It was an iced up guides kind of morning. I anticipated the cold, but have to say I was getting used to walking up and getting to the beach in 40 degree weather. After a "hot" bite the last few days it only took about a dozen casts to lose confidence in the morning real quick.
I first settled into a pocket that should have held a fish. Without a bump and wondering if the cold front may have snapped our recent good fortune I jumped to another groin and fished really fishy water. It was the outgoing tide, the water was gin clear and the sun starting to go high and bright quickly. I made switch from a yellow and white fly, that had worked well the last two days in a not clear and bigger surf, to an orange and white fly less a Pulse Disc and down to 12 pound fluoro tippet. The switch didn't make a difference. I met up with a few friends one who was blanked and another who
said he got a few coming out of the dark. Maybe that was the difference but by the time I got down they had either moved out or had lockjaw. I had a spot in mind that was fishy yesterday and gave up two nice bass just about this same tide time. I jumped in my truck and made the move.
By the time I got there the sun had the whole place lit up. I could see my fly in the water even after a 75 foot cast. I walked the beach and took all of the structure in, while I could, as the beach "nourishment" sand pumping is going to begin any day. I wonder what that will do to the fishing, and the fisherman, next year. These groins are magnets for the plug guys in the spring when the big bass are chasing the bunker around.
In the spring we will have seen Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach, although that sand is half gone, Long Branch, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Belmar, Bradley Beach and Avon replenished for start of the spring and summer. I think back to all the good fishing my clients and I had these past years from the rocks and the beaches of those towns.
Its sad but true, 2014 is going to be a real interesting year for striper fishing along the beaches of the Jersey Shore.
