My thought was since I missed all out blitzes from Monmouth Bach down to Allenhurst yesterday that I might be able to squeak in some first light fishing, well blitz catching, before the weather moved in. My plan was simple, wake up at 510 and get there by 630 and get ready for some fast and furious action, like they had just 12 hours earlier. while my alarm was set for 510, I was up and out of the house by 230, I couldn't stop thinking of maybe finally catching it. So I made my way
down and started in Ocean Grove/Asbury Park, jumped to Allenhurst (scene of yesterdays carnage), then Long Branch where I made cats every 10 feet up and down the beach. I was a little surprised I
didn't get a tap on popper/dropper combo. I would think someone was home and would jump on something that was making some noise in the flat calm incoming tide. While walking I found the
head and rack of a keeper striped bass, who would have thought it would be the only bass I would see today. I made the jump to Sea Bright and convinced myself I had a good plan and it was going to happen. I started in the dark in that sweet pocket and I made cast after cast and finally some light
arrived. By then I had already tipped Leif off to my plan. Let me scout up here and you hit Deal, which by my prediction was going to go off at 8 am sharp, and we'll let each other know. While I had nothing, Leif had the aftermath of last evenings peanut slaughter and the birds were up and the
boats were out and in. It felt like it was going to go off and, it, well, never did. It did, in fact, suck. We moved down to Ocean Grove hoping to get ahead of the birds and bait. But you see, this fall has been all about the blitz, the bait, and the WIND. 25 degrees and blowing 45 WNW- fish on. Nice 50 degree overcast day with any type of south wind, forget it "Winds from the south fish shut their mouths".
It was pure torture out there. Standing around knowing the chance of rouge bass wandering around was minimal, even with the peanuts swimming at our feet. It was then what to do. I wasn't going back north, the wind was starting to pick up, so I wasn't going south and I was disgusted.
Throughout the day the weather picked up and then dropped off, Ocean County late afternoon went off with fish from Bay Head/ Lavalette/Brick providing the action. I didn't hear much from IBSP, but who cares. I did see the below post on Facebook which just slathered salt into my wounds.
So I did the drive of shame and was pulling in by 11 am. Theresa asked "How was fishing?", which always makes me feel like a loser when I miss the bite. I answered, 'I should have went yesterday'. They just don't get it. I then tried to explain about the NW vs a south wind, then I caught myself, why I am even bothering, it is just not my year.
