tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83296045305705401842024-03-19T05:40:56.465-04:00The Average AnglerDispatches from fly fishing for striped bass and more along the Jersey Shore and the Delaware River
theaverageangler.com 732.261.7291 colin@theaverageangler.comThe Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comBlogger3002125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-58779330395752332662024-03-19T05:40:00.004-04:002024-03-19T05:40:19.614-04:0003.19.24 C'mon man, well lady...<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIppXCDb3bmk3Ucsb7hRRI8S3ZBIRZdXyvi14EBFugsZy6BeyiJeGk68LEtATirj_FvgNNkdHZkv50D0sVIvSymRW2LUWGWfwjs6GaIxS9LVQ-H9y4tHbi7qt6nDm1vhVSziWYndrwQpoRIQIO8Zg1sOeRY-ZTnl4VuipZw1XV-BThyXsjHkFcacwom9o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1747" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIppXCDb3bmk3Ucsb7hRRI8S3ZBIRZdXyvi14EBFugsZy6BeyiJeGk68LEtATirj_FvgNNkdHZkv50D0sVIvSymRW2LUWGWfwjs6GaIxS9LVQ-H9y4tHbi7qt6nDm1vhVSziWYndrwQpoRIQIO8Zg1sOeRY-ZTnl4VuipZw1XV-BThyXsjHkFcacwom9o=w640-h301" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"> Just when I thought things were lining up perfectly this spring Mother Nature has to go and mess with it. It's not all that bad as the fish will move when the air temps take a little dive down. I was hoping for those bright sunny days with temps in the mid to high 60's to continue for a bit. It's the thirties at night that can make water go cooler.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> On time with each season a large smallmouth came to play. I watched as it came up and tried to eat my 9 inch weighted fly. It was a beautiful bronzed fish and I was surprised but the coloring as usually they are more darker this time of year. I busted out the 10 weight with that Pop lip fly I tied, the one that </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirMIhCL6HKDbjNhK7t77Tn6TTCn9VV3MsYaAxDTVBxG7D28trHQYtdwodxfaJJzWOu6veRv_DDLhSPvq6E2MVgk0NaW8zKoNbpwYB90TsgrBhtuKSS9Xig8t7_l1FDBTtRXdtLcRvB8ydQnkx9GTdneVX3yGB8zJgodgovrvEPZSfxm1ly8lEYYa609Cg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="639" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirMIhCL6HKDbjNhK7t77Tn6TTCn9VV3MsYaAxDTVBxG7D28trHQYtdwodxfaJJzWOu6veRv_DDLhSPvq6E2MVgk0NaW8zKoNbpwYB90TsgrBhtuKSS9Xig8t7_l1FDBTtRXdtLcRvB8ydQnkx9GTdneVX3yGB8zJgodgovrvEPZSfxm1ly8lEYYa609Cg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">is probably more of a diver or jerk bait, than a swimming fly. I stayed at that for 20 minutes casting in the same neighbor hood but she never came back. Nice after work stop but that wind wasn't fun. </p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-5728100059417522342024-03-18T04:39:00.005-04:002024-03-18T04:39:35.570-04:0003.18.24 Blane Chocklett on Master's of the Fly...<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-foX0DWpjo2OrOQ5CKI_EHaqneGbCbsYfklNRB7qw9slkl6qGvO7Fj_8wH7ts6aZGQc4EPmfHR1LMuMIv1ZHRuj_b2EJYni9T3fq19Pvjo7bYmjsefejpslheBQ03Fd1PIiBNovh9sHwESlmK_hfo6BhKLR09YfeQk5pIjymS3iabeEfpq0eA9wszAY/s2439/Screenshot%202024-03-17%20at%208.58.34%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1671" data-original-width="2439" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-foX0DWpjo2OrOQ5CKI_EHaqneGbCbsYfklNRB7qw9slkl6qGvO7Fj_8wH7ts6aZGQc4EPmfHR1LMuMIv1ZHRuj_b2EJYni9T3fq19Pvjo7bYmjsefejpslheBQ03Fd1PIiBNovh9sHwESlmK_hfo6BhKLR09YfeQk5pIjymS3iabeEfpq0eA9wszAY/w640-h438/Screenshot%202024-03-17%20at%208.58.34%20PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The last Master's of the Fly show for 2024 featured Blane Chocklett. Blane discussed his history in fly fishing, guiding, and fly design. One of his first flies that became really put him on the map was the</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gummy Minnow (below). Since then he has introduced numerous flies such as the Game, Feather, and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiXyuhYpC0XLAnbCYz3rX0-6eDUl7DJMfhIaLckNOsdYiKvhrEvsemgPeNSYs0yWY0EUS5gvJC1ZQmAlHhHoKqgSXPBSZBbSIXK9dRUWmxDTcCI5qELZXfGaVuVPDN7aJ2oCaVK-85rJxdCzEIqO5L34RdhsIlgWtv4EwQXBO-pZivPsEEzxRaV3doJoQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="514" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiXyuhYpC0XLAnbCYz3rX0-6eDUl7DJMfhIaLckNOsdYiKvhrEvsemgPeNSYs0yWY0EUS5gvJC1ZQmAlHhHoKqgSXPBSZBbSIXK9dRUWmxDTcCI5qELZXfGaVuVPDN7aJ2oCaVK-85rJxdCzEIqO5L34RdhsIlgWtv4EwQXBO-pZivPsEEzxRaV3doJoQ=w200-h104" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Jerk Changers which have been popular with tyers and anglers alike. He was also the first to really introduce and use the metal shanks to tie on rather then a mono extension. Chocklett now offers those materials and flies at his store, The Chocklett Factory, <a href="https://www.blanechocklett.com">HERE</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuB-U-FYtE2xE6WtU2_4EwF47AZhy53MZaSvKCvzJOgBhHLBSlMg8ONWIzOTniPbjgxiRXCvQ3qMAzoE_OKVU1nhEkniKFZG3oe8vT4C4LNUTyDy6XLQFV9THuBZwU9MFj0xpOd4CkaXM8-dmfny3Y89elwpwL_pR6Iybnd94PU_1HEmEQOce92bmO3Po" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1623" data-original-width="2377" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuB-U-FYtE2xE6WtU2_4EwF47AZhy53MZaSvKCvzJOgBhHLBSlMg8ONWIzOTniPbjgxiRXCvQ3qMAzoE_OKVU1nhEkniKFZG3oe8vT4C4LNUTyDy6XLQFV9THuBZwU9MFj0xpOd4CkaXM8-dmfny3Y89elwpwL_pR6Iybnd94PU_1HEmEQOce92bmO3Po=w640-h436" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Above, Blane shows off a nice striped bass on a Jerk Changer. </div></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDQvpvM9GQwJyWInKtVgGEGV-1NdBESHhOlS7YV36AXtFpGrb7f-fmQjlK_yx1JDU7Wt85b4PJa2EZPCIlSw3pt85VWxLTrQxIhlTtgK722eTTok5TW3IMzDCVqCynXDD1aeyXPSyc3jcN5dfHo5Pk_56UgTcQjCnmAEDA5h_tKO8qOt_1KTGiD_K0c/s3155/Screenshot%202024-03-17%20at%208.43.36%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1488" data-original-width="3155" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDQvpvM9GQwJyWInKtVgGEGV-1NdBESHhOlS7YV36AXtFpGrb7f-fmQjlK_yx1JDU7Wt85b4PJa2EZPCIlSw3pt85VWxLTrQxIhlTtgK722eTTok5TW3IMzDCVqCynXDD1aeyXPSyc3jcN5dfHo5Pk_56UgTcQjCnmAEDA5h_tKO8qOt_1KTGiD_K0c/w640-h302/Screenshot%202024-03-17%20at%208.43.36%20PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-33929994478875497672024-03-17T19:21:00.008-04:002024-03-17T19:21:58.597-04:0003.17.24 Happy St. Patrick's Day.....<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzccVW3Mn6pMCGMmComSbS76vDKRBDzcSPHlD348jlgWAJdnzPZWBTWZRClEqAtohcVPSTMa5Lm3W7kkXpZpPx9pM6B6etpOy6tWzyzkcaf1Me5F54sXQrzIMK_hbToN0ilHhoyFt0qIW6C3cpWXc3XsDzL01lLJZRduWy9zBzgDXqsMJLlImI_JRzyiA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="1321" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzccVW3Mn6pMCGMmComSbS76vDKRBDzcSPHlD348jlgWAJdnzPZWBTWZRClEqAtohcVPSTMa5Lm3W7kkXpZpPx9pM6B6etpOy6tWzyzkcaf1Me5F54sXQrzIMK_hbToN0ilHhoyFt0qIW6C3cpWXc3XsDzL01lLJZRduWy9zBzgDXqsMJLlImI_JRzyiA=w640-h308" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">.....still no 2024 bass. Next five days should do it. Things are looking good. Some of my favorite Monmouth County spots are gettin' good. Time for a night shift ride. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJ3GmS9VNOSFu9fT6tBxy4wZZQnC43m30-hRp-yt-P46eOB7UQNThGl_j2pELNEMksF2jWg8Ehf5nR7DZY_l_oDa61DiQCcYqdH_PEy9NTao27Mnn6hO_avs9UFEMPejSEZox0ksaGResx65AVg7ze_3w8AQPJ3KSvIO_tQ3BgMfeXgDD__idexLP5TNk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="576" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJ3GmS9VNOSFu9fT6tBxy4wZZQnC43m30-hRp-yt-P46eOB7UQNThGl_j2pELNEMksF2jWg8Ehf5nR7DZY_l_oDa61DiQCcYqdH_PEy9NTao27Mnn6hO_avs9UFEMPejSEZox0ksaGResx65AVg7ze_3w8AQPJ3KSvIO_tQ3BgMfeXgDD__idexLP5TNk=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDWwgXHMQ7dIkbwLaUVcXC8bpgYk2SzIVOfWgwx_tRdV7qlvi-VFQFojGmZOngWnxMxauEoW2_YKw5YzOljRE6hEbO2SL1EZPMuQdKF_6jzna95cB_xZm6OU4KhPAiAIhr2Lrsz5FB0fUwiITQ-WI95kX-GPkRcfmqQ4WYFS5DuA49lCGxBgZiX8vjEMU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="576" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDWwgXHMQ7dIkbwLaUVcXC8bpgYk2SzIVOfWgwx_tRdV7qlvi-VFQFojGmZOngWnxMxauEoW2_YKw5YzOljRE6hEbO2SL1EZPMuQdKF_6jzna95cB_xZm6OU4KhPAiAIhr2Lrsz5FB0fUwiITQ-WI95kX-GPkRcfmqQ4WYFS5DuA49lCGxBgZiX8vjEMU=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-18432855787593254242024-03-16T20:51:00.003-04:002024-03-17T04:21:53.399-04:0003.16.24 Glad I made the trek out east...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaVuch-oy0btEnhCyg2JMXCv-VXnLobd6ZA3zkXGs_IGM1bdEWHWor_RhUB-rwLvLG8nMMq6s36SWG_SJioZi6aS7qm3uEdo2LMf4oy3DD3aMA-qVu1BYDzUU5ePVyCZ0Gief3HqqpomMQHHsegn4w32_1qKFj922ticbmO9kLle8WF_PPZvw3DH2tjY/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2300" data-original-width="3100" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaVuch-oy0btEnhCyg2JMXCv-VXnLobd6ZA3zkXGs_IGM1bdEWHWor_RhUB-rwLvLG8nMMq6s36SWG_SJioZi6aS7qm3uEdo2LMf4oy3DD3aMA-qVu1BYDzUU5ePVyCZ0Gief3HqqpomMQHHsegn4w32_1qKFj922ticbmO9kLle8WF_PPZvw3DH2tjY/w640-h474/031624%20LISHOW%20-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Beautiful days can really put a damper on a trade shows attendance, especially if people have been battling cabin fever for months coupled with the recent Daylight Savings Time change. But that said the Long Island Fly Fishing Expo went off without a hitch and had, to my estimation, a good amount of attendees. As with all shows the first push of humanity is usually the largest. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRh0zo5ZbE8w0HIh-KmW6MWPZvFL8pmJPn7nbmEvUlrUuPWZilCijYccIZrDZ8Mrl6WU6A6w_tk6sf8CoUb2GnfIeIKG-hi6QfC9qY3B7ZqGl8DZj8MgsOh38XbXYjqV1zOqLXFB8NuxoCR049Geve_lMXtauZqZqtq3oh227_0IqGcg1voeAlLAuJ3c/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2032" data-original-width="3100" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRh0zo5ZbE8w0HIh-KmW6MWPZvFL8pmJPn7nbmEvUlrUuPWZilCijYccIZrDZ8Mrl6WU6A6w_tk6sf8CoUb2GnfIeIKG-hi6QfC9qY3B7ZqGl8DZj8MgsOh38XbXYjqV1zOqLXFB8NuxoCR049Geve_lMXtauZqZqtq3oh227_0IqGcg1voeAlLAuJ3c/w400-h263/031624%20LISHOW%20-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I left the house around 5 am and arrived a little after 7. I was lucky to just have a vice and materials to set up and that gave me a chance to say hello to some people and browse the floor before the gates opened up. Last year I scored at the Idywilde booth and did a repeat performance this year. A year ago it</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvWgt3dploRsSL1l-gbzPVtQGDPlJylMFtmXxtxtQYlsAlEbaB9bz-54PQO3wZCH3ng24Gobp-x31CF2mLRc4JUvLI6pyjlGdRzs0VszxiPxpSX3MzKwW_C0b07K7MaQ2AQLpe487Ou_9k7TjZrmXuyh_Lk41WKjBElYdfZLlIKIRQwx48aLiIZIP3rc/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvWgt3dploRsSL1l-gbzPVtQGDPlJylMFtmXxtxtQYlsAlEbaB9bz-54PQO3wZCH3ng24Gobp-x31CF2mLRc4JUvLI6pyjlGdRzs0VszxiPxpSX3MzKwW_C0b07K7MaQ2AQLpe487Ou_9k7TjZrmXuyh_Lk41WKjBElYdfZLlIKIRQwx48aLiIZIP3rc/w640-h480/031624%20LISHOW%20-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">was a Rod Mounts (interior) fly rod rack for my Jeep and a few big bags of marabou. This year I got a book by Jersey boy Mark Sosin and an interesting fly material holder set called Fly Hive. These are large velcro tipped heavy plastic storage bags which are great for bucktails and saddles. They came out in 2005 and a set was 8 large bags, two smaller ones, and a carrying case for $99.95. I scored 10 bags for $10. I also found a fly dryer/display (BELOW) that had an asking price of $5...SOLD. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNG_Re4t1fR5AOpHBUC0sK6uNKBoxfbEL7Zan8BcUKOMkl8Y3tapIlICZoC9MDF57VysbjgKRL7JYw13VO740eR2FUTZ1DNKxygGGxdUacrfWqCB6cHmM-p94M2ClOpCcuX0v532ly0WzbM1Df96uUZwv6tgmKSIoOHY8XgnrHyOw0umWagi0FGZfwFo/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="2325" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNG_Re4t1fR5AOpHBUC0sK6uNKBoxfbEL7Zan8BcUKOMkl8Y3tapIlICZoC9MDF57VysbjgKRL7JYw13VO740eR2FUTZ1DNKxygGGxdUacrfWqCB6cHmM-p94M2ClOpCcuX0v532ly0WzbM1Df96uUZwv6tgmKSIoOHY8XgnrHyOw0umWagi0FGZfwFo/w300-h400/031624%20LISHOW%20-3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I was lucky enough to share the Squimpish Flies table with Uptown Dave. Dave is a well known tier and had a steady stream of fans and buyers for his various flies. We had lots of stop, look, and ask </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtF0F_SB6ZfTBvdtrIlWqQK1lS6zkfN5kSIhrqIYmdT-QUQODuDmjivm8W_m3USP4ZERyewM4UScsM8P4L4LkMNuH9ySRlKkgM0r1zILRVcSYT9LcvXeVKUOhxeA1kkvFDjqABiCnEl7fWA1qFN7Ol2g-OG6FSi0q8UK5Ah1MiMvuaSvqgABZiiD5cXc/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-35.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="3100" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtF0F_SB6ZfTBvdtrIlWqQK1lS6zkfN5kSIhrqIYmdT-QUQODuDmjivm8W_m3USP4ZERyewM4UScsM8P4L4LkMNuH9ySRlKkgM0r1zILRVcSYT9LcvXeVKUOhxeA1kkvFDjqABiCnEl7fWA1qFN7Ol2g-OG6FSi0q8UK5Ah1MiMvuaSvqgABZiiD5cXc/w640-h308/031624%20LISHOW%20-35.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">people and we hopefully were able to answer their questions and send them in the right direction which was either to a vendor at the show carrying the Squimpish line or over to their website. My trying-to-match-a-Spook fly had lots of pick-ups and put-downs. But the best put-down, literally, came late in the </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtAKtZTHD1NRhuu1ciAEh8mwEAmeRzyMupFH8vxpqXQ6p0zhBTD_foO52yDW-oKxXJRHTx7aNq-juzog3-2C3XV0M_fP0SC11U4idppCy30wUq5vj0_SFYiqf2xVNyKbDW4mRhcID68Tt856kF4jXPgIrz5grRV-vQZ0WqZtMyYNs-yP8xXhbFysBHR3Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtAKtZTHD1NRhuu1ciAEh8mwEAmeRzyMupFH8vxpqXQ6p0zhBTD_foO52yDW-oKxXJRHTx7aNq-juzog3-2C3XV0M_fP0SC11U4idppCy30wUq5vj0_SFYiqf2xVNyKbDW4mRhcID68Tt856kF4jXPgIrz5grRV-vQZ0WqZtMyYNs-yP8xXhbFysBHR3Y" width="311" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">day when an older salty looking fellow came over, picked it up, and said, "What the f%$k are you going to throw that with a 17 weight?". He put it down and walked away before I could give any kind of explanation. It was a mic drop moment. That's exactly how it went down, just ask Dave. It was that funny. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBvGIuXFEAMhczNr9RHT3C5yqwR4XaBlknilGPCzrpEb5WCd7URNIdaD1GhzOHqoYD371JokSxxk01UbbWRSU2e00XNkoDb367Za8GdhChAV4Y3ebWBebnSg_a_j8l9-4jDWyb_cpvCrFvHqqJDXM7aeydXlmi1NuUZONOp32UxpifGiGopf-QwJqqas/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBvGIuXFEAMhczNr9RHT3C5yqwR4XaBlknilGPCzrpEb5WCd7URNIdaD1GhzOHqoYD371JokSxxk01UbbWRSU2e00XNkoDb367Za8GdhChAV4Y3ebWBebnSg_a_j8l9-4jDWyb_cpvCrFvHqqJDXM7aeydXlmi1NuUZONOp32UxpifGiGopf-QwJqqas/w640-h480/031624%20LISHOW%20-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The show, to me, was exactly like it was last year, which was great. There may have been a few more presentations and I popped into a few. I saw Joe "Era's Tour" Cordiero teaching his Flatwing pattern.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDHv43Hvn5SP2xLsMi4l5qeuJ1IrHF9VDNHgUkQmF_umgBjWIOWc8RrEg1ftZ7aRh7fVvdPVPqucQxdxpH_RR-orzVGzCtq9nX5LNaQlptNzgl-j5X-p0Z0HKWomcH0lELyEsyYXA5KZYjRiGQpnD2OQlx43LAcEFX6IrSJBMx20dPt1lU0dYtzK-pAs/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2107" data-original-width="3100" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDHv43Hvn5SP2xLsMi4l5qeuJ1IrHF9VDNHgUkQmF_umgBjWIOWc8RrEg1ftZ7aRh7fVvdPVPqucQxdxpH_RR-orzVGzCtq9nX5LNaQlptNzgl-j5X-p0Z0HKWomcH0lELyEsyYXA5KZYjRiGQpnD2OQlx43LAcEFX6IrSJBMx20dPt1lU0dYtzK-pAs/w640-h434/031624%20LISHOW%20-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Joe left home in January before the Somerset show and hasn't been home since. He's been all the way south down to Florida and back. His patterns, materials, and book have been received well. I also got to see author John Fields talk on his 50 Top Flies For Trophy Striped Bass. Fields has a book coming out in June called Fly Fishing For Trophy Striped Bass. He's very excited, and so am I as I have a picture</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xuuQYCB5jyujIe09OEM1cWZNYxqR3SgS45ZImY5xjtF8Ou_W5Ar862hecqCiLRWFlmF9vJXHhnyXfSZ13tPFU6G6j5Al7KMnSF0RX_A4KHEuorcsVk13CUnSZJbkUyTTTAc69r4ljTT9C6xyqATY2_8iYL3EcCX8J23Z8FFUqR1akonXRWIQ_6X4-C0/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2026" data-original-width="3100" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xuuQYCB5jyujIe09OEM1cWZNYxqR3SgS45ZImY5xjtF8Ou_W5Ar862hecqCiLRWFlmF9vJXHhnyXfSZ13tPFU6G6j5Al7KMnSF0RX_A4KHEuorcsVk13CUnSZJbkUyTTTAc69r4ljTT9C6xyqATY2_8iYL3EcCX8J23Z8FFUqR1akonXRWIQ_6X4-C0/w640-h418/031624%20LISHOW%20-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">in there somewhere. He said the book went to print yesterday and it's all set to come in on time. If you like you can pre-order that book on Amazon, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Fishing-Trophy-Striped-Bass-ebook/dp/B0C4GBN7W9">HERE</a>. Joe "Galapagos" Calcevechia was in the house and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlp0Q1Jc2GZpzj2rXbrYPyVsKwEr4l_CjdW7OHdF9cdCi8DrgnscyOmbYNUOBVHQY6lHZvu0129z0wbgy9deHtTzDVCj7Vi2w0_nS6LltgeHiaRw_XAQ5gf2aPmHWlyP1QnwrSkwf-Xzsuf8pKlF0LIr9LVXWBHkmQmP38tmflyRlHOQJ5rvUHfgqJi14/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlp0Q1Jc2GZpzj2rXbrYPyVsKwEr4l_CjdW7OHdF9cdCi8DrgnscyOmbYNUOBVHQY6lHZvu0129z0wbgy9deHtTzDVCj7Vi2w0_nS6LltgeHiaRw_XAQ5gf2aPmHWlyP1QnwrSkwf-Xzsuf8pKlF0LIr9LVXWBHkmQmP38tmflyRlHOQJ5rvUHfgqJi14/w400-h300/031624%20LISHOW%20-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I got to hear all about striped marlin on the fly. Joe is in the process of hosting trips to the Galapagos and possibly Kenya to fish for hundreds of pound fish with sails. He will be booking for next year in the upcoming months. At one point he was catching up with Enrico and I jumped behind his vice to </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7npoPG7X232rGlgZqAMmrJsUOMbXhEuDuSbvLaCbaHLp75n-d9WpdlKGOugELXscxXqEZAjQefN79rZ-HUDGpDk0ZW4CcB77g9cLwu19kgrUKOaW2-5LkQx9xmbfTRr5AyjJcMkYS3xGgFK-VL5EZXRrz7wUmTDCv2aTcNrG_iQ_NyQyb1xPRz-E8sOw/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2267" data-original-width="3100" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7npoPG7X232rGlgZqAMmrJsUOMbXhEuDuSbvLaCbaHLp75n-d9WpdlKGOugELXscxXqEZAjQefN79rZ-HUDGpDk0ZW4CcB77g9cLwu19kgrUKOaW2-5LkQx9xmbfTRr5AyjJcMkYS3xGgFK-VL5EZXRrz7wUmTDCv2aTcNrG_iQ_NyQyb1xPRz-E8sOw/w640-h468/031624%20LISHOW%20-16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">dissect his big fly, which I'm not sure what he has named. But if you aren't going to tie a big fly and need one just in case I recommend looking up his store at Saltwater Custom Flies and ordering one, just one will do, as long as the big bluefish don't make a showing while you're in the middle of your cast. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Brad satiated anyone's need for bucktail and I watched as the below happy camper just kept flipping through the bins and handing them to his wife. Brad even had black bucktails, but not homegrown black, but they were fine if you found them. I was able to get some Ahrex hooks from him as well as </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WbHHDEFLRYIP7LelqXFpCNRGoec6tEu95XxJJRRLIqbbfv0ztNKP1qliGLh3ZeYwNt5ZbNzqtb_S1FNuSMNUzIlXMLaI0oj2OtwxgNGNeEZ_014K4IIeScZzLDoxkLNjWzsINP3jYsIEay6zzhZnPBmSVciQyVHYB4rKcWWcNlXnnj8PrJrw_hfhH3A/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2327" data-original-width="3100" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WbHHDEFLRYIP7LelqXFpCNRGoec6tEu95XxJJRRLIqbbfv0ztNKP1qliGLh3ZeYwNt5ZbNzqtb_S1FNuSMNUzIlXMLaI0oj2OtwxgNGNeEZ_014K4IIeScZzLDoxkLNjWzsINP3jYsIEay6zzhZnPBmSVciQyVHYB4rKcWWcNlXnnj8PrJrw_hfhH3A/w400-h300/031624%20LISHOW%20-8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>a Keogh saddle hackle in blue that he had on consignment. I used that on some herring flies I tied today. John Papciak had a nice photo booth going and of course I couldn't help but stop and say hello to Jim </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8kgv5P85If2mgsRb0rmf66eRk_mh2Q49q3oDmrc4JWIC3ix1vAtxqgTUhw7MqEnwvpKjXPIoK9hQmGmBNhoE_JxBjA45yAfyMyruF8yN0bxsRAC1LyMKAWDIDUYf4ilU2WY2b5mWZ2cukQt3X-9jDp4DEyQD6iEQTaixAsgyX6LmP1j2rrE74lwAzec/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-40.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8kgv5P85If2mgsRb0rmf66eRk_mh2Q49q3oDmrc4JWIC3ix1vAtxqgTUhw7MqEnwvpKjXPIoK9hQmGmBNhoE_JxBjA45yAfyMyruF8yN0bxsRAC1LyMKAWDIDUYf4ilU2WY2b5mWZ2cukQt3X-9jDp4DEyQD6iEQTaixAsgyX6LmP1j2rrE74lwAzec/w640-h480/031624%20LISHOW%20-40.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTm4Y52MEBWubhYG-sSa0JPsHYYjlN340ZhhsILaeWzlSV-Gc1RWIhfkepEiTRO1EMNln5Wr2t92ln7b7yGna3YdWf7VhIbj9p-KatrAaI4Mr8nonT-GteeVd2_a9AP1z_Zv3Hpsh-AkI1UEvhXaHo0sba9v0EevP7Reg6Ws6yi2_nHYaRLLX1WvNQUA/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2033" data-original-width="3100" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTm4Y52MEBWubhYG-sSa0JPsHYYjlN340ZhhsILaeWzlSV-Gc1RWIhfkepEiTRO1EMNln5Wr2t92ln7b7yGna3YdWf7VhIbj9p-KatrAaI4Mr8nonT-GteeVd2_a9AP1z_Zv3Hpsh-AkI1UEvhXaHo0sba9v0EevP7Reg6Ws6yi2_nHYaRLLX1WvNQUA/w400-h263/031624%20LISHOW%20-17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Levinson and see his fantastic Montauk/striped bass images. I just have to get one. I said last year I was going to seal the deal, even if I had to make payments, but I never did. I have my eye on the "Five Horsemen", 6/250. It's mine..one day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0SY8nrB7lYTuljL21ZbtFaESym2HLVWLnz0AzGkRnIjwIxznHbsqNNfkAtwxj3D8oCkD9kawbmWmDBSX-G9ypa1fLC0YafltLT4zDVHXclK7w190FgPJU7kf4Fo32IWcZdsagWV4wBEMGr2iHXlD6glSYN-yFX1X2w25jkzEv-IVpVIbUM57QKnA3-Y/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2038" data-original-width="3100" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0SY8nrB7lYTuljL21ZbtFaESym2HLVWLnz0AzGkRnIjwIxznHbsqNNfkAtwxj3D8oCkD9kawbmWmDBSX-G9ypa1fLC0YafltLT4zDVHXclK7w190FgPJU7kf4Fo32IWcZdsagWV4wBEMGr2iHXlD6glSYN-yFX1X2w25jkzEv-IVpVIbUM57QKnA3-Y/w640-h420/031624%20LISHOW%20-18.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sHWuGGK4h6HjUjRvoj9WQjylx2iKIMh131dT3ZcZWWq_DiRwyblz9dvzTHvn0qbrH5MD_CURGCNblOTeP_jW24m8DLVP-jdUkV9HuZEf-Cg0PjQhbKJiz_PlLgnQzAE-xVrO-bvaCJ9V8X5yMlbhzd_aAu5nbtoJBlLkIBvwr3yX0uQ4TEKcf6noNX4/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1664" data-original-width="3100" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sHWuGGK4h6HjUjRvoj9WQjylx2iKIMh131dT3ZcZWWq_DiRwyblz9dvzTHvn0qbrH5MD_CURGCNblOTeP_jW24m8DLVP-jdUkV9HuZEf-Cg0PjQhbKJiz_PlLgnQzAE-xVrO-bvaCJ9V8X5yMlbhzd_aAu5nbtoJBlLkIBvwr3yX0uQ4TEKcf6noNX4/w400-h215/031624%20LISHOW%20-15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p> Mark Sedotti had a table with his "Sedotti Slammers" for sale. He did a casting presentation and I spaced out and missed it. From what I heard he casted a 17 inch fly with a 5 weight rod...148 feet.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWyhY3GgODs-ZJGJj7RGUSXJOBymMqoQ4IZblATppMwltX4PYPNHCNi-LdNrhYg60kV6z4RVxSThV67Du0nx6pxdkMsRpmraUCKurJ_FD_Dv1Wu7NJNu6BKrAWRN8MgXegpnRLYVrWlrMIFWrwwKxcTWm6DxOfG_NqcGF_qHEeJYtSXAnMFYxS1t9bGk/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1231" data-original-width="3100" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWyhY3GgODs-ZJGJj7RGUSXJOBymMqoQ4IZblATppMwltX4PYPNHCNi-LdNrhYg60kV6z4RVxSThV67Du0nx6pxdkMsRpmraUCKurJ_FD_Dv1Wu7NJNu6BKrAWRN8MgXegpnRLYVrWlrMIFWrwwKxcTWm6DxOfG_NqcGF_qHEeJYtSXAnMFYxS1t9bGk/w640-h254/031624%20LISHOW%20-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Besides my Fly Hive finds, the favorite part of my day was watching the three young lads above tying up a storm and offering them for sale. Evan, Jackson, and Luke were just cool kids and it was nice to see some young life in the ballroom. Evan had tied up some, I think they're called Flexo Crab Flies, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8js5SBNHtPe22LEQshCuWzZTYlhqBuOmELVt1Y4RrJqnJ4jt5glY89xjSRQxBCi1GWn9NSma3CW4p_d4OxjWFti2MEFG-p25gr5u2gS-wxe9vi2ezSG75cNE9preJBYVomTq4StV6P8c3Vwv1egPamgvCdvQZve8KfJAS3AbX4N9audnd42ZkynHBWtI/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-13.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2265" data-original-width="3100" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8js5SBNHtPe22LEQshCuWzZTYlhqBuOmELVt1Y4RrJqnJ4jt5glY89xjSRQxBCi1GWn9NSma3CW4p_d4OxjWFti2MEFG-p25gr5u2gS-wxe9vi2ezSG75cNE9preJBYVomTq4StV6P8c3Vwv1egPamgvCdvQZve8KfJAS3AbX4N9audnd42ZkynHBWtI/w640-h468/031624%20LISHOW%20-13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and I bought two to use up in Martha's Vineyard sight fishing for striped bass, hopefully, this June. The ride home through he Bronx to the GWB was a mess and I think the St. Patrick's Day parade traffic may have had something to do with it. While in traffic my ADHD wouldn't allow me to sit still so I tried out</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciTSp4aCWyuaQBbwKZku8G_WamdlUw2huv-mDGJ9MdIWe1ChH_pPG5NcTKk-AsSL5pXFAUIK8i_Lj8ZQnxAXhOIurRzWSuzNp6Rjy5Rlbgl_35l5CQKTyvD_qekmaBuEMWB6KIk62sHfDp2fJ-Ry1LahW7M04abYrTIGdCW6n4SI4gmxp8ZRaYJFBBBg/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciTSp4aCWyuaQBbwKZku8G_WamdlUw2huv-mDGJ9MdIWe1ChH_pPG5NcTKk-AsSL5pXFAUIK8i_Lj8ZQnxAXhOIurRzWSuzNp6Rjy5Rlbgl_35l5CQKTyvD_qekmaBuEMWB6KIk62sHfDp2fJ-Ry1LahW7M04abYrTIGdCW6n4SI4gmxp8ZRaYJFBBBg/w400-h300/031624%20LISHOW%20-20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">the Fly Hive's with some saddles I had. I think they'll work perfect as I always find my fly tying room a mess and me never able to find what I need at that moment. On the way home I stopped at two spots just because it was so nice out even though Mother Nature had the fan turned on high. My mummichog </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5MMtTxDNhbqj0OT0N84dRbmGc-IImBQQV5mPDgj9VZ14mMWj6v7YD9odhEhimA5TJ1HJmQhtNe6VGkRZPkmNtwUQfKTdx8is_y8ijn76-pnxna-_-5Dr9EfHxIBoPcKHRmdVxiHSB1P2Kcb7VMeL9fsApv1cNM6oHAPob85J17tYwMyIrHrThFruwag/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="3100" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5MMtTxDNhbqj0OT0N84dRbmGc-IImBQQV5mPDgj9VZ14mMWj6v7YD9odhEhimA5TJ1HJmQhtNe6VGkRZPkmNtwUQfKTdx8is_y8ijn76-pnxna-_-5Dr9EfHxIBoPcKHRmdVxiHSB1P2Kcb7VMeL9fsApv1cNM6oHAPob85J17tYwMyIrHrThFruwag/w400-h235/031624%20LISHOW%20-21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pop lip fly is more of a diver than a swimmer and that's because I have no curve in the silicone lip out front. There was no one home there or at the stop I made closer to home. There are no more shows, </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBgsiUm9QKB22jwc0qMRRSI60iFeRXrVh3pBRs_ZqRCutklmPwd2zz_Tq-FCBuY2o1qRbvtj7l94Js5qp59SAdB4TH8rMD_kiNP78rl8TFrVLfwtDL-0bNDYj7ZgruKosRq8pRTDWd3aDlZxC_reivgaTC_1mOWZGUkqbMkw9BqvXL4upi-GlGlpG5D4/s3100/031624%20LISHOW%20-22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2053" data-original-width="3100" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBgsiUm9QKB22jwc0qMRRSI60iFeRXrVh3pBRs_ZqRCutklmPwd2zz_Tq-FCBuY2o1qRbvtj7l94Js5qp59SAdB4TH8rMD_kiNP78rl8TFrVLfwtDL-0bNDYj7ZgruKosRq8pRTDWd3aDlZxC_reivgaTC_1mOWZGUkqbMkw9BqvXL4upi-GlGlpG5D4/w640-h424/031624%20LISHOW%20-22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> meetings, or presentations left in this late winter and early spring so now it's just time to fish....hard. <p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-41457578836814795842024-03-15T21:28:00.003-04:002024-03-15T21:31:06.386-04:0003.15.24 I wanna catch me a City of Brotherly Love striped bass....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMU97QRevTHOALJm3PRYhr9KtlWyt_k9Ku0RScv9dYHC4Hz-1JEAlLVshSHgQC9nqITl-XhnO9RgHgSHPutGzWGNVWGIXRywK9UlOJpdnmKUyiCjy1aOklA_DacaAZXw_MUNTYMsMB6R2Vwh0eA8Ia0ytH6DhhB-fhTO9NXuw48glG1mrBAMs5LM2cAeA/s3396/IMG_7168.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1671" data-original-width="3396" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMU97QRevTHOALJm3PRYhr9KtlWyt_k9Ku0RScv9dYHC4Hz-1JEAlLVshSHgQC9nqITl-XhnO9RgHgSHPutGzWGNVWGIXRywK9UlOJpdnmKUyiCjy1aOklA_DacaAZXw_MUNTYMsMB6R2Vwh0eA8Ia0ytH6DhhB-fhTO9NXuw48glG1mrBAMs5LM2cAeA/w640-h314/IMG_7168.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Made my way south down into Philly today for an Erin visit at St. Joe's. This winter I have been doing a lot of research on the possibility of catching striped bass in and around Philadelphia. Anglers have been doing it for years, if not centuries, and me catching one wouldn't be earth shattering for anyone but me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DYfsJ5k-9FxoKtLClLvfeAlzw1Ip5Bbgo5jppvbvempid8LknIpXCvD8Ty-AKx3oC38iKz-UqoSfAi-84hbh9Fl2Ci-ApdTml1XLhn7wMpJaHEqDv02d0-z6hxC_KhpTYqWWZEWHkQZXI9_Jh77Wiv1s7DtsZ1-CNTi5NCWWdrd5ERnw4PA8o05pars/s2865/Screenshot%202024-03-15%20at%208.53.30%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2865" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DYfsJ5k-9FxoKtLClLvfeAlzw1Ip5Bbgo5jppvbvempid8LknIpXCvD8Ty-AKx3oC38iKz-UqoSfAi-84hbh9Fl2Ci-ApdTml1XLhn7wMpJaHEqDv02d0-z6hxC_KhpTYqWWZEWHkQZXI9_Jh77Wiv1s7DtsZ1-CNTi5NCWWdrd5ERnw4PA8o05pars/w640-h322/Screenshot%202024-03-15%20at%208.53.30%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The part that fascinates me is the Fishtown to Betsy Ross Bridge. Lot's of industry, lots and lots of new construction, tons of vacant lots and factories, and what's got me are those abandoned piers. It may not be the safest place to fish but it's fishing so why not take the risk. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> During the visit we hit the TCO Fly Shop in Bryn Mawr and I was able to get some slotted tungsten beads for a fly I'm working on, as I'm still trying to match that Doc Spook, and some goldfish Krystal Flash for the mummichog flies I need to tie because I keep donating my stash to the river. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQ2mlkwSapuTfeWWxecbOVEMBorr153lo3k23DiZxmGLwNrSdGhVe5bmwqIlx4tMHhAHqyhhpKmthDQ5FlQWJS1O92BkHFST1zG1-AMEuiwxq81Jz51kPTaXG1DyMmagc4xmpATVMZoCg8nH2qqbN5NHfizWti52P2RLbyCToNXGGBnO5ZYiIVit6Y9k/s3501/IMG_7171.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2350" data-original-width="3501" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQ2mlkwSapuTfeWWxecbOVEMBorr153lo3k23DiZxmGLwNrSdGhVe5bmwqIlx4tMHhAHqyhhpKmthDQ5FlQWJS1O92BkHFST1zG1-AMEuiwxq81Jz51kPTaXG1DyMmagc4xmpATVMZoCg8nH2qqbN5NHfizWti52P2RLbyCToNXGGBnO5ZYiIVit6Y9k/w640-h430/IMG_7171.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Early tomorrow morning I'll be heading out to the Long Island Fly Fishing Expo where I'll be sharing a Squimpish Flies table with David "Uptown Dave" Buduen. Should be a good time.</div><br /> <p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-86343566120726894472024-03-15T08:47:00.001-04:002024-03-15T08:47:23.270-04:0003.15.24 Now starts the two-a-days....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjboZ1ZTvjh64YRiTbjoAeI_VuUuRcXviE_-q-Clh79Hms6MvPe6nj2bP_E0fiInYyRH6wgFNoUe7z_mVP6lpzLjCpATuwBd-GFjKF5fVM6qjAxgkZx_YNhp-g3LxR30wyFrPVRabs6CMIEnXww2BL-n9Cs4Ml2ZVLhNbLLaoD9f1J6kgOIWtDB4brYQ98" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="576" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjboZ1ZTvjh64YRiTbjoAeI_VuUuRcXviE_-q-Clh79Hms6MvPe6nj2bP_E0fiInYyRH6wgFNoUe7z_mVP6lpzLjCpATuwBd-GFjKF5fVM6qjAxgkZx_YNhp-g3LxR30wyFrPVRabs6CMIEnXww2BL-n9Cs4Ml2ZVLhNbLLaoD9f1J6kgOIWtDB4brYQ98=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Many striped bass anglers look to the magic number of 50 as the kick-off to the spring season. It's just sounds really good. 49 degree water temperatures, not so much, 50 degrees, let's go! I see that yesterday the Raritan Bay hit 50 degrees, at least in some spots, and I am sure higher in others depending how much and where the sun was beating down. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxcpl1Ke8CA6J6APRQfrA5oc8m3YsUk5VtykWJxUneglUAAY_uOWXhZ7UwtaaOuQ39IWQ9e2xQsmhUh6yDziglw77Yeo1A9SOtmCd6l4yHak8RD-s99qE7655KKM-hhXWlrShN8T6Fjg9tV7AB6PZhy5ODc8tt-aWNWjIJHUqsIiTg6ge5IjGKroypT4/s3949/IMG_7158.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2192" data-original-width="3949" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxcpl1Ke8CA6J6APRQfrA5oc8m3YsUk5VtykWJxUneglUAAY_uOWXhZ7UwtaaOuQ39IWQ9e2xQsmhUh6yDziglw77Yeo1A9SOtmCd6l4yHak8RD-s99qE7655KKM-hhXWlrShN8T6Fjg9tV7AB6PZhy5ODc8tt-aWNWjIJHUqsIiTg6ge5IjGKroypT4/w640-h356/IMG_7158.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> After work I stopped waiting to kick off my own year and get one to hand but this year, compared to last, it's just not going to happen later. I'll hopefully only be a week behind. The tide was on the ebb and it was near the bottom so that means low, real off-color water, and hardly much for current. I gave it a college try anyway and was lucky enough to only donate one more fly to the river bottom. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihgfrtJGKxk3c5kxRCKZso-NVTEh4Q8T3qs2UVa0SXUwHFlAu2x9qLNnpHQZWzljRE4U_an-DvaXerUPsUrtXh8TunCAEP0OrpH-TPSC5Wlq5Uumcq5NYvBhX3VFh1iZkFB4tVswJckRZw0Zm5NVKo6pKKqPwBhfAjkRXHyy9NwYw7Tc8HkCiLeLOj0M0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="576" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihgfrtJGKxk3c5kxRCKZso-NVTEh4Q8T3qs2UVa0SXUwHFlAu2x9qLNnpHQZWzljRE4U_an-DvaXerUPsUrtXh8TunCAEP0OrpH-TPSC5Wlq5Uumcq5NYvBhX3VFh1iZkFB4tVswJckRZw0Zm5NVKo6pKKqPwBhfAjkRXHyy9NwYw7Tc8HkCiLeLOj0M0=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Out west the river is waking up. Dropping water, increased temps., and the arrival of shad has us on track to be similar to last year. Hopefully we'll just see some kind of steady weather this spring, not that up and down drought-to-deluge and equator-to-North Pole weather fluctuations. That leaves fly fishermen and striped bass off of their games. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zGHTJN6LfRYuPviNlNus7VEXhtNL99R6ClmTPdMtX5w8n7cmHZTLx5iUUUyHDlRNsQXj7VJvilqpw5HBqPD1KrXPGz2pjFkXm933fDM9yrJfMrnwKjhL5ggSa95GOOBx_ATW2qfw1ds0PR2MP3hmmpgtP4r8KBR5QlcmcBAtVcyCWH4LXGkCYtVcl2U/s3350/IMG_7161.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1722" data-original-width="3350" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zGHTJN6LfRYuPviNlNus7VEXhtNL99R6ClmTPdMtX5w8n7cmHZTLx5iUUUyHDlRNsQXj7VJvilqpw5HBqPD1KrXPGz2pjFkXm933fDM9yrJfMrnwKjhL5ggSa95GOOBx_ATW2qfw1ds0PR2MP3hmmpgtP4r8KBR5QlcmcBAtVcyCWH4LXGkCYtVcl2U/w640-h328/IMG_7161.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> It's time for two-a-days which means basically any time I'm near or pass any striped bass water, before or after work, or during the overnight hours, I'm going. Theresa is not looking forward to another spring of me being obsessed disruptive, and annoying. But if you think of it, I'm 56, who know's how many more springs I have left in this world, or physically able to fish. Let's just I'm here for another 20, that'll put me at 76, but the last 5 of those have me not game-time ready and my fly fishing career has peaked out, well it's over. So I'm down to 15 years from 2024. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> So 15? How quick does 15 years go? Imagine it like you're a huge baseball fan and you can go to your last 15 games ever. Or you have 15 times you can go to your favorite bar or restaurant. Or see your favorite people for the last 15 times. 15 years goes quick, and it seems the older I get the quicker time goes. While the spring is my favorite the same could be said for the fall run on the beaches, or your annual trip to your favorite fishing destination. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> While the non-getters say "It's only fishing", for many, the annual get up and go each spring is a great awakening in both body and mind and something that keeps us focused, motivated, punished at times, and alive. </div></div><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-34297425022901642672024-03-14T06:15:00.007-04:002024-03-14T20:43:02.417-04:0003.14.24 Good to see the law out there....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqaKINuQFdBEDqNj49CMc2cWwrRBkI2jDrChcQ5o8y1NRDBIbhyphenhyphenuUoGJjZtzw7LGXyRpiQu-6R-56zk5b4KrorHZvbQaVOk4XncrWP_rTRscUWR_r5WtNm3oozGGJlnwJndfNTXlvWVSAMiVnddiRn01iOW0hr9GvlfevA8_9ypUxbNnkUJBbtSjSHEM/s3100/031424%20UPDATE-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1780" data-original-width="3100" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqaKINuQFdBEDqNj49CMc2cWwrRBkI2jDrChcQ5o8y1NRDBIbhyphenhyphenuUoGJjZtzw7LGXyRpiQu-6R-56zk5b4KrorHZvbQaVOk4XncrWP_rTRscUWR_r5WtNm3oozGGJlnwJndfNTXlvWVSAMiVnddiRn01iOW0hr9GvlfevA8_9ypUxbNnkUJBbtSjSHEM/w640-h368/031424%20UPDATE-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0TL3bEvf94P-aIqVVajAFaU1hPGM8veIYyrODUYNcucqbSf6gPpT09CxDcB1iQZ9A_YbwI9GOzEamd84pcMzk-houBvkgi4GKKXcKHnmLn1_xdQsoxaDQBxiSduL1Rwb5x4XKSZpnhkeSP7k5jP8iqTVtlpYHJ0kNKva1c-gfrfftkIsT_nbOU0mBOc/s3100/031424%20UPDATE-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="3100" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0TL3bEvf94P-aIqVVajAFaU1hPGM8veIYyrODUYNcucqbSf6gPpT09CxDcB1iQZ9A_YbwI9GOzEamd84pcMzk-houBvkgi4GKKXcKHnmLn1_xdQsoxaDQBxiSduL1Rwb5x4XKSZpnhkeSP7k5jP8iqTVtlpYHJ0kNKva1c-gfrfftkIsT_nbOU0mBOc/s320/031424%20UPDATE-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> We're getting close. When I walked out of work yesterday the outside temps were in the 60's and after a drive around it bumped up to 70. Surely the fish would be awake. While the bump in temps and the hot sun beating down on the water is good, the recent rains and higher water kind of cancelled it out. That's at least for anglers throwing plugs, rubbers and flies. I heard the Raritan Bay bloodworm bite was good yesterday. I did a two-river tour and found the water still up and off color. On stop two I got a visit from a NJ DEP Conservation Officer doing a license check. It did take me a long minute to find it on my phone and he asked if next time I went out if I could have a hard copy on me and even better if it was displayed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> My morning commute started with listening to the Millhouse podcast with Bob Popovics. It was very good. Great audio. There is also a video side of the podcasts, which I just learned about, so you can see </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_a2fBqN4eaQAb_KK2zOXicu2B9KCYDDmNkMSsLK9oTlMG2qcu2hC3rRa6KvXOHhuLkIIvMLVjZXyqa_qBtKs4Y0QZ0AUkNMof_-e3rpkXS6PaKKHLHM58mFzqtnxcapTg-A9YPX8vr29XKSsj_IUZU86d1Fhmwp8wYRG6e5Xt9bZCovI6cBQgJ6cZaM/s3100/031424%20UPDATE-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="1484" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_a2fBqN4eaQAb_KK2zOXicu2B9KCYDDmNkMSsLK9oTlMG2qcu2hC3rRa6KvXOHhuLkIIvMLVjZXyqa_qBtKs4Y0QZ0AUkNMof_-e3rpkXS6PaKKHLHM58mFzqtnxcapTg-A9YPX8vr29XKSsj_IUZU86d1Fhmwp8wYRG6e5Xt9bZCovI6cBQgJ6cZaM/w306-h640/031424%20UPDATE-1.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">them as well. For me I listen as I am driving to work. So what did I think? It was very interesting. I know Bobby's story, because it has been told in print, video and audio before, and that was revisited for a short while, which was good for listeners who don't know it. Mill opened up with some history of IGFA and records and tippet, yet again, which is fine, because there is a connection between all that and the Saltwater Flyrodder's of America and Fred Schrier and Mark Sosin. But as you know if you are a listener Mill is all about all of that stuff, plus more on tournament fishing and tournament fishing wins. I felt Bob really wanted to spend the time, almost all of it if he could, talking about the history of saltwater fly rodding, which we all know really started in the Northeast. Popovic's opened up with it and went back at it in the end, but Andy directed his podcast where he wanted it to go and he wrapped it up as some more history of SWFROA was introduced. Popovic's, like most of the guests they have, sounded great, and the flow of the conversation is just really that good. I will surely have this one on my repeat list. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> And when I got home my new SA line for the 12wt arrived in the mail. I'll switch it up today after working maybe will be able to christen it this weekend. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRckmazVSOlKosgsrRC3QQzSK1OCOFsuxz2RRn69vkJgvLmqjmrYxyhWaSpYhsWa3u4_otmC1kJFfcWKs8hoEKJotSxIt3dmZxBWcypPRDt1M62d5Bh4uBqo45tUrVrvl4XMTrcraH8S1J9l_ScDhy3ZWyhFMHsuh3vLUP0JxbYegsarCfO4FpNwqyt8U/s3100/031424%20UPDATE-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRckmazVSOlKosgsrRC3QQzSK1OCOFsuxz2RRn69vkJgvLmqjmrYxyhWaSpYhsWa3u4_otmC1kJFfcWKs8hoEKJotSxIt3dmZxBWcypPRDt1M62d5Bh4uBqo45tUrVrvl4XMTrcraH8S1J9l_ScDhy3ZWyhFMHsuh3vLUP0JxbYegsarCfO4FpNwqyt8U/w640-h480/031424%20UPDATE-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-56872383431916495442024-03-13T05:49:00.006-04:002024-03-14T20:39:06.143-04:0003.13.24 Popovic's drops today....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIiPnN97EFDM66kosaliaF9dso6EwyPFrWKAUFUIaltluPgSRXy_GHhYkd1FFUyy_ttPJs3nqG_-NneEMtyKGeiwsdCDZf6e1WPuH2TrMKKL0se33cMP5BKU2zGy20QdYLe7FmFkmGS_7gLLzHtKEmDcryUtoyb35M4fW6OeTvFu6djNwLY77pSUW6tgg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIiPnN97EFDM66kosaliaF9dso6EwyPFrWKAUFUIaltluPgSRXy_GHhYkd1FFUyy_ttPJs3nqG_-NneEMtyKGeiwsdCDZf6e1WPuH2TrMKKL0se33cMP5BKU2zGy20QdYLe7FmFkmGS_7gLLzHtKEmDcryUtoyb35M4fW6OeTvFu6djNwLY77pSUW6tgg=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /> You know how much of a fan I am of Andy Mill and the Millhouse podcast he and his son Nicky created. Just about each day the one + hour podcasts keeps me company during my commute from Titusville to Newark. Some of them are that good that I don't mind a repeat. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEionD12ETQOD89tk7wKfJ8JZKzewEQuMqS2NkVeHPNpe65WhwktQTkQoI4_ArI7PmRepb5o5-vVUDehflrNJYnxWnQCvd9c5dpTpzlZ_aeHvoVBQGOJo_ESzYZbj_-VssvOqe8Z4HJ9nfTJ3EzIFIF2aUzTL4CyG7Abypp3r1-y0kdJywALsJBwEmPw7zQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2370" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEionD12ETQOD89tk7wKfJ8JZKzewEQuMqS2NkVeHPNpe65WhwktQTkQoI4_ArI7PmRepb5o5-vVUDehflrNJYnxWnQCvd9c5dpTpzlZ_aeHvoVBQGOJo_ESzYZbj_-VssvOqe8Z4HJ9nfTJ3EzIFIF2aUzTL4CyG7Abypp3r1-y0kdJywALsJBwEmPw7zQ=w388-h400" width="388" /></a></div><p></p><p> While the boys were up in Edison for The Fly Fishing Show in January they stopped by Bob's house and The Shady and sat down with him. Today that podcast drops and I've been waiting for it. Hopefully Bob didn't blow it....kidding of course. I can't wait to listen. </p><p> But......you know me, always ready to offer my two cents. What I don't like about, well it's not the podcast itself or the boys doing it, is the feeling I get that saltwater fly fishing for tarpon, bonefish, permit and sailfishes is somehow the beginning, end, and be-all. Fishing "legal" within IGFA standards with four pound tippets, tournament wins after tournament wins, and a little chest beating about several guests as "the greatest ever" has me at least, feeling like what I do, and what we do up here in the Northeast, and specifically fly fishing for striped bass, just doesn't measure up when we all stand around and pull our pants down. That always leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth. </p><p>Enjoy the podcast and soon I'm going to rant more on the North vs South beef that is brewing up in my bowels. </p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-21216425413080968942024-03-11T04:53:00.000-04:002024-03-11T04:53:16.084-04:0003.11.24 Well the rains came....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj23Gz3DFWd8JE5VCkNArbrGpXpQeM7AvdR5lV6Ydwp_ai-N1Ovzf93x8bBG-OKoen7CcYbLV5xtoExWViHzuNKb6Jz82uZAuQViJedvIM8XLpCnpNf_TuVMXP2NDAVrqEguyrPpwRtD_BUqutxkeM9Oy69pDsEX7UePiGE1MlTGyAfKSTwmx4uLzhlA/s4032/IMG_7116.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj23Gz3DFWd8JE5VCkNArbrGpXpQeM7AvdR5lV6Ydwp_ai-N1Ovzf93x8bBG-OKoen7CcYbLV5xtoExWViHzuNKb6Jz82uZAuQViJedvIM8XLpCnpNf_TuVMXP2NDAVrqEguyrPpwRtD_BUqutxkeM9Oy69pDsEX7UePiGE1MlTGyAfKSTwmx4uLzhlA/w640-h480/IMG_7116.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> While the rain wasn't good for fishing it's good for the river and the fish. I fished it though just incase there was a hungry bank hugger. The rain ended Saturday but the river continued to rise until last night, maybe it'll crest today. It's just about 60,000 cfs now. A few days and a bunch of tides and things should kick off around New Jersey, or at least make it more enjoyable then the wind, rain, and cold. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfRIHQKQVgP_Ctymv4nlz1j3D7K-lCvN5M9ixmJdWg6_qyVXty6wH8ZTQpBdnwxviGIYF15ACwFv0RC_HS5hsMAO4kZzz2AgsGLxDvXCuc4TOrttkHFkElPAQQpIDsKQDmYJ8pdRsQqBMmA3WZYgxcHkhPFf5Ojl9CbiurMln48wcjUR1wVrfz_qg4Hik" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="576" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfRIHQKQVgP_Ctymv4nlz1j3D7K-lCvN5M9ixmJdWg6_qyVXty6wH8ZTQpBdnwxviGIYF15ACwFv0RC_HS5hsMAO4kZzz2AgsGLxDvXCuc4TOrttkHFkElPAQQpIDsKQDmYJ8pdRsQqBMmA3WZYgxcHkhPFf5Ojl9CbiurMln48wcjUR1wVrfz_qg4Hik=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-54594209852324923382024-03-10T07:30:00.005-04:002024-03-10T07:30:47.065-04:0003.10.24 Well I pulled the trigger....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XsXjFhQQULyEidEv0yIzrh040v6FyM2VlPh2H2DNu4vb5XH1naPJU0H0Zd8C5SOC50UlzhxlWvcSTH_Qm_4rnV4BE8p7SWELAGih30TQB8rN-wFdZPysLZ6zLJbXjPQGVvBYpFTelxIlLsTe2nbC9s77om5ddPp9oRX6r9iRW8kFeUOxrqS_mMMne5M/s3100/031024%20HELIOS-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XsXjFhQQULyEidEv0yIzrh040v6FyM2VlPh2H2DNu4vb5XH1naPJU0H0Zd8C5SOC50UlzhxlWvcSTH_Qm_4rnV4BE8p7SWELAGih30TQB8rN-wFdZPysLZ6zLJbXjPQGVvBYpFTelxIlLsTe2nbC9s77om5ddPp9oRX6r9iRW8kFeUOxrqS_mMMne5M/w640-h480/031024%20HELIOS-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6nSKkwzwdW4" width="320" youtube-src-id="6nSKkwzwdW4"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Yep, I just had to do it. I started chewing away at the bottom of my Orvis Access 12 wt last year. First the butt was gone, then the rings started to fall off, and it was time to make a decision. After casting the Orvis Helios D at Princeton Orvis a few weeks back that was all she wrote. I fish too hard to not have some battle ready gear to use. I really don't get caught up with the latest and greatest when it comes to gear but it was time. I skipped over the Helios 3 line of rods and stuck with the H2's, Recon, Access, and Clearwater rods over the last seven years. As I upgrade over the next year I'll have suitable back-ups in the 10, 11 and 12 wts that I use consistently. <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7cpTi8RIXaOIy48MaIFnuaoVrxrpiO9Or_LMlGQ2rvpjruQtxwFX31sZjZ0QNaTC1KMucsjejUUwqpcSuMyyuhCXJqCfiN6daomN6LzKr9dRJSMqjds_4OKWUUXciVYagUyULCdH1o5d3qtaj5Lf1SYRjUdnLj7Y6FI6HBv3x0W6w6sJq3AEzlLI8Ww/s3100/031024%20HELIOS-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2253" data-original-width="3100" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7cpTi8RIXaOIy48MaIFnuaoVrxrpiO9Or_LMlGQ2rvpjruQtxwFX31sZjZ0QNaTC1KMucsjejUUwqpcSuMyyuhCXJqCfiN6daomN6LzKr9dRJSMqjds_4OKWUUXciVYagUyULCdH1o5d3qtaj5Lf1SYRjUdnLj7Y6FI6HBv3x0W6w6sJq3AEzlLI8Ww/w640-h466/031024%20HELIOS-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Today I'll put in a rod repair order with the Mother Ship in Vermont, I think that's where they do rod repairs, so I'll be ready if something happens to my new 12 wt. I took the new rod out for a test drive yesterday, and while I didn't get it for its accuracy, it did cast better for me than the Access. One thing I'll be doing is replacing the fly line for it. After casting the new Helios with the SA Sonar line I'm going to make that purchase as well. The problem is there are a ton of options and I'm not sure if one line will do it. Below is the line I casted and am thinking of going with. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ4Wn4W4UfMLhGUGh5e0EW7f-qkwA49bTKrotj5E6N8NqADN-aRcZSBIEptmdp4AhWVjngR44jZcoNcthtvG89ld8oGlVayz5H2MjLjsyI3_0OY-rLkpeKYM6NFrhaPB_iAWGnNKT3rEYYkLdADHBAPNcabtQp4RNGEYKhENo_-moTRinXB2KPpp76W4/s4032/IMG_6497.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ4Wn4W4UfMLhGUGh5e0EW7f-qkwA49bTKrotj5E6N8NqADN-aRcZSBIEptmdp4AhWVjngR44jZcoNcthtvG89ld8oGlVayz5H2MjLjsyI3_0OY-rLkpeKYM6NFrhaPB_iAWGnNKT3rEYYkLdADHBAPNcabtQp4RNGEYKhENo_-moTRinXB2KPpp76W4/w640-h480/IMG_6497.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> That wasn't the only package that got delivered on Friday. I also received my Telesin selfie stick for my Go-Pro camera. I had an earlier version but Lauren donated her Hero 5 Black, like I know what that means, to my cause. I hope to shoot some video this year. The stick extends to 10 feet so I'll be able</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2qm7WbX-p7YPakTS5wR2ImLhlOThndk0-ORQDerHueMYW_jj4MIRfO4YF6KnX_qg7Jqgg1uanmV_zgcOReDD6s1TLVLg9f1-JTaYZoz93VkmoxtdPlRHIdTERrWItMkCTvgnXSxIDE__XjG1RzSNEUgrp_QVvslVJmevwXxOhg3cRf2WaeDGg9OYvBM/s3100/031024%20HELIOS-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="3100" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2qm7WbX-p7YPakTS5wR2ImLhlOThndk0-ORQDerHueMYW_jj4MIRfO4YF6KnX_qg7Jqgg1uanmV_zgcOReDD6s1TLVLg9f1-JTaYZoz93VkmoxtdPlRHIdTERrWItMkCTvgnXSxIDE__XjG1RzSNEUgrp_QVvslVJmevwXxOhg3cRf2WaeDGg9OYvBM/w640-h256/031024%20HELIOS-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hJ9kzmlBIm10MT4pYe8QPb8Bs0VfAb7KmfFRyBZfM11PYP0dZrw0YWnj1ZKAGcTFnfT7OPOnuO8YixwoIlBE8xSt-lVJ123D6HhwHuKQYRxjuVyWMwDV9mr_Nte2thy1A1JLrnMkITcTXPmZrIU8AhVHIZSbvldfcnbTlAcVEYhqaVVnNVrWH2P2qVM/s3100/031024%20HELIOS-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="2325" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hJ9kzmlBIm10MT4pYe8QPb8Bs0VfAb7KmfFRyBZfM11PYP0dZrw0YWnj1ZKAGcTFnfT7OPOnuO8YixwoIlBE8xSt-lVJ123D6HhwHuKQYRxjuVyWMwDV9mr_Nte2thy1A1JLrnMkITcTXPmZrIU8AhVHIZSbvldfcnbTlAcVEYhqaVVnNVrWH2P2qVM/w300-h400/031024%20HELIOS-2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">to stick it down in the water, or behind some rocks, or into the troughs on the beach. I also got an iPhone camera mount to just change the perspective of the pictures I shoot. You know my history with things so hopefully this won't be another short-lived great idea that goes south. I guess the worst is I lose the camera so I'm trying to see if I can rig it so that doesn't happen. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I fished the last two days still waiting to turn a fish. While the winter was mild the current unsteady weather patterns has it holding on and not letting spring arrive. Lot's of rain and wind is keeping things </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNIgK1iMIIIehZEOIoi4KmxVU1M_AAnXpdDHwcLKaRD3oxvdPf9Q_TbnKtf4KmWjnUWfGncCrbJDk01bPIbTS8Vgd1HYeymmkz0eZJqPf2w1jMsIs118I5Neh_2AOlWAv2B_pg63fo-tqSDatpJVy90xEUh8Q8igzmUxvtJExtt749s__jcIRjQUyrrY0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="576" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNIgK1iMIIIehZEOIoi4KmxVU1M_AAnXpdDHwcLKaRD3oxvdPf9Q_TbnKtf4KmWjnUWfGncCrbJDk01bPIbTS8Vgd1HYeymmkz0eZJqPf2w1jMsIs118I5Neh_2AOlWAv2B_pg63fo-tqSDatpJVy90xEUh8Q8igzmUxvtJExtt749s__jcIRjQUyrrY0=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">slow, for me if they are even in front of me. They just aren't chasing flies yet. The Raritan dropped a few degrees down below 45 and the Delaware is holding just below 47. I am sure they are here and I </div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9kqmQjE7ISGVviA31J9UGBnflfpzwBPrI00Z31ibzEfYRY6ADXi9I9u0Vp0j0uEX_dhwvKDi-BNVRhbC_hJou067j-s8Gs16OTNBCtd5mMM7HYzCpfdagOUEz3BvSQ2lOkicalO7eUDUqfpbf2ktk-8K3yifhJuBlqsUW9NmnMfKgU4TLFPEwKSNdp5Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="576" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9kqmQjE7ISGVviA31J9UGBnflfpzwBPrI00Z31ibzEfYRY6ADXi9I9u0Vp0j0uEX_dhwvKDi-BNVRhbC_hJou067j-s8Gs16OTNBCtd5mMM7HYzCpfdagOUEz3BvSQ2lOkicalO7eUDUqfpbf2ktk-8K3yifhJuBlqsUW9NmnMfKgU4TLFPEwKSNdp5Q=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">think a run of warm days will break things wide open. I'm liking how things are looking going forward from Tuesday and we'll need a few days and tides to clean things up from this weekend. And today is </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQKYXuTItdVzcL7aaeENfvRjOompLuKrD0vdbz-r86h8xj57fiI0pk_LfDhtTeUtQbbrA9p5LKSk329UQZ2B-iOcUN-pATUL1iNIIsjKm20l0F-bSD0SaL9qu3Eo3trOkLwlxJXcaFYXsyAfJwt34vPW1ergDKfEbuL3mvQL_hubBAWNipkH4xR1HZqKY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="1668" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQKYXuTItdVzcL7aaeENfvRjOompLuKrD0vdbz-r86h8xj57fiI0pk_LfDhtTeUtQbbrA9p5LKSk329UQZ2B-iOcUN-pATUL1iNIIsjKm20l0F-bSD0SaL9qu3Eo3trOkLwlxJXcaFYXsyAfJwt34vPW1ergDKfEbuL3mvQL_hubBAWNipkH4xR1HZqKY=w640-h208" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">one of the favorite days of the year for me as Daylight Savings Time kicks in. I swear this whole thing, spring ahead and fall behind, isn't good for my mental health and seasonal mood disorder(s). So if you</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRHZubAUCuOA4hV6NQN61VEsALHwUy9Y8BKthC2hZh4dIZnPHC6Nqbs2d0R8Lk_GdantVUP_XknB8xxnKwa6_skGDOAxwghpWBPARlQl6qw-p1-2rmGxBfCvQgcrVDAry32-vldLPLnIliXAIR1aKl47PajQO3H6_EoUgPQ85i-9Xx0RIEoVn0OayOfc/s1024/daylight-savings-2024.jpg.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1024" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRHZubAUCuOA4hV6NQN61VEsALHwUy9Y8BKthC2hZh4dIZnPHC6Nqbs2d0R8Lk_GdantVUP_XknB8xxnKwa6_skGDOAxwghpWBPARlQl6qw-p1-2rmGxBfCvQgcrVDAry32-vldLPLnIliXAIR1aKl47PajQO3H6_EoUgPQ85i-9Xx0RIEoVn0OayOfc/w400-h244/daylight-savings-2024.jpg.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">don't let your iPhone dictate your life, like I unfortunately do, then you'll have to go around and set your clocks ahead by an hour. And good luck setting the clock on your older car, that's always a fun time. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-18526761291954596842024-03-08T06:44:00.002-05:002024-03-08T06:44:22.302-05:0003.08.24 Fluke regs are set for 2024...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgVQe9BLrjq7ApIZH7VXWLLEN28yabf_Sy8nIZZ_qehWg2jeUgu1vpneDyH7rf5LHLeJXjXZxkLxAY29fDgoQvax_a8c5T54tQuuF4lKL6XdBBFvzUlDSI_IiC_JrJaXsVMmeyw0M4q0UqQqjAgQWJNtBI5GPu8n5zKWYqr_bhhgEX_2KnDm5LhyphenhyphendTc4/s3100/BEST-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1963" data-original-width="3100" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgVQe9BLrjq7ApIZH7VXWLLEN28yabf_Sy8nIZZ_qehWg2jeUgu1vpneDyH7rf5LHLeJXjXZxkLxAY29fDgoQvax_a8c5T54tQuuF4lKL6XdBBFvzUlDSI_IiC_JrJaXsVMmeyw0M4q0UqQqjAgQWJNtBI5GPu8n5zKWYqr_bhhgEX_2KnDm5LhyphenhyphendTc4/w640-h406/BEST-31.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> Although I haven't covered it much the New Jersey fluke regulations are now set in stone. Last night the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council voted and went with Option 32. The new regulations call <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlmE97YTeip11y-6vtM4NfQNsIluKto2z9sz5KpBK3g6DA1AnbTk_8eb4pnYehL5Bi8jN1bVw-SYd4pG4Y00oFwelOgzdxkHKe0gzTeLTfxjC7elJDatGL67e_6IzyIAJ2MDAQKrvtRLkSVwCSzZe5dsR36jicGLQaTUJ_M_rJ0oTe9Zqi9Kfc6Ze-pE/s1090/IMG_6892.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="1090" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlmE97YTeip11y-6vtM4NfQNsIluKto2z9sz5KpBK3g6DA1AnbTk_8eb4pnYehL5Bi8jN1bVw-SYd4pG4Y00oFwelOgzdxkHKe0gzTeLTfxjC7elJDatGL67e_6IzyIAJ2MDAQKrvtRLkSVwCSzZe5dsR36jicGLQaTUJ_M_rJ0oTe9Zqi9Kfc6Ze-pE/w400-h201/IMG_6892.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">for an open season for three fluke per angler per day 18 inches or greater in length. So that means no more one under this and one over that. It'll also curb the guys that carried scissors with them to trim the tails of caught fluke so they "fit" into last years slot. The 2024 season runs from May 4th through September 25th. And if there was ever a fish that needed barbless circle hooks, and hooks that are the correct, if not bigger in size, then it's fluke, especially if you're just soaking bait. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> And after a long days work yesterday I just wanted to go home. But, you don't know if you don't go. Going would have meant ruining my rush-hour commute home, and that's just what I did. It was</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WZidWvRMkh1ETTuiiEI9xRT4DsLtoMk4gk4zM0IfxoVSvfV1PFGV-iQIXuSUwdSmnaA6I5OnFrkM7d3JNLBhrrNRfAag8wo3keA7j8qbMYvgAs3X9wP1YLL2xg-qFVSdSRF6LzIbtMz3B74NOTX3KAAygso531DaBmqyiIVN2BMq677wZorJJEVcPko/s4032/IMG_7032.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WZidWvRMkh1ETTuiiEI9xRT4DsLtoMk4gk4zM0IfxoVSvfV1PFGV-iQIXuSUwdSmnaA6I5OnFrkM7d3JNLBhrrNRfAag8wo3keA7j8qbMYvgAs3X9wP1YLL2xg-qFVSdSRF6LzIbtMz3B74NOTX3KAAygso531DaBmqyiIVN2BMq677wZorJJEVcPko/w640-h480/IMG_7032.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">wind against tide with slightly off color and high water due to the recent rains. The winds had the debris pushed in towards me and the wind and tide just kept it all in one place and barely moving. You had to cast around the stuff in the water and of course almost drag your fly down low. I donated two flies for the effort, two nice ones, so that's three for the fish God's already this season. You have to fish where the fish really might be. I do think we just need a run of solid spring days to get things going. </p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-45919779305695852952024-03-07T05:32:00.000-05:002024-03-07T05:32:07.026-05:0003.07.24 Some arrivals on a rainy day...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0vkmDV65yu7XHSYE8-r8mWvlQBVCJZvOyJq9HkbEPq0LVGjmj_ZhjvUt3s4FdJeDv7MMdCba6N0gXBTq4B_xPP8DIwf1hT0RASrexycoAjvfLBnlz3LzTQwPDq4d6t0pxvipVxbTUx1-rqezikh1AtcyKR6t-_N8bp2vdxs4Uv19ADRB6tDBwXfDZdg/s3100/030724%20ARIVAL-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1783" data-original-width="3100" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0vkmDV65yu7XHSYE8-r8mWvlQBVCJZvOyJq9HkbEPq0LVGjmj_ZhjvUt3s4FdJeDv7MMdCba6N0gXBTq4B_xPP8DIwf1hT0RASrexycoAjvfLBnlz3LzTQwPDq4d6t0pxvipVxbTUx1-rqezikh1AtcyKR6t-_N8bp2vdxs4Uv19ADRB6tDBwXfDZdg/w640-h368/030724%20ARIVAL-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I got a few surprises today, one I found on the river, and the other came in the mail. I'm not sure which one is more exciting. Today I saw my first double-crested cormorant. I saw one and only one. It must be the first one back from their winter vacation. The New Jersey birds spend their winters down in the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Greater Antilles. They return to New Jersey to breed from April to August. While they are a great bait and fish finder, in large numbers, and they can congregate in very large numbers, they can decimate the number of fishes that they dive down to catch. For me, it's a signal that spring is here, and the herring can't be too far down river. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIJ6Gyy6fWV5SkDMHJI0QJN2qNeIMHnZ-qsfScWlM2l0JIvDGW5c-qcoWDoiNq_Sr-q5qg5diM3kce5CearmpllAwrB2fAuQxBOa_YnoChMf8B-UPtsXR83GKxR8IMdS0Eb6UlV4MWA2NsvqtnM7OAioP_rhYjO2X0lPanAGg2JC3N1Ai_rtf_WsyJpA/s3100/030724%20ARIVAL-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIJ6Gyy6fWV5SkDMHJI0QJN2qNeIMHnZ-qsfScWlM2l0JIvDGW5c-qcoWDoiNq_Sr-q5qg5diM3kce5CearmpllAwrB2fAuQxBOa_YnoChMf8B-UPtsXR83GKxR8IMdS0Eb6UlV4MWA2NsvqtnM7OAioP_rhYjO2X0lPanAGg2JC3N1Ai_rtf_WsyJpA/w640-h480/030724%20ARIVAL-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> When I got home from fishing the end of the flood and start of the ebb tide a package was waiting for me. It was from Ru Harvey who sent over some "Beast Cheat Cones" for me to try out. I said a week or so a go that these could be a game changer for those that struggle with tying Beast Fleyes on mono-extensions. They look like they will work great for me who has a big problem with those thread dams</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LB4qs65mxtCSFcdmihdbkKilKb2Oti1-WGqjwojlIcif8Kq0ZXX0-_X9QfYepUEYLZzGuJ0qSmpj7HsTBoIB_9KKitvzHH4uGA2F9u2B5t8fls7L7eM7AbItL4zNi9atw5kr6oXq9dLnclNr4HRtvn0mmWSJ3G_UIHr_pKNomNiR5KXu12ArgdlEHfM/s3100/030724%20ARIVAL-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1952" data-original-width="3100" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LB4qs65mxtCSFcdmihdbkKilKb2Oti1-WGqjwojlIcif8Kq0ZXX0-_X9QfYepUEYLZzGuJ0qSmpj7HsTBoIB_9KKitvzHH4uGA2F9u2B5t8fls7L7eM7AbItL4zNi9atw5kr6oXq9dLnclNr4HRtvn0mmWSJ3G_UIHr_pKNomNiR5KXu12ArgdlEHfM/w640-h402/030724%20ARIVAL-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">in front of the bucktail. Jersey guy Joe Nicosia posted the below fly he tried with them and he gave the cones solid reviews after a little learning curve sand losing a few to the rug below his tying table. He said he had a little difficulty tying them on 60 lb. mono and that 30 or 40 worked better. He used "normal" Bucktail fibers for the road test not wanting to experiment with his primo tails. I'm going to give them a try over the next coming weekend. Looks like the rain we're having will stick around so it'll give me something to do. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SnsmvaauKZGyOGCDF-VDXCW-CWBQ_lOL3ho51gfz2qRolghlrfO3kcHNsfpt6Cfmnyg3RfA8M95CQbdeYSfdsIFM6y45bAnTM-gyjawSph7357r-n-OmXEeJvSGzgVc1Edv9mNbSGLINQUsNCck2aAdEipdqwvu4xtnyE7Sf21HBrJcWUWGuA4ktQPI/s3100/030724%20ARIVAL-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1742" data-original-width="3100" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SnsmvaauKZGyOGCDF-VDXCW-CWBQ_lOL3ho51gfz2qRolghlrfO3kcHNsfpt6Cfmnyg3RfA8M95CQbdeYSfdsIFM6y45bAnTM-gyjawSph7357r-n-OmXEeJvSGzgVc1Edv9mNbSGLINQUsNCck2aAdEipdqwvu4xtnyE7Sf21HBrJcWUWGuA4ktQPI/w640-h360/030724%20ARIVAL-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Joe </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nicosia</span></div><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-67525362306248826482024-03-06T07:39:00.001-05:002024-03-06T07:39:24.281-05:0003.06.24 The rain didn't touch the water....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHH0nZQxtDGz5yUN5zdhSF11ZERAEk7msSTqxPmp8kksje6-w0wths8HiAPqznSj4ynDqsNRWKsi5Fb09Bl_U0a50qUaiTr-ufw80-wBPnr3jB6jM3Z-IMraJo9wHdEZdqeDxKr5GqIsaBWfwlht3AdMhaivQavjZGY-q5hix5CJwFGBEAnxqH5SX-9Wg/s3100/030624%20HACKY%20-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHH0nZQxtDGz5yUN5zdhSF11ZERAEk7msSTqxPmp8kksje6-w0wths8HiAPqznSj4ynDqsNRWKsi5Fb09Bl_U0a50qUaiTr-ufw80-wBPnr3jB6jM3Z-IMraJo9wHdEZdqeDxKr5GqIsaBWfwlht3AdMhaivQavjZGY-q5hix5CJwFGBEAnxqH5SX-9Wg/w640-h480/030624%20HACKY%20-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> Gave it a go after work after driving through it and watching it out my college room window all day. By the time I got out and there I figured the water might be up and off color. Outside of a little bite of a chill in the air things looked good. Haven't seen any bait yet and haven't had a bite. You know, fly fishing while walking and wading during the early season isn't easy. Those fish are in the deepest of waters and it's a low and slow retrieve. If you cast out, even with a lighter sinking line, and let it sink, you still have to retrieve it through the sloping shallower water to get your line and fly back in. It's then easy to find a snag, lose a fly, or damage your line. It's much easier, and productive, to fish with a swim shad-like thing with a weighted head. I'm not complaining but it's true. <p></p><p> Truth is, it's early. These may not be fly rod fish yet. This spring, even though the winter was mild, just feels different, and already we, in a weeks time, have went from 60 degree temps, down to 25, high bright sun, to a few days of rain. Inconsistent weather brings inconsistent chances of fishing and catching early season striped bass, and moreso on the fly. </p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-77612565100133980462024-03-05T05:55:00.007-05:002024-03-05T21:06:45.113-05:0003.05.24 Long Branch will have it's fishing pier back....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_olCS_yQCLKRCDnskRvKyndcLBN-jAYF8157r6Cm7rcjk1ofYWc8ArLAWpMx1vzOmp9r5lh-mVCdbptlTrYitF_c2OLZtQPfhwvIQ6Jl6SLNCZChG65XSs-mVzEtDeJYa_DBX4_XLhh-pMSN908trbjAyMwf5uWzQZdSewumjtAeC28WXgPfzzzorkU/s3797/Screenshot%202024-03-05%20at%207.50.43%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="3797" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_olCS_yQCLKRCDnskRvKyndcLBN-jAYF8157r6Cm7rcjk1ofYWc8ArLAWpMx1vzOmp9r5lh-mVCdbptlTrYitF_c2OLZtQPfhwvIQ6Jl6SLNCZChG65XSs-mVzEtDeJYa_DBX4_XLhh-pMSN908trbjAyMwf5uWzQZdSewumjtAeC28WXgPfzzzorkU/w640-h248/Screenshot%202024-03-05%20at%207.50.43%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> After a fire destroyed the Long Branch Fishing Pier in 1987 this week it was announced that construction will begin to replace it starting in 2025. The first pier opened in 1828 and there have been several versions of it over the last century until the fire in the late 80's ended its run. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcwlEA37YDMxWYEY-8qvKY5qYPcz9k2iVB4dWqhq93JTOYq3zRqWqg8FUMcvrEXf08Fr3pRiZWxdLHEXV3uIiyJO_zzp9yS1-sK9u6pFdDc7VOpWrkaODVIHMBl5CiwO__VAj26Arf2gDcjtlATGnuU_EzFl5LEcfITBOGnqbj689yFTicxSozWjJ0v8/s1207/LB-pic-Aerial-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="977" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcwlEA37YDMxWYEY-8qvKY5qYPcz9k2iVB4dWqhq93JTOYq3zRqWqg8FUMcvrEXf08Fr3pRiZWxdLHEXV3uIiyJO_zzp9yS1-sK9u6pFdDc7VOpWrkaODVIHMBl5CiwO__VAj26Arf2gDcjtlATGnuU_EzFl5LEcfITBOGnqbj689yFTicxSozWjJ0v8/w518-h640/LB-pic-Aerial-2.jpg" width="518" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1-g578YbfiY0e_bzUVis4uZuqDnz6yAmKNY4QvN6XXDy2AKqM8vPRdAmYP7AlhyphenhyphenCO3cMMNGRqHA0QWWZrKhnJ8Np0k4h1ruddMO3_i5jsg8FxdfFlpJtxWuXTpqfYYbvr4aEynHvvcvTt3_HuJpoCl5vaWUbyVWNLckqV6uCrWltgqbQWHlEk3EHe2g/s2329/Screenshot%202024-03-05%20at%205.17.32%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1665" data-original-width="2329" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1-g578YbfiY0e_bzUVis4uZuqDnz6yAmKNY4QvN6XXDy2AKqM8vPRdAmYP7AlhyphenhyphenCO3cMMNGRqHA0QWWZrKhnJ8Np0k4h1ruddMO3_i5jsg8FxdfFlpJtxWuXTpqfYYbvr4aEynHvvcvTt3_HuJpoCl5vaWUbyVWNLckqV6uCrWltgqbQWHlEk3EHe2g/w640-h458/Screenshot%202024-03-05%20at%205.17.32%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuJgKVN2CKTveql8HwWBLD9_dGxzMEmqVEJ3JZinlvfBmb_HzQSGv-FxS-c8kMscwopNi3ulEOveVJ7hfbb_aS8xktsY-oUcSbTrCINCvkI1ySmEe7porDfhXTJDGXHOb9odOLZwa6767oYmjIr2AdHvW198YRi-cpY3v9ud76VGxcgf175hD_nkUg_M/s1342/LB-pic-Pier-80.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1342" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuJgKVN2CKTveql8HwWBLD9_dGxzMEmqVEJ3JZinlvfBmb_HzQSGv-FxS-c8kMscwopNi3ulEOveVJ7hfbb_aS8xktsY-oUcSbTrCINCvkI1ySmEe7porDfhXTJDGXHOb9odOLZwa6767oYmjIr2AdHvW198YRi-cpY3v9ud76VGxcgf175hD_nkUg_M/w400-h241/LB-pic-Pier-80.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I remember the day the pier burned. It was on June 8, 1987. I was working as a photographer for The Register which was based in Red Bank. On that day my boss Carl Forino had sent me down to The Photo Center in Brick to pick up darkroom supplies or film or something. Back then we had no cell phones. To get tipped off to breaking news someone had to have their ears glued to the police scanner</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYhyupIC9v3oeFGxyE_A3c2OFN0SP3O4vcZqSoNTLXUS6jkxzFF8JnmVXXfftmRPOzlWAgHNw6TRfMi3r0iv0pZ83OKmF3wmqO7TblVGLlcSYO6MX8ZuJH8eL251ErtN3HC04A_PW_uDgITuh2keoZl3KLjeIhvT4co6Qng2XKlvq-kstBE759WSm78I/s512/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="512" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYhyupIC9v3oeFGxyE_A3c2OFN0SP3O4vcZqSoNTLXUS6jkxzFF8JnmVXXfftmRPOzlWAgHNw6TRfMi3r0iv0pZ83OKmF3wmqO7TblVGLlcSYO6MX8ZuJH8eL251ErtN3HC04A_PW_uDgITuh2keoZl3KLjeIhvT4co6Qng2XKlvq-kstBE759WSm78I/w640-h378/unnamed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">or we would get tipped off by land line phones. It was the early years of the beeper, and each of us had one. The fire started under the pier and grew rapidly, and was over relatively quickly. While I was in the camera store, and probably spending more time than I needed, it was all going down, literally, back up in Long Branch. William Perlman was a photographer working that day and got there relatively quick and did a good job shooting the fire. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Since I hade no portable scanner I was unaware what was happening. As I was leaving my pager went off telling me to call the photo desk. It was then I learned of the fire and I asked my boss Carl if he needed me to go, and he knew I wanted to, but he said, "No, just come back". As I drove north on the Parkway I could see the smoke off to my right. I did as I was told and having picked up the supplies I returned to the paper. Later that afternoon I caught a car accident that occurred after the high schools let out. So basically, I missed the historic news of the day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTvk_90tR6hZjH0IK_7FFbjEGVhrteliL1jIfm4dCNGVAHvxuOeKfOa9_mGPT69pt7TUEwSFW2zxwOaqL2PfHfYeBhhsPc1xiD9ZDpxXwYDoFB2kqr4kiy3JVLJb8o2dKDyNR6OcB4FnosIcQRkFmyhYoddqybxtwjxeXHSnMEtFmNu-574i905eqncc/s1711/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%207.30.41%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="1711" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTvk_90tR6hZjH0IK_7FFbjEGVhrteliL1jIfm4dCNGVAHvxuOeKfOa9_mGPT69pt7TUEwSFW2zxwOaqL2PfHfYeBhhsPc1xiD9ZDpxXwYDoFB2kqr4kiy3JVLJb8o2dKDyNR6OcB4FnosIcQRkFmyhYoddqybxtwjxeXHSnMEtFmNu-574i905eqncc/w640-h421/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%207.30.41%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The pier sat and rotted for about 10 years before it was removed in the late 1990's. Long Branch back then wasn't all that and a bag of chips like it is today. Nobody cared. These days Pier Village is a </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtIsfGGNWXXAEk7N9jxvc7YvrU35JMvvu9f1nl_l36W_Wa3VXisupTC1S9PpCVwmmy8ojnQa2J5bDGksCoSnMQh_NAh3z1KeB_B-rjkm8DkZAEkvK55ZMasIPk-8deiA0uCT6rLn_kBzwArnyHAmRG4LQKkbJml3uTT-IBSPjMgkUDEQ9rOzl5Ywy4As/s1318/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%207.16.25%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1318" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtIsfGGNWXXAEk7N9jxvc7YvrU35JMvvu9f1nl_l36W_Wa3VXisupTC1S9PpCVwmmy8ojnQa2J5bDGksCoSnMQh_NAh3z1KeB_B-rjkm8DkZAEkvK55ZMasIPk-8deiA0uCT6rLn_kBzwArnyHAmRG4LQKkbJml3uTT-IBSPjMgkUDEQ9rOzl5Ywy4As/w640-h422/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%207.16.25%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">summer hot spot for the young, and the rich and famous. Yes, you can take your ghetto-ass self there and walk around, but really you don't belong, and most likely can't really afford it more than once every few months. It's the same thing down in Asbury Park. But that's okay, that's how money works. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Frank Pallone proudly announced that he secured 3.25 million dollars for the project, which is laughable, because that wouldn't cover the beach replenishment to go under the pier. The pier will be 500 feet out into the ocean and I am sure the total cost would be somewhere around 20 million dollars. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjryjQsy3lP6QnzVIX5EC-jKVrnw08uBOneXtTHZTEMpKtTJxDWLuodZixpj_-OHrNugyp2QUBD3sZrP5C0EDwhHi-RZ9pFN9Mz8RO8tGa1JU9FGw5z-J3uUVdKBO99S3xaF57uvxzXGCE-eL6pm9iYaCDSMxDQB5ZCkVrOTU134b2R8g_7n_NPz_xCQmU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1183" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjryjQsy3lP6QnzVIX5EC-jKVrnw08uBOneXtTHZTEMpKtTJxDWLuodZixpj_-OHrNugyp2QUBD3sZrP5C0EDwhHi-RZ9pFN9Mz8RO8tGa1JU9FGw5z-J3uUVdKBO99S3xaF57uvxzXGCE-eL6pm9iYaCDSMxDQB5ZCkVrOTU134b2R8g_7n_NPz_xCQmU=w640-h400" width="640" /></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> So it is being billed as the return of the Long Branch Fishing Pier. Be careful what you wish for, and how you pimp it all out. The above scene isn't what today's fishing piers look like. People don't get dressed up to go fishing. Just imagine blitzing bass way out in the Atlantic Ocean and the plug chuckers with 11 foot rods, the locals with rods with busted off tips soaking cut bunker, and delusional fly rodders throwing flies 30 feet down into the fray, as people walk out for a stroll.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> And after that nice young family enjoys their $350 brunch at McCloone's they'll take a walk on said pier where the smell of dead bait permeates the air and the bloodbath murder scene from the previous night caught gator bluefish that saturates the boards. The radios will blare the favorite tunes of the day, ones they won't be familiar with. There will be over-filled garbage cans with old coffee containers from 7-11, and wrappers from food joints up on Broadway. The sea gulls will be overhead taking shit-shots at the family as they navigate the bikes, tackle boxes, and cigarette smoke. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdSSAvAPD7BnBS0Y9gM8CekoKI7QHBaPORfhUlXz6g0kGfUv7mLZ7UXiiXH4nVM3GY8yacmn-yqgQk2ZmjejlNYP0ZEhwnP9r8UKvRXSJ_yGJP_VrbV-treekYQdbjT8j3wbzDhp73iIflLCmvDvBAClw-paWZLdX7Guu2PLWBHkG5gDxN7ImRIGJj50/s1600/082211%20RARBAY-10.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1600" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdSSAvAPD7BnBS0Y9gM8CekoKI7QHBaPORfhUlXz6g0kGfUv7mLZ7UXiiXH4nVM3GY8yacmn-yqgQk2ZmjejlNYP0ZEhwnP9r8UKvRXSJ_yGJP_VrbV-treekYQdbjT8j3wbzDhp73iIflLCmvDvBAClw-paWZLdX7Guu2PLWBHkG5gDxN7ImRIGJj50/w640-h378/082211%20RARBAY-10.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I don't know if I would call it a fishing pier until you take a visit to some of the other fishing piers we have in the New York and New Jersey area. No, Ocean Grove doesn't count and Belmar has a lock at the entrance. The pier is either a fishing pier, like Keansburg is above, or it isn't. So be careful what you wish for while trying to satiate and include everyone, the words already out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The location for the new pier will be at Laird Avenue which is right at the circle where Pier Village begins. No doubt it will be closed at night, heavily patrolled and monitored via camera, and won't be what fishing piers have historically been for ocean front towns along New Jersey in the past. We'll see.</div> <p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-4402445033039952702024-03-04T04:43:00.001-05:002024-03-04T04:44:07.229-05:0003.04.24 Let the insanity begin...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0Vjb5qQKLuH-fybLHfJ0BNw1VgJhh1YIjO-Dhn0psSMnCbi33tlUDiFAUoSUIQWwNL5RYLGeiSSH_i1EGEpWerCiaXYjopn1-c2GtRdrxRHJcjfeBjBMAp0bw8b249NajTsnr7c4G9URK34IdR-XfG5SBvr36RBKvVmFI551S1kmmFR2k01HMN7CdCg/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0Vjb5qQKLuH-fybLHfJ0BNw1VgJhh1YIjO-Dhn0psSMnCbi33tlUDiFAUoSUIQWwNL5RYLGeiSSH_i1EGEpWerCiaXYjopn1-c2GtRdrxRHJcjfeBjBMAp0bw8b249NajTsnr7c4G9URK34IdR-XfG5SBvr36RBKvVmFI551S1kmmFR2k01HMN7CdCg/w640-h480/030424%20OPENDY-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Stacked. Loaded. Nada. Three days, three states, three rivers. Well opening day for me came and I wet a line Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I did it in the dark, and light, in the sun, and rain, and in the still air, and in the wind. I know it's early, what could I expect. I started out in spots unknown with kinda high hopes of finding an early bass. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntDHj1OCc9a83lMDHQkfcfJqMRUkbmWHbdEQZLa2yVWYdZV6sU_oMAuVaPRUkoIVlOG0567uYPp7AmH9I0ay9_3cYpVEOiYorR6yhxGjQCZ44J5NKSfAd5vnWhijRNmk4NA_CY5_q_hSO1aPsYqe2XYKcaPTCI2Fta6WW7RgR8sh0KlGVpuQg5etJweM/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntDHj1OCc9a83lMDHQkfcfJqMRUkbmWHbdEQZLa2yVWYdZV6sU_oMAuVaPRUkoIVlOG0567uYPp7AmH9I0ay9_3cYpVEOiYorR6yhxGjQCZ44J5NKSfAd5vnWhijRNmk4NA_CY5_q_hSO1aPsYqe2XYKcaPTCI2Fta6WW7RgR8sh0KlGVpuQg5etJweM/w640-h480/030424%20OPENDY-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> It was a beautiful spot, as you can see above, and if not for the arctic air that blew in on Thursday I might have had a chance. I cracked opened the gun safe and went with my mummichog imitations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFvYByOqcZYs7NFTSq5_xP5VGgSoQEykPTKQ7I0c8IPwo0dHZkLfiPcQYWkZ0Ezrzu1Nwbm7ysBNZYf23uVsR03dsK4X40PCfbYFUqs6MUXgjBzaYbh0uIX1ifSRQulcy6IB4roDLHeI1aOs0AQqNPfGmYwK0wusZj-2P8P87mVh_EbdGF6y0azVDO8w/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="3100" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFvYByOqcZYs7NFTSq5_xP5VGgSoQEykPTKQ7I0c8IPwo0dHZkLfiPcQYWkZ0Ezrzu1Nwbm7ysBNZYf23uVsR03dsK4X40PCfbYFUqs6MUXgjBzaYbh0uIX1ifSRQulcy6IB4roDLHeI1aOs0AQqNPfGmYwK0wusZj-2P8P87mVh_EbdGF6y0azVDO8w/w640-h456/030424%20OPENDY-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHix4plE_KWNcqTRrNEdAMUwun_olMJxQZXoq3tZNuInXH87gypAEYvQkrxmRDEkLh4o1Doh0yGXYMFLDt5GzCpe9nnoNfcmDIfBYiFzST9jQq42clROZIGuYvLglb7uAr788GotZPcN3wvh15ntdxtgYpGRB-vBrUlwOQ3gdlG1kecNUe-Ffzhix8ZY/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2195" data-original-width="3100" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHix4plE_KWNcqTRrNEdAMUwun_olMJxQZXoq3tZNuInXH87gypAEYvQkrxmRDEkLh4o1Doh0yGXYMFLDt5GzCpe9nnoNfcmDIfBYiFzST9jQq42clROZIGuYvLglb7uAr788GotZPcN3wvh15ntdxtgYpGRB-vBrUlwOQ3gdlG1kecNUe-Ffzhix8ZY/w400-h284/030424%20OPENDY-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> After a quick smash-down of the barbs I was off. I was just waiting for a nibble but that never came. When I jumped spots I met a guy who was leaving who landed a 26 inch bass. Then my hopes got </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxoXcDdbzq8KiVtAAAKAskvH_VB9sPiQL_uXFild_MT3Flh-x3kn2igIOGxHja2gmqbN9HFFX-r9tMDEiTLpeBpOUUhuviQssyHByQapOM0o5KXPrD68bBbOMMag9KLfxIbGNc-mQpjhBcflKmwjqy0_LkcxnRUek6CzSBd3mFhIk0SOYiR31atMuG9c/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1866" data-original-width="3100" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxoXcDdbzq8KiVtAAAKAskvH_VB9sPiQL_uXFild_MT3Flh-x3kn2igIOGxHja2gmqbN9HFFX-r9tMDEiTLpeBpOUUhuviQssyHByQapOM0o5KXPrD68bBbOMMag9KLfxIbGNc-mQpjhBcflKmwjqy0_LkcxnRUek6CzSBd3mFhIk0SOYiR31atMuG9c/w400-h241/030424%20OPENDY-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">higher. I went from fishing the dead low through the incoming. Hitting spot 1, then spot 2, then back to spot 1 for the finale. I made a fly change hoping that would maybe give them a different look. If I didn't</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZ9ledNlmvuyDXRyZxifHry6LoAxYEjCO3mQ-iHGevuzrk71GLVF_tbXYvnrf4grtl7inhs1gPm8GTYQAy796A-dOvs_E3AxviaSgWTJBoM7SmqiSLIz-QMLEluoOz_IAEh0d7rKo95v8DihS7jFOJiupClrA1iyduWhEix1fR11UJluGZgHQ4Af8RSU/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZ9ledNlmvuyDXRyZxifHry6LoAxYEjCO3mQ-iHGevuzrk71GLVF_tbXYvnrf4grtl7inhs1gPm8GTYQAy796A-dOvs_E3AxviaSgWTJBoM7SmqiSLIz-QMLEluoOz_IAEh0d7rKo95v8DihS7jFOJiupClrA1iyduWhEix1fR11UJluGZgHQ4Af8RSU/w400-h300/030424%20OPENDY-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">see that guys pic of his bass I would say they just aren't eating yet. But he was using a small white rubber lead-headed thing low and slow in the deeper water which was out aways. As much as I thought that the warming morning sun would get them onto the mud flats that didn't happen, but soon it will. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaaEzjUPaS4jchiwKwhYp5r3TXOwILxaQTiYxNEQXgs2i64QcDJwl8cOyhWEqd2BQBCtN1E0d-ONfHQHUoWRXo3an1smqmBSpViTmN5nofzkpkAew6SyfbycuCgaSBoF3dvE5FE4ivHthiy-yFRpUTw53-2WJn6TyETx-n6QXRZf_QI220q7SF3_CKzU/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1351" data-original-width="3100" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaaEzjUPaS4jchiwKwhYp5r3TXOwILxaQTiYxNEQXgs2i64QcDJwl8cOyhWEqd2BQBCtN1E0d-ONfHQHUoWRXo3an1smqmBSpViTmN5nofzkpkAew6SyfbycuCgaSBoF3dvE5FE4ivHthiy-yFRpUTw53-2WJn6TyETx-n6QXRZf_QI220q7SF3_CKzU/w400-h174/030424%20OPENDY-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAYPx-L9VfG4hR3tNvJd8BKYcZgF2F3bOOkaAr6-Gw2cV-3UtM2msoSGBAFC28EJCke5IoB12RpaLqI3H0XG-bkvB_FF10meSx_HEPMKKICqvuK9L-oOV0sGpTkh0U0zfIZY4TTlrfcNFoKXaIwY8j8cCM_F3cI_l6gi4gF2F4SmnGBDOan3jdYf6Jq8/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1747" data-original-width="3100" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAYPx-L9VfG4hR3tNvJd8BKYcZgF2F3bOOkaAr6-Gw2cV-3UtM2msoSGBAFC28EJCke5IoB12RpaLqI3H0XG-bkvB_FF10meSx_HEPMKKICqvuK9L-oOV0sGpTkh0U0zfIZY4TTlrfcNFoKXaIwY8j8cCM_F3cI_l6gi4gF2F4SmnGBDOan3jdYf6Jq8/w640-h360/030424%20OPENDY-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Back home it was to nice too not give it a go so I did. I came tight and wasn't going to miss the hook set on a beautifully placed rock. It only caused a slight increase in my heart rate and it wound up being my first donated large fly to the river. Not wanting to piss off the wife on opening weekend I thought I'd make Saturday, albeit a rainy and cold one, all about her. That was until I got a call from a friend who said, "I'm going". That's all I had to hear. That didn't go over well with Theresa, and it was on opening day. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8joM-4b1Wxz5l4JYTfpsHSjK2St9E-BxSuNF7p_0zqyScfgPP8dUowRjxJDy64YjVwJlYDKcyIT8o0HSlkE76QtMOXiUtpO_2-IvpcJL1cIuKieLCotCnoWRjfoX-wFPAPDWjEPfXDLAwnl8ALYd27jkAnpo_Qm8qL2arx-WN9F7t1DnM4bS5Wjhn18/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2158" data-original-width="3100" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8joM-4b1Wxz5l4JYTfpsHSjK2St9E-BxSuNF7p_0zqyScfgPP8dUowRjxJDy64YjVwJlYDKcyIT8o0HSlkE76QtMOXiUtpO_2-IvpcJL1cIuKieLCotCnoWRjfoX-wFPAPDWjEPfXDLAwnl8ALYd27jkAnpo_Qm8qL2arx-WN9F7t1DnM4bS5Wjhn18/w400-h279/030424%20OPENDY-8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvi763g5fmPl_NB2iOvXkcVL1OrWctgVZBHnfgt-64gGRwGal_JLv6JRPC8QtCqd_nq3GiphyphenhyphenpAauPUBWNvlC1xLN4PYmpLxwgIuEorsGSN2zEvtcPGsfGhuaH3lAfu8hxHV4PlUrU5jgeqwPUnk5S-hKaY00OcB6n54xK0vQlfFR1YDoSi_zQ5WruaJ0/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1992" data-original-width="3100" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvi763g5fmPl_NB2iOvXkcVL1OrWctgVZBHnfgt-64gGRwGal_JLv6JRPC8QtCqd_nq3GiphyphenhyphenpAauPUBWNvlC1xLN4PYmpLxwgIuEorsGSN2zEvtcPGsfGhuaH3lAfu8hxHV4PlUrU5jgeqwPUnk5S-hKaY00OcB6n54xK0vQlfFR1YDoSi_zQ5WruaJ0/w640-h412/030424%20OPENDY-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMrrvCXELSRlHBS5t9ecdT5FE3Gq01LHLxMWGJQMMtjrIHslRO6R9NbFTPDZmwXTgfLvxfHgIBcASxPzuueGjqfwsoYLKNWKGWKLgZzVZV03DlmqjdPV1gK-A1a5HH_dyuhEdytfQeM18Lux7E-Ck0zskW0QvPSNHlm0WzCt6B5Yz6byEC-gLVYS1C8A/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1883" data-original-width="3100" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMrrvCXELSRlHBS5t9ecdT5FE3Gq01LHLxMWGJQMMtjrIHslRO6R9NbFTPDZmwXTgfLvxfHgIBcASxPzuueGjqfwsoYLKNWKGWKLgZzVZV03DlmqjdPV1gK-A1a5HH_dyuhEdytfQeM18Lux7E-Ck0zskW0QvPSNHlm0WzCt6B5Yz6byEC-gLVYS1C8A/w400-h243/030424%20OPENDY-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> We met up at 5 am and took the drive and gave it a good effort in the rain, cold, and wind. Hey, it is what it is. One day it will happen and make all the time and effort worth it. The rain continued to come down and by Sunday it was done but the river still had some catching up to do. It caused a bump, but not too bad. I again gave it a try on both the high and ebbing tides. At least I didn't lose any flies. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRVgOwuOih3AydA3mABi_d58yWFXRIjwtrK7sLbhwAj0rywFS4ntPzRbPGvqLI58tNAxbPV-6FZKwda4_hQ39iJXwdemXSAfB0qw6dngs1qqg1Of5mC8nPK-SZfLdZDNWOp6SGcFWDXvCfH-Au4nA068QfQ0_qQAWPDlcs0Hl54wGxTEd1jatsKKbwQs/s3100/030424%20OPENDY-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2255" data-original-width="3100" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRVgOwuOih3AydA3mABi_d58yWFXRIjwtrK7sLbhwAj0rywFS4ntPzRbPGvqLI58tNAxbPV-6FZKwda4_hQ39iJXwdemXSAfB0qw6dngs1qqg1Of5mC8nPK-SZfLdZDNWOp6SGcFWDXvCfH-Au4nA068QfQ0_qQAWPDlcs0Hl54wGxTEd1jatsKKbwQs/w640-h466/030424%20OPENDY-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The Raritan Bay is looking good temperature wise and soon that will be a good spot for those fishing from the beaches and rocks. They say 50 degrees is go time and we're not too far away, even if it's early.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisueCpI7bQjUEM0BnuKGdqEbuH5hgIRp0EskWC2xxjj0HmL0cUjS_41s-tliDmHsZ7p3eDoFKDgqcdqSjNVLYm5U03krkN6_l3IlzTQWv14kfGS5VoyQ2dnEnGRnE-Vg9dJ36vPy1K6meXgmV0Y82xgtyGL6PhB3HPNETaaegSzr_LTbJ8mhZu8DAjoNM/s1311/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.14.51%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1311" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisueCpI7bQjUEM0BnuKGdqEbuH5hgIRp0EskWC2xxjj0HmL0cUjS_41s-tliDmHsZ7p3eDoFKDgqcdqSjNVLYm5U03krkN6_l3IlzTQWv14kfGS5VoyQ2dnEnGRnE-Vg9dJ36vPy1K6meXgmV0Y82xgtyGL6PhB3HPNETaaegSzr_LTbJ8mhZu8DAjoNM/w640-h420/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.14.51%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p> Back home we're a couple of degrees behind but I'll take 45 on March 3rd all day, maybe. It's really not what's good for us but more for the bass, and the shad and herring. It looks like we're gonna get </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiMLJfpbAWvAD8irdDwjnjj-ApM0pJRSRFr2Y1lnXy7I1u7JXkY3YKqdUgh63GVqRNXllIMV4gnzoMwf71YXP_qjF5wi4oWoHNa6g-HlZLk_QCzM0M_wh4WdYZttFHfL8vctsrhPdAH66riOU2IFB9RJHJp5Ao-LSso1FZqMPwcbG7uPEHrayy4ob5Pg/s1242/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.15.16%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1242" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiMLJfpbAWvAD8irdDwjnjj-ApM0pJRSRFr2Y1lnXy7I1u7JXkY3YKqdUgh63GVqRNXllIMV4gnzoMwf71YXP_qjF5wi4oWoHNa6g-HlZLk_QCzM0M_wh4WdYZttFHfL8vctsrhPdAH66riOU2IFB9RJHJp5Ao-LSso1FZqMPwcbG7uPEHrayy4ob5Pg/w640-h442/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.15.16%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VqWiwIIIshgviJZaCcT2KD3CIFy3VQImgB8pEBI-HnDAonY3ZoXXYSQ0h4JcE8iQUFRFWODe1DBpJxrWMLHTkoOAeuRDzM3b1g9fsldj7n349s1zSdAw6lWBexaVfFSSVCOEZ65HeesdsZ3Fcsq3uElNBbFSEwi7mun6q3TnJXRJMsOxSTSqBNHqlZI/s1265/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.15.26%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1265" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VqWiwIIIshgviJZaCcT2KD3CIFy3VQImgB8pEBI-HnDAonY3ZoXXYSQ0h4JcE8iQUFRFWODe1DBpJxrWMLHTkoOAeuRDzM3b1g9fsldj7n349s1zSdAw6lWBexaVfFSSVCOEZ65HeesdsZ3Fcsq3uElNBbFSEwi7mun6q3TnJXRJMsOxSTSqBNHqlZI/w640-h406/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.15.26%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>some rain this week and that doesn't really help because it just bumps the river and then it drops like a rock. We really need those good winters back, at least in the hills, which is where good water comes from through the aquifer system and leads to a healthy river. Tons of water, that blows it out, and then is gone, isn't good. I checked the surfers website and it says that Deal is coming in at 45 degrees. I wouldn't be surprised if you could get a bite down there on the right tide. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FCVvpI00CP2FwYumULQOb7AFqhMdHecRq94aXIFlwJJHyEcOCQnvlkmkm_lyhqB3QkvxrJQGFia8sRT5r8Cx8loEBfZG127QAKeyuhMeaprl3C5mpouuTfVD1a-Vj5rD2MORknAQvQQzB2ztxMSbpP7nNcuC_7cXBtfx3UevlpSOKjpuQcP0KBI_RwQ/s3100/030923%20HACSAK-50.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1892" data-original-width="3100" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FCVvpI00CP2FwYumULQOb7AFqhMdHecRq94aXIFlwJJHyEcOCQnvlkmkm_lyhqB3QkvxrJQGFia8sRT5r8Cx8loEBfZG127QAKeyuhMeaprl3C5mpouuTfVD1a-Vj5rD2MORknAQvQQzB2ztxMSbpP7nNcuC_7cXBtfx3UevlpSOKjpuQcP0KBI_RwQ/w400-h244/030923%20HACSAK-50.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p> I'm happy it's go time. Last year that first fish came for me on March 9th. It'll be good to get the first one under my belt. I'm entering a schedule change at work and it'll be four long days Mon -Thurs. for the next six weeks. Hopefully I'll be able to find some time to wet a line. The idea sounded good when we put the class schedule together, now I just want to fish all the time. But it's okay, it's still way early. </p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-18228253136856599552024-03-03T10:22:00.052-05:002024-03-03T12:50:41.551-05:0003.03.24 Let me circle back about bounties for striped bass...<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBzwZm1WR1pMkskI4e67I-qh1fh1TJ1me8X1YSmbEGjmVDGhh6zapZTtM8CfjqJACdhZlGHKQPPkarjP3KDL5gEfdThRL5s-LoMMBoEpFuHDyrvQTcPHzKUkTbt8f4FnhyYMkQscLvGfxntqri1ruHmbOfIvjXITnF0munxZed6h2WD4ZFXqOBfchDwU/s1144/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.59.19%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1144" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBzwZm1WR1pMkskI4e67I-qh1fh1TJ1me8X1YSmbEGjmVDGhh6zapZTtM8CfjqJACdhZlGHKQPPkarjP3KDL5gEfdThRL5s-LoMMBoEpFuHDyrvQTcPHzKUkTbt8f4FnhyYMkQscLvGfxntqri1ruHmbOfIvjXITnF0munxZed6h2WD4ZFXqOBfchDwU/w640-h442/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.59.19%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> If you been reading this blog for several years you know I get up on my soap box about bounties for striped bass. It's never a personal attack or telling someone how to legally enjoy the sport, even if that means killing striped bass. My opinions, or comments, are more fact-seeking based and usually ask more questions than provide answers. But one of the first days on bounties for striped bass occurs down in Atlantic County. The Absecon Bay Sportsmen's Center has been doing this for years. A bunch of prizes for the first striped basses of that year. While all in good fun, and legal, there was always a hint of suspectness that went along with it. For years anglers would hit the Oyster Creek outflow in the wee hours of the morning for a quick fish and run down the Parkway to Abesecon to enter the fish for a check. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Then it became a little more suspect when anglers used to hit multiple shops who were running the same kind of event. That does a few things, it gives the angler an opportunity to cash in at several stops, and these days, gives them an opportunity at internet stardom. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtExDzx5fzmCb5eQLG8NDQje4iTbQQ-PzVgmxKAzh9jKEIPC_eppL3GCYnM8cv8FugF0uX0KGeJ8v4TUBXsO1JppvqHFX1ljQBIA3rdchhDbZrVUhp9LAZN87hTdi5Wyx7In4rgk7XQHYhEB-h8vM-rcqEkt9HgESEPKIK7EHrEYi7ougnD9Uyna7XXOI/s1179/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.55.08%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1179" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtExDzx5fzmCb5eQLG8NDQje4iTbQQ-PzVgmxKAzh9jKEIPC_eppL3GCYnM8cv8FugF0uX0KGeJ8v4TUBXsO1JppvqHFX1ljQBIA3rdchhDbZrVUhp9LAZN87hTdi5Wyx7In4rgk7XQHYhEB-h8vM-rcqEkt9HgESEPKIK7EHrEYi7ougnD9Uyna7XXOI/w400-h325/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.55.08%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Last week I wrote a piece questioning, "Should we be running striped bass tournaments these days?". I referred to the opening day check give-a-way and other tournaments up and around the striper states. My goal isn't to judge, it's to raise awareness. How can we have people stating, "Shut it down", in order to rebuild it, and then have tournaments targeting them, and sometimes having one-dayers in a single body of water. Anyway, I got some texts, some emails and some comments back on the post. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_xlaCYjVh-VepWaBAox6OFqhM2moqwBLJJ_hotRvVrQcKYDrKvDNE3jnEaluBvy9oJcCGifrHCMLbYOKUN7TQVuzO7daOngXmdxjSCNv9_XsBJ2-s4ELq4gUmdo18tzeuHUaEUHdghazkTG5ltc0AUATeFKevzhsmCESXtmGTe_qciInjRl9a4XsdgA/s851/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.55.02%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="851" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_xlaCYjVh-VepWaBAox6OFqhM2moqwBLJJ_hotRvVrQcKYDrKvDNE3jnEaluBvy9oJcCGifrHCMLbYOKUN7TQVuzO7daOngXmdxjSCNv9_XsBJ2-s4ELq4gUmdo18tzeuHUaEUHdghazkTG5ltc0AUATeFKevzhsmCESXtmGTe_qciInjRl9a4XsdgA/w400-h238/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.55.02%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> One comment that stood out was, "This was not necessary at all". Okay, I'm okay with someone's opinion. It's a free world, it's free speech, we all have to pull our big boy pants on. But what left me hanging was no other insight as to why it wasn't necessary? It's kinda like by raising the question I had done something wrong. I touched a nerve that shouldn't have been touched. But I still offer my question out there for discussion, "Should there be bounties, even catch and release, for striped bass these days?". Let's think, North Carolina has just about made their state 100% catch and release. I have a good idea, let's take a Saturday and run a C & R tournament. Mmmm. Doesn't sound right to me, and I think the striped bass would agree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> On Friday morning before I headed out for a shot at my own opening day bass I took a look on Facebook. Absecon already had the first guy showing up before 6 AM to claim his prize. I'm thinking to myself, "Hey, nice legal fish for the table", and if I wasn't me, why not swing by my local tackle shop and see if I could cover some bait or fill up my tank. But if I were going to "Take one for the table", I would have "dispatched" it, as they say in hunting, gutted it, bled it out, and put it on ice. That's the way to prepare a fresh fish before you prepare it for dinner. But then things got interesting....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tSXWNsh5L__fNu_9_jNa_t01JHbnzZuZcgNPZvM6GQX84DPJbukcw10B5aPpwGbJ4lR6tVx6Z5PvA09dLXHR2yrjpwkeg1ZAEuDBxVF_K9huKT_0zKVlpTPvF8KeVY8JDyeISusCVJaZehn0Ue31_RX4gLi1ivLZ2_9LZNbDExM4FEFr-m0Xmge4aAQ/s1148/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%207.21.34%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1148" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tSXWNsh5L__fNu_9_jNa_t01JHbnzZuZcgNPZvM6GQX84DPJbukcw10B5aPpwGbJ4lR6tVx6Z5PvA09dLXHR2yrjpwkeg1ZAEuDBxVF_K9huKT_0zKVlpTPvF8KeVY8JDyeISusCVJaZehn0Ue31_RX4gLi1ivLZ2_9LZNbDExM4FEFr-m0Xmge4aAQ/w400-h340/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%207.21.34%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> After my own failed attempt for an opening day bass I came home, and like I'm programmed or something, I opened up Facebook. "Hey, there's that guy from this morning", I thought to myself. This time he and his fish were gracing the One Stop Bait & Tackle Shop in Atlantic City page , just 10 minutes away from the Sportsmen's Center. He must have made the call home to the family to come and join </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTStCJRDhjPM6401XMQEQuUhr-VHQHKTiMDurDVmjpuEsz6W8H24C8HfQYEXuRjK1boCtwNVSMMr_3zMrhHXJm9DZgiCKXNoY_tANqr_-vcR5uIND6IDCbgz2s4NcRqNSRv1hv6gpINeao8oGu1PXllCXVfG-nptO7vMcTXLKtlWT42qJAqYJF_Szb2k/s1155/IMG_6931.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="1155" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTStCJRDhjPM6401XMQEQuUhr-VHQHKTiMDurDVmjpuEsz6W8H24C8HfQYEXuRjK1boCtwNVSMMr_3zMrhHXJm9DZgiCKXNoY_tANqr_-vcR5uIND6IDCbgz2s4NcRqNSRv1hv6gpINeao8oGu1PXllCXVfG-nptO7vMcTXLKtlWT42qJAqYJF_Szb2k/w400-h396/IMG_6931.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2-oJ0CJ6X-4sq05cHs6_igNHaYmWmXdwqyQj2PM55KFDI96ulwFFl40QdMyeuh_qE9kq51_DdDhyFgHhVUkHPilmJg6MdcDgDeod9PcfZJaevpMhIQ3QeN1gXdRulxmlIDUhi5yYTsesrbzXnZhyphenhyphenY_khq0prBex7rfHCHNN_uin7WCpX83mXCk5iE_4/s3100/030324%20BOUNTY%20-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="3100" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2-oJ0CJ6X-4sq05cHs6_igNHaYmWmXdwqyQj2PM55KFDI96ulwFFl40QdMyeuh_qE9kq51_DdDhyFgHhVUkHPilmJg6MdcDgDeod9PcfZJaevpMhIQ3QeN1gXdRulxmlIDUhi5yYTsesrbzXnZhyphenhyphenY_khq0prBex7rfHCHNN_uin7WCpX83mXCk5iE_4/w400-h204/030324%20BOUNTY%20-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">him for the weigh in. Hey, it's all good. Not sure what he won at One Stop but he did get a big congratultions from the shop for a job well done. This fish was probably caught 8 hours earlier at this point. I think I'd be done after one shop with the tour-de-La-30.75" striped bass. What I do like is the multiple hat and outfit changes he does throughout the morning...well played! Just kidding around bro. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> But then it just got ugly. I watched it go down from Friday into Saturday into this morning. There was a similar situation brewing with another angler. This is the guy who was displeased with my post regarding tournaments/bounties on striped bass. And again, that's fine, don't judge me, and I won't judge you. Although, they say, "Don't throw stones in glass houses". So I saw another post from Dave Showell </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwAiB7dswsw2c-ShFYOk0gAcK1NA0iuVDXHMFvPbOMkr3BMJ-T0pvRdROZ30LFjKfTab1rI6x6-hI__KWgv3lleId2ktx9NYyPjoXnAiXjFMwaDe6VAw9BHoh-YPcFBLf5qvxGgbqqBVST9SCg96TbP2-d8pqN4e9i-Ib-hyDuvmDmtbfhV-UbEYmalrE/s1927/IMG_6923.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1927" data-original-width="1157" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwAiB7dswsw2c-ShFYOk0gAcK1NA0iuVDXHMFvPbOMkr3BMJ-T0pvRdROZ30LFjKfTab1rI6x6-hI__KWgv3lleId2ktx9NYyPjoXnAiXjFMwaDe6VAw9BHoh-YPcFBLf5qvxGgbqqBVST9SCg96TbP2-d8pqN4e9i-Ib-hyDuvmDmtbfhV-UbEYmalrE/w240-h400/IMG_6923.PNG" width="240" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">announcing the second place winner who took home a check for $200. But what interested me was was this just another fish trolled around to multiple shops to claim multiple prizes? Now let's be clear- all those catch and kill tournaments that used to run and were participated in by the Jersey Shore fishing clubs did the same thing as well. And most of the time those big fish were killed for bragging rights, and then either given away or tossed in the dumpster because they were either caught a night ago or hours and hours ago. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSVF_MZ0awOV7leNG3-lNJsJk2vSl90A016E7Npg1B3lkH6tLaiRs36K-vWgdCMcHSkUpsOkcgrqT99XRBmnxYyHDQOlV-N0ynaHAdHUMzeDjeXtEmdgMJLVkR2EJDynNBkfNkJ2bUL1C9I6KMShQdYbPakLqZsOOMqncyAxw3XEPYbDJAgRV7ZddMxs/s1566/IMG_6924.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="1166" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSVF_MZ0awOV7leNG3-lNJsJk2vSl90A016E7Npg1B3lkH6tLaiRs36K-vWgdCMcHSkUpsOkcgrqT99XRBmnxYyHDQOlV-N0ynaHAdHUMzeDjeXtEmdgMJLVkR2EJDynNBkfNkJ2bUL1C9I6KMShQdYbPakLqZsOOMqncyAxw3XEPYbDJAgRV7ZddMxs/w298-h400/IMG_6924.PNG" width="298" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"> And then bass #2 made it's rounds. This time Scott's Bait and Tackle in Tuckerton posted up the 1st bass of the year and handed over the $200 prize. All of this for a sub-31 inch striped bass. Now, let me say it again, a legal fish, and I guess within the rules of the contests or tournaments? Interestingly, Abescon Bay in their post acknowledges that "the" fish had made a stop at another shop before it rolled down into Absecon. But it wasn't over....</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OmOO8fzMwtbcUFdcNkctM155ZUI9_l-JWz9K4WkbDLJW3608moM25_ahauTGGTjSMr_dTG_MWbyZjwVqwF1QGq9qGuE7PP5TJ4tUcKp7HU45l-9151f7wehThSui9Z_-FtX8jYL1bFYwQyjoJq_f8ZmpB_DxCZxIblJAR3WpEvyMw5uQPGNcYLj3fjY/s1366/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%2010.28.23%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="1137" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OmOO8fzMwtbcUFdcNkctM155ZUI9_l-JWz9K4WkbDLJW3608moM25_ahauTGGTjSMr_dTG_MWbyZjwVqwF1QGq9qGuE7PP5TJ4tUcKp7HU45l-9151f7wehThSui9Z_-FtX8jYL1bFYwQyjoJq_f8ZmpB_DxCZxIblJAR3WpEvyMw5uQPGNcYLj3fjY/w333-h400/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%2010.28.23%20AM.png" width="333" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> That fish had yet another stop in its "Era's Tour" making it out onto Long Beach Island to hit the Fishermen's Headquarters for their official "first weigh in". By then the fish had to be cooked through. But then question is, where was this fish caught? Was it a north fish that made it's way south on it's opening day migration or was it a southern caught fish traveling north on the Parkway?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod6tHU2nuRFmsjsvgu1XRuq8K0QPc3VUUAS63Ch0BeDQr3Z5VBHOS-m454RouVdFZcyo-XBY5kgVtLVYTASsb30D32dPt5dSZU6NQdlCepkEmhTOlp1RXBRbqzZv663jNzJDkcUXGOcg9nK2JE-35A3k3xsqMWEVYm4db5JgeP0E7bN4s1sCvFyXLElo/s1974/IMG_6922.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1974" data-original-width="1150" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod6tHU2nuRFmsjsvgu1XRuq8K0QPc3VUUAS63Ch0BeDQr3Z5VBHOS-m454RouVdFZcyo-XBY5kgVtLVYTASsb30D32dPt5dSZU6NQdlCepkEmhTOlp1RXBRbqzZv663jNzJDkcUXGOcg9nK2JE-35A3k3xsqMWEVYm4db5JgeP0E7bN4s1sCvFyXLElo/w233-h400/IMG_6922.PNG" width="233" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"> That fish is the most popular fish on the internet for opening day weekend. A quick scroll around and I saw Art's Tackle and Fly Shop up in Nanuet, New York had posted the same fish. This time there was no contest prize just an update on New Jersey's opening day success. And then things got real interesting, and maybe a tad more ugly. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmqqY6cfdmlVugVLdeRgzb4rjkCLWK5q73UW5cStHGdT_10xEEyKFkHrI1_srVMDnOB1UjYpscc6rtHIj728iC8u6H9wRWBaQvmTBR1JB6bfimmkpDULrbELGQliE-ROBgfJ8pGohH3-0rbRmINqeEkf795PRQZYgaewKQ0czjzrdRShdQUNCgnd-0bw/s1150/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.45.10%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1150" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmqqY6cfdmlVugVLdeRgzb4rjkCLWK5q73UW5cStHGdT_10xEEyKFkHrI1_srVMDnOB1UjYpscc6rtHIj728iC8u6H9wRWBaQvmTBR1JB6bfimmkpDULrbELGQliE-ROBgfJ8pGohH3-0rbRmINqeEkf795PRQZYgaewKQ0czjzrdRShdQUNCgnd-0bw/w400-h265/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.45.10%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PRW8c7hiCoNQRYnYMGKzsyuTeKAcvtP0bNpcnR_39xuzMOntOPspQV4CCJtes6nTjlTm0LQSiqDPOLHKyjTHDQNOxJyFrW-c3WPtGUXClfMVvBJmmejKs6OiO2W0RDsp8BbiSZ-DXNYKEykTNC7jDaFw90f8LTEP4I7WDL44BU9mO3lHJBt3OOgVRkg/s1186/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.45.47%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1141" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PRW8c7hiCoNQRYnYMGKzsyuTeKAcvtP0bNpcnR_39xuzMOntOPspQV4CCJtes6nTjlTm0LQSiqDPOLHKyjTHDQNOxJyFrW-c3WPtGUXClfMVvBJmmejKs6OiO2W0RDsp8BbiSZ-DXNYKEykTNC7jDaFw90f8LTEP4I7WDL44BU9mO3lHJBt3OOgVRkg/w385-h400/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%206.45.47%20AM.png" width="385" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"> The internet and social media can be a great place, or not. As we all know there are a lot of internet tough guys out there. Sometimes people, all of us included, deserve a poke or two depending on how we put ourselves out there. I try and watch what I say and post, and one day, it'll be my turn in the hot seat. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzuSu_W_XbL1E4Cty9BQXkOX_E8s9x6iOa6g7pKVgKT4enRrjTlM5klf_yCqiFT8iA5-EaABnJ4vBF3I9cm_MLPn0F-E8Cm_0m0lawgDnlHAF2labO3VxS9fu5GqCfdbVYjHVXRL-mDKcMHBHCggUuqsfceHJKRGG4NRl197vew3PML23elklmBj33rM/s640/120420%20UWATER-88.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="444" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzuSu_W_XbL1E4Cty9BQXkOX_E8s9x6iOa6g7pKVgKT4enRrjTlM5klf_yCqiFT8iA5-EaABnJ4vBF3I9cm_MLPn0F-E8Cm_0m0lawgDnlHAF2labO3VxS9fu5GqCfdbVYjHVXRL-mDKcMHBHCggUuqsfceHJKRGG4NRl197vew3PML23elklmBj33rM/w278-h400/120420%20UWATER-88.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Oh wait, I had my 15 minutes of shitty fame. Yep, that's me on the bow in December 2020. They all had a blast with it. It is what it was regardless of the story behind it. But one thing I will say is I always get a kick out of the memes. They just make me laugh. The hits just kept coming with this fish over the weekend, and hopefully they will soon go away. Fun, yes, but personal attacks, to me, are always not cool. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZ5K3IxR5eXgooZf3azW4DitMCwa4Fq9yDP6QlBGauRGsyR5iKrEGiZMLw2fQalNuZPj8PNpAoAQzkRWvvrF42wN0IE3CetYh2EtZSFFU9LanovZLYE0FLUOjzsO0Y2fc5v5737vyzWqBtPvayE0vqNPobNQrhB07qvZ8vJBfqXOIKzdWax2Nu-aYt1I/s1599/IMG_6977%202.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="986" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZ5K3IxR5eXgooZf3azW4DitMCwa4Fq9yDP6QlBGauRGsyR5iKrEGiZMLw2fQalNuZPj8PNpAoAQzkRWvvrF42wN0IE3CetYh2EtZSFFU9LanovZLYE0FLUOjzsO0Y2fc5v5737vyzWqBtPvayE0vqNPobNQrhB07qvZ8vJBfqXOIKzdWax2Nu-aYt1I/w246-h400/IMG_6977%202.PNG" width="246" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"> Might there be a lesson here all the way around, including for the folks that run these bounty events, yes. There's nothing wrong with putting the time in, usually just after midnight on a cold March 1st, and then going to your local tackle shop and sharing the story along with the fish. I think that's what it is intended for. Hell, even if I made the trip south I could enter in, it's all legal and within the rules. But be careful what you wish for. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7O4cc9pENa_YyNIq1zA6s7nwzxWpLu-Gh-ub7TeFgxczxFdreZJ-svfEeZz54M35gLTKHytoiY9D5z1NQJE6sxloA32Bhizszt8lGmogVD1dv0qiHRxW4ZDgly4TN0txu_8jgmfWUcch8xsMn1sv3gTlr1PWCgwLd3fvQ6aVSEJ3-RbK7q5phzuYDEcg/s3100/030324%20BOUNTY%20-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2968" data-original-width="3100" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7O4cc9pENa_YyNIq1zA6s7nwzxWpLu-Gh-ub7TeFgxczxFdreZJ-svfEeZz54M35gLTKHytoiY9D5z1NQJE6sxloA32Bhizszt8lGmogVD1dv0qiHRxW4ZDgly4TN0txu_8jgmfWUcch8xsMn1sv3gTlr1PWCgwLd3fvQ6aVSEJ3-RbK7q5phzuYDEcg/w400-h383/030324%20BOUNTY%20-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAdQ9PMi0kvqjhZzbDsvONhe9F5TRJWxyt3cHgxDBB-ROfVaAGL5gvHy0MQyv8O_cRTEg-pnCVB5Sekhmv93N4uLt9NkihPv9w4PU9MQB3uTmT-iZ2DzWN6NGQCB4AjYozQ8HjC9c2ZJJ6rnWKl4kFy2rxx3lYmVIYWFGImMmfdVr3c_pUdI2XuERYps/s3100/030324%20BOUNTY%20-15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2854" data-original-width="3100" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAdQ9PMi0kvqjhZzbDsvONhe9F5TRJWxyt3cHgxDBB-ROfVaAGL5gvHy0MQyv8O_cRTEg-pnCVB5Sekhmv93N4uLt9NkihPv9w4PU9MQB3uTmT-iZ2DzWN6NGQCB4AjYozQ8HjC9c2ZJJ6rnWKl4kFy2rxx3lYmVIYWFGImMmfdVr3c_pUdI2XuERYps/s320/030324%20BOUNTY%20-15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3k8LN_Scn3asn8mQgpO-mBkQeuD3f7tIWUDHDXkaimUTmATwWY7f1xVtGdaCbwnzLv8Blah6LMjtBeODvdDvBEq5g7FOeYuMIo-ELq2XQnY_L1UQjRD_jRgDekTYUNXx8pCg4kwFa6u3rH6aDpGxkFRDxuo7x9kLRDlzXcj4yKl1DEQGKNvabAVEFT54/s1135/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%2010.00.33%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="1135" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3k8LN_Scn3asn8mQgpO-mBkQeuD3f7tIWUDHDXkaimUTmATwWY7f1xVtGdaCbwnzLv8Blah6LMjtBeODvdDvBEq5g7FOeYuMIo-ELq2XQnY_L1UQjRD_jRgDekTYUNXx8pCg4kwFa6u3rH6aDpGxkFRDxuo7x9kLRDlzXcj4yKl1DEQGKNvabAVEFT54/w640-h360/Screenshot%202024-03-03%20at%2010.00.33%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> So I leave the question up, yet again, for discussion, "Should we be having striped bass tournaments, and contests, with a bounty on their head, for striped bass these days?" And no matter which side of any position you have it's always a good time to have a discussion, either way. It raises awareness, and can lead to positive change, even if in the end you have to give a little back for the common good. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> And today is the Asbury Park Fishing Flea Market. No doubt this whole mess will be a topic for discussion and the butt of even further jokes. To the guys involved, this too shall pass. In the end I say, back at ya', "This was not necessary at all". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIpjhKwt4Aye9oXhLdyMvBEQU6EFSV9fu7g7NUHm1fIeHHWww3baxR8QVzfJ5jj0G4wXU9xpB6eXfJleMFs7cSjIGZQffVhwg01XXXydMv-R__FJrXj6BrIvYGwLoHY8mvRsiNhHzZLaBahNgM5y5zoc2VUEcdXo14bWdMFcKe-iFYpYIIwRVYwOsmX0/s3100/030324%20BOUNTY%20-10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="2509" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIpjhKwt4Aye9oXhLdyMvBEQU6EFSV9fu7g7NUHm1fIeHHWww3baxR8QVzfJ5jj0G4wXU9xpB6eXfJleMFs7cSjIGZQffVhwg01XXXydMv-R__FJrXj6BrIvYGwLoHY8mvRsiNhHzZLaBahNgM5y5zoc2VUEcdXo14bWdMFcKe-iFYpYIIwRVYwOsmX0/w518-h640/030324%20BOUNTY%20-10.jpg" width="518" /></a></div></div><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-52881759945038421072024-03-01T06:04:00.000-05:002024-03-01T06:04:15.376-05:0003.01.24 I'm a little late to the party....<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSBnVJjTJs31fNPJngHciyKwCUS5J9KM_CeZykJtthnF3CYI7iPoRuYYHhh7mc6IGsnNFhZhpEVeJxL-OtemOiPn2jRM_Jj3LylYE40wHzLOLgds2n1Jrg83YlyKGw8iQ1Z2SjlYN0e8pbdyxKtb3EbklWLytDmBks0caxwZouqVMIbC2nCttMKCLwNM/s3100/030124%20SCHANGE-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2391" data-original-width="3100" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSBnVJjTJs31fNPJngHciyKwCUS5J9KM_CeZykJtthnF3CYI7iPoRuYYHhh7mc6IGsnNFhZhpEVeJxL-OtemOiPn2jRM_Jj3LylYE40wHzLOLgds2n1Jrg83YlyKGw8iQ1Z2SjlYN0e8pbdyxKtb3EbklWLytDmBks0caxwZouqVMIbC2nCttMKCLwNM/w640-h494/030124%20SCHANGE-25.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> The last few years Blane Chocklett has really brought some great innovations to fly tying and fly fishing. He brought us the Gummy Minnow a ways back, then the Game Changer, now the Feather and </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTZWT1Fax0GGCcAM_VkyCZdHjPLWIo47BAvya1tGGfUQN2coOb8eo-mbmUe3bR5NvxZY720HbZ1Pn1Mz90zcAvoJuQVjAmRIHCRps53WywwGovum-7o2bC4KyPnGXz3sEexoATK7EzUv3Fpa-FUjycdidSHjNK5s0AXoOPl6Q5gZtyMk2k-weNK-dP0dg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTZWT1Fax0GGCcAM_VkyCZdHjPLWIo47BAvya1tGGfUQN2coOb8eo-mbmUe3bR5NvxZY720HbZ1Pn1Mz90zcAvoJuQVjAmRIHCRps53WywwGovum-7o2bC4KyPnGXz3sEexoATK7EzUv3Fpa-FUjycdidSHjNK5s0AXoOPl6Q5gZtyMk2k-weNK-dP0dg=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jerk Changer. I saw Blane swim the Jerk Changer up in Newport at this years Stock the Box. Like all other flies, the Jerk Changer has its time and place. But the beauty of fly innovation is that you can take techniques and materials and apply them to flies you tie for the fish you target. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Last year I was fishing with a buddy who let me fish through a spot. I was throwing a big Surface Seducer with all kinds of stuff hanging off the back. After 1,000 casts he said, "Are you done"? He then</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncZvK8h3ri_UhP2uG_dZzatCQbn5CrPHTyd58S6iOwmf_5KZPtK1dD7m2T6yufdytWPJb_HIQxYUEzx_TLiLajeocn4lzCm7or5D7sFI0GFTrM1vPi7tYF79lpG7a13NnWqgL3k-plsdi7P_kZGuMdLgJU5B3ijR_c6cvagIwBTu3h8tnz0gf8alO0ms/s2675/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%202.26.34%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="2675" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncZvK8h3ri_UhP2uG_dZzatCQbn5CrPHTyd58S6iOwmf_5KZPtK1dD7m2T6yufdytWPJb_HIQxYUEzx_TLiLajeocn4lzCm7or5D7sFI0GFTrM1vPi7tYF79lpG7a13NnWqgL3k-plsdi7P_kZGuMdLgJU5B3ijR_c6cvagIwBTu3h8tnz0gf8alO0ms/w400-h121/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%202.26.34%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>took out a 9 inch Doc Spook and on the second cast I watched a 30 pound bass blow up on it. After we released it I reeled my line in and told him I was good. Bob Popovic's always states fly design is done to solve a problem, like a fishing problem. So I have a problem. It's not a bait to fish problem- it's a fishing next to a spin fishermen problem. And while there's always the "If you can't beat em' join em" approach to things, I choose to stick with the fly but I have to come up with something different. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcb0qSv2VQUnGG9xXSILdxjNTRKnQ5D67yJ2jSazt3j11OFQ2dxa46Q0tnhI3Im5UJIg78u8TarL7czX6UFFcuZSIx-wSQbdemJz5p-c21uMekIEV_ThQpqrLjyIG61VBgIjeU7Q1Xxdj_RSlu2UWvnmVyNsydy4_XlPpDHkvOLlR0N999gOvEts6PeU/s706/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%202.50.12%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="706" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcb0qSv2VQUnGG9xXSILdxjNTRKnQ5D67yJ2jSazt3j11OFQ2dxa46Q0tnhI3Im5UJIg78u8TarL7czX6UFFcuZSIx-wSQbdemJz5p-c21uMekIEV_ThQpqrLjyIG61VBgIjeU7Q1Xxdj_RSlu2UWvnmVyNsydy4_XlPpDHkvOLlR0N999gOvEts6PeU/w400-h391/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%202.50.12%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p> A few years back Chase Smith came out with a Spiral Spook that came to market through Fly Men Fishing Fishing Co. These look, and swim, like a Spook but they are only available in size 1 and 2. I'm looking for a 6/0 or 8/0 version. Below, Champlain Flyworks offers a 6 inch Topwater Game Changer </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fr7kfmyDclQWP2H9XMnDykoMXEbb7eaOXVXcB7tv-_ob4PlZSpYvx0SB6GBrSsG3XzNLTWljznoL9f-6j5ZJGRhphyphenhyphen6-fTHXZB1PZ8EWz_kFfZtqkoi_ssO2EbKUYqSxJbOZnOBUq_VYi-pZnHwvYTZEpmcyxBYgBQo1-x-WrBdyWqMHTix6oj86UdY/s3100/030124%20SCHANGE-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1731" data-original-width="3100" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fr7kfmyDclQWP2H9XMnDykoMXEbb7eaOXVXcB7tv-_ob4PlZSpYvx0SB6GBrSsG3XzNLTWljznoL9f-6j5ZJGRhphyphenhyphen6-fTHXZB1PZ8EWz_kFfZtqkoi_ssO2EbKUYqSxJbOZnOBUq_VYi-pZnHwvYTZEpmcyxBYgBQo1-x-WrBdyWqMHTix6oj86UdY/w640-h358/030124%20SCHANGE-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>which is nice but has the same Surface Seducer head and kind of travels in a straight line during the retrieve, the same action that my poppers have been giving me. I need to come up with something else. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoA6hvkFZwSO6GD_Ye3d9kmz9VlxkqXOF1Ua0fJvzuw5jexkrNbwqy90LxKaE51o5wK8DsaS_SPlZOipsyNE4FRjvo12_7Hx9iZtyZxBwc9Bik0fOzwo4-5fjTJdWj3w-r64SdnBC9m7qi6_Gjyytl2qBI6unLHGcKh86NfT3RiznAdTwiGgMVasYBuo/s3100/030124%20SCHANGE-15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoA6hvkFZwSO6GD_Ye3d9kmz9VlxkqXOF1Ua0fJvzuw5jexkrNbwqy90LxKaE51o5wK8DsaS_SPlZOipsyNE4FRjvo12_7Hx9iZtyZxBwc9Bik0fOzwo4-5fjTJdWj3w-r64SdnBC9m7qi6_Gjyytl2qBI6unLHGcKh86NfT3RiznAdTwiGgMVasYBuo/w400-h300/030124%20SCHANGE-15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p> When Blane first introduced the shanks to tie on I loaded up. They have sat for years. It's the same thing with the Fleye Foils. I have enough stickers, in all sizes, to tie 1,000 flies. Mine just suck so they sit in a box waiting for my skills to catch up. </p><p> These days you can't "invent" a fly, they have all been stolen or renamed. I don't care about that, I just need a fly to do what I need it to do. Basically here's my wish list,</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It has to be big, around 10 inches</li><li>It has to be castable</li><li>It has to shed water</li><li>It has to be a topwater fly, not necessarily a popper. </li><li>It has to have action other than in a straight line. </li><li>It has to be in scale with a 6/0 or 8/0 hook</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7AdJvzo30hQX7psrjsGCF3-UuO04aUWOAIZYWBT-dnr2ppHzGnRv8t7kNSIpQEW17Ic4_cGqtCNX17tmkGGXlSmBEM_53XrxVudUrC-omIq79Jxt5tI9njTxJ85F8_eX_SMNWpw1AdL7FnVZXuUy59iijjZQhb8PqXUTEA9oYZbtRUv90RBOoGcWlUg/s3100/030124%20SCHANGE-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="2325" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7AdJvzo30hQX7psrjsGCF3-UuO04aUWOAIZYWBT-dnr2ppHzGnRv8t7kNSIpQEW17Ic4_cGqtCNX17tmkGGXlSmBEM_53XrxVudUrC-omIq79Jxt5tI9njTxJ85F8_eX_SMNWpw1AdL7FnVZXuUy59iijjZQhb8PqXUTEA9oYZbtRUv90RBOoGcWlUg/w480-h640/030124%20SCHANGE-8.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div> So I sat down like I usually do and just started tying. I know these Game Changers and Jerk Changers use some kind of special brush which I don't have, and I'm not sure if those brushes float. I didn't want to tie another foam head popper, because that's not what I'm looking for. So I went with my go-to which is deer belly hair. If I could spin on these shanks maybe the flies would be buoyant, which will have them on top of the water, and articulated enough to move around a bit? I know it won't be like </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFLO95dDFJeWpScGekub1O0OstJZXAX-2R6fR35pWEkUaOI09q0RHGFUTonayvzp1Sni3hXYTJSm4Pyty7zLR1uNQ6f4dtSFdFQBqyN17k4pvb_iItFZFdk47ZqVQ1YBAeLBzsQUuAJRvuN2utaJxzWVxfMDxNGKD6B552Z1dPoq6Ipp5bGj3DehgX7w/s3100/030124%20SCHANGE-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2261" data-original-width="3100" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFLO95dDFJeWpScGekub1O0OstJZXAX-2R6fR35pWEkUaOI09q0RHGFUTonayvzp1Sni3hXYTJSm4Pyty7zLR1uNQ6f4dtSFdFQBqyN17k4pvb_iItFZFdk47ZqVQ1YBAeLBzsQUuAJRvuN2utaJxzWVxfMDxNGKD6B552Z1dPoq6Ipp5bGj3DehgX7w/w640-h466/030124%20SCHANGE-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>that "walk the dog" action but maybe a tad right to left would suit me well enough. I've never tied with shanks and quickly was puzzled how the first shank gets tied on to the hook. I nearly broke my brain before coming up with the below, which is not the way they were designed. But you gotta learn </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5txk4oLfe1oz80pHuY0ZierGbJVVp0_PErOVmmAwV-SqwnleLBfrKFa-nhSOzVjgTZxDTviM-DPXTun4-Waof4kSPJu1iiXfFR73eenis5EcjZcl-VZNi-hl363xkGsZ-RNReCpcambH_o54GE_-axdNy40a-qBetKXBQyyMXIAuLC688fgJKTOYTJM/s3100/030124%20SCHANGE-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1988" data-original-width="3100" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5txk4oLfe1oz80pHuY0ZierGbJVVp0_PErOVmmAwV-SqwnleLBfrKFa-nhSOzVjgTZxDTviM-DPXTun4-Waof4kSPJu1iiXfFR73eenis5EcjZcl-VZNi-hl363xkGsZ-RNReCpcambH_o54GE_-axdNy40a-qBetKXBQyyMXIAuLC688fgJKTOYTJM/w640-h410/030124%20SCHANGE-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>somehow. I just clipped the shank onto the bend of the hook and tied in lead top and bottom so it stays somewhat in line. Hey, it's spun deer hair so it'll float anyway. The trimming went well and I siliconed the head of the fly to have it push more water, maybe? </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFiORyb9KUxyoTNt6gnH2hDN1B07OUXaA-1S2SN62rAmqi6FzOJR_bUKhmOe0zrCrNS1r-jClbYGt7EEzDeCUxiZQKcyq76Qh42IYvoY_clNcs49-zX1fsEGmpp5uFAuKi2z7gMtif-vWgtbpAO1lsRwejEdZiETCSUEflbfBnkUj8eXkkx_JbaKe0Bo/s3100/030124%20SCHANGE-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1769" data-original-width="3100" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFiORyb9KUxyoTNt6gnH2hDN1B07OUXaA-1S2SN62rAmqi6FzOJR_bUKhmOe0zrCrNS1r-jClbYGt7EEzDeCUxiZQKcyq76Qh42IYvoY_clNcs49-zX1fsEGmpp5uFAuKi2z7gMtif-vWgtbpAO1lsRwejEdZiETCSUEflbfBnkUj8eXkkx_JbaKe0Bo/w640-h366/030124%20SCHANGE-26.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> There are a ton of deer hair spins on these two flies. They come in at just over 10 inches tied on a Ahrex Popovic's Beast Fleye Hook in 6/0 & 8/0. Things I like, they meet all the things on my wish list. Things I don't like,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Too much gap between the ties, if that matters</li><li>Takes way too much material, and time, to tie</li></ul><div> If I were to name it, or them, I'd call them "Snake Changers". They're a cross between the Snake Fly/Game Changer (Tabory/Chocklett) and tied on a Ahrex Popovic's Beast Fleye Hook, 6/0 and 8/0 Long. It's the first two go arounds and after about 100 I think I might be happy. Only way to know is to swim them and then toss them to hungry fish. </div><div><br /></div><div> I haven't swam them yet, if it was yesterday's 60 degree day I would have, but someone left the freezer door open because today it was 39 degrees. Maybe there's something here, or maybe this will put me in the right direction to fix my I hate fishing with spinning guys problem.</div></div><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-4148037451873539852024-02-29T07:01:00.002-05:002024-02-29T07:01:16.387-05:0002.29.24 Packed house with the Bayshore Saltwater Flyrodders....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQA_yxJzC_uY0wXmDZb6D_x0iPPbtSaT895KG0NlLdHYGHa-vaQ23jx-68H0A1ujyqGNF2-_VAZ4A0zsZ8aw_2l7SlpkjKwHBSKGu6WLT0gERhVxCbi6BaEXc07oYF98tUbdtxEyuOd1agpSg6HVaRk6S8y03ro1B9-OLVo_XjOJbhz-Jo3YD7SA3Q10/s3100/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1935" data-original-width="3100" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQA_yxJzC_uY0wXmDZb6D_x0iPPbtSaT895KG0NlLdHYGHa-vaQ23jx-68H0A1ujyqGNF2-_VAZ4A0zsZ8aw_2l7SlpkjKwHBSKGu6WLT0gERhVxCbi6BaEXc07oYF98tUbdtxEyuOd1agpSg6HVaRk6S8y03ro1B9-OLVo_XjOJbhz-Jo3YD7SA3Q10/w640-h400/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I had the opportunity to circle back and join the guys, and girl, at the Bayshore Saltwater Flyrodder's meeting last night. There were over 30 existing and first timers that came out. Club meetings are usually well attended as you come out of the fly fishing shows and head into the spring season. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The club's meeting are held at the Port Monmouth VFW and there's a nice bar next to the meeting room to grab a cocktail at after a long days work and before the show begins. After the Pledge of Allegiance new- President John Gillis presented the raffle winner from The Fly Fishing Show his prize </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVt9fVDjUnbYi_sCM8mmRL-w3-jM9nvax5ReVzRhI0qsOEeIHFbgdLzN-PdMmUx6p0t5Zvy992KOBEv5aOnTd0p3bO6MkeBnigUZ-9Dc8MOdwkjoEDPG_RgdmheyPTF-PhCaNLsqc2WCGGsxt9kVxRA4NxQYLeKyb7sChAKsFco9qsH8VRYxOSnBKv3c/s3100/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1938" data-original-width="3100" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVt9fVDjUnbYi_sCM8mmRL-w3-jM9nvax5ReVzRhI0qsOEeIHFbgdLzN-PdMmUx6p0t5Zvy992KOBEv5aOnTd0p3bO6MkeBnigUZ-9Dc8MOdwkjoEDPG_RgdmheyPTF-PhCaNLsqc2WCGGsxt9kVxRA4NxQYLeKyb7sChAKsFco9qsH8VRYxOSnBKv3c/w640-h400/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">which was over 300 flies tied by club members. The winner is a guy I used to see pretty regularly about a decade ago at the Jersey Shore TU meetings. I think his name is Mike, if you've met him you know him. He's super fishy (fishes like 300 days a year), is a little more on the shorter side than taller, is a hard stylist by profession, and has a thick Italian accent. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dbTFp4Fupb8dF5stv8Fhj5Pd5JIJSbHvb2BltOMGUHK_hR5SJK3ScWGLrJLE9mlqQtkBDD1cck5doxRHnDM7i3PEAviUTz2Y2V6MiRgVxv_DcjbSIbqVqSdWRgnxh_iFZluytuNjf2IKfVS8spUjFN_LCS1vt3CnL0GtAbc51561wCm85k6FToZnBHc/s2316/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%206.26.52%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="2316" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dbTFp4Fupb8dF5stv8Fhj5Pd5JIJSbHvb2BltOMGUHK_hR5SJK3ScWGLrJLE9mlqQtkBDD1cck5doxRHnDM7i3PEAviUTz2Y2V6MiRgVxv_DcjbSIbqVqSdWRgnxh_iFZluytuNjf2IKfVS8spUjFN_LCS1vt3CnL0GtAbc51561wCm85k6FToZnBHc/w640-h352/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%206.26.52%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> My presentation was "The State of the Striped Bass" and kind of included a summary of all the things I have been posting about over the last year. It started with a little overview of striped bass and where, how, and why they spawn, went into how they are managed, why the numbers are low, and why</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXGAHBHB8EhTy94x24ACHHTknpLGW-yUKFMfwjmuptnw99BcFpqzR40PZ9_gVqZAfdUZwFpPB2HqkXqIjBJFhRx2k-7oInhzDYMpznSPmkXpsw1krq16tdVrcT5dGGAZyGZWTFnJmbGFv-4mNYtivz8lPUfFEqfc3PJU37WhLyRBdqTF8XwZiLaASulY/s2215/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%206.27.04%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2215" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXGAHBHB8EhTy94x24ACHHTknpLGW-yUKFMfwjmuptnw99BcFpqzR40PZ9_gVqZAfdUZwFpPB2HqkXqIjBJFhRx2k-7oInhzDYMpznSPmkXpsw1krq16tdVrcT5dGGAZyGZWTFnJmbGFv-4mNYtivz8lPUfFEqfc3PJU37WhLyRBdqTF8XwZiLaASulY/w640-h350/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%206.27.04%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">the New Jersey striped bass fishery is the best on the East Coast. But the funny thing is the Bayshore club could easily be called the Staten Island South Angling Club, as a lot of the members are current or former residents of what was once called the Borough of Richmond. So when I said "New Jersey just has the best fishermen and women out there" a few groans came from the audience. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I also hit on some things we can do as anglers to help reduce fishing stress and mortality and fish more responsibly. In addition to the "Keep em' Wet" message I introduced the idea of going to a single </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKHwshgK8EopfYOcHhyfgfDYVBd2bs57oCL20bSrUB3a3KnFN5-cEPHWyT9WiJKRK_E5WfGRM2HD8QuUW3aiTFCEHm4eZdSTNGBvLPuCx0M1bxQJoQgxkwVFL-nmQ8HHOgMRGQD062UZEdbrCI-fWgDKAtehU_CiPUwlZ5bS2GXFo1-iBftQg7z1BjwU/s2303/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%206.35.07%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="2303" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKHwshgK8EopfYOcHhyfgfDYVBd2bs57oCL20bSrUB3a3KnFN5-cEPHWyT9WiJKRK_E5WfGRM2HD8QuUW3aiTFCEHm4eZdSTNGBvLPuCx0M1bxQJoQgxkwVFL-nmQ8HHOgMRGQD062UZEdbrCI-fWgDKAtehU_CiPUwlZ5bS2GXFo1-iBftQg7z1BjwU/w640-h350/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%206.35.07%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">barbless hook for fly rodders and for the plug anglers going to a single pinched barbed treble hook and or hanging a flag off the back of the plug. You know how many poorly handled and dead bass you saw last year so we as a community have to do better. And for the fly anglers please carry a long pair of hemostats with you in case the bass inhales your fly, your fist won't always make it's way down into the fishes gullet to pop the fly. The message is simply to continue to enjoy the resource while protecting the striped bass along the way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRzA31CUa2Qg2p8RKdephueEXd3jtVsfA934lFXQZ7FHjVTURYm3SZ9ULlUzJbuuWge6nW-14X3PXKAc7_ewRhtGZ_IbvDioc1LlgohCBejyXca_O3QJ3Dzqvh2aT2W25BY2RoZOFRLMz_ZOYBpcfoi7eJQKh97n1WuyXUebaV8GtHd68gfYH2hfyFeM/s3100/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2096" data-original-width="3100" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRzA31CUa2Qg2p8RKdephueEXd3jtVsfA934lFXQZ7FHjVTURYm3SZ9ULlUzJbuuWge6nW-14X3PXKAc7_ewRhtGZ_IbvDioc1LlgohCBejyXca_O3QJ3Dzqvh2aT2W25BY2RoZOFRLMz_ZOYBpcfoi7eJQKh97n1WuyXUebaV8GtHd68gfYH2hfyFeM/w640-h432/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Before the meeting I stopped and looked at a few spots on the Raritan Bay. Tomorrow is go-day and I'm sure anglers are chomping at the bit. The Toms River will look like a sardine factory and Graveling Point will have them lined up after midnight. But the Raritan looked good. The water has been 42-44 degrees but dropped a bit with the rain and overnight cooler air temps. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmsftL5fCVQpvPJTK-Ot6IBJTH9Id1aqrXtFJKhCTFBTgTMpxDFuKcznKbidHM3_S7z38dBMHmCiKtdlsA2_VBjogTctjf-WKfes_j1fXyYouY5vGSvMsMNa7kXVYfNCsMF2rUhY9NBPD4ytgaOhlhfrDupMXaB_IPrgL8qZdZS0fjYcfi9gnUW-Hd84/s3100/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="3100" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmsftL5fCVQpvPJTK-Ot6IBJTH9Id1aqrXtFJKhCTFBTgTMpxDFuKcznKbidHM3_S7z38dBMHmCiKtdlsA2_VBjogTctjf-WKfes_j1fXyYouY5vGSvMsMNa7kXVYfNCsMF2rUhY9NBPD4ytgaOhlhfrDupMXaB_IPrgL8qZdZS0fjYcfi9gnUW-Hd84/w640-h320/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The ride to Port Monmouth from Titusville is not an easy one, there's just no straight shot. I like fishing down and around there and last night's drive reminded me how far I am away from the action. Route 29 to 195, to the Turnpike, to 287 to 440, to the Parkway to 35 south- that's a lot of roads. After I left the still-in-progress meeting I stopped to fill up at WaWa. As I sat there I looked down and saw that my</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoCOCuzWnHIuNm0tEnirw0MP_c3KIRxD1PGa_QvoJ0NWCLFUAgZjbhXrYwb9Ud79e64nF6pt-hFdIsv8PejLDAHjPyDeYkLC9JBHGJ0Xmtw_EdsEWcNDyNJ8TpU8Ji3mUl7uqm0W-PAr1ZH1qSmAffglnXo9GUit4hMfQBLNe0TZS4BcnIHZHQnyAtB8/s3100/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1692" data-original-width="3100" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoCOCuzWnHIuNm0tEnirw0MP_c3KIRxD1PGa_QvoJ0NWCLFUAgZjbhXrYwb9Ud79e64nF6pt-hFdIsv8PejLDAHjPyDeYkLC9JBHGJ0Xmtw_EdsEWcNDyNJ8TpU8Ji3mUl7uqm0W-PAr1ZH1qSmAffglnXo9GUit4hMfQBLNe0TZS4BcnIHZHQnyAtB8/w400-h219/022924%20BAYSHFR%20-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> 2004 Jeep Cherokee just crossed the 200,000 mark. That's 20 years old, manufactured when I was 36 years years old. I was just a tot back then, still a Newark fireman, living in Middletown, and just about to be a dad again. So much has happened in those two decades. Being the third owner I am sure this <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIor4C0iEN_CMrjQPvLlsZTTLL9LuRsjRGSs-beAIXYYgD_BfaJ0AM8nA2oM6-PtxpqAxQ1n-LEnOVviobIICyJWbd8y0OBnrXBF-Q3d5E980k0jLBx79uqmhcFXaIyG49CKRnIYEVEvf5LBHoX7fLO5o2Jgy9JkoUP3Ck6h5ABBUaN3wTU9k8apwDtHw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIor4C0iEN_CMrjQPvLlsZTTLL9LuRsjRGSs-beAIXYYgD_BfaJ0AM8nA2oM6-PtxpqAxQ1n-LEnOVviobIICyJWbd8y0OBnrXBF-Q3d5E980k0jLBx79uqmhcFXaIyG49CKRnIYEVEvf5LBHoX7fLO5o2Jgy9JkoUP3Ck6h5ABBUaN3wTU9k8apwDtHw" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Jeep has its own story to tell. It hasn't been an easy ride the last twenty years for both of us, and my own odometer is starting to creep up in numbers. One thing we have in common is both of us have our "Check Engine" lights aglow. I'll have to make sure to take care of both of them if fly fishing for striped bass is going to continue in our future. </p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-65568568766812419752024-02-27T05:24:00.000-05:002024-02-27T05:24:32.188-05:0002.28.24 Oh, there's more this week....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaFJkG8OMDw2C2X_tEeiywf_KQ3E6oHmkgLdgvFBk3k-uiFFogRgdXbdho5UY_0qn7STT0B79xwd45JEQrMjmgPeHeXBtq6Gp1yS1Yab9LLIx2xppNQNGXodD3XxcDrRg_Sb5VXSKlenwAEqhktGg5amWJSnOVoXGGqWqIzrX7KAo_688CBAAIJTXcQA/s1863/Screenshot%202024-02-26%20at%208.01.51%20PM%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="1202" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaFJkG8OMDw2C2X_tEeiywf_KQ3E6oHmkgLdgvFBk3k-uiFFogRgdXbdho5UY_0qn7STT0B79xwd45JEQrMjmgPeHeXBtq6Gp1yS1Yab9LLIx2xppNQNGXodD3XxcDrRg_Sb5VXSKlenwAEqhktGg5amWJSnOVoXGGqWqIzrX7KAo_688CBAAIJTXcQA/w413-h640/Screenshot%202024-02-26%20at%208.01.51%20PM%201.png" width="413" /></a></div><br /> If you need another option to feed your spring fly fishing hunger Orvis Princeton is hosting Anita Coulton of Upper Delaware guide fame. If you've never fished the Upper Delaware, and specifically the West Branch, then join the crew at Orvis Princeton and Anita this Saturday March 2nd from 11am - 1pm. <p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-55210852828351067152024-02-26T04:56:00.002-05:002024-02-27T05:23:50.795-05:0002.26.24 Gonna be a busy week of fly tying and fly fishing....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_z7iBvsPUyUkG12cnUzWADBdb6Z7uDExevXgChOVasfVm4_64Y5CEhTsGyqUKkkOoUXJ-WhULyk-4BhatS00YfXKKT7UpPYQ68-61XEsCOdJXE1stjpZcfHXW1cTORuudx5wbYtNzB28FxSGBH59w_Yl3ciC6IQ6yMJkLDq3zxZuPIavbC1rzMk8-Cjs/s3100/022624%20TAYLOR-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1828" data-original-width="3100" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_z7iBvsPUyUkG12cnUzWADBdb6Z7uDExevXgChOVasfVm4_64Y5CEhTsGyqUKkkOoUXJ-WhULyk-4BhatS00YfXKKT7UpPYQ68-61XEsCOdJXE1stjpZcfHXW1cTORuudx5wbYtNzB28FxSGBH59w_Yl3ciC6IQ6yMJkLDq3zxZuPIavbC1rzMk8-Cjs/w640-h378/022624%20TAYLOR-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Jason Taylor started off what will be for me an action packed week. He was in the bullpen and got a last minute call from the guys at Master's Of The Fly and jumped in and struck out the side. After some Eventbrite/Zoom chaos Jason got underway and tied up a Semper Fleye and 3-D Fleye. I have to say </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96DefZQqA2QyYLCKpcCmWdxxOLeZxH492p3iKONgoNCCXTgOQ8Wd9D-1d-Ry8ukaqQARVLIVlPih6-ptXScdDVa1LWXi63dnCo2OklzDWq52gTAn9ORe574duowoO5NWlpuKXhDstU74EFmYMEEffQu2GKxy8diVqS8ZQ-V5M7c1yRfdZms-D4dQ7stM/s3100/022624%20TAYLOR-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1828" data-original-width="3100" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96DefZQqA2QyYLCKpcCmWdxxOLeZxH492p3iKONgoNCCXTgOQ8Wd9D-1d-Ry8ukaqQARVLIVlPih6-ptXScdDVa1LWXi63dnCo2OklzDWq52gTAn9ORe574duowoO5NWlpuKXhDstU74EFmYMEEffQu2GKxy8diVqS8ZQ-V5M7c1yRfdZms-D4dQ7stM/w400-h236/022624%20TAYLOR-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">if you missed it then you missed a great opportunity to learn how to twist up a simple and effective fly. And what's best is Taylor uses those shitty strung hackles to get it done. I had always thought he was palmering marabou but it's the strung stuff straight out the back and then collars up front for the bulk. Finally I can get to use all that cheap, angled, and twisted up strung hackles I have had for years. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fP65qt9QB4cx6eIw2VpfroB-CfxusCwBXI5zgf2a1SZKxt6DgiaTUF4oNn_VN1SX0u4ghSFlBVbm0zwfgFuBpEw3TO2xeQNvt_CE2NwyfZQMAvvJtt0SwqAwmpZAgxAyRYOlotyXUnrvgCRh82_zbqGs8xs3YPBUMVx0IbFNV44NzYm5dw_U6WjRO2c/s3100/022624%20TAYLOR-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1713" data-original-width="3100" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fP65qt9QB4cx6eIw2VpfroB-CfxusCwBXI5zgf2a1SZKxt6DgiaTUF4oNn_VN1SX0u4ghSFlBVbm0zwfgFuBpEw3TO2xeQNvt_CE2NwyfZQMAvvJtt0SwqAwmpZAgxAyRYOlotyXUnrvgCRh82_zbqGs8xs3YPBUMVx0IbFNV44NzYm5dw_U6WjRO2c/w400-h221/022624%20TAYLOR-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Then he moved to a 3-D Fleye which is a tad more technical, that's because it's tied with the dreaded bucktail. But the 3-D is a series of straight ties from back to front with a little bit of bulk in the middle of the fly. Taylor uses different pics of bucktail depending on where he is tying in, each part of the bucktail has its own characteristics. One part may be good for this type of fly, but not so good for another. If you need a bigger fly, and can't get that Hollow style down, look for a Jason Taylor video on the 3-D. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_hmV6xV_ukdmNG9anLEkrD207IoO9ENAZCkb5r478XYJLmgB6bypstJzyVgynstXQYMv8kw5u6TNITWtIbzwMz0mZYbCZSC4bWMSEXXvNUWApY7TwJnzlcngYQoE8-vMkvH9Rz4EQZRKgm_R8HxXafvaTkDAi7uoJiK6g_xhyl36bi6xF4gXtXZRjyM/s3100/022624%20TAYLOR-9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1802" data-original-width="3100" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_hmV6xV_ukdmNG9anLEkrD207IoO9ENAZCkb5r478XYJLmgB6bypstJzyVgynstXQYMv8kw5u6TNITWtIbzwMz0mZYbCZSC4bWMSEXXvNUWApY7TwJnzlcngYQoE8-vMkvH9Rz4EQZRKgm_R8HxXafvaTkDAi7uoJiK6g_xhyl36bi6xF4gXtXZRjyM/w640-h372/022624%20TAYLOR-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Tuesday night is "Tie For Trenton Pie" at The Shady Rest. It's always a good time and the pizza is beyond fantastic. You can bring a vice and tie up a fly or just come for a Popovic's presentation and <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5-rE7sOm2rQlAJo98uZChdae91v92018pKpsM0p-ayntWq46x6w1iD9NnFRppwkl0Al7NRL9ef2V7zJhIOpSWSyQpV9zWmMxYXf8DQNfCrQayRJKqbHyzC39q09fFNJkzc3QxTobPQD_78xFDuYEfPypKtTiaaVpcTdi8SCFC-JbkwCV6l_3OScxQi0/s1640/032f1ba1-7830-d3a6-7054-6b6c19023185.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1640" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5-rE7sOm2rQlAJo98uZChdae91v92018pKpsM0p-ayntWq46x6w1iD9NnFRppwkl0Al7NRL9ef2V7zJhIOpSWSyQpV9zWmMxYXf8DQNfCrQayRJKqbHyzC39q09fFNJkzc3QxTobPQD_78xFDuYEfPypKtTiaaVpcTdi8SCFC-JbkwCV6l_3OScxQi0/w640-h334/032f1ba1-7830-d3a6-7054-6b6c19023185.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>some pie. On Wednesday I'll be giving a presentation at the Bayshore Saltwater Flyrodders meeting on "The State of the Striped Bass". Check their Facebook page for meeting information. Also this week is <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXxcHU0gsAMvo01ruE0u7-IUI90aVVOHiHgx5PD9sjM3WCnwE8rHZTAqUAR4fs-pB6fRANweU5w5u-eD8A2x-djhV4xMieT_yz9HSPjlvqDVd37Dpn8Tro6dM253pVR6up6NHhfSRI2kMNa4DAjENiOKOFtwCi67E2SD3NeK0KKi-y1UKKbXKeZULKEs/s2423/Screenshot%202024-02-26%20at%204.49.17%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="2423" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXxcHU0gsAMvo01ruE0u7-IUI90aVVOHiHgx5PD9sjM3WCnwE8rHZTAqUAR4fs-pB6fRANweU5w5u-eD8A2x-djhV4xMieT_yz9HSPjlvqDVd37Dpn8Tro6dM253pVR6up6NHhfSRI2kMNa4DAjENiOKOFtwCi67E2SD3NeK0KKi-y1UKKbXKeZULKEs/w640-h360/Screenshot%202024-02-26%20at%204.49.17%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>the last of The Fly Fishing Shows in Lancaster, Pa. Theresa just spent the weekend out there at a retreat and said she'd love to go out there.....mmmmm. And then drum roll please, it's opening day on <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdMPAFTo_qyiLOCEwv0TYeN9GVZ9ZTOoBri7Z85F4oBfB54rpxFHgqI6jyi0X8j3L3zVq5v5fmknpZpAZ_f95LqTQ87Pf581woSv3FapNTj-bF1k4Uez9pVknGxZylOAGjA4EGmRLQdRcQfVvZ0ScRwUFrv0loTwMIE94JK20gV0Gat30Kbq7frIBpInE/s2727/Screenshot%202024-02-26%20at%204.53.06%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1459" data-original-width="2727" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdMPAFTo_qyiLOCEwv0TYeN9GVZ9ZTOoBri7Z85F4oBfB54rpxFHgqI6jyi0X8j3L3zVq5v5fmknpZpAZ_f95LqTQ87Pf581woSv3FapNTj-bF1k4Uez9pVknGxZylOAGjA4EGmRLQdRcQfVvZ0ScRwUFrv0loTwMIE94JK20gV0Gat30Kbq7frIBpInE/w400-h214/Screenshot%202024-02-26%20at%204.53.06%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Friday. If I start the season with a bass on opening day I might just take the rise out there. I have never been and Chuck Furminsky told me last fall that the Lancaster show was his favorite venue. Not a bad week. <p></p></div></div>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-804149432638514972024-02-25T08:35:00.004-05:002024-02-25T17:25:04.787-05:0002.25.24 Found some open water this winter....<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdb2gvt_vgQQsMcUJ5tktVAAARtWhqTKTbrBQ0p4hw-0iK10BPYkMKZRoJEi8jQ2HPA8gPGt3hO_PdpGtfocHshPobUQsu8k-foWVK0V-T0SqC798lvrR9s4l1OmQfzd-EEyuDfgYzqp-caWCaKL0mc0Ael___nOjN7c0IPfflXqUC70ATOdNUsvnSuvw/s3100/022524%20SUSKYH-9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="3100" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdb2gvt_vgQQsMcUJ5tktVAAARtWhqTKTbrBQ0p4hw-0iK10BPYkMKZRoJEi8jQ2HPA8gPGt3hO_PdpGtfocHshPobUQsu8k-foWVK0V-T0SqC798lvrR9s4l1OmQfzd-EEyuDfgYzqp-caWCaKL0mc0Ael___nOjN7c0IPfflXqUC70ATOdNUsvnSuvw/w640-h384/022524%20SUSKYH-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p> With the mild winter we are having this year and the fly fishing shows only partly curbing my Cabin Fever I've been venturing out and about to fish for striped bass before New Jersey's March 1st opener. There's a few things that you have to consider when winter fishing, the most important to me, is how much cold can I tolerate. And the answer is not much. Yes, I've pushed through 20 degree mornings with water temps just about 40 at times but most,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Oj6GRMHrqR7LeXoZUomcXYhEBdd_e0hP5ZcCuwsChXUc4g_nZJ9XiRv4fmmVoMEHhSb9W6LLjpsApbDRt1tj-JrOMlho8tmqpCZaQQV25WWZUy-_umF_iC340g-_YYniVT6LE6qk5P3zBOL-GOSynEDbWTUgccgD5jhJh4FXPwhOQHMmoo2wuv2lWPE/s3100/ASWF77.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="3100" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Oj6GRMHrqR7LeXoZUomcXYhEBdd_e0hP5ZcCuwsChXUc4g_nZJ9XiRv4fmmVoMEHhSb9W6LLjpsApbDRt1tj-JrOMlho8tmqpCZaQQV25WWZUy-_umF_iC340g-_YYniVT6LE6qk5P3zBOL-GOSynEDbWTUgccgD5jhJh4FXPwhOQHMmoo2wuv2lWPE/w400-h180/ASWF77.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>but not all people, will say that as we get older the cold is harder to tolerate. One reason is our bodies just don't insulate ourselves like they used to, even if you're fattish. My hat goes off to those anglers that brave the elements on the Great Lakes tributaries fishing for steelhead, trout, and salmon and those out at sea on the rail fishing for bottom fish. </p><p> If you're not all jacked up physically, and have a bit of a belly, having to bundle up and then be able to secure your stripping basket around your girth, while still giving you some flexibility, can be difficult, and exhausting after an hour or so of casting. Add to that the fact that I don't have, or really can't find, all those warm weather layers that you should wear when fishing. My idea of bundling up is two t-shirts from Good Will, and two pairs of Costco socks. That doesn't really get it done. In the end maybe I'm just a warmer than colder weather fly fisherman. </p><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7kxXWEwblMeN3ENTbUgMDAADti0kLkbHndSH61FftIe90jeA5xJbzTE4qeCkUb1EpNJ9a-F-TT7Fixl2Wg_9V79UADike3aqWiCtoN-shq8ONbgW4eLJSADbmHVS4nFDcsxSRR-qwaWqw1AgLYzU3KVjMXVTM49hyphenhyphen9IcDUNiK_31i3B87qkNbLl30tM/s3100/022524%20SUSKYH-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="3100" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7kxXWEwblMeN3ENTbUgMDAADti0kLkbHndSH61FftIe90jeA5xJbzTE4qeCkUb1EpNJ9a-F-TT7Fixl2Wg_9V79UADike3aqWiCtoN-shq8ONbgW4eLJSADbmHVS4nFDcsxSRR-qwaWqw1AgLYzU3KVjMXVTM49hyphenhyphen9IcDUNiK_31i3B87qkNbLl30tM/w640-h136/022524%20SUSKYH-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"> Like at any other times when striped bass fishing variables like time of day, tides or water levels, and temperature come into play. And probably the biggest factor is how well you know and are dialed into any particular body off the water and the fishes behavior that swim in it. Part of the fun in exploring new waters are learning those X factors, and best when done on your own. Finding your own fish is always better than when someone does all the hard work and lets you in on it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7TuujNgAN3L887Cs5si28ev3K8S3KtKKDCMQVNvKnpi0fq5iFmg28CK3Ljp_yHU2G_H87CISCtuFh7-3VHbhEXQAz4m1hdmfgSMfT3WfIEJPb0gv-fudrdMgxEMOO1soh0KYnC3UnYkcV2XPYCxm0Y8WpVQ9rXvmCqbVHEN0h9I_QMHNemC5Fjvyt0k/s3100/022524%20SUSKYH-46.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1689" data-original-width="3100" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7TuujNgAN3L887Cs5si28ev3K8S3KtKKDCMQVNvKnpi0fq5iFmg28CK3Ljp_yHU2G_H87CISCtuFh7-3VHbhEXQAz4m1hdmfgSMfT3WfIEJPb0gv-fudrdMgxEMOO1soh0KYnC3UnYkcV2XPYCxm0Y8WpVQ9rXvmCqbVHEN0h9I_QMHNemC5Fjvyt0k/w640-h348/022524%20SUSKYH-46.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"> Marc and I made several trips since mid-January. He mostly spin with some fly fishing mixed in. You know I prefer to not fish with spin guys, and probably vice versa. For me, it's because they generally catch more fish in front of me, and for them, fly rodders are just annoying, and can get in the way. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzO60M9L_lVdmXMSkZvtxijVkot-JPXrxpz14qPrv5pLwT_0OuEjSrLgIw0_BADiN01AQLgW1TdsY5W0MhbHvMn25NcqcV8pwSJBlyTqJOykZo_uIEXAyaUpD0iVbQWX_xXAPxKIIAGJMoCMg2X1RJKQ9vqGQMO-Uz3uWkNgeAFEaCMOpt7MbwDk1O2s/s3100/022524%20SUSKYH-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzO60M9L_lVdmXMSkZvtxijVkot-JPXrxpz14qPrv5pLwT_0OuEjSrLgIw0_BADiN01AQLgW1TdsY5W0MhbHvMn25NcqcV8pwSJBlyTqJOykZo_uIEXAyaUpD0iVbQWX_xXAPxKIIAGJMoCMg2X1RJKQ9vqGQMO-Uz3uWkNgeAFEaCMOpt7MbwDk1O2s/w400-h300/022524%20SUSKYH-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"> One thing about this time of year that's fun is it's time to put away those baby flies and hurl some meat into the water. Big baits catch big fish. One thing that's bad about this time of year is that the fish aren't looking up so getting the fly down means you're using sinking lines or weighted flies, which can make for non-picturesque and exhausting casts. Low and slow is the presentation you need. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> During our trips Marc landed one 40 + pound fish taken from a lie that was way out of my range. and while fishing next to a spin guy can be frustrating, it's at times a really good, well, type of fish finder. Load up a bus of fly rodders and put them on a stretch of water and you may never really know what is swimming beneath the surface. Their success shouldn't lead to your frustration. There's times when we get</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4yv6rSBTw-zzLReYOM4dF64wH0SmefBURCwSeo3WqaFyyn5tULBqVR17Bm7mJ5qq3sjbIQpdRjCcfbIlAgTNPicZedNzgX5fGI2cYwDCu2pSUBufFp6dAKcQx026Vh8wVT_VaS0VUNrmwdGSBTlkOWu9jO6laNDEKIsh1aKB4ckfMFlxqyjkbmkKAoo/s3100/022524%20SUSKYH-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4yv6rSBTw-zzLReYOM4dF64wH0SmefBURCwSeo3WqaFyyn5tULBqVR17Bm7mJ5qq3sjbIQpdRjCcfbIlAgTNPicZedNzgX5fGI2cYwDCu2pSUBufFp6dAKcQx026Vh8wVT_VaS0VUNrmwdGSBTlkOWu9jO6laNDEKIsh1aKB4ckfMFlxqyjkbmkKAoo/w640-h480/022524%20SUSKYH-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">them back. Swimming flies behind the rocks in the boulder fields or using micro flies when the bass are on baits like peanut bunker, silversides, and bay anchovies, leaves them frustrated as well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> There was a lot of exploring and walking which at times feels more like hunting than fishing, but for me that's a large part of the fun. Even during the crowd-drawing blitz fishing that occurs in the fall, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLpZVl0s7SYd5HLLzruT75DupPMmjkmci545bmMv9FTNF4KbQJ_cD2PPr-BlC8Qv1vAYhtKEIUad8V8kUa5UxmVofcqhJ8Bo1nu_5dWSHQL9NXarcwkkzNN__qNNEUH1WC7qEy_u2TPj7cREAdt94FXGaEZ5OlluaQVDpNpBw6oB_zAYKltmgrtOb1nI/s3100/022524%20SUSKYH-7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="3100" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLpZVl0s7SYd5HLLzruT75DupPMmjkmci545bmMv9FTNF4KbQJ_cD2PPr-BlC8Qv1vAYhtKEIUad8V8kUa5UxmVofcqhJ8Bo1nu_5dWSHQL9NXarcwkkzNN__qNNEUH1WC7qEy_u2TPj7cREAdt94FXGaEZ5OlluaQVDpNpBw6oB_zAYKltmgrtOb1nI/w640-h406/022524%20SUSKYH-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">there's an element of the hunt that happens, even if most of that is done from your truck or through the eyes of binoculars. But finding new spots or your own fish is always more rewarding, at least for me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1z3lzJiCt7dXhnnnzXSKgdEpjc6Fh5KotxCO-brA1Q2qvkYp9PMSizHul06QOgjmcfYVDknuKscdwjLPZu3UfH39I26oJynEV0WJgbK3c7PShVJ_y3STOzcof_4q-kMvITdcO1pnpm0ThD4bHpg8hSx4GS47dwtEt-zZwuVhQ0wYQXE1dMQhEGSfwMmI/s3100/022524%20SUSKYH-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1855" data-original-width="3100" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1z3lzJiCt7dXhnnnzXSKgdEpjc6Fh5KotxCO-brA1Q2qvkYp9PMSizHul06QOgjmcfYVDknuKscdwjLPZu3UfH39I26oJynEV0WJgbK3c7PShVJ_y3STOzcof_4q-kMvITdcO1pnpm0ThD4bHpg8hSx4GS47dwtEt-zZwuVhQ0wYQXE1dMQhEGSfwMmI/w640-h382/022524%20SUSKYH-8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMnlak5ZQ9XGpzkRqke1z27mPqm6HghGblBV6l_cTj7qgSBT4QPVDzIu_68R96d2Scs4WA6njWPTbhEpOazlTCsYN7iHonfTRFc6JZULxhoFyc3WjVM0_rky4D1jV3WKCrBdp_wJJByxTgXc8S26TGrDVp2yQo3j9qk1P1wV1SKAalo5vcKEKgdGFe3U/s3100/022524%20SUSKYH-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMnlak5ZQ9XGpzkRqke1z27mPqm6HghGblBV6l_cTj7qgSBT4QPVDzIu_68R96d2Scs4WA6njWPTbhEpOazlTCsYN7iHonfTRFc6JZULxhoFyc3WjVM0_rky4D1jV3WKCrBdp_wJJByxTgXc8S26TGrDVp2yQo3j9qk1P1wV1SKAalo5vcKEKgdGFe3U/w320-h240/022524%20SUSKYH-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The cooler water temps and low levels made walking and wading in new waters a touch easier. It can be dangerous exploring new places because if you don't read the water correctly you can find yourself out one step too far. Always have in place your wader belt (I don't), a wading stick, and do it with a buddy in case you get jammed up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I tend to be a creature of habit, and I think most of us as anglers are. We know a spot, have caught fish there, and it becomes a go-to, until you get bored of it or the spot gets blown up. It's easy to be successful, or increases your chances, of catching when you revisit old haunts. And, if the bait, birds, or bass are showing themselves then it makes it more the easier. Below is the scene from one of the early morning outings. Nothing showing, kind of "boring" water, but it's a place where the fish are, and some good fish to boot. If you don't go then you won't know. While I haven't brought a fish to hand, or had a hit yet, when it does come the feelings of success will have made it all worth it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzjFFLxmJWl7Rgklct0l-Sqoj1GS8sOwkSsy5_Uhee86PnUXwSkpT2VkV1991jdpKohb_FUUDtcehkwZ2YXM2K2Uh2GOErMDyqKtkSnbCL8anS-XWhUeG8VMaw1nh_7Vbb4zl5aBHX5RFHMBEZJ-Teqv0nlsciWmH4TIiliBHp6aikIaVpInJKKLp9lQ/s3100/022524%20SUSKYH-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2010" data-original-width="3100" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzjFFLxmJWl7Rgklct0l-Sqoj1GS8sOwkSsy5_Uhee86PnUXwSkpT2VkV1991jdpKohb_FUUDtcehkwZ2YXM2K2Uh2GOErMDyqKtkSnbCL8anS-XWhUeG8VMaw1nh_7Vbb4zl5aBHX5RFHMBEZJ-Teqv0nlsciWmH4TIiliBHp6aikIaVpInJKKLp9lQ/w640-h414/022524%20SUSKYH-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> And tonight don't miss Jason Taylor on Master's of The Fly. If you haven't met Jason or listened into one of his presentation's or podcasts you'll be glad you did. Jason is just a master, no pun intended, at </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjs0as9UDif2RNTkMc_fjvSgwyG3w1t7djdgSXu9ygHe0notFijxBKP5oQdVI8aAbiccEj_ECQQHnhcVVzaAEq2yT5E6cqVTlu6ZVTolOPg_iVqfQ6sXppF0Z-bqqesBUSoFG9rxn8tRuQ4PmMsj5G__wh_Dg7F2El4WGp6NiRgJUYS1O-Mgu_7p9T56O4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1338" data-original-width="1136" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjs0as9UDif2RNTkMc_fjvSgwyG3w1t7djdgSXu9ygHe0notFijxBKP5oQdVI8aAbiccEj_ECQQHnhcVVzaAEq2yT5E6cqVTlu6ZVTolOPg_iVqfQ6sXppF0Z-bqqesBUSoFG9rxn8tRuQ4PmMsj5G__wh_Dg7F2El4WGp6NiRgJUYS1O-Mgu_7p9T56O4=w340-h400" width="340" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Keep It Simple Stupid, fly tying. Now he makes it all look simple, and for you it might be challenging, but he breaks down the materials and techniques to shorten your learning curve. Some of his flies are just a few turns of properly chosen and placed materials. Others, are more advanced, and just nice to look at. If you want to up your game, and tie flies other than Beast Fleyes, only because they are such a niche' fly, then this event will serve you well, and help you fill your fly box. Check it out, it starts at 8pm and usually goes an hour or so. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-75392579755510449402024-02-23T09:36:00.005-05:002024-02-23T11:20:32.338-05:0002.23.24 What does "closed" really mean?. It all depends...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nL6SjI5qdTrRuIJT8LzrSL4ZTrBfct17Qm1A7kTnExzvHpEmzH5J578X9fqqmBF2y2k1eW9SyOmMlzaeLngGyhOamuxhzkzHOz6jB1KX-0oVUuD_GDXlIev5sqVWJrbAdWpQ1pOdJY9IkZUxlOtJefJ0dm6nkyQ_dyJ3oMpzP6Qb2eFTMQyBr39RxHU/s1159/Screenshot%202024-02-23%20at%209.39.57%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="837" data-original-width="1159" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nL6SjI5qdTrRuIJT8LzrSL4ZTrBfct17Qm1A7kTnExzvHpEmzH5J578X9fqqmBF2y2k1eW9SyOmMlzaeLngGyhOamuxhzkzHOz6jB1KX-0oVUuD_GDXlIev5sqVWJrbAdWpQ1pOdJY9IkZUxlOtJefJ0dm6nkyQ_dyJ3oMpzP6Qb2eFTMQyBr39RxHU/w640-h462/Screenshot%202024-02-23%20at%209.39.57%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I received some intel from Staten Island fly, spin and bait fisherman, boat builder, plug maker, and rod builder Marco Parrino after yesterday's post about New York's closed striped bass season. He let me know that, yes, while the season for striped bass is closed until April 15th, there is a "clause" stating that anglers can target striped bass during the closed season if they catch and release fishes that are caught. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqG5aNRirprwSP-k4iXu6vGIlbNISGD5dwhYy_6fpqSwvc8BiHHG2s55iPhEixGwD8kLj28KcOmVykGE9LK35leDSFTXVY_LDdhovDrmw55bfImCqK1X0gImz9_YhoUKn6QWQx2etFdsrWD6VDSjz2NLyUca-4mB08G5J_wfVmWhMLVb_HMSBvkq_Gyo/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="3100" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqG5aNRirprwSP-k4iXu6vGIlbNISGD5dwhYy_6fpqSwvc8BiHHG2s55iPhEixGwD8kLj28KcOmVykGE9LK35leDSFTXVY_LDdhovDrmw55bfImCqK1X0gImz9_YhoUKn6QWQx2etFdsrWD6VDSjz2NLyUca-4mB08G5J_wfVmWhMLVb_HMSBvkq_Gyo/w640-h218/022324%20CATCHR-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> There is a difference between what is allowed or tolerated and what is the law. That not only protects the striped bass, or not, but it protects the angler as well. Things that are put down in writing, because they are the law, definitely help the anglers navigate between right and wrong. Regardless of what you think, or I think, about the rules and regulations, anglers playing within them, have the right to know the laws, and what will or will not be enforced. That goes from how and when they can fish to if they can harvest a fish if they so choose. Things like the use of circle hooks when using bait, live or dead, became law and are found in the individual states fishing guides. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> New York clearly, well it's kind of hidden deep down in the actual regulations in 6 CRR-NY 40.1 (g) 3, states that "During the closed recreational season for striped bass, catch and release fishing by angling only</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkS_TfuF_FPMkrrGgam_P63chLfe323GYqsvvwAEOrw_RNcW-ya80Sqw_EHuvgczMzgn96f9yorlYe67TD-FFpkye3rIF1np4GDl5OGDNvXkEGeTkCphtd5BV8YpTb2RCnE_Y7iH6fIFKplMBofWQPoMc-mBeJNRNr2xsnHUfrYz1qIOVCxEX2EuB1Brw/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="3100" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkS_TfuF_FPMkrrGgam_P63chLfe323GYqsvvwAEOrw_RNcW-ya80Sqw_EHuvgczMzgn96f9yorlYe67TD-FFpkye3rIF1np4GDl5OGDNvXkEGeTkCphtd5BV8YpTb2RCnE_Y7iH6fIFKplMBofWQPoMc-mBeJNRNr2xsnHUfrYz1qIOVCxEX2EuB1Brw/w640-h160/022324%20CATCHR-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">is permitted". I point that out not to call out or inform those that fish on the waters or on the beaches of New York but as kind of a kudos to New York for putting it down in writing. It makes it more transparent, enforceable, and informative for those that aren't in the know, who want to know, or are poaching striped bass out of season. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> On The Water magazine is a great resource and read for anglers up and down the East Coast. Recently I saw their weekly fishing report for New Jersey. I was surprised that both the Hook House </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQ1yTNGgxdE0zNWWN38j_gI4uPAfjL3n1oM9Q1kUnseTuERI-funDayXa7XgbMf3f43THThV_yAAblqDOoqCzc12ZG34ksJFinX3nPvoZzuMHRSTS-k6Olqy-4wnfMTr-3SV48vFWmkzB448VG2NR7P5jLBlaxF_5UvrknCMRQG6Ab0FOt_EpjpCfWsM/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="1837" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQ1yTNGgxdE0zNWWN38j_gI4uPAfjL3n1oM9Q1kUnseTuERI-funDayXa7XgbMf3f43THThV_yAAblqDOoqCzc12ZG34ksJFinX3nPvoZzuMHRSTS-k6Olqy-4wnfMTr-3SV48vFWmkzB448VG2NR7P5jLBlaxF_5UvrknCMRQG6Ab0FOt_EpjpCfWsM/w238-h400/022324%20CATCHR-1.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and Grumpy's Bait and Tackle both reported on recent activities by New Jerseys Fish and Wildlife game wardens. That must mean it's not just a one and done thing but something that occurs often enough that there has to be eyes on it and enforcement needs to happen. I looked at the NJ DEC's website and social media pages but they currently reporting more about hunting violations than fishing. In the report it says, "The hottest action taking placer is the ticket writing by fish and game wardens for striped bass being caught out of season". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> These days we know, or might assume, that there are more striped bass wintering over in New Jersey's back bays and rivers than before. While the warm water discharges at places like the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Plant and PSEG's Coal Generating Plant's along the Delaware and Hackensack Rivers used to be a place where striped bass could tolerate the long and cold winters they are now closed. But milder winters and warmer climates in Jersey waters have striped bass sticking it out and waiting for spring. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Many anglers keep at it through the winter. White perch, winter flounder, and I think tog, are species that have open seasons and are good tablet fare. Tiny nibbles that they use for bait also attract striped bass looking for a mid-winters snack. Undoubtedly, anglers catch those out-of-season striped bass, and when they do they have to be returned to the water. No harm and no foul. Unless you're up to nefarious fishing, and decide to poach them. Then you're looking for trouble. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> From my research I found that New Jersey's back bays and rivers have been closed to striped bass fishing since 1953. This isn't like New York, there is no "clause", the season to target them is closed. Shut down. You can't. It's illegal. Period. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I'm not going to get into the ASMFC again here. But basically they "manage" the striped bass (east) coast wide. They look at the data from things like The SSB (Spawning Striped Bass Biomass), YOY recruitment results (From Hudson, Delaware, Chesapeake, and it's spawning tributaries, Albermarle/Roanoke waters, and a touch at the Kennebec River up north), and NOAA's MRIP (Marine Recreational Marine Program) surveys. They then set quotas and charge the individual states to manage themselves. Since it's Easter I'll liken it to the story of Pontius Pilot, Herod, and Jesus. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZK1jbhWhcRTkax5gSnNkIlhQuTCXoCcsdd4CpXfBtetlyzqzEU00EPyBuBHbm4HOK1D9cIiSjrizYDTbGV7jfjY70trXbFWnu1hNDQITkiJJMcttf_EdAdNnyFZ6ggD14Qmur6RmZ8wVIkmW6NElgySQ5s1q5qoop6qbpWbJRnac_JoE1_WK_VLmxbN4/s640/Ecce_homo_by_Antonio_Ciseri_(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="640" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZK1jbhWhcRTkax5gSnNkIlhQuTCXoCcsdd4CpXfBtetlyzqzEU00EPyBuBHbm4HOK1D9cIiSjrizYDTbGV7jfjY70trXbFWnu1hNDQITkiJJMcttf_EdAdNnyFZ6ggD14Qmur6RmZ8wVIkmW6NElgySQ5s1q5qoop6qbpWbJRnac_JoE1_WK_VLmxbN4/w400-h308/Ecce_homo_by_Antonio_Ciseri_(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Simply, Jesus went in front of Pontius Pilate, who balked at making a decision about what to do with Jesus's "blasphemous" declarations that He was the Son of God. P.P. sent him to King Herod who sent him back to Pilate, who, with his hands tied, asked the crowd what to do with him. And we all know what happened, the crowd yelled, "Crucify Him!", and the rest is history. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> So these states manage their own waters, even though the waters are border waters between two or more neighboring states. Regulations are set to satiate the ASMFC's "numbers" when it comes to managing the fishery, in both the commercial and recreational sectors. In the end, what one state does may be markedly different from their neighbor. And that's just confusing to anglers, and probably the striped bass, and in the end, just stupid. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Recently I've touched about the border waters like in the Raritan (NY & NJ), the Delaware Bay and River (NJ & PA & De) and the Chesapeake (Md. & De & Va). Same waters, different states lines, all with different regulations. A fish on this side off the line is good, while those swimming or hunkered down on the other side of the line are fair game. But let's not talk about harvesting while angling, how about just plain old having fun catching and releasing. (with big hooks, pinch barbs, no belly hooks, barbless flies)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> New Jersey's season for striped bass opens up "out back" in the bays and rivers March 1st through December 31st. That's for all waters except for the Delaware River. There, it open March 1st, but closes 31 days later on April 1. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbxYN7HY1pf2TWYZb3AmJXD7uLup14JWBsWIIOhvp0RjmWIjLp2M-ofVSl1xIC84HMaesvWx9wcsuLZmY67vy8V-_-PGy6YNvd2tBkGu9orhqdN_tMFhEjPN6wYcond9Y6eelkefaQJRbe1l6dpG5x4Gtu8PBJqc83ues0R8pUZVKw__FTNrxEZjCtjY/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="3100" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbxYN7HY1pf2TWYZb3AmJXD7uLup14JWBsWIIOhvp0RjmWIjLp2M-ofVSl1xIC84HMaesvWx9wcsuLZmY67vy8V-_-PGy6YNvd2tBkGu9orhqdN_tMFhEjPN6wYcond9Y6eelkefaQJRbe1l6dpG5x4Gtu8PBJqc83ues0R8pUZVKw__FTNrxEZjCtjY/w640-h84/022324%20CATCHR-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is then closed for two months, April 1 through May 31st. One thing that NJ, De., and Pa agree on is that spawning season for striped bass in the Delaware Bay and River is during those two months. That's </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NcCzyXJucdqE8BhhuAbq-JyV4fBUUoiz-LATEZ_94_QOoXYAqec0DkeBmND6fXzX7NuNfvEk0sOsxQqs3xNjgn3ITG0bvNDXgvyb3zYaVC1TqSpn-GQ9jBWtFZDJgVGP54Z4gDqMfBzTujiGG_Nw3Re-D-FwO1QdkjR046mW169Pbeo0jZcNzfPKBss/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="3100" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NcCzyXJucdqE8BhhuAbq-JyV4fBUUoiz-LATEZ_94_QOoXYAqec0DkeBmND6fXzX7NuNfvEk0sOsxQqs3xNjgn3ITG0bvNDXgvyb3zYaVC1TqSpn-GQ9jBWtFZDJgVGP54Z4gDqMfBzTujiGG_Nw3Re-D-FwO1QdkjR046mW169Pbeo0jZcNzfPKBss/w640-h264/022324%20CATCHR-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">why I recently questioned about having a tournament on the river in early April. But, it's legal I guess, and we can't judge or impose our beliefs on what others do during a legal season. But forget all that. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLdSpM4WsPSzCDeVoL_cvoLObR3w3zj8Oyw_SmDpiOmxTh5DY0703jttFr2p0h9uTo6lXB_MXAjFbFCXpLWzmTpVw3sK5GTA-DApcEZX_pq3D4ogVEytAOBnx1dqEdpiHshaAJmQDot4Tm-fZgAUed7aDCBkcEewihAY4ezop0V2CD2Byr-OYgu4e6qw/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="3100" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLdSpM4WsPSzCDeVoL_cvoLObR3w3zj8Oyw_SmDpiOmxTh5DY0703jttFr2p0h9uTo6lXB_MXAjFbFCXpLWzmTpVw3sK5GTA-DApcEZX_pq3D4ogVEytAOBnx1dqEdpiHshaAJmQDot4Tm-fZgAUed7aDCBkcEewihAY4ezop0V2CD2Byr-OYgu4e6qw/w640-h114/022324%20CATCHR-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> NJ and Pa. have picked the Calhoun Street Bridge (Between Trenton and Morrisville) as the cut-off between spawning and non-spawning waters on the Delaware River and have each set their own regulations accordingly. Above is from the NJ Fishing Digest and below is from Pennsylvania's. Same water, different rules. Just a few hundred feet apart. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmfS3uWX7oxVDbJqYWPPKRNC50P65g24UpwzI72ul1B7l0UxPZqjuqm-i8iMWeF0K4o2ooraU3r1FVMl1XTSUgLjZoNlzmlfqwFGZ_vKmhd9Y7e9DckDKjGA5U8JXkiVCgIDNsyA35MQ245ovhIsMI7nIhfqNJbUCQhSv3hcCHEDwOffQAawc41nFSViw/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="3100" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmfS3uWX7oxVDbJqYWPPKRNC50P65g24UpwzI72ul1B7l0UxPZqjuqm-i8iMWeF0K4o2ooraU3r1FVMl1XTSUgLjZoNlzmlfqwFGZ_vKmhd9Y7e9DckDKjGA5U8JXkiVCgIDNsyA35MQ245ovhIsMI7nIhfqNJbUCQhSv3hcCHEDwOffQAawc41nFSViw/w640-h210/022324%20CATCHR-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> While, at this point, the NJ and Pa. Digest's are out in publication the Delaware Digest, at least on-line, encourages anglers to check, well "refer" to the electronic versions as the regulations are updated and TBD (To Be Determined), due to the ebb and flow of the changing laws. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTL8f4UYcDvuQdtQrMhtmu8j7ajmSCea6cc1gMG32fQ1a6RqPHsm01x507n2_tSWh-UHvMvZbcF9oPAIlQ9ispOh27PfYrVct34TobunGk7qGbF0EX_i5t84gmz4VOokjTCzBgerWaahb93VCApZZwIZ-5IVOoHAKxsRwV35dqwvydVRWMrWFh1DMPz8/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="3100" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTL8f4UYcDvuQdtQrMhtmu8j7ajmSCea6cc1gMG32fQ1a6RqPHsm01x507n2_tSWh-UHvMvZbcF9oPAIlQ9ispOh27PfYrVct34TobunGk7qGbF0EX_i5t84gmz4VOokjTCzBgerWaahb93VCApZZwIZ-5IVOoHAKxsRwV35dqwvydVRWMrWFh1DMPz8/w640-h74/022324%20CATCHR-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> There are only a few states that mention "Catch & Release" fishing for striped bass. New York does (above at the top), Delaware does, kinda, and so does Maryland. Let's hit Maryland first. Now let me say this for those anglers fishing in and around the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries...good luck! That's a big body of water with a ton of regulations that you have to be in the know about, or else. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74Q8XR5qxN6VetG1V-AGSZllf-UqyhENmdashaVpSm68H9YXku3oGdIl-dqNE7J72LXzPFQHgoHwffH7ZmGqTWdzELzsyllOhXbzJh6l9ralQ3nUDBOa7G-4sRJJQtzBh1dXjFbM51ptsfpdI_2njwwDVCyAsBsObe_0t20yzzTX0o1IOXYUlXLNXFjs/s2634/Screenshot%202024-02-23%20at%207.50.38%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="2634" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74Q8XR5qxN6VetG1V-AGSZllf-UqyhENmdashaVpSm68H9YXku3oGdIl-dqNE7J72LXzPFQHgoHwffH7ZmGqTWdzELzsyllOhXbzJh6l9ralQ3nUDBOa7G-4sRJJQtzBh1dXjFbM51ptsfpdI_2njwwDVCyAsBsObe_0t20yzzTX0o1IOXYUlXLNXFjs/w640-h310/Screenshot%202024-02-23%20at%207.50.38%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Just a peek above shows that Chesapeake Bay waters are open for "Catch and Release Only" from Jan.1 through Feb. 29. If you want to fish the Susky Flats or Lower River or the Northeast River you'll have to find and check those regulations to be in compliance and legal. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70JKyL6hQFTyQJlrMW3zhfAogF9-3nEGTiOC_wqi8Sb3sIass4pCZzJmZSa8wa3qRqqFBLSfcpppAJbgQbCUouLxKB8RHhni2cISa2khnJF6nVFLnrTmzArzZLZVCoTqHqsQiRWkS0tjINbs36IXQkRPmpTD7E3qTAiBO3KrqHyDErMt9fx1rhr-gtq0/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="3100" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70JKyL6hQFTyQJlrMW3zhfAogF9-3nEGTiOC_wqi8Sb3sIass4pCZzJmZSa8wa3qRqqFBLSfcpppAJbgQbCUouLxKB8RHhni2cISa2khnJF6nVFLnrTmzArzZLZVCoTqHqsQiRWkS0tjINbs36IXQkRPmpTD7E3qTAiBO3KrqHyDErMt9fx1rhr-gtq0/w640-h210/022324%20CATCHR-8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Now back to Delaware, above. In their fish digest, under Striped Bass Spawning Season, they clearly state, "Catch and release only during this season, no harvest is allowed". I went deep into the Delaware regulations, not the fishing digest, and couldn't find the statute, or law, that lays that out. I don't mean</div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbz8IKBPcsGqguo-cwaaYtGicpKom8riLsOnELm_c9ICcqxVFfcY3we9jph9C3lQP0ULYUOuyYbEOX_xYgwy-pzDx5cGmCeAz8nXKSUj_ob92Oqa5Ricmg1nLTQiZlQaHTOMzuhLkANSG000rnn5wTJqhJRHjc701AoD86crhE_loAHOPYwV83WuRCLw/s3100/022324%20CATCHR-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2088" data-original-width="3100" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbz8IKBPcsGqguo-cwaaYtGicpKom8riLsOnELm_c9ICcqxVFfcY3we9jph9C3lQP0ULYUOuyYbEOX_xYgwy-pzDx5cGmCeAz8nXKSUj_ob92Oqa5Ricmg1nLTQiZlQaHTOMzuhLkANSG000rnn5wTJqhJRHjc701AoD86crhE_loAHOPYwV83WuRCLw/w640-h432/022324%20CATCHR-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">it doesn't exist, I just couldn't find it. And that's part of the problem. If a warden writes you a ticket he doesn't refer to page 17 of the state's fishing digest, he pulls out things like say, 7 DEC C. s936 (b) (2).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRoI3XDa1IR4e7TH-hhhWOCgLjluitj5v7ff2PjkNwWVUBzAUyn8c6YdOznHKjfPXcETTELwwLZEarv2SAFJGoj6A5YjvnFxvbxVTu8MITBUy-iBsQ6ktGq3y5-GUO-oOlltTDBmHe3_mBGys-xmwSoZBze8sdrmFynUjziLWqlTCI_ZIV2JhhDssAUs/s3606/Screenshot%202024-02-23%20at%208.08.41%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="3606" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRoI3XDa1IR4e7TH-hhhWOCgLjluitj5v7ff2PjkNwWVUBzAUyn8c6YdOznHKjfPXcETTELwwLZEarv2SAFJGoj6A5YjvnFxvbxVTu8MITBUy-iBsQ6ktGq3y5-GUO-oOlltTDBmHe3_mBGys-xmwSoZBze8sdrmFynUjziLWqlTCI_ZIV2JhhDssAUs/w640-h252/Screenshot%202024-02-23%20at%208.08.41%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I dug into the NJ Fish and Wildlife Statutes looking for Delaware River specific violations. If there is a closed season for striped bass from April 1st through May 31st, with no mention of permitted catch and release, surely it must be there somewhere in writing. Above is what I found. Now, they may be able to cite you a general fishing out of season statute if they so choose, but that's something you won't know until the law is standing there with you near the water looking like you just ate the last cookie.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I've talked with anglers who have fished the Delaware River for years, for like decades, and other's who've fished waters in New Jersey that are "closed" and I get different takes. "It's not closed, you just can't take them". "I'm friends with the wardens and they don't care as long as you put them back". That's not the way it should be. I have contacted folks from the NJ F & W looking for that clarification and the responses are spotty at best, and that's not good. Basically, according to the regulations, New Jersey is closed from April 1st - May 31st on the Jersey side of the Delaware River from Trenton down to the Salem River. On any given nice day along that stretch you'll find 10's if not a 100 anglers soaking, throwing, or tossing bait, plugs and flies for striped bass all under the watchful eye of NJ's game wardens, who, really, are looking for anglers who are illegally taking striped bass. If they were there to enforce the closed season their paddy wagons would be full of anglers clutching their gear. But anglers shouldn't feel like they are "fishing dirty" if they are catching and releasing, which, according to the regulations, is breaking the law, at least on the Jersey side, while Pa and De. is wide open. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> So why don't I just shut up already, right? I think the big picture here is this. The ASMFC has to manage striped bass on a coast-wide basis, some way and some how. Border waters should have the same regulations. In some cases you have a closed season on one side of a river and a 21-24" slot on the other, which is about 150 feet away, at the same time. If we are going to protect spawning striped bass then either, shut it down altogether, or clearly and concisely, and visibly make anglers know that this is how it is. You can enjoy fishing, you have to practice catch and release, and if you don't there are consequences, like ones that hurt. Don't let it be up to the discretion of the game warden who's working this day and the "soft" closed season law that's been around forever. He might just run into the angler who's just throwing a rod for whatever bites. If he doesn't have dad fish on a stringer he could always say he's targeting bluefish. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"> And lastly, let's look at Connecticut. A state with no spawning strain of striped bass and no natal rivers, at least historically. Maybe they have it right? It's a statewide open season all year long with one fish within the ASMFC's emergency action slot of 28 - 31 inches. It's right there in print. Easy peasy. Done deal. Simple. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxSK4OjfAst2j6c3emanDy2Kp3FUNTRb7wux9HmBu9yju9GNRp9loiOkU1qDmDc17jKUXF-S2yQ7z7bRf4nLnx-uIO_0Pl040z7nYZQc-C5Wi8exYYE_ohJLvDSFIB1Vx1ADgAMhS2EvtbUdDzt-f5ilLJpLgaGkI83ITEEaur37pLM7RQc2orY4FTfA/s3868/Screenshot%202024-02-23%20at%206.56.03%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1641" data-original-width="3868" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxSK4OjfAst2j6c3emanDy2Kp3FUNTRb7wux9HmBu9yju9GNRp9loiOkU1qDmDc17jKUXF-S2yQ7z7bRf4nLnx-uIO_0Pl040z7nYZQc-C5Wi8exYYE_ohJLvDSFIB1Vx1ADgAMhS2EvtbUdDzt-f5ilLJpLgaGkI83ITEEaur37pLM7RQc2orY4FTfA/w640-h272/Screenshot%202024-02-23%20at%206.56.03%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> One thing I think is is that some people love chaos. Some people don't really like things to be easy. Things that are easy can be measured and handled. I think a large part of fisheries management likes things difficult and not easy. There are so many moving parts and the chaos helps it difficult to manage and be held accountable. Some say the science and data is flawed. Others blame the other side (comm vs rec). Rarely do we look within ourselves and admit that changes need to be made on a personal level. We all have to get together on this to do better. The border states can help by maybe coming together to manage those border waters better, even if that means that there has to be sacrifices in seasonal lengths, closures, or a quotas shift in other areas of the states waters that they manage. </div></div><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-37562210826374233092024-02-22T07:24:00.013-05:002024-02-22T08:30:06.476-05:0002.22.24 Are the different early season openings good for striped bass?...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02v_mVz5h9sHCJLz5IRemZDhi4QmdBJA0_WY8hhpcAreR5QGIO2NO8U7LLN3kNnpuD4lHOwHiK6SaSLt2HgUNatAi86fEwgF4xFbf-3GlfPQ1m6-NK_RVUNWJQgJrmpDv45Fs9bv5UXHYUsrH710hpLpuz_lfN_G7nhmHwKT3n1pX9ZPQ1g0EZUqoGKw/s2183/Screenshot%202024-02-22%20at%205.50.41%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="2183" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02v_mVz5h9sHCJLz5IRemZDhi4QmdBJA0_WY8hhpcAreR5QGIO2NO8U7LLN3kNnpuD4lHOwHiK6SaSLt2HgUNatAi86fEwgF4xFbf-3GlfPQ1m6-NK_RVUNWJQgJrmpDv45Fs9bv5UXHYUsrH710hpLpuz_lfN_G7nhmHwKT3n1pX9ZPQ1g0EZUqoGKw/w640-h316/Screenshot%202024-02-22%20at%205.50.41%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I've always wondered if split seasons on the same body of water are good for the targeted species, like say striped bass, and even for the angler. I touched on this recently regarding the differences in the regulations between Delaware and New Jersey in the Delaware Bay. Soon March 1st will arrive and the shit-show on the Raritan Bay will begin. While there was talk of having some seasonal closures to protect the striped bass came up in various ASMFC discussions the idea was tabled for later discussion. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> So, with all things changing in regards to fishing for striped bass over the last few years, things like climate "changes", an excess of different forage baits, and adaptations made by the striped bass, we have seen crazy-stupid spring fishing in the Raritan Bay. Before the Emergency Action was put into place harvesting these staging pre-spawn bass in the bathtub that is the Raritan Bay was not good, I would say, over fishing in that body of water, was occurring. And what fish aren't caught and harvested and or caught and released, the constant angling pressure, outside of a bad weather day, isn't good on the fish as well. They are plugged, trolled, flied, chummed and live baited, not all day every day, but just about all day every day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> In New Jersey and New York, outside of the Delaware River striped bass seasons and regulations, the seasons are different, even on the same waters. To be in compliance you have to abide by the rules if you fish in one state's waters but return to another. New Jersey opens up the bays and rivers March 1st, just a day over a week away. Anglers are getting ready, and a lot are getting the boats ready. The charter operations have been ramping up their social media posts advertising for Raritan Bay trips over the last </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgYXLWdW_g9DbJkLaGz30Y036VewTH9sOyIGMGuiBeC6VHK8fFKVFHwnZATgzaYuVjsSduy8Ilhh95gmdbCHTebIjaZekFxkI3ufMwVioa7OtDYr53Z8qSVv2KwPJPKmfSd6L0e6_hmR73z6QL6F1qIBvt3y8GW306voLVdxvH0WlBQNDGSLFbZBiwpY/s1123/IMG_6648.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="1123" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgYXLWdW_g9DbJkLaGz30Y036VewTH9sOyIGMGuiBeC6VHK8fFKVFHwnZATgzaYuVjsSduy8Ilhh95gmdbCHTebIjaZekFxkI3ufMwVioa7OtDYr53Z8qSVv2KwPJPKmfSd6L0e6_hmR73z6QL6F1qIBvt3y8GW306voLVdxvH0WlBQNDGSLFbZBiwpY/w400-h131/IMG_6648.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">few weeks. And let's be honest, these are all not operations that are in "business" to feed a family, although some are. Many are casual weekend six-packers that do it on the side to cover the costs of the boat and fuel, and maybe a little extra for some gear and beer. To each his own, but they all get thrown into the same conversation. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Now the open season for striped bass in New York, and in New York waters, opens on April 15th. That's 45 days later than New Jersey. Same pool, different rules. The Raritan Bay is only 108 square miles. So to be simple, let's say half of that is closed for the first 45 days. The amount of boat traffic and fishing pressure into, onto, whatever on the Jersey side has been, is, and will be, well, you know, ridiculous, especially on those later in the week days and weekends. And on nice days, well forget it. You can say, "We're not following the fleet", and "We find our own fish", well, there's not much space to do that in the first 45 days. Couple that with where the fish really are, and I won't say where, but let's say things stay tight as they wake from a winter's nap. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCTcUURKQ8Y1dW3R4bMpwl-u2_xu85oK8GeBxYSZoApY9ZfMY58Md4NtPc82bz4pcpeWkfHfDgS0qPWShg3MBhrp_esFah2bb-y9azT_oyOUScKQ5CPXmiXxZFLEzAN_1UapcRO6TEvAWuV-oRTeDwNiLq6kYwbbG5epVWtswrHnYzTrPumFIVMIpvPs/s2540/Screenshot%202024-02-22%20at%206.21.22%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="2540" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCTcUURKQ8Y1dW3R4bMpwl-u2_xu85oK8GeBxYSZoApY9ZfMY58Md4NtPc82bz4pcpeWkfHfDgS0qPWShg3MBhrp_esFah2bb-y9azT_oyOUScKQ5CPXmiXxZFLEzAN_1UapcRO6TEvAWuV-oRTeDwNiLq6kYwbbG5epVWtswrHnYzTrPumFIVMIpvPs/w640-h444/Screenshot%202024-02-22%20at%206.21.22%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p> Before the New York opens on April 15th, and the fleet spreads out, the Jersey side will see an incredible amount of boat traffic coming from ports south, north, east and west. The Belmar, Manasquan, Brooklyn, Atlantic Highlands head boats will be on the hunt. Smaller six-pack charters will descend from New York and New Jersey's docks and boat ramps. They'll be kayakers and every type of watercraft (I'll be in there at some point) drifting around with super duper electronics lit up looking for those bass. Generally, we don't see that crazy and consistent bird action like we do in the fall, but there can be a decent top water bite, so screen fishing, and following the fleet, is part of the ticket to early season success. </p> Fishing legal is fishing legal. Period. It's like an open hunting season. So good-bye Bambi. But I think we need to use some common sense when targeting striped bass. It isn't good that New Jersey has the best fishing on the East Coast these days. Anglers get their blinders on when see all these fish in the spring and the fall. It would be better if these fish "chose" to spread out a bit. It would spread out the pressure. It would give anglers a wider range in order to catch them rather than running, or gunning, to the Raritan Bay and Jersey's beaches in the spring and fall. Targeting and catching basically the same fish every day. <p></p><p> I hope as anglers look at the bigger picture and realize that these fish are worth far more alive than dead they learn, or change their ways a bit, to enjoy the resource, and yes, even "take one for the table". Going out and limiting out "On our legal limit", shouldn't include taking fish for the Captain and mate, but I guess that's legal as well, and just my opinion. Having the cooler filled in the first 90 minutes of a four or six hour charter shouldn't mean , but it's legal, that it's okay to go and catch another 50 fish that you "safely" release. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWGgax6iDzNWGAhNpIsblfQZV8U2troJ6AevqrWAEQZ5rq_r44dKRnjpyui1DP34K6z6DP2OkM4-B6n4A-gIG5Ou2ZDd_wyhheXJWk58H7uUbhoNUyEm0uuad4Isa7KTR0axfg1NUAOljQhZ7oHWMNV6KfhtcpNlADZFbFx2Vh8s3mhLVUIoiahETkiU/s1492/IMG_6576.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="956" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWGgax6iDzNWGAhNpIsblfQZV8U2troJ6AevqrWAEQZ5rq_r44dKRnjpyui1DP34K6z6DP2OkM4-B6n4A-gIG5Ou2ZDd_wyhheXJWk58H7uUbhoNUyEm0uuad4Isa7KTR0axfg1NUAOljQhZ7oHWMNV6KfhtcpNlADZFbFx2Vh8s3mhLVUIoiahETkiU/w256-h400/IMG_6576.PNG" width="256" /></a></div><p> If you're going to "play" with them maybe it would be good, or even fun, to challenge yourself a bit. If you're catching them with live bunker and it's like fishing in a bathtub, then maybe go and try, and work harder, to get them on top water. If it's stupid rubber shad or drop and reel spoon fishing then go to another method where it may be harder, and, where you may not catch them at all. It's called fishing and not catching. And after you have ripped off their lips or put that big hole in it, and removed their eyes, well it's usually a plug's belly or tail treble hook that catches and yanks out one eye, or send them back bleeding, maybe you'll remove</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh7uHBMi9ITQXBMGqzuISvwj76KVfx-sL_3JUqxYy_5lY73Q9gxv2U-NPQLbkAl0URoE64jfEeRyKhvHxl6OPvU3omzYCy0YqkAhR3LlKuMfeSue5ec2n4UEO_3WoqxH9YaY2Y1YEaqdg5UaYflUo0NgNgFgnK3qT-Is55A7ZJA92sunuiesFwgDCvPI/s1641/417534304_10168502390845574_1865116357876051605_n%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1641" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh7uHBMi9ITQXBMGqzuISvwj76KVfx-sL_3JUqxYy_5lY73Q9gxv2U-NPQLbkAl0URoE64jfEeRyKhvHxl6OPvU3omzYCy0YqkAhR3LlKuMfeSue5ec2n4UEO_3WoqxH9YaY2Y1YEaqdg5UaYflUo0NgNgFgnK3qT-Is55A7ZJA92sunuiesFwgDCvPI/w640-h358/417534304_10168502390845574_1865116357876051605_n%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Plugs by Mike DiSanto- flags only off the back</span></div><p>that treble hook, and send a flag off the back of your plug, pinch down the barb on your fly, use a bigger hook, get rid of that stinger hook off your trolling contraption, turn off the electronics to level the playing field, and please take the boat out of gear when you hook up 600 feet behind your boat. Just think how much better off the fish, that we, collectively, enjoy and need to thrive and survive, will be. </p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-75893146685707259422024-02-21T05:55:00.005-05:002024-02-21T16:33:30.728-05:0002.21.24 People are getting squirmy as the deadline looms...<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FlD-5RM7Y2sFZt0dfMSa09PtNyGoi_Im5uG7-ZyGfS8zDuKWvxymKzlUc-XZYlTzPwip7G82oglxOVULvTnqKnXXHc5yndM49Jps6bHlQmSoFH1DNlA0w72_RxxqC2bBDYogDQB8o80Au2xm-1y9gBFTlTS0y24srggDHtLo9ajRxo5Qnxm4dt0ozNM/s2778/Screenshot%202024-02-21%20at%205.11.23%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2778" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FlD-5RM7Y2sFZt0dfMSa09PtNyGoi_Im5uG7-ZyGfS8zDuKWvxymKzlUc-XZYlTzPwip7G82oglxOVULvTnqKnXXHc5yndM49Jps6bHlQmSoFH1DNlA0w72_RxxqC2bBDYogDQB8o80Au2xm-1y9gBFTlTS0y24srggDHtLo9ajRxo5Qnxm4dt0ozNM/w640-h338/Screenshot%202024-02-21%20at%205.11.23%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Connie Connelly/Star Democrat</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The States along with recreational and commercial fishermen are starting to get nervous as the March 1st deadline approaches for proposals on striped bass reductions. I'm not going to re-invent the wheel by explaining, through my eyes, what's been going on with Amendment 7 and Addendum II. Basically following the Emergency Action last year, where the slot was introduced in most waters, the ASMFC this winter called for a harder cut in striped bass mortality, mostly from angling harvests, discards and catch and release mortality. There are other reasons why the striped bass numbers are in the toilet, but we can't control what we can't control. And most times we can't control ourselves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> As reported in the Star Democrat Maryland charter boat operators, commercial fishermen, local politicians, and anglers met up on Saturday February 17 to voice their displeasure with the new options that had been offered for the Chesapeake Bay. The big option, that was narrowly avoided, were mode splits for the not for hire and for hire fleet. It was proposed that charter boat operations, you know for-profit commercial businesses (but somehow listed under the recreational sector), would have been able to keep two fish per person per day while the average angler would be able to keep one. For 2024, for non-commercial anglers, shore or boat, charter or private, the Bay's slot limit is 19 - 24 inches. "Out front" it's the 28 - 31 inch slot. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The President of the Maryland Charter Boat Association, Captain Brian Hartman, had an interesting take on what's going on, and it may strengthen my argument that charter boat operators should be under the commercial sector and quotas. He said, "Give us our own quota like the commercial guys", Hardman said. "We are a commercial entity, give us our own quota and then leave us alone. If we fish it out that's our problem". So, you they are, these guys should be under the commercial side, and their subsequent mortality numbers fall with the commercial, not the recreational side. Watermen fishing outside the dead zones in the summer catching and releasing fish in 80 degree water will die, and those mortality numbers should fall under the, "We are a commercial entity". And I have to circle back to, "If we fish it out that's our problem", well that's not a good way of looking at quotas, especially for a species we are trying to rebuild and save. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Captain Robert Newberry, Chairman of the Delmarva Fisherman's Association, implied that more action on the part of the business side of striped bass needs to be done, "This has got to stop...we need to explore all avenues". He stated a protest in Annapolis, strategically "going our of compliance (that's a Jersey thing), and or filing a lawsuit in Federal Court, as potentially options. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGl1JA02_2StaT8N_m2_bX_FGkEvG5i_SEw_uqnd0HfGpy4dCsjvZwkXBoU2bUUx272Dfdra1Ysucs-A0pEhaGpS5RPQjT_IAfsHq_PAytzJ5BlRgz6fsawVyTwQ11QEkNprFpKP5a8-dg2PGWU6ZDnzZEz-qRDLiWBcauaGjrpP7AJArwLOwGASFiQE/s1680/Screenshot%202024-02-21%20at%205.41.18%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="1256" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGl1JA02_2StaT8N_m2_bX_FGkEvG5i_SEw_uqnd0HfGpy4dCsjvZwkXBoU2bUUx272Dfdra1Ysucs-A0pEhaGpS5RPQjT_IAfsHq_PAytzJ5BlRgz6fsawVyTwQ11QEkNprFpKP5a8-dg2PGWU6ZDnzZEz-qRDLiWBcauaGjrpP7AJArwLOwGASFiQE/w478-h640/Screenshot%202024-02-21%20at%205.41.18%20AM.png" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Now maybe a little suggestion. Let's compare the Raritan Bay to the Chesapeake Bay. If we put a stop to fishing for striped bass in the Raritan what would you have left? Fluke? Maybe some porgy fishing? Maybe bluefish if they show up again. But down in the Chesapeake they have an abundance of fish that can be targeted. Besides the bass there's the invasive blue catfish and snake heads, red fish, cobia, sea bass, weakfish, black drum, fluke, tog, and then perch and other non-salty fishes in the upper parts and the tributaries, and there's always out front. They have options if they can't load up on striped bass. They have to change their game. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> We know things are changing. There are a ton of factors that have led to this point in striped bass history and they aren't all pointing to angler and harvesting pressure like it was more so in the bad times of 1970's and 80's. Maybe the "commercial" charter boat operations have to change with the times. If I hired a fly fishing charter in the Chesapeake and the Captain educated me on the state of the fishery and told me we'd be going to target redfish or cobia on the fly I'd be all in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbA0pcH1cIpmNXclMDuZtDT28uOElcCYaaqf-Gp0XgiIfAuX5mQ58DmQxjTlfac1jz-IiKG44TzT2_-2hR-qAy6EwgwHPabOIwuj_YZtvwO8l54XRJmnnFq5t57IIJNs1OrNOpq9B0nkp6plKznitBVfjvfG6jwEhyPdGnmQ06Oyvg31ZHTZzpUQzkZ4/s1618/Screenshot%202024-02-21%20at%205.59.30%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1618" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbA0pcH1cIpmNXclMDuZtDT28uOElcCYaaqf-Gp0XgiIfAuX5mQ58DmQxjTlfac1jz-IiKG44TzT2_-2hR-qAy6EwgwHPabOIwuj_YZtvwO8l54XRJmnnFq5t57IIJNs1OrNOpq9B0nkp6plKznitBVfjvfG6jwEhyPdGnmQ06Oyvg31ZHTZzpUQzkZ4/w640-h422/Screenshot%202024-02-21%20at%205.59.30%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The dinosaurs didn't adapt very well and look what happened to them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8329604530570540184.post-39680264060945075272024-02-20T05:05:00.002-05:002024-02-20T20:03:29.551-05:0002.20.24 Spent lots of the long weekend at the vice...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE84HBlQN_Am0pqph4p_8bADqn2uHf18b6NKe7S9OabFJHbOQoKTzsCzBQ9KHFQbJFgf1eLdRGcsM_DGP8iw-9P356eJ4JlK6RsLRPB5woObihLAOgmcnmEVcxrIYIEKrZk_l2_C2kDBvWHyYJ17Q9Y5vGK_3Gc-3Dq7BXwTpeTiEIdzk7nI8rL9gTLg/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2143" data-original-width="3100" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE84HBlQN_Am0pqph4p_8bADqn2uHf18b6NKe7S9OabFJHbOQoKTzsCzBQ9KHFQbJFgf1eLdRGcsM_DGP8iw-9P356eJ4JlK6RsLRPB5woObihLAOgmcnmEVcxrIYIEKrZk_l2_C2kDBvWHyYJ17Q9Y5vGK_3Gc-3Dq7BXwTpeTiEIdzk7nI8rL9gTLg/w640-h442/022024%20FLYTIE-16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Compared to this time last year I am way behind the 8-ball. By February I had a bunch of flies tied up for the spring season, most of them larger herring and bunker style flies. Sitting down now I've struggled to find my fly tying mo-jo, or whatever you might call it. But I did get lucky with above fly and I'll share that story with you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEini4SLiKfR5aHGrTOB_JGPdUJPbX0d31fgsayP_c09whdFE_48i-DbAZq75Nfsr_otEUj7WV_rMAsWtSHiqkGQzTd-yXeP-ETbvRJjK7ApfJfwJ0Ndp___GFRsg0RSw8GvYxZq7tVmrbM0zGEW9IEFH0hj3wDnIX-id5tQS_9FDE9Bd0fd4LMYfDH5Ibs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2511" data-original-width="3100" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEini4SLiKfR5aHGrTOB_JGPdUJPbX0d31fgsayP_c09whdFE_48i-DbAZq75Nfsr_otEUj7WV_rMAsWtSHiqkGQzTd-yXeP-ETbvRJjK7ApfJfwJ0Ndp___GFRsg0RSw8GvYxZq7tVmrbM0zGEW9IEFH0hj3wDnIX-id5tQS_9FDE9Bd0fd4LMYfDH5Ibs=w400-h324" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> At this years fly fishing show I spent some time at the Squimpish booth. One of the things I have enjoyed playing around with are David Nelson's Big Fly Brushes. If you look at the above image you can see them hanging just to the right of the Squimpish poster. Before I left I grabbed one of them and this weekend spun one around a hook, an Ahrex A270 Bluewater 6/0. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BPEPUqsy3mSXTW6lrWXYkFoZdWZOqDr7OsaZXjYZQUDHEJdNJpNs2srRiCLzQefbQizlMC0g3dPyH9K81dxweKOTC2SLx9zfpHtXrw85TJYysAUtE32xUGdohdAxSBAWCO_BrSfkCEaS-BfdBYwpUXSWGpKuCJIVlb-_I4cZZvumxFBfEpRCkEVJTRc/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="2325" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BPEPUqsy3mSXTW6lrWXYkFoZdWZOqDr7OsaZXjYZQUDHEJdNJpNs2srRiCLzQefbQizlMC0g3dPyH9K81dxweKOTC2SLx9zfpHtXrw85TJYysAUtE32xUGdohdAxSBAWCO_BrSfkCEaS-BfdBYwpUXSWGpKuCJIVlb-_I4cZZvumxFBfEpRCkEVJTRc/w300-h400/022024%20FLYTIE-13.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> I wanted to see if I could get away with just tying with the brush, no bucktail base, no hackles off the back. It may look a little intimidating but once you fiddle around with big brushes, and take control of them, it's not that hard to pull off. Some may say to pre-cut the brush but I have found that at times I'm </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAgskq7B9xJstsiyf2gH1vOqIkSnk9zl_CzEj69Ly3-muAfE3p30ppZzh5O8NImxEACjQu3Br5dDcXkQlNZLQdJJu9oxmnXAFUzPcQpHZqF5JclgDkfQuCFixxwwjODQPXK4tTNVyboZFkz4A3tkghxe59stpV7KdB0IfWPx2ApCFtC55JuenrrOtePU/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2289" data-original-width="3100" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAgskq7B9xJstsiyf2gH1vOqIkSnk9zl_CzEj69Ly3-muAfE3p30ppZzh5O8NImxEACjQu3Br5dDcXkQlNZLQdJJu9oxmnXAFUzPcQpHZqF5JclgDkfQuCFixxwwjODQPXK4tTNVyboZFkz4A3tkghxe59stpV7KdB0IfWPx2ApCFtC55JuenrrOtePU/w640-h472/022024%20FLYTIE-14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">either too short or too long. Keeping it whole lets me cut to the desired length, saving on any waste. It's basically two ties. One about mid-shank and the other at the head. I'll call this a "Four Turn Brush Fly", not that it needs a name and something that has been tied up way before I gave it a shot. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm_Vy4L5VF3yhsZxwKBjFJM0AJT4_T4Jltvut1Wv9hE_evBJdw4eqhKIO1i0KdDPDamzO5fI-LDsnkalDsEUISxYK6f_8efBgHc75WCTiBtW84jIbPz0RkcInafT7vi0tWdlnbxOSg5YWfbpZhA9IgR-kbe7V6MSNSp6yWJ76XjoemYrZqE2kNwSxGKE/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1897" data-original-width="3100" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm_Vy4L5VF3yhsZxwKBjFJM0AJT4_T4Jltvut1Wv9hE_evBJdw4eqhKIO1i0KdDPDamzO5fI-LDsnkalDsEUISxYK6f_8efBgHc75WCTiBtW84jIbPz0RkcInafT7vi0tWdlnbxOSg5YWfbpZhA9IgR-kbe7V6MSNSp6yWJ76XjoemYrZqE2kNwSxGKE/w640-h392/022024%20FLYTIE-15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> It is literally that simple. Two turns in the back and two turns in the front. Add some eyes and it's all done. This fly hasn't been trimmed nor ran under the faucet. The only thing I might do to give it a </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidusKAM5qiqAhVjaG9BIByMLNSM0muG3MNv7wuatW-GOMb_1n8ni8fE6cHz88hiwIVUKXyBHXJMd7IazFAGaDjd8RpIK7MxOilqngNPHAMvYiB38XLmPbBQGhU8D-BYCLK80viw1yTl8kw1aoilIQpjlRDFA7K8Slrkh0sWavxTXxVH7N5l8kdtRgVSM/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-50.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1794" data-original-width="3100" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidusKAM5qiqAhVjaG9BIByMLNSM0muG3MNv7wuatW-GOMb_1n8ni8fE6cHz88hiwIVUKXyBHXJMd7IazFAGaDjd8RpIK7MxOilqngNPHAMvYiB38XLmPbBQGhU8D-BYCLK80viw1yTl8kw1aoilIQpjlRDFA7K8Slrkh0sWavxTXxVH7N5l8kdtRgVSM/w640-h370/022024%20FLYTIE-50.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">little body is give it the Steve Farrar Plasti-Dip technique. It's just brushing through a little goo here and there with a bodkin. The fly comes in just under 10 inches and has some bulk up front and a good taper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I prefer the synthetics because as you can see I'm all thumbs when it comes to tying up Beast Fleyes. I'm looking forward to getting Ru Harvey's "Beast Chest Cones" and giving them a go. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TJ8t13SgscJeEFrxcbOnPRYqcEfnGufZR_D2B_imYc5-r3VaA6oUwJssRHBTDW6X-evjFX94gVyVLG3MPlBNUYOgVUFLsJNIgATwJ8VUFrg6i8evwNsHwT2r8IWZ2JBpLENZWrSB0H2IOuowlaTZqos3Cvrt1mrGR9VSYSi7ECa5RsdeZmD7n2tKM3Y/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-30.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="3029" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TJ8t13SgscJeEFrxcbOnPRYqcEfnGufZR_D2B_imYc5-r3VaA6oUwJssRHBTDW6X-evjFX94gVyVLG3MPlBNUYOgVUFLsJNIgATwJ8VUFrg6i8evwNsHwT2r8IWZ2JBpLENZWrSB0H2IOuowlaTZqos3Cvrt1mrGR9VSYSi7ECa5RsdeZmD7n2tKM3Y/s320/022024%20FLYTIE-30.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's just that me and bucktail, outside of a little off the back of a fly, don't have a great relationship. Deer belly hair I do good with it's just those tapers and that thread dam that lies in front that's a killer to me. And of course, over the years I have been guided by the best of them, Buzzi, Taylor and Popovic's on what to look for when choosing and tying with bucktail. I have also come to learn that those thick hollow strands of bucktail don't work well when reversed tied in Hollow style fashion. The below BuzFly tail worked well for me this weekend. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrSMlaF7dkwTxlCQXi1EjIWDbhus6G2FDOkjFsJS8dI82dXPOYsm5Qp6tMI5UVFWvqhZ0q_Jgybh-ZIYjMa-T6FMh2OpSdrYHSCarr5b-A16bTkErs4_F7_wtMwoiJiguaKwXT6lkVg0aqxydemunMhrst2I5Z9ENZygQOfVBKdf-Jiss9of0iEGGzRA/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-34.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="3100" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrSMlaF7dkwTxlCQXi1EjIWDbhus6G2FDOkjFsJS8dI82dXPOYsm5Qp6tMI5UVFWvqhZ0q_Jgybh-ZIYjMa-T6FMh2OpSdrYHSCarr5b-A16bTkErs4_F7_wtMwoiJiguaKwXT6lkVg0aqxydemunMhrst2I5Z9ENZygQOfVBKdf-Jiss9of0iEGGzRA/s320/022024%20FLYTIE-34.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I then moved on to going through some of my fly casualties from last year. Over the years, well not until last year, did I learn the difference between just hooks and good hooks. Most of the flies I tied up last year were on Mustad's or Partridge hooks. Don't get me wrong I've caught fish, and some good fish, on both, but, they aren't as hardy as I'd like. The Mustad's eventually break, and the Partridge's either rust </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdCXUTQFc4iKwBPMcRqmU2Eq2E-u0rnpQAIUDoh-QqilWw_w8_t64ZZHup0o4bxHtSY9-C5Sk1ly_quJxhBqYgoX6_jndaSmdToel-eOuRgEgVXaA1-ezrsXu-zKlAkI6If8REyklWgJNxRoFN2QFcYGQBuzpWvS7KzVYC2t6O7-5jBpkwm064o6WKg0/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1618" data-original-width="3100" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdCXUTQFc4iKwBPMcRqmU2Eq2E-u0rnpQAIUDoh-QqilWw_w8_t64ZZHup0o4bxHtSY9-C5Sk1ly_quJxhBqYgoX6_jndaSmdToel-eOuRgEgVXaA1-ezrsXu-zKlAkI6If8REyklWgJNxRoFN2QFcYGQBuzpWvS7KzVYC2t6O7-5jBpkwm064o6WKg0/w400-h209/022024%20FLYTIE-55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">out or straighten out, and that's when it hurts. When I showed Andrew from Orvis my flies last year he was like, "What hooks are you using?". Then I started to really learn about the gap, and the strength, and the engineering</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHiV3P5NsbJ7Be4zzK5hzxGClwfveftAm3jI9F71zwCf4_JhTwHhwsoyeb4GoYjFq4k8Wt2dF5pbSdzXq1WY69UZ_NNswetdHc4IlwPIJAtq2SpaTtkwXL2APIdg9qC2lhrOPygLXp8zY8RelL1LakFW_X5rXCa1shKEXy0fjkKRzSHmEO_m1i-Dpdvc0/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2113" data-original-width="3100" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHiV3P5NsbJ7Be4zzK5hzxGClwfveftAm3jI9F71zwCf4_JhTwHhwsoyeb4GoYjFq4k8Wt2dF5pbSdzXq1WY69UZ_NNswetdHc4IlwPIJAtq2SpaTtkwXL2APIdg9qC2lhrOPygLXp8zY8RelL1LakFW_X5rXCa1shKEXy0fjkKRzSHmEO_m1i-Dpdvc0/w400-h272/022024%20FLYTIE-33.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">that goes into a sharp hook tip. Dull hooks mean lost fish. So I have spent my money on upgraded hooks and now spend my money on Ahrex. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3g4IEPFO2CTMlKBlO6GkdCowHH0luQ3LlVZ4gyXKxnFU5ILB42GvGO3yWQ1Sr3ToCKzVTvb6GAOsN-C3VB4Uvx1MBt9Xf3wZ2iWwEoMb9haa9VvuLIsFhtz4JhXzfOTpZxR1W6Satl-EopzN_5QdJoZMJh6GSd6ppGb7SyDVld9X4iDw_k2fY-k4nEA/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3g4IEPFO2CTMlKBlO6GkdCowHH0luQ3LlVZ4gyXKxnFU5ILB42GvGO3yWQ1Sr3ToCKzVTvb6GAOsN-C3VB4Uvx1MBt9Xf3wZ2iWwEoMb9haa9VvuLIsFhtz4JhXzfOTpZxR1W6Satl-EopzN_5QdJoZMJh6GSd6ppGb7SyDVld9X4iDw_k2fY-k4nEA/w640-h480/022024%20FLYTIE-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I had a few flies that still had a lot of usable Squimpish material on them and I needed to find my fly tying muscle memory so they would do just fine. Plus it would allow me to dissect the flies and see if I would tie them in any different way. In the end I did two over and the yellow one was a fish killer this </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBItG2fpmazp3WzPwS7-EIdlBkLla8fvlr-AnghRBHlxYM75xQIs6eFLpoWiR3kPDkcutVxWOdGeaDKyO7GDztk-GW2BHefIFplxiqHCj5P14zHDo-ih-4G7vMMw-i3ewaW_lO-_nYrFkFHEq2Nspu5kgSUrYbpdlUqfO5cDLzDw1MiNcYF2Bt9SIlKnw/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-60.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2257" data-original-width="3100" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBItG2fpmazp3WzPwS7-EIdlBkLla8fvlr-AnghRBHlxYM75xQIs6eFLpoWiR3kPDkcutVxWOdGeaDKyO7GDztk-GW2BHefIFplxiqHCj5P14zHDo-ih-4G7vMMw-i3ewaW_lO-_nYrFkFHEq2Nspu5kgSUrYbpdlUqfO5cDLzDw1MiNcYF2Bt9SIlKnw/w400-h291/022024%20FLYTIE-60.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-H29nkQvS_gD4QJwjV7iNiZ-bO0uxVmikGmwG1hPg3wHWAHeVTzchUxg5vgb5Z28OEbp5eEKvc-mV12ikmX6hCjSHVluF8wdzSaMhr2KtGqAIYTbH2WWYv-pjEsPq7JnQOw_sbb_8GnqQFNNJgCtVXLzoG8shN-O5uc23NWC7fiT7KE8SmZTtlKVbhKg/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2115" data-original-width="3100" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-H29nkQvS_gD4QJwjV7iNiZ-bO0uxVmikGmwG1hPg3wHWAHeVTzchUxg5vgb5Z28OEbp5eEKvc-mV12ikmX6hCjSHVluF8wdzSaMhr2KtGqAIYTbH2WWYv-pjEsPq7JnQOw_sbb_8GnqQFNNJgCtVXLzoG8shN-O5uc23NWC7fiT7KE8SmZTtlKVbhKg/w640-h436/022024%20FLYTIE-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH06q3O4t5k7SaRwOLUS_HrZUZDKVgq3bW7Zx9bceDy3la4Le9f-biH78MZAbMpCfRFDSYedMPkM4vB7EG7OvzxjXKq5xIpltaHuFDLLdEJxF7gyzz4TeVP4MuTx7fTaEwS2p3ugFG8uGTsYMKAPUO2voIaAk95f88HDCJsJ8DgBpXvpKVyoOyLhdad8/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="3100" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH06q3O4t5k7SaRwOLUS_HrZUZDKVgq3bW7Zx9bceDy3la4Le9f-biH78MZAbMpCfRFDSYedMPkM4vB7EG7OvzxjXKq5xIpltaHuFDLLdEJxF7gyzz4TeVP4MuTx7fTaEwS2p3ugFG8uGTsYMKAPUO2voIaAk95f88HDCJsJ8DgBpXvpKVyoOyLhdad8/w640-h320/022024%20FLYTIE-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">past fall. Again, Andrew with solid knowledge told me at last years fly fishing show while we picked through Brad Buzzi's bucktails, "Yellow is such a Jersey color", and he was right. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEmtn8g1uWDnJ7-gCRsoMLmIXBELaon88oBmCSj_75_QhOJmFpb0VY1vcT1r83Sq_Dt1UDVEDOhyphenhyphenT4775EIzQGTjEJVGpzcKoQx-6BQsjHAM0EwIp88StqsAZYXN-EjKz3QtHyvgo9Z8bTespEE0PSH-fwlGhrn-qlr2Bmyg6Ar6gkPJhsc0QrC1RaPU/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-35.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="2537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEmtn8g1uWDnJ7-gCRsoMLmIXBELaon88oBmCSj_75_QhOJmFpb0VY1vcT1r83Sq_Dt1UDVEDOhyphenhyphenT4775EIzQGTjEJVGpzcKoQx-6BQsjHAM0EwIp88StqsAZYXN-EjKz3QtHyvgo9Z8bTespEE0PSH-fwlGhrn-qlr2Bmyg6Ar6gkPJhsc0QrC1RaPU/w524-h640/022024%20FLYTIE-35.jpg" width="524" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I then moved to my early spring favorite micro-baits, the mummichogs. I have a simple pattern I did well with last spring but wanted to add a little twist, no pun intended, to them. I like, well love, Snake Flies, and I have seen spun deer hair used on smaller patterns, so there we go. I tied up a half a dozen all a little different, but basically the same kind of fly. I use a slow sinking line so they get down lower than where that spun hair wants to ride in the water column. These are more for the back bays and rivers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7i6joqGdrXLdY1hivw0_7GOVwfz2gkNV2DyXaz5piVVsyMl1_wcK2bx6psxpiOXg6WaHKlHo5BN13ePoF61YPBSrMf8ItOnftQivLbvB33pxLNjRvDZ0SqPBYAWjwl09ht08OrB7PGUfR4mYtHzzSvSUzdgGC9j54PbsjFwgY0-00_qoWzm4YyByE5s/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-36.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2034" data-original-width="3100" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7i6joqGdrXLdY1hivw0_7GOVwfz2gkNV2DyXaz5piVVsyMl1_wcK2bx6psxpiOXg6WaHKlHo5BN13ePoF61YPBSrMf8ItOnftQivLbvB33pxLNjRvDZ0SqPBYAWjwl09ht08OrB7PGUfR4mYtHzzSvSUzdgGC9j54PbsjFwgY0-00_qoWzm4YyByE5s/w640-h420/022024%20FLYTIE-36.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">where killies are a prevalent bait early in the season. The bass wake up from a long winters nap to eat them. At the show people were asking me what kind of vice I'm tying on these days. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0yOFxbKBbdUT0CwOzwjrD6WJaFI9CBl01Ogic3fl0-Oih_E3CV3BJ-XmGYgmt4JmB5TCdqRyS9Vpp3_KoObqD3Dk220Zsy6JmJSQVCTn4VHD4-4fTFIbvXV8Ibw2XzQpieq1Mu2Gsp-ndn_0-3v9M3Sj9TBQHsyYjxJIgVbB24_Hjcndc9Iy0OSDdVA/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-38.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2146" data-original-width="3100" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0yOFxbKBbdUT0CwOzwjrD6WJaFI9CBl01Ogic3fl0-Oih_E3CV3BJ-XmGYgmt4JmB5TCdqRyS9Vpp3_KoObqD3Dk220Zsy6JmJSQVCTn4VHD4-4fTFIbvXV8Ibw2XzQpieq1Mu2Gsp-ndn_0-3v9M3Sj9TBQHsyYjxJIgVbB24_Hjcndc9Iy0OSDdVA/w640-h444/022024%20FLYTIE-38.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I moved away from the fleet and Regal, hey they make a great vice, and went to Peak. It's a solid line of vices for the beginner to the more advanced tyer. I now have two, a smaller rotary vice, PRV-G2, for normal sized flies and an LIRS (Large Iron Retention System), model JS2-G2, for the 4/0 and larger flies. That vice is also great when spinning hair for Snake Flies, it just doesn't move. And the 10 pound base helps as well. The LIRS is perfect for those big Ahrex Bluewater, Popovics and Clouser hooks, which are thicker in diameter. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Some how the wife just let me be so I continued at it. Hey, why not try some Popovic's Pop Lips? I was feeling like I had a little swagger going and how hard could they be? I've seen some guys I know tie them so why not me? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU5PGu5_XA6LZQDjhoW3AXcpr0YEsm200du6IbszYj3TOjQNmAxaP83JWDxJaUnTimMps7t8fdJUAmlASxPZ4Q83FsszX6qRysy2DqUj83YFomUr7KHSjfR0Kj9X9j9YSr2nXZy0TBJMvlS2ktFZxvzuV3HWCcA9QEWRFYOvjPC-0mp-J3W0caZoN3fs/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU5PGu5_XA6LZQDjhoW3AXcpr0YEsm200du6IbszYj3TOjQNmAxaP83JWDxJaUnTimMps7t8fdJUAmlASxPZ4Q83FsszX6qRysy2DqUj83YFomUr7KHSjfR0Kj9X9j9YSr2nXZy0TBJMvlS2ktFZxvzuV3HWCcA9QEWRFYOvjPC-0mp-J3W0caZoN3fs/w640-h480/022024%20FLYTIE-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, because they ain't easy. Like everything else there's a learning curve and it made me appreciate Popovic's even more. I deviated, first mistake, away from the fleece collar and tried </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglUXlX2-i-aTqKNR7lpujU16L-pAye8_ss7DmMwz-AHaTVMrCNaXLnAGpomEdzIaRu9Z57iqKkjdMyap8MwaDMr28KAXTpJ6KtxC9j8SKcTfFzQA-jTLCq4FKToPI8O1fwqSgMfVgvSaVRMhvEYoG7TGHUmGHVolYmCjZ4f-wHBf23NSKiiXmJCNiiMM/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2255" data-original-width="3100" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglUXlX2-i-aTqKNR7lpujU16L-pAye8_ss7DmMwz-AHaTVMrCNaXLnAGpomEdzIaRu9Z57iqKkjdMyap8MwaDMr28KAXTpJ6KtxC9j8SKcTfFzQA-jTLCq4FKToPI8O1fwqSgMfVgvSaVRMhvEYoG7TGHUmGHVolYmCjZ4f-wHBf23NSKiiXmJCNiiMM/w400-h291/022024%20FLYTIE-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">using deer hair. My fly would have a simple Snake Fly type head so I just turned the bottom tie around figuring deer hair is stronger than fleece. Mistake #2. As Bob told me, "Fibers are linear whereas fleece is not. Holds together much better." I had the book open so why not just follow it? For the second attempt I did go with</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mdJIRH6_PG7n4LOZjfoWi9_v83-Jtl-Cg5zFaFA55mxAGVa_X5c0w8-WkIUR6Kt9iiKbVwMRXjVY4FF8WAE3y_Mudph9RLes75yflQRf9urwuZbAd-7RD-yaYW19dI_c_mgR1EkzUeMq0b7KPS3Ji_aJR79UFWj6l-d3zBZ3xoxivJrZ02weQA55-R0/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mdJIRH6_PG7n4LOZjfoWi9_v83-Jtl-Cg5zFaFA55mxAGVa_X5c0w8-WkIUR6Kt9iiKbVwMRXjVY4FF8WAE3y_Mudph9RLes75yflQRf9urwuZbAd-7RD-yaYW19dI_c_mgR1EkzUeMq0b7KPS3Ji_aJR79UFWj6l-d3zBZ3xoxivJrZ02weQA55-R0/w640-h480/022024%20FLYTIE-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YDwre2i710PFBdlOmvZpKDu7mtgVznMLv092XKPWx3UTX6aiIdpypALpRJnj3WAmHjTTIs4PcMeQPvZ6u3YAIm1nF5LKUV1agVer002N2ApOR1EZgheiHZFlf7Esmg92Gf4WYYPPs1XkR8vQWhXCtbdg9RyJbpJJd7li6zSOsq4eieWCnWzTxB2oBmA/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YDwre2i710PFBdlOmvZpKDu7mtgVznMLv092XKPWx3UTX6aiIdpypALpRJnj3WAmHjTTIs4PcMeQPvZ6u3YAIm1nF5LKUV1agVer002N2ApOR1EZgheiHZFlf7Esmg92Gf4WYYPPs1XkR8vQWhXCtbdg9RyJbpJJd7li6zSOsq4eieWCnWzTxB2oBmA/w640-h480/022024%20FLYTIE-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">fleece for the collar. I applied the silicone and then used Photo-Flo as directed to smooth it down. In the end I trimmed them up to much and really didn't even have any curve to the lip in order to get that </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA7UnQ0Mqf3BcphofH5KpUVi3nESUlKNWleiRGKwOVEEVWgopPLYDnGR4P4x2nvKHu_mtoF83hAGddAQvxGTU-rMxwpuFFptL1KFlCbq2EjI-sSddot7MmclBfZIs42cvEJzWGrgQEA95Y-0RgOX-wVgaEa-3ZhwWtzY4Ho3OZqC_3ldB_H1X2RkTfTc/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="3100" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA7UnQ0Mqf3BcphofH5KpUVi3nESUlKNWleiRGKwOVEEVWgopPLYDnGR4P4x2nvKHu_mtoF83hAGddAQvxGTU-rMxwpuFFptL1KFlCbq2EjI-sSddot7MmclBfZIs42cvEJzWGrgQEA95Y-0RgOX-wVgaEa-3ZhwWtzY4Ho3OZqC_3ldB_H1X2RkTfTc/w400-h300/022024%20FLYTIE-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7n0Fa5N7UdlYHXkZ6fMKRam7ck52knrT8ZYjyX0heAvm12TKxCoi4zGfj0Ac_Y90ZdMNe6mD2ox_LAskgoK4Lt7wzBvVMnlNS4oSK7InCXf_aZ6E5OT9or_vyM9uO_YlECPrE63CU_yukVahkHnzNIvZO1ycSt9-bIQ44i3tSkTmHLCW0RgzsyQM_hww/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2202" data-original-width="3100" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7n0Fa5N7UdlYHXkZ6fMKRam7ck52knrT8ZYjyX0heAvm12TKxCoi4zGfj0Ac_Y90ZdMNe6mD2ox_LAskgoK4Lt7wzBvVMnlNS4oSK7InCXf_aZ6E5OT9or_vyM9uO_YlECPrE63CU_yukVahkHnzNIvZO1ycSt9-bIQ44i3tSkTmHLCW0RgzsyQM_hww/w640-h454/022024%20FLYTIE-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9ZHuTTBUhpGUabBE_Ls62cMeu8cPabmdV6kVWrvLsa90jZATIJ2OunkfdJyWu4YfV9fCiChV4yu3vcrt6V-TNShe1q4tHOTQyFb7xidNim4DM4Q1vTMAgaOHIpUTuizd0KFFJVd9jPZ77Qyn51u9hX5tCaRvrjzapRZ1x4i2g1wVxhaMJNb23biK1PY/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2078" data-original-width="3100" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9ZHuTTBUhpGUabBE_Ls62cMeu8cPabmdV6kVWrvLsa90jZATIJ2OunkfdJyWu4YfV9fCiChV4yu3vcrt6V-TNShe1q4tHOTQyFb7xidNim4DM4Q1vTMAgaOHIpUTuizd0KFFJVd9jPZ77Qyn51u9hX5tCaRvrjzapRZ1x4i2g1wVxhaMJNb23biK1PY/w400-h269/022024%20FLYTIE-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">swimming back and forth motion I was looking for. And to be honest, I had to apply some goop and hit it with the light as it just wasn't strong enough. During the swim test the flies swam like they were </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUlzn1MkeHzGXk7NmGudV-CS8TN6HQF1vgX5LqGkiuTE-VA03o5P7MYydPq_f_RqdKkGZldx-K8ad4_QKsTYxMcod1LbuNosT0GccYaTpjryZkYV3Ak3IK3P-weS5A2HAeE8oVIRrEXyhb4e960M6Ca1eZr7VY1k5-lzXJQ5FoYjZbnHlZLvU5QhX9pg/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="3100" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUlzn1MkeHzGXk7NmGudV-CS8TN6HQF1vgX5LqGkiuTE-VA03o5P7MYydPq_f_RqdKkGZldx-K8ad4_QKsTYxMcod1LbuNosT0GccYaTpjryZkYV3Ak3IK3P-weS5A2HAeE8oVIRrEXyhb4e960M6Ca1eZr7VY1k5-lzXJQ5FoYjZbnHlZLvU5QhX9pg/w640-h397/022024%20FLYTIE-18.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx4WRFhsALm72Y-oL9ILrSKqHs6Nj-TtRH8IDKqn4LEwGoOa9662SRvLBLOk32rOA-YHZmdFHioTldsLq2Z0Fc9D9oePujJhkdni50aMK-oxUMLoLGyTJmN49uTNwAv0TmrzdoCrL9vaVRgv91QxYrSlKpmnmf4lpjGdbA31GFnne6NQ5O_fPK8A1Eh4/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1685" data-original-width="3100" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx4WRFhsALm72Y-oL9ILrSKqHs6Nj-TtRH8IDKqn4LEwGoOa9662SRvLBLOk32rOA-YHZmdFHioTldsLq2Z0Fc9D9oePujJhkdni50aMK-oxUMLoLGyTJmN49uTNwAv0TmrzdoCrL9vaVRgv91QxYrSlKpmnmf4lpjGdbA31GFnne6NQ5O_fPK8A1Eh4/w400-h217/022024%20FLYTIE-19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">hit over the head, suffered some type of medical episode, and appeared near death. Now, that may just what we need a fly to look like in the water. The lips do make it dive though, and the deer hair head makes it float back to the surface. So, in the end, it wasn't a fail altogether. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I have tied up and have been fishing some big flies for big bass in waters unknown. While they may look more like musky flies the bigger and uglier they are get the job done. While at the Stock the Box</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlbmoqN_0xHHZ0_9871_KGj5tHq21x0PX2dTxT26jtLml5Nq0ebb1xFwVrS9axM3B1EjbK0yfh4JUw-B1wYbeXzNLvevpEe9nP9YjYb68Ug4GLx6aufRZZm6zbNkNmdsA_ZAJYXE8jweCA_urCfKdi3n93QinSzDeqZ-4tUGoH-Xe1iaTvOb5NhC6jQU/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2186" data-original-width="3100" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlbmoqN_0xHHZ0_9871_KGj5tHq21x0PX2dTxT26jtLml5Nq0ebb1xFwVrS9axM3B1EjbK0yfh4JUw-B1wYbeXzNLvevpEe9nP9YjYb68Ug4GLx6aufRZZm6zbNkNmdsA_ZAJYXE8jweCA_urCfKdi3n93QinSzDeqZ-4tUGoH-Xe1iaTvOb5NhC6jQU/w640-h452/022024%20FLYTIE-32.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">weekend in Newport in January I met local tyer Andre Corvi who had a good way to add some weight, and noise, to his flies. He hangs mono off the back and stacks up some tungsten beads. If you move the fly back and forth you can hear the rattle-like sound the beads make. They say noise travels further and louder underwater so maybe he's onto something. A match flares out the mono as a stop for the beads. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ8xl_xhfZbQ6U0XoAOyZXss0NQtXhmxC7X1zhxqoTJisfli1ecaBiz948u0GNU3s01PNnVo3lfkZ1X3Vf6vx7W8R_qp4tT04CDr5I6RRUDvo7IMWsAEzOMyMvW1qlR0w6qC9SUKJtg5D8g7X-a0mDBleZU2YZQuZg-Z3qxaySM_LTV-mIqm7RQF9C-Y/s3100/022024%20FLYTIE-31.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2980" data-original-width="3100" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ8xl_xhfZbQ6U0XoAOyZXss0NQtXhmxC7X1zhxqoTJisfli1ecaBiz948u0GNU3s01PNnVo3lfkZ1X3Vf6vx7W8R_qp4tT04CDr5I6RRUDvo7IMWsAEzOMyMvW1qlR0w6qC9SUKJtg5D8g7X-a0mDBleZU2YZQuZg-Z3qxaySM_LTV-mIqm7RQF9C-Y/s320/022024%20FLYTIE-31.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> So by the end of Monday I had a nice big brush fly, five of the six mummichogs I tied, I lost the 6th, a few redo's, and two piss-poor Pop Lips for the effort. I have to get back into the groove with the larger baitfish patterns, and soon, opening day is only 264 hours away. </div><p></p>The Average Anglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237025566727896225noreply@blogger.com