11.30.11 IBSP today...fish, after fish, after fish, after fish, after fish, after fish, after fish, and more fish

     Had a cancellation today so I decided to give it a shot. Started in Avon before light and found huge waves on the start of the incoming tide. Beautiful morning but with little water and huge breakers it was

Avon

tough to find a place where the fish would hold. Decided around 830 to take a drive down to Island Beach State Park since things didn't feel good up here. Got down around 945 am and started at A10. Plenty of anglers out and soon after hitting the beach they were on them. They caught fish, and more fish, and more fish. It was the last of the incoming and they caught fish, and then it was slack tide, and they caught fish. The meal of the day was metal, most using Ava's with a teaser, although I did see some Vision type rubber eels dancing in the wind. It was a tough go with the fly rod. SW wind that was gusting and a hard right to left current. It took my fly line as soon as it hit the water, and I was using the Depth Charge line with a Skull Candy tied fly. Every time a fish was hooked they were walking it north on the beach. I tried to cast out over the breakers to where the fish were bottled up in the bowls on either side of the cusps, but I nearly got washed out one time, for real, like I was about to ask for help. Embarrassing. I just needed another, +/- 40 feet?



     I moved south to A18 and found two guys talking and breaking down after fishing. They each had 2 keepers. I started to picture how many fish are caught and kept, it'a amazing the species continues. After the walk over the dunes I arrived to a sweet bowl that was dotted with about 6 anglers. The only room was the top spot which was in the water. It was the start of the outgoing so I walked in, and didn't get far. The water was moving. Soon these guys were hooked up, sometimes three at a time. They were using Ava's, one a Bomber, and one a bright green large eel, Hogy or Stingo?, it was huge. I casted my arm off and didn't get a bump. It was frustrating. I saw Bob Popovic's drive past me while I fished and I got a message from him later that he had caught three down at the Pocket at the north jetty.

Found these keepers in the back of a guys truck

     My favorite picture is the one above. It reminds me of when the paleontologists find the dinosaur bones that show they fought till the death. Here's a busted fishing pole with the line still attached to the carcass. It washed up some time on the high tide. I wonder what the story is behind that one?

All is all it was a good day. Lot's of wind, lot's of waves, lot's of current. I probably saw 75 fish caught and 40-60 kept after being caught or already in the car, cooler or on the beach. And, I only saw one fish kicked back into the surf.