It felt good to get back out there. Even though it's a little early out front I decided to forego the bay and river and hit the rocks. West wind, off color water, no fish. It didn't matter though because it has been a long, long winter and it felt like I haven't fished the salt in a year.
I keep receiving life-status checks since the blog has been dormant for a while. I have been keeping busy on several fronts. My new job back as an RN coupled with my return to college in pursuit of an advanced degree has been a real whirlwind. This time last year I would be preparing for next weeks One Bug up on the Delaware River and this year I am looking for my scrubs and juggling patient assessments and writing papers, in APA style of course.
Usually I would be up on the Delaware late April through May and then hitting the salt hard starting in June but this year it will be all salt. My trips down here start up in May with some walk and wade and boat trips for the early bass and blues. I have moved from down near the beach inland and I miss the sounds of the ocean and the gongs of the buoys outside the Shark River Inlet.
I couldn't help but notice the tug boats just off the beach down near Allenhurst and I resisted driving down but I had to. I knew what I would find when I got there. Loch Arbor is under beach nourishment assault and the work in heading north towards Phillips Ave where Phase 1 will end.
In the below picture you can see 8th Ave in the background. It will take a long time to get it back to where it was and is supposed to be. It will be an interesting year and now is the time to get out and scout new spots where beach replenishment was done last year. Hopefully there is some structure, and hopefully there will be some good fishing.
