I woke up to two things on Saturday morning. First, the update from Betty and Nicks and then a text from Leif that he caught a small bass in the surf and that out in the distance he could see what he thought were big bass blowing up on bunker. He saw one for sure and wondered if they may be some tuna mixed in. And then the reports started flowing on social media, between Facebook and
Stripers Online I could tell the first push of mostly all big fish had hit the Jersey Shore. From Sandy Hook to Island Beach State Park it was on. A lot of boat fish but good catches from the beach. So here's the early story, and I wasn't there, but, seems a lot of these big fish catches are coming on snag and drop fishing. You can't do that anymore. Guys are reporting that have thrown articficials until there shoulder sockets were worn out they only wanted the real deal. But guys snagging, with trebles, and dropping caught the majority of the fish. And whats funny, in light of the LEWT tournament cheaters out on Lake Erie, where weights were stuffed down the fish,
there's the Barrier Island Beach Brawl Torunament where some of the "weigh-ins" were allegedly caught by snag and drop. Let me ask, can you snag and drop a large adult bunker that aren't within swim distance of 40 and 50 pound bass and really catch?. You'd have to snag a bunker 100 feet out, reel it in, rehook it on a circle hook and then send it back out? C'mon guys. It can be done if the fish are at your feet but really? The pic below is from a post, not sure what it was caught on but that seems to be a typical first push fish.
So I had planned on fishing the back waters last night. Tied up the below fly, which doesn't look pretty, and readied my gear. I planned on the outgoing tide and getting there about 9 oclcok but with the big fish here why not grab my binoculars and go and do the watch and wait fishing that the first pushes of big fish have become. Basically it's blitz fishing. All big fish, way above the 36 inch
maximum keeper size, that don't stray too far from the bunker pods. But hunting is fun and saves the arm from continuously casting for nothing. I did bust out my river flies from this past spring just in case the blitzing bass
came in close. While driving I couldn't help but think of Peter Kaminsky's book, The Moon Pulled Up and Acre of Bass. The conditions were perfect, west wind, incoming tide, water clean post Ian,
and fish just off the beach being caralled by some boats. I busted out the 13'6" spey rod to throw the big flies but honestly it was more of a pain in the ass and I don't know if I really benefit much for distance, and in the dark is a mess. That running line is like dental floss. I brought my old pro
camera and took some shots of the boats and the bait and bass that were in them. The boats stayed into the night as the full moon came over the horizon. If there was going on up and down the beach you could have seen it as there wasn't much for clouds in the sky and the place was lit up.
Before heading to my original place and plan I stopped for the anglers delight dinner, yep, McDonald's. Funny how no matter how many times we collectively say we're not eating that shit anymore we always find ourselves along the drive through window. But after some "food" and a quick warm up from the dropping air temps and cool water temps I was out in the water. Water was full moon high but when it dropped whatever bait was around got pulled out to a bunch of frisky little mid-20, inch, not poundss, guys. Leif and I hit it just as the water stopped flowing strong
but I was thankful to bring two to hand. And, one took that shitty fly I had tied earlier in the day, the other a similair white fly that mirrored the darker one.
Don't get jazzed up for the early fall run if you are a fly fisherman from the beach. Yes, big bass are here, passing through like a fart in the wind. If you'ree on a boat find the bunker pods and you'll find the bass. If you're on foot maybe the fish Gods will be with you and send a blitz in front of you. If you're in a car and do the Sandy Hook to Brick Beach tour then let me know and I'll tell you where the Porta Johns are along the way. And, if you're in Seaside or IBSP, remember those trebles are illegal to catch fish on, no matter how you justify, "I was reeling the bunker in".
