08.14.24 I'm gonna fish somewhere soon...

      

     There are people who just like to fish. It doesn't matter what it is if it swims they like to fish for it. For me, I'm really a one fish kind of guy, maybe two, as I still enjoy trout fishing from time to time. I think it's because I can't juggle multiple things in my mind so I just stick with what I know. With striped bass between the spring and fall runs true fishermen go and enjoy fishing for other things. 

     It's August and there's fish like smallmouth and snakeheads in the freshwater. If you can do it August brings the warmest waters to New Jersey which brings fish like tuna, mahi, albies, and fluke within a boat ride from the marina. For some reason I have no interest and am content with waiting for the striped bass. 

     Summer and the equator like temps and the southerly winds can wreak havoc on my fishing. The river's too warm and the ocean too cold. It's just not worth the trip, but then August can kind of kick 

things off. I stopped by the river to check conditions after last weeks Tropical Storm Debby. She dropped a ton of water and her affects are still seen in the river. It bumped up and the temperature dropped although it still remains off color. But the temps are down which is most important. 

     I've watched the Delaware River this summer go down to a trickle of 4,800 cfs and a high temp of 86 degrees. After Debby the river bumped to almost 60,000 cfs and dropped the temps to 72. The herring and shad fry should start to move in good numbers out to the ocean and with tolerable waters and bait the resident bass, striped and smallmouth, should enjoy some late summer and fall eating. 

     What I'm really looking forward to are a couple of good mornings during the mullet run. It used to be a thing, not so much anymore. You need three things for a good run, mullet making their move, bass looking to eat them, and weather that doesn't interfere with the migration. It's then I get to throw my

my favorite Snake Flies behind the crest of the waves to following or waiting bass in the trough. The mullet run is a timing thing, you gotta be there or you'll miss it. Sometimes before the mullet move outside the rivers can be good as the resident or early moving bass invade the backwaters feasting on a mix of mullet, silversides, bay anchovies, and peanut bunker. 

     It seems there's usually a lull in the action between the fall mullet and the peanut and adult bunker action. October can be slow and we wait to see if "it" will ever happens, but it always does. The cool air and water temps move bait, bass, and fishermen alike. Chasing birds, on 

foot or by boat, becomes a thing as predator fish push fish up to the surface or along the beach. Chasing the blitz, while fun at times, mostly if you are alone, but rarely if you're in New Jersey, can be a maddening and love-hate thing. You see the best in fish, and the worst in fishermen. Being lined up like you're fishing the Salmon River seeing fish after fish after fish caught can kind of take the beauty of it all away. Half of the fun, for me, is just being there. For most people finding the time in the busy work and family schedule gets in the way of the chase. 

     Last evening I made my way down to the Shore and spent the sunset hours along the banks of the Shrewsbury River. Erin and I hit the Happy Hour at The Proving Grounds where it just felt like fall was starting to arrive. I enjoyed her company, watching the water make it's way out of the Two Rivers, and the birds flying around looking for a meal. 

     Soon I'll be trying to juggle fall fishing with the return of the school year. And of course with that the raking of leaves, picking up sticks, and getting the first oil deliveries to try and head the house. These will be my last fall runs so I have to make the effort to get down there and enjoy them while I can.