05.22.11 Sunday morning bass on the Jersey Shore

Rich with an early Sunday morning keeper on clams

     I couldn't get out early for the outgoing tide so I settled for a quick drive along the mid- Monmouth County beaches. Things were a little different than yesterday, 12 E winds, with the air and sea temps even at 56. I found things quiet in Asbury Park and watched a guy hook up in Allenhurst soaking bait, I wasn't sure what he was serving up. Then I moved north and found the always-fishing-in-the-morning Rich out fishing with a friend. They had a few poles set up with clams and worms. I stuck around for about an hour and just after I turned to leave Rich hooked up right along the groin. After a nice fight he beached the 30 inch fish. With the tide starting to come in I wouldn't be surprised if they hooked into a few more fish.
     I also saw a guy throwing flies for a long time in a pretty steady wind with no results. He is a regular who puts in a ton of time and gets rewarded in good numbers on occasion.
     My planned float of the Upper Delaware isn't looking good for Tuesday. Around the beginning of the month of May the West Branch was rolling at just under 12,000 cfs. On May 15th the West Branch was 785 cfs and today it was 4,150 cfs- and that is down from just under 7,000 two days ago.

     We went from throwing big Double Bunnies to size 18 Blue Quills to now back to big streamers, waiting for the waters to recede and the fish to start rising to March Browns. Floats trips should last well into June and I have days available, to book call 732.261.7291.

05.21.11 Fresh cut bunker...it's what for breakfast

    I was out fly fishing by 6 am today at one of my favorite haunts in Monmouth County. Several guys out on the beach and along the groins. Saw 1 good fish taken on cut bunker and later a fish pop for a plug. I saw some regulars and one fly angler, Steve, who is a fly fishing madman. He fished all over the world, all the time and catches lot's of fish.

I'll be at it again in the morning. Hoping to get one to bite on a fly and leave the nice juicy bait on the bottom.

05.20.11 Check out Eastern Fly Fishing magazine

                                         

      Check out the May/ June issue of Eastern Fly Fishing magazine. New Jersey based writer Chris Roslan has two nice features in this issue. Chris and I have worked together on stories for this magazine. His first story is about a father-son outing to the Rapid River in Maine and the second is about the local trout streams in the Blairstown, NJ area. Good reading!

05.19.11 HELP! PLEASE...I need to find a clam fly, quick!!!!!

40+ inch striped bass, Deal

    Well, it was a long day. I was in pursuit of some bluefish to shoot for the upcoming Cookin Wild issue and I was able to deliver, on my own and with a little help from my friends, well strangers. I started out in the Manasquan Inlet where an angler hooked up with a cocktail blue on a Deadly Dick. Before he released it I got a few frames off. With that in the bag I geared up and fished Fishermans Cove there with no results.

Fishermans Cove, Manasquan Inlet

     I traveled north, and first stopped at Bing's in Avon for a bacon, egg and cheese on a hard roll. If you're ever in that area and need one there delicious. After swallowing that I stopped at the Shark River Inlet where a pod of blues were on the munch in the inlet. They were on anything silver, duh, and took a gray Jiggy Fly. After a few were caught I shot them and then moved over and gave an eddy behind a jetty a shot for stripers with no luck. The water looks great- clean and green. So my bluefish mission was accomplished, now it was time to find some stripers.

Shark River Inlet cocktail blue

     I drove along Ocean Ave and hit all the usual spots with nothing really exciting going on. I parked my truck in Deal and headed down where two guys had each caught a keeper on clams. I watched as one of the guys rigged up about 8 ounces of drippy-clammy-rubbery-wonderfullness and then looked at my sad gray fly hooked into my fly rod. How can you compete with that. Big, fat egg carrying hungry cows hugging the bottom and laying in between the groins on a snotty day. So they can either go after a Big Mac being held in place with 8 ounces, or chase a french fry swimming around somewhere in the water column.

Rigging up fresh clams

Egg laying females- they should go back

Clams- what stripers want for dinner

A 40 + inch striped bass, Deal

    So as I spoke with the angler he threw his clam in and about 12 seconds later his rod bent and he set the hook and started the fight. After about 5 long minutes his brother was picking up a huge 40 + inch fish from the wash. It was a nice fish. I then looked through my fly wallet to see if there was anything that could be mistaken for a clam, a big fat juicy clam.....nope. I settled for a chartreuse Clouser Minnow and worked the waters on both sides of the groin. After a while I decided I would move and take a trip over to the Raritan Bay to see if those big bluefish were about.
     I pulled into Leonardo and found some anglers talking. I told them about the action outside and they said a few bluefish were taken this morning. They haven't had the herring/ bunker/ bluefish action like they had last year. At times monster bluefish invade and turn the waters of the bay and rivers red with bits of bait mixed in. I fished along the Naval Pier with another guy throwing a plug and neither of us had any action.

So, what I need is a clam fly, that's juicy, hugs the bottom, smells great and tastes good. If you have one please drop me a line!

    

05.18.11 Got the "Take Your Limit, Please!" logo

      I recently received the logo for "Take Your Limit, Please!" from Jersey Shore based artist Sarah Dowman. When I decided to launch a campaign to get anglers to remove some of the garbage they see when they are fishing Sarah was eager to help. We sat down and came up with a few ideas and the above is the final version. T.Y.L.P. is a national campaign where anglers decide how much trash they can take out with them before they fish, basically setting their own "limit". Sarah's "fish" is made up of trash we see in and along our waters everyday, cigarette butts, cans, lost fishing gear, condoms, screws, ect. Within the next week a press release and printable poster will be sent out along with the launch of a Facebook page. 

05.17.11 A search for bluefish during the snottiest part of the day

 Plum Island, Sandy Hook- Shrewsbury River

   Today I was on a quest to catch a bluefish. I have a hard deadline for the story on bluefish cakes for Cooking Wild  magazine. I started out the day on the outside, stopping by Phillips in Deal only to find chocolate milk surf and plenty of hard gusts. I then made a move to the inside, stopping by the Oceanic Bridge in Rumson only to find lots of chop, a little less wind, and no signs of fish. It was then on to Leonardo next to the marina near the Earle Naval pier, which is always a hotspot, only to find a little less stained water and high winds.

Phillips Ave, Deal 

Leonardo Marina

     In the end the most promising water was the Shrewsbury River at Plum Island on Sandy Hook. I was there at the outgoing tide and things looked really good. Moving clear water and lots of places for fish to lay in wait. When I got to the water an angler was trying to release a gannet from his line. He had the bird wrapped up with both wings caught. I held the bird and stuck out my finger which he bit down on pretty hard for the duration of the "operation". We worked for about 20 mins and finally got him free. Just before he flew away he took a few steps back to me and bit me on the arm. Not very nice.
     I fished for about an hour worked my way around the point with no results. The other angler worked the same area with a shad, a bomber, and bucktail. So if there was a fish around, one way or the other we should have caught one. I'll be back at it tomorrow.

Plum Island, Sandy Hook- Shrewsbury River

05.16.11 Checked out Shark River Inlet and shot for Cooking Wild Magazine

Shark River Inlet 

     Busy day with a photo shoot for Cooking Wild magazine but I took a ride down to Shark River Inlet to see if anything was going on. Lots of clouds and fog with a light rain and 10 SE wind with sea temps at 57 degrees. Found some anglers soaking clams for stripers and squid for flounder. The only fish taken were four sundials a guy had swimming in a depression in the rocks on the jetty. I did see a bunch of birds working the south jetty where one lone angler made repeated casts with no luck.

Sundial 

     My assignment today was to shoot Chef Matt Cosenza as he made Bluefish Cakes ( fantastic! ) with fried onions and a pepper cole slaw. That will be in the summer issue. Tomorrow I have to go out and catch, and then shoot, a bluefish to go with the story.

05.15.11 Had a great day with the kids at the JSTU fishing derby at Turkey Swamp Park

     Even though there were showers on and off this morning the families and kids had a great time fishing at Turkey Swamp Park. The Jersey Shore Trout Unlimited in conjunction with the Monmouth Park System  held their open house which included a two hour fishing derby. We had 50 kids enter the contest and about 8 JSTU members on hand to help out. In the end it was a 16 inch catfish that took first prize. My daughter Erin was the only fly rodder out of the bunch and she landed 3 sunnies which totaled about 10 inches in length.

05.13.11 Two great days on the Upper Delaware River

  These past two days I had the opportunity to guide for the West Branch Anglers on the West Branch and Upper Main stem. I started coming to the Upper Delaware over 15 years ago and the WBA has always been my second "Catskills" home. It's funny how things in life come full circle. I have so many fond memories while at the WBA that it's neat to be standing there on the other of the "counter" for a while.

     I had great guys both days. I will update the two days later. The above fish is Joe with a nice lower West Branch brown.

05.11.11 And like that, the water was gone, well almost!

Wow, imagine West Branch flows at Hale Eddy below 1,800 cfs! The last few days have been good up in the Catskills. Tomorrow I'm heading up to take clients out on Thursday and Friday. It looks like there's more rain in the forecast for several days starting this weekend. The salt is heated up, so that should be nice to come home too.

Days are available for drift trips down the Upper Delaware Rivers, call 732.261.7291.

05.08.11 Happy Mothers Day and back from the Adirondacks

The fan damily

     To all a Happy Mother's Day! This weekend my brother and I picked up my mother and took her to the Adirondacks to see my sister and celebrate her Birthday ( 65th) and Mothers Day. As always it was a great time to be with my mom and siblings. I had one little problem with the lodge in Ausable Forks. Due to the flooding of the West Branch we got about three feet of water in the basement and it kicked off the furnace and hot water heater. The smell of heating oil was room clearing. We aired it out and I have a contractor going over to check it out Monday. We stayed one night but before I left we went down to the East Branch where I threw a Double Bunny along the bank with no results. Things are about a month behind the Catksills up here so the water are  cold and high, and really cold and high with all this extra water. 

    

    

 View from the lodge and the Jay side of Ausable Forks

 Sandbags put up to protect the buildings on the Jay side of the West Branch of the Ausable

Fishing the East Branch of the Ausable at Junction Pool

     On Saturday we traveled from Ausable Forks to Saranac Lake and it became obvious how bad things were only a week ago. Lake Flower was over the top of the dam emptying into the Saranac River. It had flooded several homes and businesses in the downtown. The Dew Drop Inn was one of the victims. They are having controlled releases to let the waters in the lakes and locks down slowly. Earlier this week there was fear the dam would fail. I hope some of this water is around in both the Catskills and Adirondacks come July, and not low and hot like last summer.

05.07.11 Waters wild in the Adirondacks & book a Delaware float trip now

The waters in the North Country are subsiding to above flood stage, which is a blessing since things since April 28th went wild. They are experiencing the same thing that the
Catskills went through. Spring melt, lots of runoff, heavy rains- all at the same time.
When I opened the door of the lodge on Friday night the heavy smell of heating oil almost knocked me down. After a search, it was discovered that during the flood we had about 3 feet of water in the basement. That knocked out the water heater and furnace, and leaked oil throughout the basement. The waters gone, but the residual oil smell burns your nasal passages and eyes.
I will update the weekend when I return on Sunday. To all those moms, an early Happy Mothers Day wish, to the guys, don't blow it.

As the waters in the Catskills drop, prime fishing is getting closer. Give me a call, 732.261.7291, to set up a guided drift boat trip, I have dates available throughout May. It can include transportation to and from New Jersey.

05.05.11 Photos featured in "Cooking Wild" magazine

     Just got the latest issue of Cooking Wild magazine. Earlier this year I worked on the article with C.I.A. (Culinary Institute of America) graduate Matt Cosenzo. Matt and I worked together at The Fly Hatch in Shrewsbury. Matt prepared an awesome dish for me to shoot (and then eat) , Crispy morel mushroom polenta, with sauteed trout and dandelion greens.

The article is over a few pages. I liked the lead image, but thought it would have looked better as a double truck (two-page) spread with some type around it. The 3/4 angler with all that dead space just looks awkward. The original image of the Lackawanna brown trout is below.

05.05.11 Swamped last few days, now off to Adirondacks

     I took a drive Monday to scout out the Raritan River before I updated my weekly Orvis Fishing Report. I cover the Manasquan River to Raritan Bay report, you can see it HERE. One of the first things I saw was the remains of several striped bass in Whale Creek in Cliffwood Beach. I guess some fish moved in during the overnight and fell to one of the many anglers who fish along this stretch.
     Tonight I am heading up to the North Country. I will be staying at the lodge through the weekend getting things ready for the season. We have a few clients lined up for June and July trips so this is a good time for an "early" spring cleaning. The waters up there have been as bad as they ever have. Roads and bridges have washed out. There was fear that dams would fail, and several rivers were above flood stage. Below is a shot of the East Branch of the Ausable were it flows into Ausable Forks. The gage height is currently over the 7 foot floodstage mark, and on April 28th it was at 11.5 feet. Needless to say fishing will be limited to the ponds or small tribs.

April 29- May 1 FUDR One Bug and the "One Bug Squirrel" award

Retrieving Martin's fly at 4:45, with 45 minutes to go, below Cadosia, Sun. May 1, 2011

   Well this weekend was the FUDR One Bug Tournament. It could have been named after The West Branch Anglers annual "Come Hell or High Water." On Friday the flows looked like this, West Branch at Hale Eddy, +/- 8,000- East Branch at Fishs Eddy, +/- 10,000- Main stem at Delaware, +/- 20,000.

Shehawken, PA launch, West Branch Delaware- Friday April 29, 2011

A lot of us were wondering if they were even going to have it, but the decision to go for it was made so it was game on.  Friday night was the dinner and auction at The Hancock Theatre. All had a great time with good food, drink, and company. That night we were assigned our beats for the next two days. I had the East Branch from Fishs Eddy to Firemans Park. It's about a 10 mile float, and at 7,000+ it could have be done in about 90 minutes, well not that fast, but all of the beats would float much faster than normal. I also was given the names of the anglers I was floating with and was able to introduce to myself to Dave, with Ryan coming in the next morning. Also guiding the event was Charlie Limbert who I first met at guide school in PA where he was one of the instructors. We both stayed at Lee Hartmans place down past Equinunk. After dinner Charlie and I cut out early and we missed the sobriety checkpoints that the law had set up in town.

Capital Theatre, Hancock NY before Friday's dinner and auction

      We were up early Saturday morning and took a quick drive up to scout the East Branch before breakfast at the Hancock House. After some food and coffee we grabbed the guys gear and lunches and headed to Fishs Eddy to launch. From just before Partridge Island all the way to Firemans Park in Hanock these two guys worked hard to get a fish. They pounded the shore with streamers all day. We moved one good fish and may have had a few tugs on one of the large streamers the guys used. Dave managed a smallmouth that flipped off right the boat. It was tough day on the East and West, with three fish measured between the boats. After taking out and before dinner I went to the car wash to clean up the truck and boat. Saturday night was dinner and drinks at the Bluestone Grill in Hancock. I was beat and Charlie and I got back to Lee's by midnight and grabbed some sleep before the 6 am buzzer got us up.

Charlie Limbert on the East Branch, Saturday April 30, 2011

John Enderson with Bob and Dan pounding the banks the streamers,  Sat April 30, 2011

Ryan and I floating the East Branch, Sat April 30, 2011

     On Sunday I had two more great guys, Mitch and Dave. I had the same beat as the day before, the only difference was the water had a dropped a bit. It was a tough call for the fly pick. On Saturday most guides and anglers picked big streamers, which didn't work all that well. Since it was down a bit on Sunday, and with bugs on the water, some chose a dry fly. Dave had his fly choice set, an un-weighted variation of a wooly bugger. Mitch was open for ideas. I recommended a size 6 conehead olive/ black wooly bugger, to go with his sink tip on a floating line. And with that the three of us had a great float, nice lunch, good talk and laughs. The boys fished hard. At one point we passed Jeff Church and his anglers netting a 20 inch brown, and seeing that got the blood flowing and the kept us focused.

Jeff Church and crew getting a 20 inch brown to net, May 1,  2011

As it got after 4 o'clock, with stop time at 5:30, I was trying to figure out were I could put to really work a section before it was over. After we moved through the Cadosia "Riffles", I noticed a channel off to the left. I backed in to a small island, and let the guys go to work. Mitch was up top and Dave started midway. They were both casting tight to the bank and working the channel nicely. Then Mitch caught a his line in a few branches in a tree on the opposite bank, and they Dave hooked up. I got the net and measure box to Dave and landed his nice 17 inch brown. As I released the fish, I looked up and Mitch had miraculously got his fly free. It was one of about a dozen good saves that day. As I got back up to Mitch, the next branch higher in the same tree had reached out and re-grabbed his fly. This, was an ugly snag. That fly was worth 100 points, plus whatever fish he was sure to catch in the channel after we freed it. After a few tugs, we came up with a plan. I would cross the channel at the mouth, if I could, go to the tree, climb the tree, free the fly, Mitch would start fishing again, I would come back over and be in time to net his fish , and we'd be done just at quitting time.

Mitch post fly save with 20 minutes left, Sunday May 1, 2011

Things went as planned and soon Mitch was back fishing the channel. He fished through twice and at 5:30, it was over. We floated down to Firemans and took out before heading over to the Capital Theatre for dinner and results of the point tallying. The awards were given out for most points, best team, best guide, biggest fish, and then Dan Plummer announced a new award this year before wrapping things up for the weekend. He called John Enderson up to the mic for the presentation.


     The "One Bug Squirrel", now in New Jersey, scouting for striped bass Monday May 2nd, 2011

     On day one John found a yard decoration on one of the islands during his float. It was a small plastic squirrel. He couldn't figure out what to do with it. So for the next two days, both on and off the river, the squirrel made the rounds. After seeing the picture that Mitch had taken of me in the tree, it was decided by the committee that a new annual award would be given out. It would be called the "One Bug Squirrel Award", and I was the first recipient. I need to keep the squirell with me till next years One Bug, where I will present it to next years winner. It was a funny moment and a nice way to end my first One Bug.