They say another man's kill doesn't taste as good as one you harvest for yourself. Well I can tell you that's no true. Hit it early, way early this morning. On the beach by 4 am on the last of the outgoing trying to pop up a bass in pretty perfect water. Everything was good except for that shitty south wind. "Wind from the south, fish shut their mouths". While the bass weren't eating, the fluke were. After working some groins and sand with the popper, and then a black Hollow Fleye, I went to the crab tray and picked out a winner. I started just before the sun came up and landed one, that I
thought was short, but may have been just the "new" legal 17 inch size. I jumped on the groin to step on "Ryan's Rock" and fished without a tap. Leif pulled in behind me and went to work quickly landing three keeper fluke. We fished together and after he left I landed two short fluke and he
another keeper on his way back to the car. And as far as eating another mans' kill, he was gracious enough to offer me two for the family for dinner, and that shit was good, real good.
And late in the day I hit the lock beat. And I can say, with certainty, I am doing chasing striped bass in the Delaware. No more need, I'll give them a break, especially with the water temps creeping up into 70. No more quietly passing through a homeless guys bedroom as I crawl down to the river, at all hours of the day. He's a nice guy, I've spoke with him several times. Sad to him live like this.
And no more falls, I had my last one today, laying on my hip, that I thought I broke for a moment. My "new" Simms waders are a mess, and I'll need a new pair with each season on the Delaware. And no more chasing the tides, and spitting out bugs, and maneuvering my rod through the thicket of growth that lines the river. It felt good to be walking the sand and rocks, jetty rocks, again. I hope to find that striped bass looking for micro bait or crabs along the beach. But one thing is for sure, there is a big difference between a 10 minute and 60 minute ride to fish. I'll have to pick my tides and weather and days of the week getting to the salt again. But as one season ends, another begins. I'm feeling like I am missing something not fishing Martha's Vineyard this year, those trips would be in about a week or so. Maybe next year.
