Those were Leif's words of wisdom just as I was ready to call it a quick morning. 530 am, just an hour into the incoming, NE/E wind just enough to make the 34 degree air temps feel like 27. I fished for about 30 minutes before deciding I was done. I walked to wish Leif a Merry Christmas and he said "I got one, they're in there". Shit, now I had to stay. He added, "You warm up once you catch a fish".
In the wee hours I could barley make out the scene just south of our position. It looked like the scene from E.T. with all of the lights in the forest, just this was on the beach. As light arrived, just before I was done, the wind did kick down a notch and swing from the NE/E to SW, which quickly, not warmed things, but warmed things up. I didn't notice it until I after being convinced by Leif it was worth
staying. He grabbed the below pick of me, done, before I rallied and fought off the quitter in me. I fished the open beach near Leif and connected soon after on a nice fish, and you know what, all of a sudden I felt warmer. I stayed, for two hours more and covered the beach and groins in that beat.
It was a one and done morning for me, which was just fine. Leif grabbed another small off the groin. While it wasn't a Christmas Day fish, it was enough for me to be content and now, really, done for the year. The cold is just too cold for me, my fingers can't take the cold since I damaged them during a fire at the Mercury Candle Company factory on Fabyan Place in Newark on January 17, 2000. I think it was the coldest day in the history of the universe. The fire was at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and was fed by thousands of pounds of wax inside the building. It destroyed the businesses and jumped around the blocks surrounding the factory. My hands haven't been the same since when it comes to the cold.
Before we left we headed down to where the heavy equipment and action was. Hathaway Avenue is the "public access" and right there the destruction of natural habitat, well replenished natural habitat has begun. Frank Pallone and his boys are starting what will amount to a tens-of -millions job keeping the people, the rich people, happy with new beaches they will be able to enjoy next summer. Leif said they are going north to Long Branch so that will kill the Deal and Elberon beaches. Lucky for me I live on the Delaware and have expanded the areas where I like to fish, which seem to be more about the bays and rivers than the beaches, which fishing has progressively worsened over the last several years.
Saw I drove home I checked the tides in the Delaware, with less than a week to go before the rivers and bays are closed could I squeak out a fish and make it a perfect day? Nope, high tide was at 6 am and it nearing 10, what I found was the exposed minefield of debris, rocks, sticks, metal, and garbage that I love to wade through in pursuit of the striped bass. I can't for that this spring, I feel every time I fish these waters I learn something more and that puts me closer to catching more and bigger fish.
Those were Leif's words of wisdom just as I was ready to call it a quick morning. 530 am, just an hour into the incoming, NE/E wind just enough to make the 34 degree air temps feel like 27. I fished for about 30 minutes before deciding I was done. I walked to wish Leif a Merry Christmas and he said "I got one, they're in there". Shit, now I had to stay. He added, "You warm up once you catch a fish".
