Hit it before first light looking to pop up a bass before tying on a Clouser and looking for fluke.
I have a quick question......
Where the hell are all the fish???
There's really no bait, no fish, and looking around this morning, and most mornings, there's no fisherman. Yes, there's big striped bass on bunker way off the beach, and every now and again they come in range for the surfcaster, but, there's nothing on the beach.
The water temps aren't summerish yet. We haven't had a man made or natural disaster....(except all of the beach replenishment projects up and down the MoCo and OcCo beaches). So what is it?
Early on we had a run of micro bass which if you ask people who love striped bass is a great thing to see....little bass may grow up to be big bass. And, while on the big bass........ just think about it........bass from 20-50 pounds have been targeted and harvested from the Raritan Bay to out front since April, and its almost July. I have seen more than my share of dead 20, 30, 40 and 50....and I just saw a 60 online.....than I care to see. Those same fished were pressured before we got them, and now they're getting pressured north of us. They never get a break.
And, I'm not judging, but when we think of why the bass might be in trouble harvesting these big fish everyday can't be good for the species.
We need to smarten up as a fishing community, both recreational and commercial alike, and not wait for the government and regulations to save the bass. Stop being greedy, set your own limits, and pray that in the next years you can still fish for these amazing fish.