11.16.10 Started out a mess, none for me, shorts in Deal, nice keeper in Asbury

     I was pumped and ready to go this morning. Woke up at 445 am before my usual 5 o'clock alarm set. I grabbed a quick coffee in Asbury Park and headed to Deal. Surprisingly I was there before a few of the early morning regulars. I had the whole place to myself. I moved in alongside the groin to find 3 foot waves crashing out beyond the cut, and an outgoing tide. I waded out to just below my basket and stripped some line and made a decent cast. Just as I started to strip the line in, my reel fell off and into the water, which was now over my basket. Last night I took my reel apart and cleaned and lubed it, I quess I didn't make sure it was back together. I can tell you this, with all the line and backing it must have been about 11 miles long. One more thing going for me, there was an outgoing tide and strong pull in the rip. Well after about twenty minutes of hand over handing my line and backing in I finally got my reel in. I tried to walk my line and backing around so it wouldn't tangle while the reel bounced in the surf.  forget it. It was a big tangle with a few mussels mixed in here and there. 

I had to cut a large section of backing out and retie before I could fish again. I moved to a different spot on the beach and soon more guys showed up. I concentrated fishing off the beach and at the start of the groin. The birds started working off the end and those guys hooked up with some shorts. I stayed for a bit, but nothing 

                            

doing for me. It seems like the fish are not on the sand eels at the moment. Most of the fish caught are on bombers or metal are small, with a keeper or two mixed in. I think the bigger fish are down low, maybe taking advantage of the rough sur and keying on bunker or other baitfish. It was good to see the birds working overhead.

     I moved down to Asbury Park to see how they did this morning. Guys caught fish, mostly shorts, and one guy a keeper that was still on the groin. He fished for many hours, first using clams for a while getting nothing. Then he started using peanut bunker he said he collected last week he on the groin at 8th Ave during the wild weather. I have to believe him, but none of the regulars ever talked about peanuts being around, or washed up on the groin.  His fish was about 34 inches, and I used my fly rod as a reference. I think tomorrow am I am going to lace up my spikes and fish off the groin.

                          

11.15.10 Where's the fish ???

     Today I had to spend the day up at Mt. Sinai in Manhattan and left Ocean at 6am. I could only figure what was going on at the beach, with an outgoing tide, first light, and an overcast sky. Around 2 pm I saw a few guys fishing the Hudson River in a park off the Henry Hudson Parkway in Washington Heights on my way home. I wonder how they do there. When I did get home I took a look at the tide chart and saw the high tide was around 230 pm, and it was 430. I like fishing the outgoing tide. So I threw my stuff in my truck and headed down to 8th Ave. There were a few guys fishing off the groin so I concentrated on my favorite stretch of beach in Loch Arbour. I was out off the sand bar and had waves breaking at my waist, casting away, for nothing. Not a bump. I talked with a guy who said that there was only one fish caught all day today, mmmmm. What's up with that. The big offshore nor'easter is gone, the waves are back down to manageable size and decent sets, the waters not brown, where's the fish? Where's the bait? I think the fish are off the beaches, as evidenced by some recent reports I read from Jim Freda. I wonder if they are still are on the sand eels during some parts of the day? I am going out really early tomorrow and hope to get some answers and see some fish. I know some regulars who probably know, and are catching fish regardless. Stay tuned.

11.14.10 Fished outgoing tide 2 hours in Loch Arbour

     Since this morning was so promising, I decided to get out and fish the outgoing tide at Loch Arbour. The water calmed down a bit, nice and clean, sadly sun was high and hard. But I felt it and it looked good. I fished the beach and then jumped on the groin at 8th Ave without a bump. I was basically alone, so maybe others knew better then I.

     To keep things legit, for the blog, I will correctly call the "jetty or jetties" what they truly are, groins. There are jetties, but they are the structures that line the inlets such as Shark River, Manasquan, and Barnegat. I first learned the correct terminology from Chris Roslan, a writer that I worked with while doing an article that appeared in the June 2010 of Eastern Fly Fishing magazine on Jetty Fishing in New Jersey.

                                                                

11.14.10 A.M. bite out past the breakers, ALS tagged my first striper

     Beautiful morning fishing the outgoing to low tide. Pulled up and I could hear the thunderous waves still crashing on the beach. However, as I made my way to the surf I was pleasantly surprised to see a relatively calm ocean and water that was almost crystal clear. What a change from the last five days. That system is still offshore, but it is weakening, but there might be something behind that one, we'll see. fish were around, most guys fishing off the jettys past the breakers caught fish on metal as the stripers were on the sand eels still. I saw a guy with a fly rod hook a shad off the jetty. I concentrated my efforts in the wash throwing clousers to a hopeful beast cruising for breakfast. Found a nice sand bar point where the water broke right and left and washed right into a jetty, well groin, on each side.  Didn't see a fish break the two hours I was out. I was able to apply my first tag to a short striper. As a member of the American Littoral Society, www.littoralsociety.org, they tag stripers and collect data after the fish is re-caught, if the angler sends in the tag and info. Some of the catch-release-catch info is really cool and interesting. So my first tag was to, or into, a 16" striper. It may look like no big deal, but it's easier said then done. So one day, we'll see if this fish is re-caught and what size it grew too and where it was taken.

     Maybe today will be the start of a good week. Today the sun is going to high and bright, with the midday high tide around 130 pm. 

11.12.10 What the hell is offshore?? Bust out da' clams

     Last year we had Nor' Ida and it wreaked havoc on the east coast. This year we have Tomas parked offshore and causing all kinds of high surf and brown swells. Now I know why Sea Bright was flooded out yesterday at high tide. It is supposedly going to get better by Sunday into next week. Here's the lowdown from NOAA as of today:

 951 AM EST FRI NOV 12 2010
 
 
 .SYNOPSIS FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK NJ TO FENWICK
 ISLAND DE AND FOR DELAWARE BAY...
 
 THE GRADIENT BETWEEN A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WELL OFF THE MID ATLANTIC
 COAST AND A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM BUILDING SOUTH FROM QUEBEC
 WILL WEAKEN GRADUALLY INTO SATURDAY, BUT THE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO
 GENERATE SWELLS AS IT MEANDERS SLOWLY EAST. A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST
 TO APPROACH THE AREA WATERS ON MONDAY AND STALL OVER THE AREA INTO
 TUESDAY.
 

     So after last nights midnight run to Asbury, I decided after some morning work to check out Deal to see if things sat down yet. Negative. Waves as big as ever at the start of the outgoing tide. Found one guy throwing clams into the rough surf from about 15 foot above the water line. I wondered what he would do if he hooks into a big one. Well just as I was leaving he did hook a small 24 inch fish that I ran down onto the beach and released for him after a quick pic. I moved onto Asbury and as I pulled into the lot a guy was loading a fresh keeper into the cooler he got on clams. I fished the wash for about an hour with no results. I might be done and down for the next few days. And next week tons of photo assignments scheduled. 

                             

                             

11.12.10 Midnight outgoing tide...forget it

     Gave it the old college try. I figured since on Thursday afternoon we caught fish on the outgoing tide on 8the Ave, maybe I could hook up on next outgoing tide. Forget it. I fished the bowl for an hour, barely able to get the fly in the water because of the N, NE wind that was dead straight in my face.  You know it's tough when you stand the fly rod up and your fly is parallel with the ground. I might be able to give it a shot later, then most likely off for the weekend.

11.11.10 Fishing IN Sea Bright, crazy water, hooked up on 8th Ave

    What a crazy day. Up at 5 am, joined a single angler at Phillips at 515, huge, nasty waves and a strong NE-N wind. Made a few casts, we both called it quits shortly thereafter. Checked out Asbury Park and Allenhurst, same story. I had to put some hours in today at work in the office so the rough seas gave me a chance to do that. Around noon I headed back out and it was worse, and getting worse every minute as the tide kept coming in. Phillips Ave was under water. I made a quick shot from the wooden pier. 

                             

     Since I wanted to fish for a bit I decided to head up to Sandy Hook and try the bay side. The only problem was you couldn't go past Sea Bright, it was flooded out along the Shrewsbury River. They had the road blocked off at Merri-Makers and at the Rumson Bridge. I was had made my way into town before they sealed it off. Well, with nothing else to do, I geared up and fished down Beach Street to the river. As I got close to the sunken bulkhead I felt a bump. I have to say I wasn't read for it. You could tell that people weren't expecting this, as sunken cars were on the street and in the driveways. After fishing into the river I packed it in and made my way bck to Asbury Park were by 3, the tide was going out and the waves and surf calmed down. I grabbed just my basket and rod and jumped in the surf with the super strong rip and started working the shallows. Two guys were on the jetty and they started catching fish, about 5 shorts and one fat keeper. I slowly made my way up on the jetty and fished the wash and about 15 minutes later there were about a dozen guys throwing everything ever invented. I hooked into a nice fish which I thought was a keeper and made my way in front of half the guys to beach the fish. I wish I had my Littoral Society tagging tags with me so I could start my tagging of striped bass, more on that later. My fish was 26 inches and by the time I walked down along the jetty I had about 10 feet of backing left in my reel. I worked the surf for another hour before calling it quits. 

I like that outgoing tide.

     Good news, my Orvis rod came back repaired today, so now I can cast with a little more confidence and umph! 

11.10.10 What a day, what a great day !!!

     Yep, finally it was my turn. Another morning of the the alarm waking my wife upat 5 am. Got down to Deal and I could hear the waves crashing from the parking lot, great. Hard NE-N wind. Two cars in the lot before me. I got down and fished the beside the jetty, and just didn't feel it. Big waves, quick sets- just super tough with the fly rod from the beach. Then the guys came. One fly rodder on the tip of Phillips jetty got one. I watched a guy risk life and limb go out to the next southerly jetty and catch two, but had to run back to shore because the waves were getting bigger and crashing on him above the ankles. As the light came up more guys came and filled in around me. Again, I just wasn't feeling it. I had a few fish in front of me breaking the surface but I couldn't do anything with a fly rod, and I had no spikes with me for the jetty. With that, and a 9am dentist appointment, it was time to go.
     After getting my mouth violated by the hygenist and a quick bite with my friend I made my way back home via Sea Bright and Long Branch. I saw one guy hauling a keeper over the sea wall in Monmouth Beach. I stopped at Phillips, and again just couldn't feel it. I fished there for about 15 minutes, with no results. I got hooked on Asbury Park, well really Loch Arbour, this morning, and wanted to go back.
     I pulled into 8th Ave and there were a few cars there. As I watched the big waves crash a guy on the jetty hooked up with a keeper. I jumped out to help him but he was good on his own. I grabbed the spey rod and gave it a shot, again, my casts went about 20 feet, and it's floating line, the set up just isn't what I feel I need. So, I switched rods, going to my friends broken loaner TFO 9ft 9wt, that is a slow rod and hard to chuck big weighted flies. But I liked what I saw and read the water and gave it a shot. Since the guys keeper, about 10 guys showed up to fish the jetty. I was in the bowl, and fishing water that was moving north and south, not just east and west. I was fishing this water like a river, and it paid off.
     As I let my fly drop into the cut, it hit, and soon I was into my backing! I was fighting a nice striper in six foot waves, with a killer rip, that was help keep that fish off the beach. It was a great fight! I fish for 20 inch browns on 7x tippets- not 10 pound stripers in the surf. After a long fight I pulled the fish out of the wash- 29 inches !!!!!!!! It was a keeper, and I was keeping it. I am a huge catch and release fisherman, but since the fall of 2009 I have been fishing for one, one to eat, and today I caught tonights dinner.
                     
     After measuring the fish and taking a few pictures I was back at it and fishing the same place and the same way. After a few more casts, I was into a bigger, and heavier fish. This was a fantastic fish and better fight. Soon I had a 33 inch fish that I was dragging out of the surf. After a few pics, I walked it back down to the surf and let it go. I knew the few yells from the other guys were their disbelief that I was letting it go. I have been in the hunt for a long time. I was looking for one, and thankfully I got it. I felt better keeping the one fish after I let the other bigger one go.

                    

11.09.10 Got out late...it's okay, had dad stuff to do

     If I miss the fish because of taking care of my kids, family, or work, then that's okay. Sleeping in, picking the wrong time or day, or going to a different beach, that just sucks. When I pulled into Phillips around 830 am there were a ton of trucks. I figured they belonged to 1) guys who have been there since about 530 am, or the second crew who comes around 7 am. Either way, between the two they saw and had fish in. Today isn't too pleasant, N-NW wind up to 25 mph just isn't nice with the fly rod. Water was stained, waves a little big in quick sets. I met up with Al who is in a fish-catch-slump. He is getting frustrated, and is impressed with my recent catches. Funny thing is- he forgot more about striper fishing than I know. He's been at it for over 50 years! I fished the beach for a while using the spey rod. It's not a bad set-up but the line casts like yarn, and I can't get out very far. At one point I was all alone, and that's really what I like. I don't have to look and see what everyone else is doing or what they're dragging out across the beach. I can just zone in and concentrate, and fish. And every now and then it's just the perfect moment when you're there and the fish decide to come in.

11.08.10 The Average Angler photos in American Angler magazine

Check out the November/December issue of American Angler magazine. On page 52 is a story I collaborated with Dan Ansbach about didymo in the Delaware River system. For those that remember I took a quick trip up in September and made a few images for the story. The lead image is of a guy fishing the East Branch between Harvard and Shinhopple. 

                            

11.08.10 Great welcome back...and a mixed bag of fish

     So I had the weekend to myself, a little fishing, a little work, a little socializing, I should be happy with that, right? However, in the outside world that would mean coming back to New Jersey, kissing the wife and kids, and putting the rods and all that is fishing away. Fine, I did that, but after putting my trout and salmon gear away, I loaded up my pickup with my striper gear. And, yes, went out last night around 8 pm for a bit. Snotty weather, big waves in quick sets, not a bite. This morning dad duty- so I missed first light. My buddy Al said he was going around 930 am so I thought I would join him. Al wasn't around, but the fish were. It was overcast, a little rain, but the water was flat. I hooked into a nice 25 inch fish after about a dozen casts into the wash, what little wash there was. After a few pics I watched as a guy pulled up next to me and let a "swimmer" go, as he got close to shore, a strike came that jerked me out of my rod, and it was on his. It looked like on National Geographic when the great white sharks breech for the seals they are hunting for. The fish was over 15 pounds, maybe 20. This picture below is it, it may not look big- but it was-

                            

I moved down on the other side of the jetty and had fish breaking the surface- I didn't know if they were the chasers or the chasees. I kept at it even as the wind kicked up and the surf got dirty. I caught two more fish, a skate, and a what I thought was a shad. I was fishing near the bowl, where the jetty meets the beach, and this fish jumped on it. I first thought it was a small striper, then a bluefish, then a hickory shad. This time of year there is so much bait in the water and each angler has a thought as to what it is, and what the fish are onto. Another angler caught a bunch of the same fish, which he thought might be herring. So we pledged to go home and research it a little bit. Below is a picture of my fish,

                             

the reason I though it was a shad, a hickory shad, was because how pronounced the bottom jaw was. Plus it looked very similiar to the American Shad I caught this spring in the Delaware River. Here is one of those, with the pronounced lower jaw

I found a website ( http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishingreport/shadherringid.html) that breaks it all down, here's what they got-

Commonly seen species of herring and shad in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

Alewife Herring - Alosa pseudoharengus

-12-15", preferring to spawn in slower and shallower waters.
-Big eyes = "Eye diameter greater than snout length" (the length from the eye to the tip of the nose).
-Peritoneum (inside lining of the abdominal cavity) is pale or creamy, occasionally with small light spotting.
-Overall silvery color, usually with metallic grayish green color on top.
-Scales are large and metallic and are lost very easily.
-Peak spawning time is March-April, with temperatures ranging from 53-72 degrees F. Peak spawning temperatures are 59-63 degrees Fahrenheit.

Blueback Herring - Alosa aestivalis

-12-15", preferring to spawn in faster deeper waters.
-Small eyes = "Eye diameter less than or equal to snout length" (the length from the eye to the tip of the nose).
-Peritoneum (inside lining of the abdominal cavity) is almost always dark blue or black, but occasionally described as "dusky."
-Overall silvery color, usually with bluish green coloration on top.
-Scales are large and metallic and are lost very easily.
-Peak spawning time is late April to May, with temperatures ranging from 59-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Peak spawning temperatures are 69-75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hickory shad - Alosa mediocris

-18-20", noticeably smaller than American shad -key identifying feature: lower jaw juts out further than the upper jaw
-Coloration is silvery but tends to be more amber. Spots on shoulder are duskier and more obscure.
-Peak spawning time is mid-April through early June, with temperatures ranging from 54-72 degrees Fahrenheit. Peak spawning temperature is 59-66 Fahrenheit.

American Shad - Alosa sapidissima

-20-24", noticeably larger than hickory shad -lower jaw does not extend further than upper jaw
-Coloration tends to be silvery. Spots on shoulder are more noticeable but usually only one large one is observed.
-Peak spawning time is mid-April through early June, with temperatures ranging from 55-68 degrees F. Peak spawning temperature is 64 degrees F.

So it looks like striper fishing will be good for the next few days. If you ever have wanted to try to get one on the fly rod, give me a call and we can schedule a walk and wade trip out, 732.261.7291 !

11.05-11.07.10 Quick trip to the Adirondacks

                                        

The Average Angler Lodge (green) & future fly shop (blue)

    I left just before midnight on Thursday and pulled into my fishing lodge around 530 am. It was a long drive. I was pleasantly greeted with a new apron (driveway) in front of my house, courtesy of the NY DOT and after several emails and meetings I had with the State and contractors working on the road improvements in the town of Ausable Forks, where my lodge and future fly shop are. I hit the couch for a few hours and got up and took the 30 minute trip north to Plattsburgh to fish for landlocked salmon in the Saranac River. I stopped and got my new fishing license and some flies and dropped in behind CUNY Plattsburgh. Like we had in New Jersey over the last few days that got a lot of rain and the river was up and slightly stained. I settled into a stretch that I had fished last time I was up and soon had salmon jumping out of the water working there way up river along a wide rock bar. The fish, some of them large, would porpoise out of the water completely or would just raise their heads and half of their bodies. I brought both my 9ft 5wt, which was way too light and my 12-1/2 9wt, which worked better.
                                
 During this fall run, anglers can only use non-weighted flies, with no added weight, and no weighted lines. It made getting the flies down to them tough. I was swinging egg sucking leeches, sucker spawn, wooly buggers, and some old salmon flies I had bought while on the Margaree River during my first honeymoon in 1993.
     Sometimes the salmon would breech right below me and stay there for a while and I would strip enough line out to have that fly swinging in their face, with only one strong bump all day. I fished in the cold, light rain for about 5 hours, and only had one other fly fisherman join me on the river for a short bit. It was a fun day and after going home I showered up and met fellow guide Rich Garfield from, www.flyfishtheadirondacks.com , at Steinhoffs for dinner. Rich is an incredible fly fishing guide who targets fish in the northern Adirondacks. If you ever looking for a guide there, look him and see if he can fit you in. He told me that the landlocks are tough to catch this time of the run, as they are so keyed on reproducing that they don't hit much, especially in the bigger water that the river had. Later, after they spawn they start to eat again and make their way down to Lake Champlain.                                            
     On Saturday I had plenty of work to do around the lodge to get it ready for winter. I hadn't been up in a while and the grass had grown super long, and it was wet, so it sucked cutting and picking it up. After getting all done I headed up to fish the West Branch of the Ausable. I fished for about 2 hours with not a budge. The water was 38 degrees with some snow mixed in. I was using wooly buggers, streamers,

                       
stonefly nymphs, low and slow- nothing. Rich had fished the WB the day before and caught and released 8, and missed a few more. It was a good quick trip and before I snuck home I stopped by Asbury Park to see if anyone was out or if the fish were around. A few guys out on the jetty but nothing to look at. I might go out later, high tide at 8 pm, maybe I'll go at 9, if the Queen lets me.

11.04.10 Snotty nor'easter brings big wind, water, and FISH!

     So I got about 4 hours of sleep before the alarm went off at 5 am. I could hear the raining pelting the skylight and I thought about rolling over and going back to bed. But, I am now a striper fisherman, not striper hunter, and hunt I will do. When I got to Deal, it was just snotty. NE wind, heavy rain, yuk. The waves were crashing up high on the beach and jetty. As soon as I got down to the bowl I could see Rich hooked up to a keeper. Nicely, and knowing my plight for a keeper, he offers my the fish...mmmmm. I was tempted, but it wouldn't taste as good as my own. And with that he released it and went back to fishing. I worked my way onto whatever was left of the jetty, where I hooked up laast night, and gave it a shot. Again, I lost my cast. My set up, a 9ft 9wt, seemed way too short and light, especially in high winds-with weighted clousers. And, I didn't tell, but yesterday I was in line at Effinger's to buy an 9ft 10wt  Orvis Helios- the lightest fly rod around, maybe just too light for me.
     So I gave it a college try, only able to cast sideways and about 25 feet with my nice supple striper line. Of course, nothing. I gave up there after I wrapped the fly line around my head three times. Luckily the fly caught into my hat, and not my head. I grabbed a shot of Rich as he headed out. Then I went down to Allenhurst and fished the bowl behind the L-jetty, where it was a bit calmer and had the wind at my back. Good lookin' water, good casts, but no hookups.

I'll be off to the Adirondacks tonight, so I'll give the ol' linesides a greak. But hopefully won't go easy on the landlocked salmon up in Plattsburgh!

11.03.10 Wanna ruin your fly casting...try a spey rod for a few days!

Ain't that the truth. So I fished a spey rod for the last three days....I think just casted more two-handed then true spey casting. So today I gave my reel a quick tune up and slapped it on my friends busted TFO 9wt and hit Deal around 8pm. SE wind, quick wave sets, not a car around. I started on the south side of Phillips. I attempted to cast this, what seemed, lighter than air rod and reel that had yarn on it. Already I, and whatever muscles I have, had become used to the weight and motion of the bigger spey rod. I couldn't cast to save my life, and the cross wind didn't help. I have welts on my back and on my legs where my weighted clouser stung my skin as I attempted my "side arm" cast, which doesn't work with a 9ft w/ intermediate line and a crosswind. So I gave up on that spot and moved to the jetty. I worked the north side, having the wind at my back. I made two casts and hooked up and had a great fight, and a long walk back to the beach to land and release the over 20 inch fish. I jumped back up on the jetty ready to call it a night when I saw a boil in the wash, out of casting range. I got off the jetty and inched my way into the
surf. A few casts later I was hooked up again and quickly this fish had me into my backing. I must have given him just a second of slack because he it spit the hook.
     The nice thing about jumping down off the jetty was that the tide was going out, and the jetty protected me from the SE wind. I had a ball, and the fish came in and out, with more boils than breaks in the surface. My most fun was between a long wave set, I saw a huge boil, made a good cast, and quickly had a beast on. I fought it hard for a long while, way back into the backing. Just as I started to see the fish break in the waves, it snapped off. I was so afraid of it spitting the hook that I kept a little too much pressure on it, and off it went. Best part is, got home by 1030- so I can still get out in the morning. Then I can take the next few snotty days off, till next week.


    

11.02.10 Slow morning...but the nite bite was on !

Got out early this morning in Deal. Fished along the jetty and had two fish on, one of them good. Talked with the regulars who had one keeper that was released between them. They did say that they fished at night the night before and had fish. Talked with my "mentor" and he gave me good advice on this striper fishery, "Fish the edges.." the edges of the rocks, the edges of the cut, the edges of the tides and the edges of the light.  After that I stoppd down to Asbury around 8 am, low water bright light. I have to change up.
     So after work and dad duty throughout the day I headed down to Deal before my Trout Unlimited meeting. I worked good water, but with no results, I was all alone. So after my meeting I went back down, around 830 pm. It was dark and only the light from the stars and ships lite up the surf. My eyes soon adjusted to the dark and I made out the images of fish crashing bait in the wash. This is what I was waiting for. The only bad part of it all was that I was stuck fishing with this stupid 12-1/2 foot spey rod, armed with yarn as line. So I startd casting like I had a 9 ft 9 wt. And soon I was into a big fish that took me into the backing. Eventually it got off. Several of the last fish I had on have got off, the reason is, I fish with barbless hooks! For the next three hous I had plenty of targets to cast to. I hooked up and landed a nice 24 inch fish. No pictures as I left all my "stuff" in the truck so I could just walk and fish and not have to worry about it.
     When I looked up at dead low tide around 1130- there were at least 10 guys around, one who caught five and had two in the cooler. Needless to say, I will be back at it tonight! Yes, these fish can see at night!

11.1.01 First day with the new spey rod.....need ice for my shoulder!

 

So I got my spey rod set up out this morning and caught the last of the outgoing tide at first light. I talked to a few guys who said the fish came in good, a bunch of keepers caught on "Deadly Dicks" - so the fish must be on sand eels. I started out trying to cast my 12-1/5 foot spey rod like a 9 ft 9wt- that didn't last long. Then I started with some basic casting techniques that I invented because I don't know any basic spey casting techniques. At first I made some beautiful 20 foot casts and probably worked my way to 60 feet. For now I think I casts further with my conventional fly rod. I did spot a few fish up on top but they were out to far from me and only around for a minute. I realized I must have been doing something wrong when my elbow started to feel like it was disconnected from my arm. I was using all the wrong motion. I am sure it's a great way to fish, and even though I am barbaric at it, it is good in big wind, and on the few lucky casts I made, the line did shoot out pretty good. But, boy is it a "violent" way to fish. If you watch any of the instructional videos, it's "Whoosh, snap, splash...." But I guess if you want to get it out there, it's the better way. I went back out later in the day, fished Loch Harbour up and down with no sign of anything anywhere. I will be out very early tomorrow, and I will catch dinner! I hope.

10.30.10 Out first light...caught a fluke in the wash

First things...check camera battery before you go. Needless to say mine was dead. Got out before 6 am in Deal, several other guys out. Fished short because the loaner rod my friend gave me is split in the tip section. So my casts were close and cautious. Never had time to set up the spey rod, but I'll be doing that today. Saw several fish up and out of the water chasing bait. I caught a 10" fluke in the wash on a clouser. Will be back out tomorrow first light, even though it's around low tide.

10.28.10 Checked things out in the morning and the evening...nothing

I went down to Allenhurst this morning so I could look right and left, to Deal and Asbury Park. Nothing going on. Waves still on the big sides in quick sets. More surfers out than fisherman. It was low tide both times I went down to check. Word is things will cool down starting tomorrow and that come Monday November 1 we'll be in full swing. I got my spew reel, backing and line today...hopefully the rod comes tomorrow, just in time for the bite.

10.27.10 Delivery of eggs for Trout in the Classroom

                            

Today was delivery day of thousands of trout eggs to participating schools throughout New Jersey for TIC, Trout in the Classroom. It's a program co-run by the state out of the Pequest Trout Hatchery and several groups, including the Jersey Shore Chapter of Trout Unlimited, of which I am the new TIC Coordinator. Duane and Ken made the trip up to the Pequest Trout Hatchery to pick up the eggs and then several volunteers met them on the Parkway where we picked up our eggs. I went to four schools delivered the eggs, food, and filters to get the teachers and kids going. This past May I went with several schools to do their fish release in Allaire State Park into the Manasquan River.

                            

At night I stopped by Allenhurst around 6 pm , low tide S-SW wind, a few guys catching nothing.

10.26.10 How low can you go...

 So I took a short while and headed down to 8th Ave to see what was going on. I pulled up to find more surfers than fisherman. The tide was out and the lowest I have ever seen it. The surfers were almost walking to end of the jetty and then paddling out to catch waves. I concentrated my clouser around the slightly deeper water around the flume for about 15 minutes and then left. Yesterdays SE wind seems to be blowing more from the S today. Nasty day tomorrow, maybe that'll shake things up. 

10.25.10 No fly rods, no problem, check this set up out

So if you follow this blog, you know 1) my buddy closed his door on my first line rod, and then 2) while using my back up rod, I over muscled it and snapped it in half. So I have no rod to use. So get this, I found and old surf rod in the garage and set my fly reel in the seat and tried to cast it, forget it. I can remember being at the Somerset Fly Fishing Show and watching Lefty Kreh cast with the tip section of a fly rod, they you go. So here's what I did. I drove a PVS rod holder into the sand and placed the surf rod in it. I remove the tip section of the rod and used that as

my fly rod. I would strip off enough fly line so I could "shoot" it. Believe it or not, it worked. I was getting 25 foot casts into the wash. The SE winds didn't make it easy, especially when the high water came in. But what it did was, it made me concentrate on the wash. My buddy Al got two shorts and a regular, Bob, had a nice keeper. It seems to be an early bite, just as the moon goes, and before the true sunrise happens. Guys are finding bass loaded with sand eels. Lucky for me while I was there I met up with Nesmond who let me borrow his TFO, until my spey rod gets here this week.

10.24.10 Search for flies down south and catching up with Bob Popovics

So my oldest girl had a football game to cheer at in Toms River this afternoon so I though it would be a nice idea to sneak down (she has to be at the game an hour early)to the beach with Cindy and take a romantic walk, ie- see what was going on. So I headed down to Betty and Nicks in Seaside Park to see if they had any good flies. When I got there Bob Popovics had just stocked the shelves with some he had tied. I grabbed some clousers, and decievers, and some half and halfs, and a few big bunker flies. On my way out I met up with him and asked about the bite down south, it's the same thing we're going through up north, just waiting, any day. I did buy one of his flies called, Bob's Banger, a popper that hopefully gets taken by a striper, and not shredded by a big bluefish. I'll be going out tomorrow, with an interesting set up, wait till you see it.

10.24.10 Great morning..until I snapped another rod

What a good day. Instead of getting up at 510 am, I slept "in" and set my alarm to 545, 35 more minutes of sleep. I stopped by the 7-11 in Asbury, got a coffee and the NYT before stopping at 8th Ave to see what was up there, nothing. I decided to head up to Deal and give that a shot. While getting ready my Biddy Al came into the lot and he was telling me where he was fishing. I started out along the jetty and with every cast tons of bait would splash out of the water. I moved to another jetty to the south and settled into the water where the jetty meets the beach. The sun was just breaking the horizon when I saw fish breaking the water near the end of the jetty. I looked to my right and Al and two guys were a beach over from where I was and they didn't see what was going on. I made sure the fly line wasn't wrapped around my legs and my fly had a point and good know. I started casting into some swirls behind the bait. After a bit I saw a fish jump out of the water and I made a good cast and shortly had a heavy fish on, for a minute. And then the fish were gone. Maybe 10 mins from the time I saw the first fish until it was quiet. I tried to make some extra long casts with my 8wt backup rod, an old Orvis Streamline....SNAP goes the weasel. That's another one I have to send back, that's two in a week, and four this year. After that I stopped in Allenhurst and Asbury Park, nothing going on there. Tomorrow morning I will have to cast my 9 foot 5 wt if I want to fish, I have no more fly rods. But good news, they're shipping my SPEY rod tomorrow morning!

10.23.10 One thing to say about today...SPEY, SPEY, SPEY, SPEY

So since yesterday was a bust, today must be a good day, right, wrong. Up at um' at 515 am, which is late for most guys, but I had a strategy. I'll get there when I get there and catch a fish. There were several cars at 8th Ave when I went by, so I moved down to DEal. There were more guys there so I suited up and walked down. I started my usual work near the jetty and moved along the beach. I just didn't feel it. So I got back in my truck and started the hunt. I stopped at Seven Presidents in Long Branch, Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright, and eventually North Beach on the Hook. Once there I met another fly rodder and we walked out to the beach and starting talking about business, and fishing, and life. He is also in the arts, and you can check out his work at www.harrystoiber.com. I think we were both resigned to the fact that blind casting for stripers just wasn't a good use of time. That was until we saw this guy north of us hook into one with a SPEY (I gotta get one) rod. I always saw the guys using them for salmon and steelhead, two fisheries I'm just not in to. I grew up in New Jersey, where a 7'6 fly rod is more than enough. Then I make the big jump to a 9 foot rod for the Delaware, only after trying to fish that river system with my Fran Betters custom 7'6" 5 weight. Now, I have found something special. My fly casting coach, Jim Valle, has talked of his use of his spey rod in the salt but I never gave it much mind. Today I was sold. What a beautiful thing to cast. The angler pictured in the video was nice enough to let me try it. 12 foot 6, shooting head, running line- cast about 1.2 miles. Fantastic. After that I stopped along the way back home only to hear of one big bluefish caught and weighed in at Scott's in Bradley Beach.

If I get my order in soon, I'll have my spey rod in time when the stripers really come in.

SPEY casting on Sandy Hook

10.22.10 Early morning fishing....later snapped my rod

So I started out hopeful that the fish would be on the beach in Deal. I got out to Phillips Ave about 545 am, and there were a few regulars out since dark. I fish the jetty end on the north side and had one on briefly. I fished the cut along that beach up to the pilings with lots of promise but no strikes. Then I dropped down below the jetty where tons of bait was up in the wash and an occasional swirl came up behind. I fished for about an hour before heading back down to Allenhurst and Asbury to see what was up.

I had to shoot down in Atlantic City so I took along my rod, waders, and stripping basket in case something broke down there. I had my buddy with me, and loose fly rod with friend in the jumpseat= eventual broken rod tip. I found that out after dropping him off and sneaking down to the Shark River Inlet to make some blind casts.

So, looks like it's back to Orvis for that rod- that's three in 6 months. I switched over to my 9 foot 8 weight Clearwater.