4 am wake-up and what to do. I didn't have to anywhere and it's now a waiting game in just about all of New Jersey waters when fish become more active with rising water temperatures. They're there, or coming, but to get them on a fly you need them to not be frozen to the core. I checked the tide charts of several locations and took the shot and gave it a go. I bought the tank with me, because I was going to catch a bass. I had to, the tide was perfect. Let's just say there was no need to fill the tank.
After 1,000 casts and receding water I knew it wasn't going to happen. Insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Now with tide fishing, those conditions change, and you're just waiting for something to turn on a bite. But, I'm thinking these fish were just somewhere else. But before I called it a day I did some scouting and found a much better spot. A new spot for me, surely not for others. Really fishy, crazy good structure and current. And I'm sure lights out when
the stars line up. It's the kind of spot where you can get away with any type of footwear, as evidenced by my favorite, but should be retired, Merrell's. So it was a day where the gas gauge dropped in the big old Chevy truck but it was worth it. I stopped by my home waters and gave that a go as it was a good tide, again, one of these days the fish here will wake up so it's always worth a stop and cast.
Before Theresa and I started our St. Patrick's Day celebration I ponied up to the vice and cranked out my first fly on the Peak. I just grabbed some wig hair from the beauty store and tied the above fly up. And yes, I have to continue to tie, lost two flies and parted my fly line on unknown bottom structure at the new spot. It's funny how muscle memory works, and it does with fly tying, because my hands didn't know where to go as I navigated around the new vice. Full-rotary is great, again, for me, to see what both sides of the fly look like as it's being tied. It's a quick spin to see what that bucktail looks like as you look for 360 degree equal shank coverage.
Right off the bat the difference between the Regal Medallion vs the Peak is the vice head height. The Regal can be adjusted with a screw to make it higher or lower. Luckily Peak makes a RSR-1 riser which can installed on the riser shaft raising the vice about 2 inches higher. I felt like I was tying down on the vice. I prefer it being more eye level. One thing I noticed is those Peak bases are serious, and stick like glue to the table. My vice came with the standard base, but they offer a Jurassic Series base, JSBAS,
which must weigh a ton. I bet the shipping is as much as the base, so think about buying it local.
And then it was off to The Dubliner On the Delaware, our favorite local Irish bar. Luckily we got in before the after lunch line started building outside. Good crowd, music was okay, I prefer a more drinking rebel music vibe, and the food was ridiculously good for the insane crowds they had. You would think on a day like this it might take a step down, but know, as good as it always is. This place has the best fish and chips anywhere we've had it, and that includes across the pond over in Ireland.
Over the years I have grown from Miller Lite, to Coor's Light, to Michelob Ultra with a Smithwick's mixed in, until about a year ago. I decided to give Guinness another shot. There was something about it I never liked. But with my advancing age, and maybe more tolerable palate, I can say it's my go-to now. So after about a dozen of them and some good food we left some great folks we met and partied with throughout the afternoon. Good times. Now bring on the striped bass.