10.23.11 Went back out late afternoon...and went back out late afternoon

     Where ever I go and ask about the fishing guys usually just stand there rubbing their heads. I've been out mostly for first light, today I decided to give it a go late afternoon as the tide starting going out. I drove the bus if you will and hit all the local stops. Asbury Park, Allenhurst, Deal, Elberon, Long Branch and Monmouth Beach. I gave the Shrewsbury River a look and stopped and talked with two guys taking a boat out in Little Silver. They had two shorts after working for quite a while. I did hear that three keeper bass were caught this morning to 17 lbs on clams and eels.
     The above picture is off Long Branch. I watched for a while and didn't see any action from the surf anglers or boaters. I went back down to Allenhurst and fished the rocks there without a bump. One guy caught a large skate while soaking clams.

Schoolies are around but you have to work for them, keepers are hard to come by, and the bait hasn't emptied out of the rivers and the bass haven't come over from New York. There's a mention here and there of some bunker sightings but nothing consistent.

10.23.11 Quiet, flat morning and slow for lots of anglers

     I thought this morning might be the start to the fall run. Jason Dapra of Blitzbound Charters said things are winding down in Montauk so we should see things pick up here. The water has cleared up from yesterday and it brought out a ton of anglers. I got to Avon at 530 and had to maneuver my way past others on the rocks to get to the end. The water was flat, almost an erie quiet. I fished from the beach to tip without a bump.
    I dropped off the rocks and hit on a schoolie bass on a snake Fly in the wash on the second cast. I thought there might be more but there wasn't. Of the 25 or so anglers on the beach that was the only fish caught. I drove up to Asbury Park and talked with Gus who had two schoolies on Vison Eels at first light, and those were the only fish caught there.

    Things can only get better, now it's a waiting game. My prediction. The first word of good fish will be out of Long Branch Tuesday morning. We'll see.

10.22.11 Out this cool morning at Little Monmouth....

     Went out this morning fished the outgoing at Little Monmouth. It's finally starting to feel like fall, with out the door temps in the mid 40's. Started on top in the dark and moved under as the sun came up. Water was stained but improving from yesterday, thinking tomorrow or Monday should be better. Had about a half a dozen anglers out throwing the usual assortment with no results. Didn't see any bait or fish and the birds stopped here-and-gone a ways out. Later in the morning a flotilla of boats and settled out by the Shrewsbury Rocks, and others along the stain line off the rocks along the coast.

                        

Last night I had the pleasure of photographing U.S. Congressman Rush Holt and his wife at their New Jersey home. When he saw my pick up with the stickers he asked me, "So what about the menhaden?"
I immediately thought of Paul Eidman and the Menhaden Defenders and gave him as much info on it as I could remember in a few minutes. This morning I was shooting Clean Ocean Action and was with U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone. I brought up the bunker issue with him and he told me the fight over bunker has been going on for centuries. He said he has in his office articles from the 1700's about bunker harvest debates. He acknowledged the issue, but didn't say where he stood on it. To learn more go to www.menhadendefenders.org or stay up with them on their Facebook page.

10.21.11 Power washing doesn't remove bottom paint

Getting the boat ready for hopefully it's maiden voyage next week. Tried power washing before the end all of soda blasting. Power washing doesn't work.

Planning on an early morning in Monmouth Beach.

10.20.11 Headed down to IBSP and Seaside for a look...

     Pictures won't do justice to conditions out there this morning. Headed south and went right to Area 23 at Island Beach State Park. There have been consistent reports of gator blues and bass being caught in the wash the last few days. I knew the wind would be a factor as I drove down and when I got on the beach I was right. The wind was blowing S-SW at 15-20 with gusts probably near 30. It bordered on a mini sandstorm. I tried to capture that in the image below. 

     The water was stained and even after the sun came up you couldn't see light through the breakers. I fished the wash for a bit while I walked down the beach and watched. There were two guys way down the beach soaking clams, and that was it. I got back in the truck and traced back to Seaside and stopped on the bay side to find waves breaking the wall and water flooding the streets. I stopped by the Funtown Pier and it didn't look promising for the fly rod. It was a quick ride down and back because today I start getting the boat ready for the water.

10.19.11 Fished with Rob before first light and the rain

     Today I fished with Rob who came down from Sussex County on his second attempt to catch a striped bass on a fly rod. Rob haunts his local bass ponds and everyone's favorite trout stream at one time or another, The Big Flatbrook. We got to Avon about 530 and had the whole place to ourselves. So either we were either going to look like geniuses or fools. We were catching the end of the outgoing just before low tide. We fished our way down to The Cove and Rob had a bump on a Clouser in the wash and I picked up a short on a Snake Fly working off the rocks. We then moved around and fished the jetty near the inlet where Rob nailed a sundial on a Jiggy. We saw mullet, hickory shad or herring jumping out of the water several times. We moved in with a Snake Fly with no takes. 

From the iPhone 

     We went back where we started and worked the rocks from the beach during slack tide and picked up another sundial on a Clouser. Luckily the rain held out while we were out there and the gusty E winds only lasted for the last bit of the trip. Rob said he's definitely in for another go when the stripers decide to stop by. Sounds like the first wave of big fish has made a pit stop off the Barnegat Inlet waters. I have read solid reports of big blues and bass being caught on bunker that was snagged, cut, and dropped. 

10.18.11 Look what the boat stork dropped in our driveway!

It's official. After yesterdays disappointment I am the proud owner of a Jones Brothers 19'10 LT Game Fisherman. After a week of tuning it up she'll be on the water!

10.17.11 Didn't fish this morning but spent the day in pursuit of a new boat...someone beat me to it

"My" Jones Brothers boat on Friday evening

   I love to fish the water from the water. Either on the Upper Delaware, West Branch of the Ausable or Salmon River in the Adirondacks, or the beaches, groins, and jetties of the Jersey Shore. If I am in it, and wet, then I am usually happiest. It's just a matter of preference.

An old Mako I liked 

     Since the spring I have been looking at boats, a lot of them. Came close to pulling the trigger several times. I think the boat that I liked the most were Mako's in the 20-24 foot range. Some came with dual outboards. They were usually older, from the mid 1970's to the early 80's. I am lucky I didn't.
     When I worked for Dave Choinard at The Fly Hatch he was a Jones Brothers dealer. I knew him when the Jones Brothers LT 19'10 Light Tackle Cape Fisherman came out. I always looked for JBs or Parkers, but the models I needed were never around or out of my price range. In the early summer Marine Max in Mansquan had the top JB for sale. It was $ 12,500 and looked good on-line. I didn't jump on it and when I went to look at it in September it was gone off the lot, the owner had pulled it.

                         

     So last week I decided to call Marine Max back to see if they had it again, they didn't, but another dealer in Point had it. So off I went. I liked what I saw. It was super clean and ready to roll. I took some pictures and told the guy I would be back over this past weekend. I went home and talked with the wife who is always very supportive. I reached out to Dave and some other guides who roll with JBs and they were very knowledgeable and helpful. Some suggested going for the 23 foot Cape Fisherman. I looked and looked and found a few for sale from throughout the country, problem was, for me, they started at the high 20's used.
     So this morning I loaded up my friend and we went for breakfast in Point Pleasant. After chow we headed down to the dealer to go and see what I thought for sure would be my boat. I had numbers and pitches and plans in my head on what I would say. I drove down Route 35 and parked dead next to the boat with the bow pointing to the street. I looked over to my friend and said, "There she is." The sun was just past the boat and it prevented me from seeing clearly. When I moved my head I looked over and saw it, simple, plain, almost rude, "SOLD". We spoke with the guy who works in the shop there who told us a few people were hot on it this weekend and one came by yesterday and bought it. I had a sick feeling in my gut that lasted most of the day.

Oh well, now I have to go to Plan B. You know what they say, "You snooze you lose!"

"My" Jones Brothers boat Monday morning

10.16.11 Nice, brisk, stripery kind of morning...

     It felt nice to be a little chilly on the beach before first light. Air temp was 49 and the ocean is slowly dropping at 65. Caught the incoming just right and just as the wind picked up a bit. Dropped a nice fish after a few minute fight after a long cast along the rocks with a Snake Fly. Went with the Clouser after sun up with nothing. Lots of boats marking fish and saw birds on bait from the Shark River Inlet to Asbury Park. One fish caught this morning in Asbury. Slow morning, but looks more and more promising everyday.

10.15.11 Hit Avon before first light...

     So there's three fly-fisherman towards the end of the groin in Avon. There is also an angler throwing a yellow Bomber with a white bucktail teaser on top. All four fish the same waters regularly. The fly-anglers then do their thing. I fished at the tip working a north side as the tide was incoming. I was throwing a large popper. I moved to the north side to talk with the other fly caster and Bob took the end spot. In a few casts he had a nice fish on. And of course, in front of the three from us, the striper hit the teaser!

10.14.11 Quick stop in Asbury Park...and good news from Orvis

     Got to stop in Asbury Park for a few. Big change from yesterday. Wind shifted, ocean sat down, and things cleared up. Still looks good especially at night. A few anglers out with clams and plastic for a few hours hadn't seen a thing. One guy said his clam had been on for so long he thought the shell might grow back! Another guy got a call that guys were on fish in Monmouth Beach. Should be a good weekend, expect lots of traffic on the rocks.

Got a call from Scott from Orvis that I have been excepted into the Orvis Endorsed Guide Program. I am very thankful and grateful for the opportunity to be part of a great program and company. More to follow!

10.13.11 Fished amongst the dozers in O.G. then bass at noon in A.P.

  

            DISCLAIMER-DISCLAIMER- NOT MY FISH, NOT MY FISH, NOT MY FISH.

Okay that's not my fish, but I knew today would be good and fishy. We still had the East wind here but it's supposed to go SE to S later today. Waves were kickin' with swells to 4 feet. I love this weather and fishing this kind of water is my favorite. I love inching my way out on the outgoing and having waves break in my stripping basket.







Started the day in Ocean Grove where I found two dozers doing their own beach replenishment. I just saw something similar on the West Branch of the Ausable in Ausable Forks. I see this before each storm and wonder if the towns have to pull a permit to redistribute the sand around the beach, and, cut into the dunes which are clearly posted. It was a little early for the outgoing in The Grove so I moved north to Asbury.



Asbury looked the same but the north side of the rocks always fishes good to me. There was a few guys out on the end of the groin casting white Shads and Bombers. I worked the beach well, and it got better as the tide ebbed more. The waves were tough as the were breaking just about where I thought the fish were. I decided to head up to the rocks that way I could cover the water behind the waves. I looked up for a few minutes and watched one guy catch a keeper and a short. Then another two shorts and another keeper. He was the hot hand today, 5 fish in less then an hour. And the nice part was, nobody moved an inch from their spot as he hooked up, and hooked up, and hooked up. The picture above is one of his keepers that just cleared 28".  I only saw one other short caught.

I stayed with the sinking line and Clouser and went big to small without a bump. It was a nice afternoon and good to see bass coming up the rocks, and then back into the water.

10.12.11 Coming to a Jersey Shore beach near you..hopefully!

     This picture was taken by Captain Jason Dapra of Blitzbound Guide Service. It shows a striped bass blitz that happened while he was guiding October 8th of this year. Keep your fingers crossed, and your fly rods ready!

10.12.11 The weather picked up this afternoon...but there were anglers and fish around

     Went out for the outgoing before low tide in Loch Arbor. Winds from the East at 20 with strong gusts to 30. Went with a tan/ white Clouser. Made a few casts and my Mirage reel that I cleaned up after this mornings salt trip spit the spool. I was up to my waist in the water, so good bye she went. I backed up and hand reeled the 105 foot of fly line and then about 175 yards of backing. Luckily, I was able to use the wind to my advantage and kept all the line airborne back to the rocks were the men meet for rendezvous's in the night. Believe it or not I was done untangling it and back to fishing in 20 minutes. I missed a nice fish in the wash and caught a fluke when I switched to a chartreuse/ white Clouser. As I was leaving I met Nick, who is from Hoboken and follower of the The Average Angler blog. He went to work with his two-handed rod on both sides of the rocks.

Tomorrow the wind dies down, but will turn and be SE. The weekend is looking good.

10.12.11 "Let the games begin!".... found small schoolies in the big wash

     What a difference a day makes! Got to Avon at 530 and went to work with my Orvis depth Charge line, short leader, black Clouser. Worked beautiful water down the beach towards the Shark River Inlet. Paused before the rocks and hooked up on a nice fish. I watched in horror as my line wrapped around my fingers holding the rod. I couldn't work fast enough to get the line free. The fish hit in the wash and there was no wiggle room. I took a step further as I made is worse, then snap went the fly. I was disappointed and then fished there for another 45 minutes without a bump. 

     I moved up to Ocean Grove and settled in near the fishing pier. There I found schoolies in the big wash. This is my favorite kind of water to fish, and I love the East wind in your face. A guy soaking clams up the beach from me hit three to 24 inches in about a half hour. This are starting to look up!, finally.

10.11.11 Finally the weather is changing...fished long and hard today...warned of spot burning!

     Well the weather finally turned a bit. It's cooling off, the winds shifted, the surf is roughed up...but we didn't see any bait or fish. This morning I met and fished with Rob Ceccarini from Orvis Manhattan. We were on the water by 530 a.m. and quickly went to work throwing poppers to a flat ocean. We mixed it up a bit fly wise and moved to the rocks were we didn't turn anything.
     We then hit the Grateful Deli in Loch Arbor for breakfast before hitting the incoming in Avon working from The Notch to The Cove. We also fished the Shark River Inlet also without a nothing. It was then up to Sandy Hook where we fished the Shrewsbury River side without a bump. After lunch at The Mad Hatter we gave Deal one more shot for the day. Conditions again looked really good, except for the high, bright sun. Off in the distance we could see boats and birds both on something. That is a good sign.

If there was a fish there today we would have got it to bite, we fished it that hard.

In other news I was approached today and warned that I am SPOT BURNING. A big no-no to anyone who writes or photographs about fishing. It is a cardinal rule that I broke. I thought I did a good job staying vague but I guess not. So, I won't return to that spot anymore.

 What a better combo for fly fishing, Orvis Mirage reels and Mallomars.

10.10.11 "Dear summer, please leave. Thanks, NJ striper anglers."

I habe bass, bait and birds on my mind. Took a quick ride down to the Shark River Inlet to see if albies are crashing bait. This is what I found...
  

10.10.11 It's another beautiful day along the Jersey Shore...but things will change soon

     Out at it from 4-7 a.m.  Had one bass blow up on a fly rod popper. Less bait this morning than yesterday, tiny mullet and rainfish, with nothing on them. Flat, flat, flat and 64 degrees air temps at 4 a.m. Water is holding at 66. Low pressure on it's way which is a good thing so we should see things pick up in the next few days.

The picture above is Al at 87 years young working a Clouser along the wash.

The Average Angler offers guided fly fishing trips along the Jersey Shore, day, evening or night trips. One angler $225, two anglers for 4 hours $ 225.00, or 8 hours for $325 for one $350 for two. Give me a call 732.261.7291 and we'll walk and stalk stripers in the surf. See more www.theaverageangler.com .

10.09.11 Sometimes all it takes is one cast

     Slack high tide was at sunrise so I got out to Avon at 330. I fished a large popper for two blocks with no reaction. I just wasn't feeling Avon this morning. So I headed north to Deal and settled in there. It was around 5 a.m. and as I made my way onto the sand I decided to go left first, then fish right later. As I was casting I saw a hat light starting to make it's way across the beach. I knew who it was. I picked up and headed his way casting into the wash as I saw his light get smaller as he walked. Then I saw his hat light go off, then the glow of a match light as he lit a cigar, then a pause, then the hat light went on and move back towards the rocks. I knew over the five minutes what that meant. He made a cast, got a nice fish, and buried it in the sand for later. I learned later it was his first cast that got the nice 32" fish. 

We met up where he was and fished as first light turned to sun rise. I switched from topwater to Clouser as rainbait came in and moved across the wash. I managed a fluke that would have been just shy if it were in season. 

I hate to predict because I hate to predict, but this week should be the week where things pick up. 

10.08.11 Short bass in the wash before first light this morning

     Got out in the dark and and went right to work with a large popper in the dark. Hooked up on the second cast. Other anglers along this stretch had short bass to 25" at the same time. Things shut down as first light showed. Some small bait around with snappers on them. Found some fly fisherman working the rocks and it made for some nice images. One said he's been on albies with the fly rod from his boat off the Shark river Inlet.

It's been a more extreme hit and miss fishery lately. Everyone is just waiting, things are starting to line up. Water is continuing to drop slowly at 65 degrees. We need that sun to go away and some weather to come in, unless flat and a high sun brings the albies close.