Thought I'd treat myself to some fly fishing yesterday. You know, to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Well, forget it. With so much going on and my mind all over the place it was anything but relaxing. I had a hard time walking, wading, casting, and managing my line. I chose to pick pockets but with the trees and bushes in full bloom just about every other cast had me snagged.
I got word that Delaware Joe has been on the bass. One day it's one and done the next a dozen or so. That gave me hope that I'd bring one to hand for my first fish of 2026. But the river is low and the fish, and whatever bait is around, isn't pushed up to the sides like I like, so it was less then exciting. I like big and off color water, not gin clear on sunny days.
I hung in there for just about two hours, losing ground on getting things done around the house, before packing it in. With an upcoming visit from a home inspector and future owners there was better time well spent. So, I'm packing the Delaware River in for good for 2026. 2025 was a banner year, the best for me in my eight years out here. Maybe next year I'll hit when I come back home for a visit, most likely crashing at someone's house, maybe even the one we are selling. We're getting along that good with the couple who's buying it, hopefully.
2026 has been a banner year for the striped bass fishermen around New Jersey, both spin and fly alike. And it hasn't just been a boat fishery this year. Sandy Hook has been fishing extremely well, like it used to. If you're willing to take that walk it has been productive. Fish to 50 inches have been caught within casting distance off the sand, and out front from Monmouth to Cape May Counties, has been good as those post spawn fish from the Delaware and Chesapeake move north. So hopefully I'll meet up with them on the Vineyard in just a little less than a month from now. I've already teased out a closing date, which can't be from June 12th through the 22nd.
Each morning, starting around 4 am, Theresa and I sit down and search for our next home. It's not easy finding a house, especially from a distance. But it's all part of it. Not only is finding one difficult but moving on one with limited funds until the closing is challenging as well. We'll need the right seller to get it and work with us. What is a strength is that we're cash buyers, so once that contract is all signed and a go then we should be good, even if we only have $85 to put down until the closing.