05.17-20.12 Great four days on the Upper Delaware

  

     Had a great four days with two groups of clients and had the chance to float the East, West and Main stem and had good days on all three. When I mean good I mean we had targets to shoot for and bugs on the water and in the air and trout looking to eat. On Thursday it was a great father and son team from NYC who had a great day starting out throwing streamers and ended the night tossing flies amongst a potpourri of bugs that the trout were wreaking havoc on. We flossed a few, pricked a few, hooked a few and lost a few. The next day they went out with a different guide and I heard they caught some nice fish which I was glad to hear. 

     The next three days I had a lovely husband and wife team that hailed from Cananda. We started off on Friday with a bang getting into a great sulfur hatch within an hour of our launch and ended Sunday night with March Browns just before the takeout at dark. The best part was these two were sticks! Long accurate casts and "on the bank" to both of them was within three inches consistently from 40 feet! They were dry fly anglers and were looking to primarily fish to the banks. We caught some big fish which is always nice for the pics but better than that was hunting for, finding and then executing good casts to the fish that took the fly. I felt we worked well together and I lived each cast to a rising fish with them, and sometimes we celebrated a take and a hook up, and then awed when we missed a fish, it was a lot of fun. We had a day where the fishing was good start to finish and then two where it was spotty till the late evening and then popped off. It was bug soup during the four days- Isonychias, March Browns, Grey Foxes, Brown Drakes (no Greens for us), big Stones, Sulfurs in big and small, blue winged olives, and probably one or two more. Two of the coolest things I saw, well three, was big  Stoneflies coming out of the trees and then some getting blown into the water and getting picked off by cruising trout, seeing the silhouettes of the Iso's just as the sun set behind the trees, and then the thickest cloud of Sulfur spinners I ever saw flying overhead as we floated over an East Branch riffle.

What more could you ask for, some of my favorite bugs on my favorite river with clients that were a joy to fish with....who's doing better than me?

05.16.12 WOW...50,000 visitors to the blog....

How cool it that. Today we hit 50,000 visitors. If we keep this up I'm going to start selling subscriptions!
Thanks for your support and interest, Colin.

05.16.12 Got the word from the ortho doc

     I have heard from many of you, especially the die hard fly anglers, who have gone through the shoulder routine before. One thing that is common through all of the experiences is, it hurts like hell before you get it fixed, it usually feels better after the fix, but the 3-4 month rehab is not fun nor does it go quickly.
     Today my ortho doc took a look at the disc of the MRI that I had done two weeks ago. It confirmed a rotator cuff tear caused by bone spurs on the bottom of my collar bone, a done that I had broken twice in my youth. So, yes, he could go in and shave and repair, but he wants to take the physical therapy route before breaking out the scalpel. It looks like 5 weeks of pt, three times a week, plus the at home exercises.

     I'm busting out of here early tomorrow heading up to the Catskills for three days of float trips, then it's back home where I'll get the Jones Brothers wet. I can't wait to pole it around the Shrewsbury looking for those tailing blues!

05.16.12 One of my favorite ways to fish

     Today I ran around tightening some things up before I head up to the Upper Delaware for three days of float trips. I had my fly rod on my hood mount and on a whim I decided to take a look to see if anything was going on. I first stopped at the river and found bluefish tailing in the shallow waters of the outgoing tide. They were out of reach but I enjoyed trying to wait them out to see if they would move in. As far as gear, I had a pair of Crocs on, one rod and reel and one fly...and a camera. But I didn't care. Sometimes the more I dumb it down the more I enjoy it. I don't get into my super-serious frame of mind but rather just enjoy being out and casting a fly....no matter what that fly is. Today I had a white and black Clouser on size 2 and that should have worked okay in the back since silversides are everywhere.
    I made a stop out front and hit the rocks. There were 4 foot swells that came every 6-8 seconds so the surfers were out in force. It was dead low tide but I didn't care, the cool fog and breeze felt good. I worked the wash maybe hoping to catch my first flounder of the year but not today.

That's okay.....I still had a good time, and my Crocs stuck to the rocks like glue

On another note I got a package on my doorstep the other day. It was my 20 foot TFO push pole for my Jones Brothers boat. It comes in sections and when I get back I'll have to assemble it. I can't wait to get it the boat wet, and give those tailing blues a go!

05.14.12 Just a check on the 12 million + dollar beach replenishment in Monmouth Beach

     I spent today catching up in the office and organizing the truck which has a mix of fresh and saltwater gear strewn throughout. I did take a ride and make a few casts in the river without a bump and on the way home I stopped by to check on the effects of the recent beach replenishment in Monmouth Beach. If you can remember I have been taking pictures since the project began back in the fall where sand was pumped onto Little and Big Monmouth beaches. At the time of completion in January the groin/rock wall in front of Big Monmouth was covered and sloped down into the water. Soon a hard cut with a 6 foot drop ran along the beach, and now the rocks are exposed.

It will only be a matter of time before Mother Nature does with the sand what she wants to do...and fly-fishers will be able to fish the fall blitzes in the pocket where the rocks meet the beach (see below)

With some interest I stopped along the way as I traveled south to see if anything was on the pods of bunker that have been traveling along the shore. I found these anglers watching and waiting as happy menhaden popped and splashed just out of range of the snagging treble hooks. I have heard of a blitz here and there over the last two weeks, with the lucky anglers who were there catching big fish.

05.13.12 Happy Mom's Day

Happy Mothers Day to all !! We all have had a mother, are married to a mother, know a mother, or are just sometimes a mother.... Take time to wish some mother a Happy Mothers Day today! This goes out to the Mothers in my life, my mother, my step-mother, my wife, my ex-wife, my mother-in-law, my ex-mother-in-law, my sisters-in-law, and all my neighbors, friends, and friends who have wives-Happy Mothers Day!

05.12.12 Great day with stops in all three fisheries

Today I had Doug from Calgary down to fly fish the Jersey Shore. Great day from first light through the morning with stops in the two rivers, the bay and out front off the rocks. Water was extra high out front due to the 5,000+ boats in the water between Monmouth Beach and Asbury Park!

05.11.12 If you are fishing for bait...please let the juvies go

     For the past month bunker has invaded our back bays and rivers and anglers have been netting or snagging bunker to liveline or snag and drop or chunk, or freeze for later. Today I was watching as a few guys were snagging and I couldn't help but notice some 4-5 inch peanut bunker dried up after being left for dead after most likely being caught in a cast net. Doesn't make sense to me at all. The other thing I saw was plenty of bunker with the tails cut and the rest left out for the flies. That relly doesn't make sense to me at all.

Guys if you are going to harvest and use it, then fine....but the little ones please return to the water and at least use the bigger ones or kick them into the water for the crabs.

No bait = no bass. Please protect the resource.

4-5 inch peanuts ??

05.09-10.12 Great West Branch day...and then the Willow today

                    

 I had Greg in the boat for a solo float on the West Branch Wednesday. It was Greg's first time on the Upper Delaware and he is relatively new to fly fishing. Well, did he have a banner day. We started out with some casting basics and then we hit the water leading off with a streamer, but soon we had targets to shoot for. On our first stop we worked some fish for about an hour and a half and Greg landed a 22 inch brown! We had targets almost all the way down the river and he picked up fish 12-16 inches and topped the night off with a 20 inch brown on the way out. 

                     

                             

                                     

West Branch traffic jam

    This morning a cold front moved in with some gusty winds and low temps. I met my clients at the fly shop and they cancelled at the handshake. They are dry fly guys and today wasn't looking all that good. I hope to maybe to fish with them in the future. So it was "Guides Day Off". I first pimped myself out to the other shops in the area but there were no takers. I decided to fish Bard Parker by myself and after almost getting washed down the river left side channel I threw a streamer down the Second Heaven Riffle, which wasn't very riffly today. After a bit and only seeing one boat go by I made my way back across and went and cleaned the boat so it's ready for next weeks trips.

     I dropped the boat in Roscoe and headed home. I stopped and took a quick peek at the Willowemoc Creek and it looked fishy and the winds and temps weren't bad down in the cover of the trees. There were swallows over the riffs and soon March Browns were floating on the surface. I picked up one and took a lot of pictures of it before it flew off. I managed a nice brown trout that slipped away before I could get a shot off. 

                          

It was a good two days and I'm looking forward to a salt trip on Saturday and then back up to the Upper Delaware next Thursday. 

05.08.12 Went looking in the back for bass or blues in the blowing wind

     I was glad to hear that the bluefish have invaded the back bays and rivers. I am glad when they come....and then are glad when they leave, especially when you're targeting stripers. I went back at it today but the wind seemed to be blowing to 35 and that made casting fun. As a right handed angler, that cross body wind is a bitch when you are trying to throw flies a ways out. Today the wind was at a perfect 90 degrees from where I wanted the fly to land, and I needed another 50 foot out.
    On one cast I felt the hook pierce my skin near my groin but luckily it didn't set. I am glad I pinch down my barbs as that could have been a little painful.

The perigee full moon we just had had the moon 14 % bigger and 30% brighter. It was nice to have that much light rowing off the Mainstem but it's wreaked havoc on the high tides and currents. In a few days it will all settle down.

I heading back to the Upper Delaware for a few days work....should be a great.

05.07.12 Found racers up in the back

     Well I went from searching for a big brown trout sipping spinners to looking for racer bluefish crashing silversides in the back of the rivers. There's bait and bass and blues in Raritan Bay and now pretty heavily in the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers. Silversides and large bunker are the meals in addition to worms and shrimp. With the arrival of the blues I tucked some 60 pound mono and some AFW line in the Orvis Gale Force swing back just in case.

More blues, and hopefully bass tomorrow, before back up for the bows and browns Wednesday and Thursday.

05.03-06.12 Great four days on the Upper Delaware

Waiting and watching...and later hooking up

     Great four days. Got lucky with the weather big time. On Thursday I had Tom in the boat for an upper Main Stem float and as soon as we put in we joined a flotilla of all kinds of vessels playing hop skip down the river. We had a slower day as far as bugs were go but we managed some early and few more near the takeout as the evening came and weather started to roll in. That night we were hammered with rain, thunder and lightning that lit up the sky and the cabin at the West Branch Angler's Resort. 

     Got up early to scout out post rain and found the West Branch looking like Yahoo so we floated the East Branch. We had a slow day but he worked hard and got two nice browns, two "normal" smallmouths, and a slammer smallmouth. We took out early and jumped to the Bard Parker and had fish taking junk up until the perigee moon lit up the area.

     On Saturday I joined fellow guides Joe D, John Endreson, and Ray Outllich and Tim Olyphant and we took out the Orvis NYC crew. 10 anglers including store manager and friend Rob Ceccarini were assigned a guide and we all split up. I had a blast with Sean and his future bro-in-law Alex. The boys hadn't fished the Main Stem and they did great on a day that was relatively slow. They worked streamers in the beginning and just about right out of the gate Alex had on a nice brown against the bank. Lot's of floating and laughs, and the Viking-like-savage lunch I provided them, half a chicken with Doritos and Oreos, without plates, forks, or napkins had us in stitches. The great riffs almost gave up a rainbow to Sean but way down we set up camp for a fun two hours. Lot's of targets, a few almost to the net, a few pricks, and a few tips your hats to them. Fished way into dark with the guys casting to slurps and splashes. About 200 feet from the take out in the dark I sat the driftboat almost perfectly on top of an exposed boulder. Again, more laughs. I topped off that day with some great company, drinks, and a cookout with some old and new friends. 

On Sunday we scouted some water and left for Dodge.

I'll be back up Wednesday for another trip, with Thursday open if you are interested. Give me a call

at 732.261.7291

    

Guide Jeff Church with a 10 year old stick

Cadosia hellgramite

Orvis boat hooks up

A Pirates lunch!

Joe D with the Orvis boys

Sulfurs....it was an early evening snack

Guide Darren Rist coming through Cadosia

And lastly, when I got home I took a ride to the beach....and found a ton of boats way out...obviously on the bass and blues.

05.03.12 Nice upper Main stem float today

Lots of high bright sun and a flotilla of various water crafts today on the upper Main stem but we had a great day and managed a bunch to the net including a nice 18" rainbow. Things never really took off...bugs here and there and sporadic targets to cast to. More in the morning.....

05.02.12 Needed a taste of the salt before heading back to the Upper Delaware

     I love the Upper Delaware, but I have been missing the salt water. I got out today for a bit stopping by the Raritan Bay, Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers, and then outside at 8th Ave and Deal. It was more of a scouting mission then a fishing outing, but I did make casts at every stop.

Anglers have been connecting with some big fish off the beaches and groins and in the rivers but mostly of bunker chunks or clams. The ENE wind has the surf nice and roughed up and I found some guys soaking clams without a bump.

I'm heading up for three days of floating the Upper Delaware and the much needed recent rains should bode well for the rivers and the fish.

A few more weeks and the boat launches out front and the hunt (and release) for big stripers on the fly begins.

                                  

05.01.12 One reason why I like being a fly fishing guide....

     Here's me getting off a quick frame of Mike and his nice West Branch brown. Thanks to Rob for sending the pic over.