark River Inlet and then a quick ride to Belmar Blvd near where Route 35 and 16 th Ave meet. We had to take a ride up to Middletown to deliver a generator and our usual route to and from was blocked with downed trees and transformers.













10.29.12 Monday A.M. awaiting Sandy



     Got out around 630 for a coffee and a quick ride down to the ocean. Got chased out of Pier Village but found a good place on Plaza Ct. in Elberon to get an image of current conditions. It was 722 and high tide hadn't hit yet. I also stopped at Pullman Ave and shot a short video and my last stop was on Hathaway Ave in Deal looking towards Allenhurst.





   

Hathaway Ave looking south, Deal

Sunday, October 28, 2012

10.28.12 Sunday night Sandy update



Just a 530 pm Sunday night update



10.28.12 No bass on the beach...but did find Al Roker


                         

     So if you fished the above groin yesterday while the bass and blues had the peanuts locked into the pockets, then you hit it on the right day. This morning the early effects of an approaching full moon, hurricane and cold front were evident. I tried to throw the fly for about 10 minutes (all by myself) but quickly realized it was for naught. I did find Al Roker on the beach in Asbury Park along with the Weather Channel crew. I got to say hello and after I did I don't know why I even did.

Things will be shut down for a while...it looks like the winds will be with us deep into next weekend even after Sandy passes us.

I think this is going to be WORSE then any of us could imagine. Way worse then Irene of last year, but not Katrina-like in any way.

Best of luck to you and yours during this difficult week.


Saturday, October 27, 2012

10.27.12 The grass isn't always greener....


Part 1

     So this morning can be broken down into two separate stories. The first one. I think most guides and anglers ended last night and started this morning wondering where the fish are, have been, will be, could be, and should be. After being out on the boat yesterday, and then talking with some anglers who had good fish on the beach last night I decided that I would leave my usual haunts and find some fish elsewhere. I started on a beach that I like to go to when I don't want to see other anglers. I was pleasentaly surprised to find the above New York based fly angler working the white water with a fly. We talked for a while on how he fished the New Jersey salt periodically and came down to give it a shot. He wasn't sure where to go so he, and I, landed on the same beat. We both worked without a bump and soon after a few pics I was in my truck headed south where they had some good fish come up last evening. Well last evening was, well, last evening. (Continued below)
  






Part 2




     I jumped back in my truck and headed towards home taking a nice slow ride along the beach. I stopped for coffee and figured I would check the beaches that I usually fish and have been very quiet through the blitzes and hordes of anglers that have been mostly north these past few weeks. I pulled up to take a look and two guys came up both holding fresh keeper sized bass. A quick look past them and I could see the beaches and groins loaded with anglers, some spots shoulder to shoulder. I parked my truck and headed down to find peanut bunker trapped in the south side pockets of the groins, one particularly packed with big bass inside and on the bunker.
     I watched as the most successful anglers were snagging and dropping, while those casting plugs and swimmers didn't do as well. I saw a few big fish taken, one of 30 pounds, but I also saw a lot of keeper sized bass released. That was really nice to see. I wish there was a way to cut back on the treble hook use, or have guys switch to singles. I saw some real tough hook-outs, even on fish released, that was a little painful to watch. I got out on the tip of the groin even at it's busiest time and found everyone playing nice, for the most part. I only heard once, "If you do that again I am going to rip your f%4kin' head off." One funny, well entertaining thing I saw happened right in front of me. There were three guys in front of me. The guy on the left is hooked up, the guy in the middle is tangled up, and then the guy on the left goes off......and I watched as all three tried to do what they had to do at the same time. In the end I think one fish was lost and the line cut.

                         

     As always, one of my favorite things to watch and see was the bait. It could be peanuts getting chased and pinned on the Jersey Shore or Hendrickson duns getting sipped on the West Branch, I could sit and watch that for hours. Well, today the peanuts didn't disappoint. I just wish I had my "real" work cameras and not a point and shoot.


 


     One thing I did see that was just gross was a couple of big bass that had been caught some time earlier and were dry and covered with flies. I have to say, I enjoy fish for dinner, but these two I wouldn't want to have on my plate.

                       

Now for the best story of the day. I met a fly fisher (pictured below) who I stopped and talked to. I asked him if he got into any of the fish. I figured not because there were so many spin guys that it's really hard to get in the middle and fly fish. He told me the following story.



He is from New York. Last night at 10 pm he decided he needed to fish today. He's never fished New Jersey. He found Deal at first light...and found a jetty and started to fish. At light he saw some birds and swirls working a jetty (groin) away. He walked over and had the start of the blitz to himself. He fished and landed 7 fish to 34 inches. Then the anglers trickled in and then the cell phone came out and he got sandwiched in. That's as good as it gets....and good for him. I hope he doesn't think that stretch fishes that way everyday, or even at least once a month!