10.31.11 Got heat in the Adirondacks...and a peek at the "new" Ausable River

     Quick but much needed trip up to the lodge in the Adirondacks. Chuck from Anco Heating came with the parts and got the furnace back up and running like new. Tightened up the yard and got the house ready for winter. It was a very fast up and back but I was able to scout out the "new" look Ausable River below Junction Pool, or as I now call it Junction Lake. Since last time they reopened the leg of the river that runs along the Jay side. I still don't know how the town will fare when the ice backs up below.

Our houses along the river

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Looking up the West Branch from behind Rod's


Over looking the West Branch towards Grand Union in Jay


Now "Junction Lake" West Branch (c) East Branch (r) Ausable River (l)

Looking from the bridge in town down the West Branch, East Branch comes in from the right

Looking from Grove Road in Jay, Pic 1 of 3

Looking from Grove Road in Jay, Pic 2 of 3

Looking from Grove Road in Jay, Pic 3 of 3

Looking from Grove Road in Jay down near the playground

Looking from Grove Road in Jay down near the playground

Looking from Grove Road in Jay over to Black Brook Park

Looking from Grove Road in Jay over towards Gordon Oil

From below Rod's looking to Grove Road 

From below Rod's looking to Grove Road

From below Rod's looking to Grove Road

From below Rod's looking to Palmer Brook

Looking down towards Black Brook Park w Palmer Brook on the left

10.30.11 Up in the Adirondacks..no snow but no heat either

Lola's first snow in New Jersey

Drove through lots of snow on the ground until I hit the Adirondacks. No snow but still no heat at the lodge since Irene. Heating guy is coming in the morning. Luckily we have a nice wood burning stove. The West Branch of the Ausable looks good but "new" post Irene and all the stream "restoration" that was done. It will be interesting how the river handles ice dams this winter. Right now I'm having a few slices and Bud Lights at Mad River Pizza in town.

If you have a few friends and a few days next year think about spending a few days up here. We can put a trip together with fishing, lodging, and meals. It's just around the winter!

10.30.11 Jersey Shore spared with snow...but welcome the drop in temps

    We got lucky down here at the Shore. Saw from a friend on Facebook that he thinks they got 18 inches. 

Took a quick run down to 8th Ave where a few guys were out, most soaking clams. Surf was rough and slightly stained. Should be good tomorrow, I'm not fishing till Monday night. Quick trip up and back to the Adirondacks checking on the lodge since the furnace and hot water heater have been repaired this week following the flooding from Irene. 

10.29.11 Out with super snotty conditions...got to fish but no fish

     Still images can't really tell how conditions were this morning. Here is what NOAA says,

Gale Warning
Hazardous Weather Outlook

Synopsis...A STORM SYSTEM WILL ORGANIZE OFF THE CAROLINA COAST AND MOVE NORTHEASTWARD, REACHING NEW ENGLAND BY SUNDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW AND CONTROL OUT WEATHER THROUGH MUCH OF THE UPCOMING WEEK.

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Today...NE winds 25 to 30 kt with gusts up to 40 kt. Seas 6 to 9 ft...building to 8 to 13 ft this afternoon. A chance of rain early this morning...then rain late this morning and afternoon.

I shot this short video just to give those not around here an idea of what things are like this morning.

I left Deal around 1 a.m. hoping to catch in on early storm action but there was none to be had or I couldn't get it done. Went home and slept a few hours before catching the last few hours of the incoming. Wind and surf were kicking. Had to find a place 1) that I could fish, and 2) that may hold fish. Needless to say I didn't see any fly rodders out this morning. Stopped in Asbury Park and Deal. In Deal I saw Rich getting out and asked him how things were. He said he saw talked to a guy who caught a guppy striped bass in the wash. I decided to hit Elberon because I know of a good spot where the wind can blow right over you if you keep your cast down low. I fished for about an hour on the south side

and then gave the north side (below) a shot but couldn't get a good cast out. I moved down to

Allenhurst to find a lone angler soaking clams on the north side. If you know the above building then you know that flag. That's one of the flags where you get a true sense of what the wind is doing, it sits right on the ocean.

Back in Asbury Park I found these hard core guys trying to fish while not getting blown off the rocks. I watched for a while and shot some video to share. I hope they each get a fish, somedays you just deserve one for trying.

10.29.11 Deal 1 a.m.

     Brought my B game out tonight. Started in Ocean Grove then Asbury then Deal. Couldn't cast or manage line in the dark tonight. E wind didn't help. Extended the wash up the beach. Not a bump in the night.

10.28.11 Found bass at high noon in Asbury Park

     Took a shot at noon on the outgoing in bright sun steady NE winds. Hit Asbury Park and talked with a regular who said they had fish there this morning. No one was fishing but I decided to give it a go. I fished the Loch Arbor beach for about 45 minutes battling the breakers and wind. Fished good water but no takers. Jumped up on the rocks and fished out before the flume remembering the map I had it my head after visiting her the other day at slack low tide. On the second cast I hooked up with a nice bass that hit my Clouser hard. With the water low, I had to back track to the beach to land, photo, and release. I fished the tip and south side without a bump. Things are looking snotty coming up, which is just the way I like it. 

                              

     After Asbury I traveled south and picked through the low water working various sand bars near and far. It was a good move as I made several maps of the structure their, hopefully that will pay off later tonight when I return. 

10.27.11 Checked out things at the Manasquan Inlet

     This morning I took a ride down to the Manasquan Inlet to see what was happening. I caught the outgoing around 11 am and found flat water and slow fishing. About half a dozen anglers out with overcast skies and not a thing on the horizon. Some weather is coming our way from the NE so that should get things going. I saw some additional reports from last night where guys were on fish north of me. I plan on giving it another shot tonight. 

10.26.11 Out tonight on the new moon outgoing..two schoolies in Bradley

     Hit it tonight started in Avon for hour two of the outgoing. Fished from The Cove north for two blocks without a bump. Jumped in the truck and headed a tad north and settled in first in Ocean Grove then jumped the rocks into Bradley. Picked up two schoolies on a black Clouser. One I think hit the fly after I had pulled it out of the water. Few guys out, didn't see anybody do anything.

10.26.11 Delivered Trout in the Classroom eggs today...and word is fish are around!

    So today was the start of Trout in the Classroom throughout New Jersey. This morning I drove up to the Pequest Hatchery with Paul to pick up trout eggs for our 24 schools. We had several volunteers from the JSTU chapter and the Freehold Conservation District help deliver the eggs. I delivered eggs to two area schools and the kids were excited to finally get underway.
    
In fishing news, I got several calls that fish were caught early this morning up and down Monmouth County. Big blues and keeper stripers were had off the front of the rocks. One fly guy said the fish were out of reach and guys got them on plugs. Around noon I took a ride down to Asbury Park to find a flat ocean at a very low new moon tide. It's a great time to go out and scout your local haunt. The below image is from 8th Ave in Asbury Park. Making notes or remembering beach structure will always give you an advantage when tides are different.

10.24.11 My Long Branch prediction was wrong..others got it right..and this sucks...

    Nice day down the shore. I predicted things would be good Tuesday morning in Long Branch and well...I was wrong. I stopped Surf Side Bait and Tackle and they hadn't had a single weigh in. I went and drove along the coast and found the same thing...flat, quiet, and empty. In Deal I did find one wrecked kayak, one lone bird, a lone surfer and a lone boat. It was nice to scout out some familiar spots as the tide was low. I always push doing this even when your not fishing. It's amazing what you can pick up in low water and turn into better fishing at a later time.
    I stopped by and talked to Max at Pride Fishing Tackle in Red Bank, he had four fish to 25 pounds weighed in today. From what I gathered it was guys fishing inside.

     And in the "Aw that sucks" category, tonight I had a small window to go fishing before the kids went down to bed. Drove to one of my favorite spots, on my favorite tide, put on my waders and stripping basket and pack and .....then realized I forgot both my fly rods at home. 

10.24.11 Hit it at night on the outgoing and the JB got a tune up

     The slow down with fishing has come at a good time as I've been busy shooting and editing for The New York Times and New Jersey Monthly since Friday. I decided today to pass on the slow fishing and give it a shot at night. I caught the outgoing in Ocean Grove and fished pretty hard without a take. There were guys and poles set up soaking bait off the Ocean Grove Fishing Club Pier but they shut down shortly after I arrived. Threw a Clouser with the Orvis Access into good looking water and met up with a guy coming from Bradley Beach who picked up a short on a black teaser.
     Today the JB got a tune up so things are moving nicely along with the boat. Got all the decals off and have buttoned down a soda blaster to handle the bottom paint after the seasons over.

10.23.11 Went back out late afternoon...and went back out late afternoon

     Where ever I go and ask about the fishing guys usually just stand there rubbing their heads. I've been out mostly for first light, today I decided to give it a go late afternoon as the tide starting going out. I drove the bus if you will and hit all the local stops. Asbury Park, Allenhurst, Deal, Elberon, Long Branch and Monmouth Beach. I gave the Shrewsbury River a look and stopped and talked with two guys taking a boat out in Little Silver. They had two shorts after working for quite a while. I did hear that three keeper bass were caught this morning to 17 lbs on clams and eels.
     The above picture is off Long Branch. I watched for a while and didn't see any action from the surf anglers or boaters. I went back down to Allenhurst and fished the rocks there without a bump. One guy caught a large skate while soaking clams.

Schoolies are around but you have to work for them, keepers are hard to come by, and the bait hasn't emptied out of the rivers and the bass haven't come over from New York. There's a mention here and there of some bunker sightings but nothing consistent.

10.23.11 Quiet, flat morning and slow for lots of anglers

     I thought this morning might be the start to the fall run. Jason Dapra of Blitzbound Charters said things are winding down in Montauk so we should see things pick up here. The water has cleared up from yesterday and it brought out a ton of anglers. I got to Avon at 530 and had to maneuver my way past others on the rocks to get to the end. The water was flat, almost an erie quiet. I fished from the beach to tip without a bump.
    I dropped off the rocks and hit on a schoolie bass on a snake Fly in the wash on the second cast. I thought there might be more but there wasn't. Of the 25 or so anglers on the beach that was the only fish caught. I drove up to Asbury Park and talked with Gus who had two schoolies on Vison Eels at first light, and those were the only fish caught there.

    Things can only get better, now it's a waiting game. My prediction. The first word of good fish will be out of Long Branch Tuesday morning. We'll see.

10.22.11 Out this cool morning at Little Monmouth....

     Went out this morning fished the outgoing at Little Monmouth. It's finally starting to feel like fall, with out the door temps in the mid 40's. Started on top in the dark and moved under as the sun came up. Water was stained but improving from yesterday, thinking tomorrow or Monday should be better. Had about a half a dozen anglers out throwing the usual assortment with no results. Didn't see any bait or fish and the birds stopped here-and-gone a ways out. Later in the morning a flotilla of boats and settled out by the Shrewsbury Rocks, and others along the stain line off the rocks along the coast.

                        

Last night I had the pleasure of photographing U.S. Congressman Rush Holt and his wife at their New Jersey home. When he saw my pick up with the stickers he asked me, "So what about the menhaden?"
I immediately thought of Paul Eidman and the Menhaden Defenders and gave him as much info on it as I could remember in a few minutes. This morning I was shooting Clean Ocean Action and was with U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone. I brought up the bunker issue with him and he told me the fight over bunker has been going on for centuries. He said he has in his office articles from the 1700's about bunker harvest debates. He acknowledged the issue, but didn't say where he stood on it. To learn more go to www.menhadendefenders.org or stay up with them on their Facebook page.