Well 2024 is in the books. It was a good year but it was a tough year. During the winter months I did some of the shows including The Fly Fishing Show in Edison, Stock the Box in Newport, Rhode Island, and the Long Island Fly Fishing Expo. I also did a few talks at some local fly tying/fishing clubs. I also awaited the release John Fields book, Fly fishing for Trophy Striped Bass, in which I was lucky to be a small part of.
For the first time I took the hours long drive down to the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay for some late winter fishing. While I haven't brought one to hand I enjoyed learning and fishing new waters. I saw some of the larger specimens that chase early running bait and would like to catch one myself. Hopefully the winter will be relatively mild as I just can't do really cold anymore.
I fished hard during the spring close to home and had some good success. Two fish stand out that were 30 pounds with girths pushing 25 inches. My favorite fish of the year was the one of the top of the page which was 42 inches long. That fish was one I worked for, with many skunked outings, and landed after some precarious footing and a perfect cast. It ate, which I watched, as soon as the big fly hit the water.
I did a lot of fishing with Delaware Joe who was always ready to go as long as his body isn't telling him otherwise. We spent a lot of time in the jet boat and I was able to see things from that vantage point that I haven't been able to see while on foot. River fishing, which has become my favorite, really comes down to luck, with a balance between what I do, what the fish are doing, and what Mother Nature has in store for that day.
While a lot of beach and back bay fishing is all about the bunker, I prefer the herring. They are an interesting fish, and the river conditions, and the moons, play such a role in when and where they show up.
I'm not sure if I like it better when they push up or drop back.
My flies seem to work well even though they wouldn't be chosen for any publication. I guess that's all that
matters. I like tying the big flies. What's funny is I've had some of my best outings throwing a proven pattern even though it may be all beat up, are even sparse, and with one or no eyes.
I made the solo trip up to the Vineyard and experienced the same weather conditions were had down in New Jersey...WIND. All day and all week. That's one thing about the spring, the weather was all over the place. Too hot too early, with drought like conditions, then the heavens opened up, and the howling wind, all the time. I still had a good time and was able to give the SS Archer 2 a shot, even though I got blown around the pond. I saw fish, lots of them, but most were in transit and not foraging and not interested in my flies.
Theresa and I spent a week in Hilton Head and it was hot as balls there as it was in New Jersey. I fished a few times and really enjoyed what the possibilities could have been but skunked the entire week. I saw a few redfish and made some casts in thick cover with lots of my casts laying down on top of the grass. We hope to call South Carolina home sooner than later.
I gave the Jersey salt a shot a few times over the summer but that fishery has changed as well. Long are the days of a good early first light popper bite or even dragging some AMC's (Archer's Mole Crabs) around through the trough. It was then a wait for the mullet run which I missed altogether. It seemed to be a North Jetty/ Barnegat Inlet thing this year. Monmouth County just didn't have much of a run.
For the first time I got to fish the South Shore of Long Island. It was fun, but I was thirty miles west from the action that was happening in and around Fire Island. They had a good bite this year. I wonder how many fish were pricked, caught, released, and harvested out there this fall. Some boats reporting a 1,000 fish over a couple of days.
And this fall was extremely difficult with the passing of Bob Popovics. What can I say, one of the best, one of the nicest, and one I will miss him moving forward. RIP Bobby.
I was lucky to get out for the fall run a bunch of times. It was, as it always is, hit and miss. But one day I hit it right and had it all to myself for hours. There were guys in site but nowhere near close enough to feel like I was caught up in blitz fishing. It what's you fish for.
Why was it so good? Because it went from nothing to something really quickly, and lasted. There's one thing to find the the boys on the beach or boats in tight and get into the fray but I prefer to be all alone and find my own fish. Well maybe they found me. I caught myself, which lasted a minute, catching and landing and recasting, only to take a break between each fish and savor moment.
Before the fish up and left I enjoyed spending time with the two New England Joe's down at Brad Buzzi's house. That was in and around The International Fly Tying Symposium where I got a front row seat and some time in speaking with Bob Clouser.
It's something I'll remember and not sure if I'll be able to do again. If you look at Kreh, Popovics, and Clouser as being legendary in fly tying he's the last of the greats.
December brought the Grinch to town as the ASMFC punted the fish around again taking no action...whatsoever...to save, or slow down the carnage, when it comes to the striped bass stocks. They didn't have all the data, facts, and science, but they had enough first hand accounts from anglers up and down the East Coast to do something. But nope, the bass lost again.
And I ended 2024 hitting that milestone of 1,000,000 people who have come and read this blog since I started it in 2009. It's really cool. It's my story, but it can easily be anyone who fly fishes, has a job, has a family, and navigates all that life throws out there for us to deal with.
What's in store for 2025? Well I have an action packed spring semester that I hope it doesn't interfere with my favorite fishing time of year. I hope there's a Martha's Vineyard trip out there and hope to fish the Chesapeake Bay more just to complete the circle of fishing where striped bass are. I'd put a trip north of border into Canada on my bucket list as that fishery seems to have exploded in recent years. But I've never been a traveler or destination type guy, and I'm pretty cheap. The truth is I really just like fishing close to home, on foot of course, and for my own fish.