Alright, rant for today. Yesterday the big girls showed up on their migration south where they'll winter over before hopefully SPAWNING next spring. That's if we don't kill them all first. So in New Jersey no fish over 38 inches- everyone thought was a great idea, protect the big ones. Problem is, when there are only fish up to 28 inches and fish over 38 inches left, it takes a lot of catching, and killing, to get your slot fish.
Yesterday there were fish from Monmouth Beach down to IBSP, with fish on the beach down south. Its hard to safely release a fish, let alone a big one. Yesterday I caught a 37 inch bass and had to time "my release" back into the water from the outer end of the groin. I have caught 40 pound bass in my Jones, takes a while to get them it, and even longer to revive and release them. And my boat is two feet off the waters surface. How about the party boats? Catching big ones, hoisting them up, hitting the rail first, then the deck, then a photo and then what? An albie dive back into the water?
This is not good. Guys are fishing through big fish trying to find their keepers. Live lining bunker with snag and drop rigs isn't any better. These fish don't have a chance. We should do better.
I had to go today. Fish around yesterday and the blow later today. This morning will be good.....forget it. I started in the OG and headed north after not-a-tap for 45 minutes. So I went to where I was yesterday, not a tap, not for me, Leif or Ritchie on different beaches and rocks.
I had a Double Barrel Popper leding and Andrew Warshauer Hollow Fly. Incoming tide, clean and green, good whitewater, nothing. Before I left I was shooting the shit with Richie about how
