08.28.25 What say you?....

 

     The weather was markedly different when we stepped out of Newark Airport last week. I could tell that summer had crested and fall was in the air. When we drove to the tip of New Jersey a few days later some of the trees had started to drop leaves and appeared to be fading in color. At night out here along the Delaware River it's cool and perfect windows-open sleeping weather.

     I think this winter is going to be brutal. Well, brutal may be harsh. What I do think is it's going to get colder sooner and stay colder longer. And snow? We'll get it, a storm or two that may leave up to 20 inches on the ground, but nothing big, like a blizzard. Those days seem to be over. 

     The Old Farmers Almanac (top) and the Farmers Almanac (above) put out the yearly prediction and the first says it's going to be generally mild winter, while the later says we should be prepared for a good old fashion cold and wet winter. 

     What will that mean for fishing? Well, a few things. First, fly rodders looking to put a fluke on the table should get out there while the water temps are up and the season remains open through September 25th. If you do go remember it's an 18 inch minimum with a three fish limit. Boy, if you caught the right honey hole that would make for a nice feast and plenty for the freezer. 

     If you do go and hit the beach be ready with an assortment of white bait type flies for the Spanish mackerel and false albacore that may be out there. It's also not uncommon to have a mix of bonito out there as well, although it's usually bonito or albies, as they don't play well in the sandbox together. And remember your 20 pound flouro may be too thick for those eagle eyed predators so you might have to go down to 16 or even 12. Surf candies or small epoxy flies in pink or green usually will get some notice. Inlets have been a great place if you happen to be there when they are. I have spent countless mornings waiting at the Shark River Inlet for something to pop. 

     I anticipate the door of summer to shut early and the water temps will follow suit. The bait is percolating in the bays and rivers and the predator fish, well all I care about are striped bass, will begin their runs on the flood tides was they travel up and in to intercept the bait. Then we'll have those flushes in November which will be at the height of the fall run. But before that, like now, there's holdover fish, and some good ones, that can be caught under the dock lights or are lying in wait at your favorite bridge spots. Upwelling brings the cold water into the beaches and the incoming tides push the cool water into the inlets, rivers, and bays. 

     Out near me the Delaware River is way below it's August average running now at 3,000 cfs. It's been to low and warm to fish, and I'm thankful for that, as I welcomed the break from the 

spring, where 2025 saw my most productive year since I started fishing it since 2018. It took seven years but the stars finally aligned and I hit it just right. I now know I love big (45,000 cfs +) and off color (Turbidity @ 20) water. That's as long as the bait and bass are around, and hungry. 

    Water temps have started to drop around the mid-70's after times this summer when they hit nearly 90. During warm temps I find the river unappealing to fish. The flow is off, the color is off, the smell is off. When you catch a fish it feels like they just came out of a warm bath. For smallmouths that's okay, not for striped bass. I like 55-65 degrees, as they do. 

     And what comes up must go down. In the spring the shad and herring run up and spawn, and in the fall the fry make their way down and out into the ocean. Any of those striped bass that chose to hang around, or where too timid to make their first runs, will be able and willing to feast on the Scooby snacks that small fish are. That should be going down in a few weeks and I will be out there trying to bring one to hand or for a ride in the tank.

08.27.25 It's so much happier sitting on Menemsha Pond....

 

     I saw the above post while surfing Facebook after work today. Of course my buddy Abe made the vessel complete with the name bright and bold along the pontoons. The "S.S" Archer" sits on the shores of Menemsha Pond in Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard. It really belongs there and I'm glad Abe and his boys made it happen. There's a chance I might pay her a visit in a little over a month if I can pull it off. I'd be catching the last week of the famed Martha's Vineyard 

Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. I'd be there for October 4th when it's false albacore Super Saturday, with prizes for the top albies weighed in that day. 

     And in other news this past weekend Theresa and I went out to spend some quality time with our bud Laura. Laura's was the beauty behind Jim Matson. As you can see we, or I, find her

place out in Pottstown very, very relaxing. The reason I write this is because Laura and I revisited the idea of the BrineFly Grab Bag. If you remember we were going to do it last year but I just got timed out to get it done before the shows. So this year it will happen! 20 people @ $50 a shot will get you a "Grab bag" filled with whatever we deem grab baggable from what remains

 of Jim's "stuff". That books, flies, fly tying materials, tools, yada, yada. It will do several things. One, it'll help recoup some of the money Jim spent that Laura didn't know about, two, help her clean out and be able to organize a bit, and three, give you a chance to win some cool stuff. Every person will get a bag which will have the same amount of stuff in it. I know a few people were in last time and I'll include you int he list, in fact I just might throw it up here to make it easy. If you're in drop me a email, colin@theaverageangler.com, or text me, 732 261 7291. 

     As we searched through the bins and boxes I came across some old original stock of Dave Skok's Mega Mushy material. Dave Skok is one of the best fly designers, and fly anglers, that

revolutionized fly fishing in the North East. While I could have held off and divided these up amongst the grab bags I had to make a management decision and put them aside. I know one person who would love to have these so they'll be heading south, well maybe north, in the next week or so. 

08.26.25 Rip Dr. Karl Chen...

     If you're on New Jersey related fishing social media accounts long enough you'll eventually see the same faces from time to time. One of those faces was of Karl Chen, a physician

from Princeton. I don't know how many people he saw as a Doc (he had a very busy practice) because the guy fished ALL the time, and all year long. 

     He was just a fishy dude and especially liked fishing for striped bass. Every spring when we would come out of hibernation it was Chen who would be on the pages of Facebook holding an

early season bass. While not a fly fisherman I enjoyed seeing his pictures, and to be honest, at times, I zeroed in to see where he was having good luck. I never chased his spots as most of those outings involved a soak, or throwing lures with a spinning rod. 

     It was Sunday afternoon when I learned of a fatal boating accident in the Barnegat Bay down near Little Egg Harbor Township. I knew there was a small craft advisory for the ocean and most boaters would be in the bays following the passing Hurricane Erin this week. As I read various stories I learned it was Dr. Chen who was killed. While the details haven't been published early 

reports state he and another passenger were thrown overboard and Chen was killed when his own boat, traveling in a circular path, struck and killed him. The other boater was rescued.

     My first thoughts were how sad. My prayers went out to those involved and their families. Then I thought to myself, as always, "This could have happened to me". There's some speculation that they caught a wake from a passing boat that tossed them overboard, but that hasn't been confirmed. I am not sure if they were on a drift or under way, the investigation will determine the details. 

     And why could this have happened to me? Because I, like many other Captain's out there, don't routinely use the tethered kill switch keys and lanyard, or otherwise known as an ECOS - or engine cut-off switch. New Jersey, along with six other states, has had that law in the books for some time and in 2021 it became federal law for boats 26 feet and under and PWC, or personal watercraft. To note, Chen's Robalo was 27 feet long.

     The idea of the ECOS is that the operator is tethered to the key and if there should be a mishap while underway the key on the tether causes the engine to shut off, stopping the boat. If not in place the boat, unmanned, can continue on it's path causing injury or death to other boaters and swimmers. 

     The above video made its way around social media a few years ago and shows what could happen without an ECOS. Luckily no one on that boat was killed or seriously injured. 

     Interestingly I am awaiting my third OUPV license to be issued by the United States Coast Guard. The OUPV, or "Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel", or commonly known as a "Captain's License" or "Six-Pack License" allows operators to legally carry passengers for hire. That includes charters for fishing (on any water), sightseeing, diving, transportation, teaching or any use considered "passenger for hire". Many charter operations, especially in the spring and fall, illegally charter people trying to offset the expenses of owning a boat and liking to buy fishing gear. If you haven't taken the Captain's license class it's a doozy, or at least it used to be. I first took it in 2012 and it was a four week class and in-person only. 

     While a Captain's license isn't needed on the Upper Delaware system to guide, guides there are required to have the various state guide license, an National Park Service permit to work, and the required insurances. I've seen many people attempt to say, "I'm just fishing with a friend", while trying to dodge the requirements and operate legally. It's kind of like saying, "We're fishing for bluefish", when fishing outside the 3 -mile line in the EEZ when the stripers are out of legal reach. When you pick a guide make sure they are appropriately licensed and insured. 

     When these things accidents happen I always feel bad for those involved and know it could be anyone of us who this cold happen to. I always learn from other's peoples tragedies and triumphs. I am sure they will say Chen died doing what he loved, it's all just to soon. RIP Karl Chen, dead at 56. 

   

08.24.25 While I was in Ireland and you were at the beach...

 

     Over the years I've spent a lot of time trying to follow the bouncing ball regarding fisheries management, specifically striped bass and the ASMFC. It was confusing as hell, and it remains so today. I've shared what I know from listening to the meetings, following the ASMFC on their website, other's synopsis's of what's going on, and lastly my own personal opinion. I try and recap and use the KISS principle, Keep It Simple Stupid, to understand and explain it all. Sometimes I get it right, other times close. 

So I'll try again here.

    In early August the ASMFC held their summer meeting. It was about deciding what Addendum III to Amendment 7 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Striped Bass will be. Now that involves a lot of people. Multiple states and really commercial vs recreational. And as I've always said, it all comes down to politics and money, not the well being of the striped bass. 

     The ASMFC put out the emergency action a few years back tightening up the bag and size limits for ocean fish to one fish at 28-31". It was just a Band-Aid on an arterial bleed. It may have stopped the flow but the vessel still wanted to rupture. We stopped the carnage, for a minute, of harvest by protecting the 2015 year class, but then wound up opening the harvest for the 2018 year class. You see fish are in the slot, and the survivors grow out of it, but the younger fish, especially if it's a "good" year class then grow into it, which means anglers and commercial operations can harvest them. Slots need to move as the fish, and the strong or weak year classes, move up and into or out of the slot. 

     Then there's the high percentage of catch and release mortality, or F, that increases the kill rate and lowers the SSB, or spawning striped bass numbers. These aren't crabs and you can't flip a bass over and determine if it's a male or female. Most will say males top out at about 35 inches, with the females growing bigger, and these days much bigger. 

     The early idea was to have the striped bass rebuilt by 2029. Rebuilt? That means we would have a SSB close to where they want it. To understand you'd have to go back in this blog to learn about threshold and target and all things like that. Basically, the rebuild date of 2029 is mathematically impossible, well let's say it's not going to happen. Remember, depending on who you talk to, and what their interests are, you'll get a myriad of different opinions, and science. A lot of this is based on NOAA's MRIP data, which some say, "Is better than what we used to have", but at the end of the day is a volunteer and sporadic survey. How many of you have completed a MRIP survey? There you go. 

     Anyway, so they have decided what steps need to be taken in order to have a 50/50 shot at rebuilding the SSB by 2029. So, you're staggering up to the roulette table with your last $100 and plopping it down on either black or red, and let's just say there's no 0 or 00 on this wheel. Are those good odds? Well the ASMFC and the Board thought enough so to have Addendum III approved and will put it out for public comment. Ah, public comment. Yes each comment is made part of the official record, and read, but they never seem to sway their decisions based on what the average angler says. That's where the lobbying and politics and money come into play. 

     So what does that mean for us heading into the fall run? Nothing. Last year they punted and kept the bag and size limits stays quo coming out of 2024. It was their chance to score, and they kicked the ball away. Now we'll see if there is an overcorrection in 2026. 

     According to the press release from the ASMFC following the summer meetings 2025 (this year) will see a projected increase in fishing mortality due to the 2018 year class of fish entering into the slot.....duh. Didn't you scientists and experts see that during last years meetings?? C'mon man.

     So what could we see in 2026. Well since the addendum was passed now it goes to public comment, a joke, and then it gets voted on in October and implemented in 2026, maybe. 

     Things that have been decided, there will need to be a 12% reduction in mortality, both in harvest and catch and release, in order to have a shot at that 50/50 rebuild. That will call for commercial and recreational reductions. It can be done by reducing quotas, seasons, and bag and size limits. That is where the No-Target or No-Harvest comes into play. We got a taste of what that means when they introduced the Wave plan. There's six Waves, two months per wave, so Wave 1 is January and February, and so on. The big sticking point is what states would be closed during what wave? Closing New Jersey and New York during Wave 4, July and August, would be far different than closing Massachusetts and Rhode Island during those same months. So we'll see. 

     Then there's other things like how, well more when, commercial operations tag their fish. And the controversy on how you're supposed to properly measure the length of a harvested fish. 

Yep, you're supposed to pinch the fork together to get an accurate measurement before tossing it in the bucket or burying it in the sand. I didn't know that, maybe I have caught a 50 inch before. And then there's all that is Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay. Good luck with that one. 

     So look for the public comment to open up in the next month or so so you can share your thoughts which will be made part of the record, and hold on because there will be changes coming in 2026. 

08.22.25 Hey, why not some more flooding fun for us....

 

     I love water. I respect water. I fear water. And I hate water. And I prefer those waters that are moving over those that standstill. Especially waters that not only move, like rivers, but are also tidal. 

     While we were over in Ireland, and after getting the news of flooding in our home due to a plumbing mishap, we learned about a building storm named, ironically enough, Hurricane Erin. We thought more how it could affect our commute back to the United States more then possible flooding in our house since she wasn't going to be a rain event but more of a storm/surge/moon/and tide event. Hey, we live on the Delaware River, 130 miles up from the Delaware Bay and Cape May, what could happen. 

     Hurricane Erin, a Category 2 storm, wrecked havoc along North Carolina as she made her way north along the East Coast, doubling in size, but losing strength and peeling off to the east. But for New Jersey, last nights high tide, coupled with the August's new moon, meant the highest of high's in tidal surges. 

     In 2020 we purchased our "Shore House" at Cape Island Resort. While I like to say I have a place in Cape May it actually sits just outside sandwiched between North Cape May and Wildwood Crest in a town named Lower Township. For those that's don't know on the bottom of New Jersey there's Cape May, a manmade island due to the construction of the Cape May Canal, and then Lower, Middle, and Upper Townships, moving south to north. 

     Since we've returned it's been non-stop work on the flood damaged spaces within our house. Where there was water there's damage but also the threat of moisture buildup, which could mean mildew and then mold. It's been a race against time and thankfully my brother, Ryan, did the hard lifting while we were away. Our house is 102 years old, built for the ages. If it were to get hit with a bomb it would burn out and not down. We have plaster walls, not plaster over wood lathe, but plaster over metal mesh. And back in the day these plasterers must have got paid by the pound, not for the rooms completed. 

     So I had to decide what to take down and what to leave up. Do I need to gut the rooms and pull all of the hardwood floors? I decided no. Those horse hair and plaster covered walls were solid. I removed the baseboards and ran a fan in each bay to ensure they were aired out. Unfortunately the floors had to be pulled up, one because they were buckling and two they could be hiding all sorts of nastiness underneath. In the end they were dry, but still needed to go. Rather then try and piece replacements in I pulled them from baseboard to baseboard but held off on pulling the hallway and beyond. 

     During a break in the action I took a look on Facebook Marketplace to fish around at the cost of replacing the hardwood floors. It looked like they came in around $5 a square foot for unfinished red oak 2-1/4 inch boards. So, 100 square feet would run me about $500. 

     Then I saw the above add. Extra and unused flooring which could be mine for the taking. I messaged the seller and it was as described. Although not actually sure of how much square footage was there it was four long bundles and a bunch of other shorter pieces. She had it listed for $160. When she told us she was in Sandyston, New Jersey, which is above Stokes State Forest, the price went to $140, and then to $100. So off Theresa and I were for a four-hour there and back with a savings of around $300. But let's get back to Hurricane Erin and the Jersey Shore.

     Governor Murphy declared a State of Emergency along the Jersey Shore and Cape May County was put under a Coastal Flood Warning. I didn't think much of it until Theresa was talking our neighbor down in Cape May. "The tides really high, almost across the road", I heard her say as I drifted off to sleep. I thought alright that's good, but wait, we live across the street from her.

     Our place sits right on the top of one of the branches of Little Mill Creek which runs off of Bennet Creek. If you follow it down you'd cross under the Garden State Parkway and hit the Cape May Harbor. On a good tide, like last night, you could do it in a kayak. 

     One of the things I've done that I'm proud of is building a patio down at our place. Just beyond the last row of blocks is the tiniest evidence that we are on the tidal waters. At times we have went down and seen that the water had crested just about to our coveted white rocks. But what was it looking like now at 1030 pm at the height of the storm, tide, and moon? My neighbor said our place looked fine. But then I asked, "Did you look at the patio?". Soon after we got a text and a photo. 

     I'm not worried about the water. I'm worried about how it will affect the patio. Will it recede and then shift the blocks and make it all uneven? Who knows. It is what it is. After we got the picture we received a reassuring text about the back of our yard.....

     So there you go, my love-hate relationship with water. Hopefully as the tide ebbs it passes along the top of my patio like it did across my hardwood floors up here in Titusville. I don't have good history with houses and water. Remember when I purchased those two homes high above 

the West Branch of the Ausable River in the Adirondacks? In 2011 Hurricane Irene came and parked herself above the Ausable Forks and the river, well, The River Ran Through Them, kinda sounds like that movie, you know the one, A River Runs Through It. That all pretty much knocked out my dreams of owning a piece, well two, of the ADK's. In 2013 I sold them both, the blue one for $6,500 and the green one for $21,000. I know, "You should have kept them", "They'd be worth a fortune". It is what it is and it was what it was at that time. You can't cry over spilt rivers.

It's all just more water under the bridge, and floors, and stairs. Some things never change. 

08.21.25 Saddened to hear about Judge Frank Caprio...

 

     As I get older and people around me start to pass away it really changes my perspective on life, and living. When some people die it can really make you do a hard pause and reflect on your own mortality, and more importantly, asking the question, Am I living the best life I can, and should? A few years back I caught a glimpse of a show titled Caught in Providence. It featured a look into the courtroom of Judge Frank Caprio in Providence, Rhode Island. While it was a reality TV show, the Judge showed a genuine regard for the people before him and an empathy for their struggles in life. 

     Caprio made headlines in 2023 when he announced he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (PC). The pancreas is a gland that sits behind the stomach and does it work in conjunction with the liver, gall bladder, and small intestine. It secretes hormones like insulin and glucagon, which regulate blood sugars, and enzymes like lipase and amylase which aid in the digestion of fats and carbohydrates, respectfully.

     My friend Jim Matson, of Pulse Disc fame, was diagnosed with PC in the spring of 2018 and passed away a few months later. Pancreatic cancer has no cure but there are surgeries and treatments that can slow the disease. It used to have a six-month survivability, but studies have 

shown better outcomes these days. About 10% of patients survive the first year, and now 13% have a five year survival rate. Caprio fought the disease for a little less than two years and passed away at the age of 88. 

     Whenever I hear about pancreatic cancer my thoughts go back to the story of Patrick Swayze, who brought PA into the spotlight. Swayze an actor and famous for his roles in the movies Dirty Dancing and Ghost. Diagnosed in 2008 he survived for 20-months before passing at the age of 57 in 2009. 

     They are forecasting about 70,000 new cases of PC diagnosed in the United States in 2025. Unfortunately the symptoms show after the disease already has its hold on most patients. Symptoms can include, changes in ones GI system from indigestion, bloating and weight loss,

to problems regulating blood sugars, stool that is pale in color and greasy, and floats, or the yellowing of the skin and eyes, or jaundice. Most patients diagnosed with PC have been treated for other problems which leads to a delayed diagnosis. 

     While there are no routine screenings for PC any prolonged symptoms should be assessed. Many times we just shake things off, or try to, which leads to delays in treatment. For a fly fishing blog there is a lot of mention of health screenings and prevention here, although I'm not the best specimen for health out there. 

     If you think about it, how respectful and careful have you been with your body? For me, I've abused my body for now 57 years. From poor diet, to poor choices, to occupational and environmental exposures, how could I complain if it decided to quit on me now. I'm just looking back to these past two weeks and the amount of bread, butter and Guinness I forced into my body. No doubt it had to work overtime to keep me "normal". 

Pancreatic cancer, like all cancer, is a nasty disease that I hope one day we can find a cure for. In the meantime I should do better protecting my body from myself. 

08.20.25 Back from the Emerald Isle...

 

     Well after planning and saving for over a year the 2025 Ireland trip is in the books. While I have said that I could move to South Carolina, or maybe Martha's Vineyard, one thing I am 100% sure of is that I could move to Ireland today. Like, I'm packing a bag and going...now. 

     It was 13 days of driving, sightseeing, eating, and drinking our way around the perimeter of Ireland with stops in Donegal, Knock, Athenry, Galway, Killarney, Kilkenny and back to Dublin where we flew in and out of. It was some trip and we came back pretty much unscathed. Traveling with three women for two weeks.... wonderful, at times the Guinness got me through. We stayed in a mix of a castle, a bed and breakfast, apartment, motel, and hotel. Not sure we would have changed much as we had no regrets. Maybe packing a little lighter and having clothing for the heat wave Ireland experienced while we were there. I'm glad we did it at this age as I can't imagine doing it when I'm older and more beat up.

And now the uglies....

     It was day three and we had made our to one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe called Slieve League. It was there all of our phones blew up at the same time...."SOS flood in your house". 

What happened was this. Somewhere in all that plumbing work I did before we left one of the pipes blew, most likely right as we pulled out of the driveway. That pipe spewed water for three days before the tile guy came in and found the flood. Thousands of gallons in the walls, soaked into the hardwood floors, and down into the basement where the entire floor plan of a near 5,000 square foot house had three inches of water sloshing around like a bathtub. As both my Dad and brother said, "Colin (and Son), it's bad". My brother, who I owe a kidney to, busted his ass with the help of a friend and my father, where they removed the water, tried to save my stuff, and got the fans and dehumidifiers going. Upon my arrival home it was go time opening walls, tearing up the hardwood floors, and coming up with a plan to balance a now new big project while maintaining a "normal" home life, free of the smell of moisture and possibility of mold growth. Fun times, but it is what it is. 

     I think the tile guy was traumatized after he found what was going on but luckily he was able to wade through the water and shut the main down. He asked, "Do you want me to still do the 

floors?". I answered, "Yes, of course". I couldn't come back home to the chaos of the flood and have the two projects, the mudroom and bathroom I had ongoing, go unfinished. He did his thing and it came out very nice. It was a good morale booster when I got home, that was before I saw the carnage. People said, "Call your insurance company", "Um, not a good idea". They'd drop us and This Old House in a heart beat if they saw how we and this 102 year old house operate day to day. I'm talking big 

brass water pipes and screw in circuit breakers. Maybe one day Theresa's childhood friend, or her ex-husband, both electricians, could have a sleep over and help me upgrade the above old panel to one more user friendly and updated (That's an open invitation Neil). But below is how 

the mudroom turned out, much better then it had been and different then what it looked like when we first saw this place in October 2017. It's funny but I busted my ass in there and outside of the floors it pretty much looks the same. 

     So what could I do with that news while over in Ireland? Nothing. I had to hope for the best, and again was lucky to have my brother working hard for me and my family. So a day or so later we were in another part of Ireland passing through a tight road in a town named Rooska. 

     It was on Kincora Road where I thought a picture of oncoming traffic, taken by me from the drivers side which is opposite of what we do here in the states, coupled with driving on the other side of the road, would be good for the book I would make from out trip. So I stuck my arm out of the window and clicked. Well, that car came close causing me to drop my phone out of the 

moving car, and then subsequently, get run over by the car following that one. What's a shame is I purchased an OtterBox Defender case when I got the new phone but took it off at the start of the trip because the case covered the camera lens, which made the images less sharp. I put a cheap case on it, and well, it survived without a scratch, having popped off at impact. 

Yes, I have iCloud, but unless you have it set properly, and are constantly within WiFi range, those photos just don't automatically upload, so, like me in this case, you would be beat. I went back and retrieved the phone and we bought it to a phone repair place in Killarney and was told I might have a slim chance at recovery, but it didn't look good. As and far as insurance, which I requested when we switched from Verizon (21 years) to AT&T, well that wasn't carried over. 

          And lastly, why not just have my new job be over before it even started. Well, that almost happened. I forgot how annoying becoming a new hire, especially in health care, is these days. 

Background checks, physicals, vaccine histories, bloodwork with titers, and of course a urine test. You know, urine, drug screen, or a UDS for short. It all went as planned. My physical was at 1 o'clock and earlier that morning Lauren had asked Theresa and I to accompany her to Washington Crossing's Park as she met a prospective buyer for her classic Ford F-150. The buyer, well bought it, on first sight, and I followed the girls up to Lambertville to drop it off at the guys house. 

     While up that way we grabbed a bagel at Bagel Delights in town. I ordered my usual, a blueberry scooped out and toasted with butter. She was out by the time we had rolled in so I went to my number three choice, with an everything being number two, which was a poppy seed bagel. 

     It was the following Wednesday when I got the call from occupational health asking me to talk with the Doc who did my physical. I gave a call and heard, "Mr. Archer, your drug screen came back positive". "Positive?, for what?", I asked. He answered "Codeine". Right away I figured my time at Capital Health would be over before it even started. 

The good doctor was on the phone with another Nurse Jackie, a Registered Nurse working with an underlying substance use disorder. I went through every move I had made in the days before my test, and then it hit me, it was the dam poppy seed bagel, which I might add, was heavily seeded. The story sounded thin, but it was the truth. I was prepared to fight. Offering another sample would mean nothing, you were dirty last week, this week you're clean. Codeine sticks around for about 48 hours, enough time for me to piss clean if I did a re-take.

     I even went back to the bagel store and purchased a bagel that I was prepared to send off to the NIH for testing as I planned on taking this as far as I had to. When I told the shop owner the story she said, "Colin, you're a nurse practitioner, don't you know better?". In the end it all 

worked out, and I started my orientation the day before we left for Ireland. What was funny was, well not at the time, was the day I got the call from occupational health was my last day, on the books, at Essex County College, so I could have been out of a job, times two. 

     Things will be busy around here in the next few weeks. With Hurricane Erin bearing down on New Jersey no doubt I'll have one of the California redwoods I have in my yard go down or the power will go out and the basement will flood once again. What could go wrong?

     My new gig at Capital Health School of Nursing starts Friday. When we returned from Ireland it felt like fall was in the air. That'll mean soon the leaves will be falling to the ground which means lots of yard work. It also is my favorite season, especially living out here in rural New Jersey. It also means fishing will soon start up after a long, hot, and dry summer. The bait is growing in the various nurseries and I'm sure the bass are starting to plan their migration south. 

One thing I know is I am ready to fish. But first I'll have to spend some time going in and out of the zippered off room and get some work done.