There's no date on the above USGS temperature chart but I can tell you it was from March 13, 2022. Working it's way up at 38 degrees. Some say 50 is the target, but others say they move before that when the water is 40-45. so a quick look at todays USGS chart shows the following. Mmmm.
So what could this mean? Mild winter, I don't want to jinx it just yet. I know at some point I'll be trying to fire up the snow blower or pushing water around in my basement. But there's some indications things may go early. Below is the chart from the Delaware River at the delaware Memorial Bridge at Wilmington Delaware. Just above 40 degrees. Mmmm.
Remember last week I posted about how boats were still on the bass off of Cape May. NOAA buoy 44009 which is 26 miles southeast of Cape May is showing water temps at 48.4 degrees, that's where I'd be if I were a big striped bass. The Chesepeake Bay at Annapolis is showing 42 degrees. For those Raritan Bay diehards things at Keansburg are shown below. Remember, bays and rivers are closed for fishing for striped bass from January 1 to February 28, it's go day March 1st.
Now I know it's early, and I am nuts, and winter is probably coming at some point, but these numbers are a good reference. On January 14 Eric Burnley who writes for the Cape Gazette wrote, "The rockfish have arrived long the Delaware Coast from the Eights south to Bethany Beach". He reports water temperatures at the Delaware Lightship, which may be the same as the NOAA buoy 44099, at 48 degrees. He states they are getting them, of course within the three mile line, on slowly trolled Mann's Stretches 25's and MOJO's, neither of which I know what they are. He advises to look for diving gannets, and we know what that means.....herring!
I snooped around Google and some articles report around 50 degrees (water) is when herring really get going for the spawn. But one article from Maine said the ocean temps are 42, adding, "at least the hering run is heating up"....so I can only imagine bait and bass in a holding pattern just off the coast and just outside of the Delaware and Chesepeake Bay.
I know, we are months away from fly rod fishing, but you have to look at these things even now. Why? I don't really know, but cabin fever has caught me like the flu.
So below is a couple of things I saw while surfing around. They kind of fit in what I'm talking about here. It's January. It's a mild one. And there's things starting to happen, both good and bad.
Under the cover of darkness and away from the beachgoers and much to the delite of the homeowners in Elberon and Long Branch, beach "nourishment" has started once again. I'm not sure who snapped the above pic but it looks like it's around Pullman Ave. This round of waste will cost "just" 34 million dollars and go from Lincoln Avenue, north of Roosevelt Ave, to Lake Takanassee, which was the scene of really good fishing this past fall. Good-bye structure, good-bye bait, and good-bye bass. Additionally Pallone put his request into the 1.7 trillion dollar spending bill that is up for a vote soon. He asked for another 32 million for sand pumping on Long Beach Island.
On since we're playing "Where's Waldo" here on this blog in regards to the bait and the bass, Paul Linder found something swimming around the Manasquan River. Bunker, herring, either ocean or river, schooling up outside his door. Just becausee you put your gear away and have given up until the spring doesn't mean life isnt't happening. I am sure there are holdover fish up and down New Jersey sticking it out in the cold water waiting for things to heat up. Below is a USGS screen shot showing water temps of the Manasquan River at Watson Creek, in Manasquan.
And then there's the report from up north in New England, specifically Martha's Vineyard. On the Water Magazine in their Cape Cod fishing report tells of fishing conditions and catches going on during this mild winter. Below, Stravos Viglas holds up a nice, I mean very nice, holdover caught on the island this past week. It's funny how he caught that in January, and when I'm fishing there in June all I can seem to catch is an endless amount of micro to schoolie bass that invade the island each spring. I have never caught the below fish on Martha's Vineyard. My best may have been a streamlined 30-32 inch bass caught while sight fishing on the flats.
So hopefully youi have taken this down time to go through your gear in preparation of this year. Check your waders, respool some backing, spend a little to mrepalce that shitty nicked up fly line, and throw those flies away that are past their expiration date. If you're not tying then figure out what you need and hit a fly show to restock. Next week is The Fly Fishing show and tyers will be there
offering stuff up for sale. Look for Brad Buzzi as he is a great source of materials and flies to get you going. Others I can think of besides the ones along tyers row are Joe Cordiero and Joe Calchevechia (below) who always have a lot on hand for purchase.
