Well, who know's about that. What I do know as I'm still carrying around the skunk this fantastic fall run. Time and effort, yes, results, no. At least I had a few fish on. When I woke up this morning I knew I'd be fishing after work. How could I pass Exit 11 on the NJ Turnpike and not head south on Route 36. It was a brisk 39 degrees outside when I left for work at 530 am. Fall is definitely in the air out here.
I got to work early and spent some time in the parking lot getting ready for some late afternoon fishing. I had a dandy of a fly picked out, one of my Beauty Shop of Horrors flies tied with the hair extension material I picked up from a beauty supply shop in Trenton. I caressed it. I talked to it. I tied it
on with an extra tug and made sure the dropper fly was seated nice and tight. I would go back to my two-fly set-up, because I have had so much luck with that, well, really, not so much. I was off to work
with my nursing students at the once St. Mary's Hospital in Orange, now a long term care facility. I can see in the above pic how bald from the back I look. Getting older sucks. After a good days work by the students I gave them a few minutes back and bolted out the door and hit the Parkway. In no time
I hit Exit 117 on was Route 36 and heading for hopefully a repeat of yesterday. Leif had left work early so him and I would do some scouting and touch base if either one of us found something good.
As I made my way over the hump of the overpass I saw a line of guys with big fish on the beach blowing up on peanut bunker. It was just high tide and the bait was over the bar and on the inside. I couldn't find a parking spot so I made the short drive to the next lot and found all the room you wanted.
I made my way to the water and was met by a stiff south wind blowing far harder than the predicted 6 mph. There was the wind coupled with a strong sweep and fishing that point, even with a over the non-dominant shoulder cast was really ineffective. There was bunker in tight but nothing was on them. I made another stop north and checked the spot where it all went down yesterday. It was void of both
bait, fish, and fishermen. I didn't want to get sucked into the crowds so I started looking for fish, or at least better fly rodding conditions. Leif had lucked out with a parking spot in that first lot and jumped in and made casts to bunker pods with an occasional big blow up.
Heading south, in the direction home, I stopped and looked and didn't find anything that peaked my interest. On my next stop I broke out the binoculars and saw some birds working with fish busting
underneath them. I thought of taking the walk but chose to jump in and park closer. There were a few guys fishing and the bunker was just staying put with an splash of bunker going off here and there. The south wind had started to dirty up the water along the edge but the fish found the bunker in the off color
water. My hope was the fish would push the bait into the pocket which would be very fly roddable. At one point I did have them just out of range at the tip of the groin but they never turned in. So it was off
to my last stop. The groin looked good and was void of anglers. The wind may have kicked down a mph or two and the water looked good. There were no birds or signs of bait but I gave it a go for about 20 minutes. I had lost interest and confidence. I stayed in thinking Ryan would finally send his dad a big
fish while perched on his rock, Ryan's Rock. But that wasn't to be and that no-fish-on-his-rock streak continues. Richie caught a real nice 35 pound fish this morning, I think on Ryan's Rock, so at least he's giving someone some luck.
I got some texts from friends who had heard of good catches earlier in the day, before the wind, and then near last light, which by then I was gone. Tony caught a 46 inch fish and Tommy caught a mid 20's pounder, both on the spinning rod after I left. I am sure some fly rodders putting in their time, at the right time, did well as well.
So, it is what it is. There are plenty of fish around. The bait is here. I can offer no excuse for my lack of catching but it is what it is. I hope to put something on the sand, while not really, soon. My last fish were some mullet run fish about a month ago. I am due, but I have been enjoying this dry spell I'm in.
