Didn't know what to expect this morning. Got down at 5am and there was no one around...literally. I could have taken any boat I wanted outside the gate. At 6 security showed up and let me in. Once on the boat I rigged up as the rain started to fall. I picked up some hand warmers just in case and had them at the ready.
My plan, as of last night, was to shoot across to New York and go due east, way east. I just wanted to find a good sand eel bite. But at the last minute as I got to the Hook I thought, "Let me check south before running over.....". I'm glad I did. My first stop was dead and then I rolled into a two-name town and it was birds over sand eels with bass pushing them around. I had the place to myself for about a half an hour. A few small boats joined in and then the fleet from the south joined in. I tried to stay focused but I don't do well with company. I caught over a dozen bass to one just about keeper size that I thought was 27". All of the fish were fat and heavy gorging on the sand eels.
I had the Pulse Disc on at first but lost a few and then went to the old reliable Brad Buzzi sand eel imitation. I love these flies as do the bass. I left when the hum of the engines behind me got on my nerves....they were still biting. I wanted to find "my own" fish again so I went out and up and found the north boats in heavy current between the channels. These just weren't fly rod fish.
I did make it over across the pond and didn't find anything worth stopping for and after a ride home I had to travel to Long Branch to give the boat a nice wet and hot bath. The marina has turned the water off for the season so I need to bring water to rinse the brakes after putting in and travel for bath after I'm done. I was done by late morning and had time to hit the sand before picking up the girls from school.
I picked a beach I could have to myself even though the bite was a zip code away. I went tight and had a good fish on only to loose it in the rolling waves in the wash. Barbless long shank hooks, rolling surf and fish, and a slack line = losing fish. That was on me. So there's sand eels and mostly smaller fish but I did here of a few keepers and a heifer or two in the mix.
I love sand eels and particularly a night sand eel bite. It is going to get real cold real quick so tonight might be a good shot for that......if the wife gives me her blessing.
