05.25.11 Trout release for TIC...fished IBSP....and oh yeah...a fox!

  

Ken and Bill overseeing the release

   Busy day all around. Started this morning at the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson for the annual Trout in the Classroom Field Day. NJ Fish and Wildlife and Trout Unlimited chapters from throughout the State deliver eggs to 106 schools in October and then help with the release starting in May. Today was release day for six of the schools. Jersey Shore TU has 25 schools that we are responsible for. In addition to Ken adn Bill and myself, Duane and Rick were at Allaire State Park where another school was releasing into the Manasquan. In addition to the releases educational programs were held. Our favorite was the Macro Invertebrates class where the kids sift through and identify insects in the river. The Toms has MAYFLIES. Believe it or not. 

JSTU members Ken, myself, and Bill

The kids are briefed before the day starts

Releasing the trout

Macroinvertebrate class

     Then I had to go finish an assignment I am working on in Atlantic City. That has been a three day shoot over several weeks but it is finally wrapping up. On the way home I stopped off at Exit 82 and took the ride to Seaside Park and then into Island Beach State Park. Of course I stopped at Betty and Nicks and supported the shop. I had to, I read their fishing reports everyday. It was funny because as I was waiting in line one guy said he was up in Deal this morning and caught a 35 inch fish near Roseld, and that Deal has been super hot. That's funny, when I talk with guys from Deal they say IBSP is where all the action is. It I drove into the park and headed to Area 21 where Ken said he was last night and had some fun with blues to five pounds. I started there on the outgoing tide and jumped the road and fished outside. There was nothing going on. I asked a few anglers who said today, even with the wind shift, was dead. As I exited the park I pulled over to get some shots of this very calm and freindly fox. It's either been fed by humans and is becoming used to humans or has rabies running through her veins and needs to be shot.
     I then drove up Route 35 and hit both the Manasquan and Shark River Inlets. The only fish I saw was a stargazer, a small blue, and a 35 pound fish a guy held up as he went through the SR Inlet in a sweet center console.

On the outside, IBSP

An ISBP female fox

05.24.11 Nice morning but the wind didn't budge

Steve on Brighton

     A beautiful May morning. Outgoing tide, clean water, but the winds stayed put from yesterday at 12 S- SW. I spent most of the time on a groin with fly fisherman Steve. He worked the tip on the south side and me midway. We switched back and forth figuring for sure one of us would hook up. Rich was on the beach with clams with no results. It looks like the wind is going to stay out of the south-southwest for a few days. We'll see how things go.

05.23.11 What were they thinking?...and got out for a bit today.

     I forgot to share this earlier this month when I was up in Roscoe picking up the drift boat to float the Delaware. When you getoff at the Roscoe exit on Route 17 you are greeted with the Roscoe Diner and a bear holding a BARRACUDA???? Welcome to Roscoe, Trout Town USA. A few years back the Reynolds House under went a makeover, and an interesting paint job. I am all for an owners right to do what they want, but c'mon! Isn't there some historic or commercial zone guidelines that must be
followed?

    Today I had a short window, but did get out. Deal was looking good on the incoming tide, but gusty S winds. I was fishing a bunker fly and had a fish blow up at it on the surface. The wave sets changed shortly after I got into a grove and 4-5 foot waves were breaking in the wash, one catching me in the stripping basket and nearly breaking my back. I'll be out at daybreak tomorrow.

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.