06.11.13 Out for a quick scout and stopped for some midday cocktails.....

     No trips today but between school drop offs and pick ups I took a quick run out to the Hook. The weatherman was calling for thunderstorms and lightning and hail so I was a bit hesitant before I left. Basically had blue skies and stiff SW wind most of the trip. I had about 90 minutes to actually fish so I had to make the best of it. Quickly found acres of bunker and I scouted each one looking for any signs of bass, or blues, on them. I did find bluefish blind casting after a long drift away from the menhaden. The menhaden looked liked they were about 2 feet long and would be a mouthful for even the biggest of bass.

06.10.13 "Are we killing too many striped bass in New Jersey?"....Let's look at some numbers.

                            

  I thoroughly enjoy fishing for striped bass. As you know, I also thoroughly enjoy releasing them as well. I have been drawn to the conservation side of the striped bass and this time of year is always a time of love and hate. I love when the fish arrive and I hate to see so many of them harvested, especially the larger females. Not only do I see it on the beach and boat, I read and see about it on Stripers Online, BassBarn, New Jersey Hunter, and the Hook, Line and Sinker section of the Asbury Park Press. 

     Over the last two years I was part of the historic reduction in the menhaden fishery catches. When I say I was part, I got involved. I educated myself, wrote letters, went to public meetings, stood up and spoke, and even went down to Washington for the vote. I feel that the striped bass fight is drawing me in. 

     One thing I hate about all of this stuff is the absolute disrespect that each side has for the other sides view (with any issue) and the politics involved. I respect another persons opinion weather it is the different or the same as mine. As far as striped bass catch and release? I am in a growing minority but it's a position being taken up by many anglers. I am a fly fishing guide that runs beach and boat charters for striped bass, bluefish, fluke, and false albacore. When it comes to striped bass- it's purely catch and release. Catch and release just like when I guide for wild trout on the Upper Delaware.

     Most of my fellow guides and friends fly or spin fish. Some use plugs, metal, rubber, clams, bunker, sand fleas, eels, whatever. Most will release most and keep a fish every now and then ofr themselves or their clients. Other captains I know seem to put everything legal in the box. I'm not a tree hugger. I still like them and people in general. I still can say "Nice catch"...although seeing the bigger fish caught and kept does bother me. But hey, truth be told. They aren't breaking any laws, they are fishing within the guidelines set by the state of New Jersey, or the ASMFC, or another Federal agency. 

     Within the last year I have really soured on striped bass fishing tournaments. I believe that bounties for big fish, for cash, angler or club bragging rights, isn't a good idea. Fish get taken so they can weighed for the tournament. That is not to say they are all wasted. Some fish are donated or brought home for the table. But say an angler may take home a 28" fish for his family for dinner. On this day he or she goes out in early June and catches a 40 pounder. If not for the tournament that fish may have been released and a smaller fish harvested for the table. Not if there's an active tournament. It's taken, weighed, and then donated, eaten, or given away. 

     All of this has brought me to thinking- "Are we harvesting too many fish?" "Am I taking a position I really don't know that much about?" "Are all those anti catch and release anglers correct?" Let's look at some hard numbers. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commision (ASMFC) has managed striped bass since 1981, part of the Striped Bass Interstate Fisheries Management Plan. They do stock assessments and set the allocations of commercial and recreational harvest for each state. In the year 2013 the ASFMC allocated New Jersey with 321,750 pounds of striped bass. Since N.J. doesn't allow commercial fishing, netting or sales of striped bass all of the 321,750 pounds can be harvested by the recreational fisherman. And just an FYI, for all those anglers that cry it's the commercial fisherman killing all the bass, here's some numbers. In 2011 32.2 million pounds of bass were harvested along the Atlantic coast. That's 3.178 million striped bass. The commercial take was 19% or 6.8 million pounds, the recreational take 81% or 26.3 million pounds. So we know.

From the ASMFC website, see link below

     

Page 14, New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Digest 2013 Marine Issue

Since New Jersey doesn't have a commercial striped bass fishery they instituted a Striped Bass Bonus Program (SBBP) which allows anglers to apply for a bonus tag to keep a third striped bass over 28. So if you apply for a tag, and then go fishing, you can keep three striped bass over 28". Then you can go home and file a form and then apply for another one and do it again, the next day, and the next day, and so on. The idea was that since there's no commercial take they would allow recreational anglers to harvest more.

     So let's take New Jersey's 321,750 pounds of striped bass allocated for the recreational fisherman. Recreational meaning on the beach, jetty, party or charter boat. That means Delaware River and Bay, Cape May, Mullica River, Absecon Inlet, Ocean City, LBI, Island Beach State Park, out front, in the back, Oyster Creek, Jetty Country, Sandy Hook, Raritan Bay, Raritan River, Hackensack River, and any where people fish for and potentially harvest striped bass. 

321,750 pounds sounds like a bunch, right? Well, not really. Let's look at some numbers. 

     Looking at a size/weight chart for striped bass lets pick an average size fish that New Jersey anglers might keep. With the minimum striped bass at 28", average weight 10 pounds, and the heaviest 50" which is 50 pounds, we'll say that in New Jersey during 2013 the average fish kept was 35" and 18 pounds. Really that means not one fish over 35" was taken. 

     If we divide 321,750 by the 18 pounds it means that New Jersey anglers in 2013 can harvest 17,875 fish and still be within the ASMFC allocation. Sounds like a lot of stripers, right? Mmmmm....

     Let's say in New Jersey in 2013 we only harvest fish in April, May, June and Sept, Oct, Nov- taking Jan, Feb, March, August and December off. So that's just six months of fishing. So 6 divided into our allotted 17,875 fish for 2013 comes out to 2,979 striped bass per month. Wow! That's a lot of stripers. Not really. Just a note, remember in 2012 we fished for 12 months, and remember the stupid fishing in IBSP in the fall of 2011.

     Let's now say there are 30 days in each of our fishing months. Now we take our 2,979 striped bass and divide that by the 30 days. That comes out to 99.3 striped bass per day. So, during our make believe six month fishing year of 2013 we can harvest 100 striped bass per day at 18 pounds ( some will be lighter and others heavier but the average 18 pounds) and be within our 321,750 allottment. 

    100 fish per day. That means on a given day if we logged all of the striped bass harvested from the Delaware River and Bay, Cape May, Mullica River, Absecon Inlet, Ocean City, LBI, Island Beach State Park, out front, in the back, Oyster Creek, Jetty Country, Sandy Hook, Raritan Bay, Raritan River, Hackensack River, and anywhere people fish for and potentially harvest striped bass- it can't average more than 100 fish a day for six months.

Remember- the above is only for the state of New Jersey recreational fishery. Think of all the other places the striped bass get fished heavily- commercial fisheries in North Carolina, Chesapeake Bay, Jamaica Bay, Montauk, Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and the rest.

"Hey all!" The striped bass, and the people who love to fish for them, will all be in trouble soon. There will be a moratorium soon if we don't smarten up. The moratorium will stop the bleeding, is there's any more fish to bleed out. 

You can read more on the ASMFC on their site HERE, go to the striped bass section. 

06.09.13 If this is what the big bass are eating then I'll need a different fly....

     Out before first light and was able to catch a beautiful sunrise. Hit the rocks on the incoming. Great looking water and great timing as the swells were breaking on the bars creating lots of white water, at least for a while. Went from big flies to small without a bump. Saw a bunch of anglers dotting the ends of the rocks and only saw one short caught.
     I made a move as the rollers came in closer to the beach. On my way up the beach I was looking down for sharks teeth, sheds, big plugs, and found this conger eel washed up on the beach. If the bass are eating these I need a different fly!
     Soon the sun was up high and the surfers and other anglers were out in force. I found a short groin to call me own and fished some real fishy water. I know we call it fishing but the absence of resident, micro, schoolie, and even small or large bass in the surf has me puzzled. Not every bass is on the bunker. I managed one flat fish for my efforts and I was glad with that. It's been that dry on the beach and rocks with the fly rod.

06.08.13 Two Canon G12's on their way back to Virginia

     Hit the UPS store in Neptune with a pair of Canon G12's all tightly back in their original packaging for the drive, flight and drive to the service center in Virginia. After spending the night in rice the one that got wet yesterday would power up but wouldn't respond when the buttons on it were pushed. The other one from the header I took in the wash a few weeks back.....nothing. You remember that. I caught a nice fish, wanted to keep it in the water for a quick pic. Well when I went down on one knee I rolled over into the wash and was like a turtle on it's back.

     I went down to check conditions today just two hours before high tide. Big waves, big swells and off color to brown water with lots of grass in it. Looks like it could be good for a clammer today or after a few tides and the NW wind cleans it up a bit.

06.07.13 Double handed fly fishing....a big double fail....and my waders come in the mail

     Well it's been obvious that there's bigger fish around and they are on bigger bait. My charter today postponed till a later date so that left me ready to fish. There was a steady rain and a decent wind but that made for lots of white water and good conditions. 

     I went with my 13'6" spey rod and busted out my selection of bigger bunker flies. I tied on a Jim Matson 8" fly that I hoped would get a few bass' attention. I loaded up my Orvis Gale Force backpack with my fly wallet, tippet, keys, phone, and of course camera. I made sure all the zippers were tight and slung it over my back and hit the rocks. I felt good to be out but was surprised that no one from the small army that arrives every afternoon wasn't out fishing. I had it all to myself.

     It had been drizzling and soon it turned to a good steady rain, steady in up and down and then sideways. I had the outgoing tide and a few hours in I wanted to get a pic of the great looking conditions I had. I swung my pack around, undid the zipper, and reached in for my camera, which was in about an inch of water. I pulled it out and it came out dripping. In a panic I unzipped the smaller front pocket where my iPhone- in a LifeProof case- was with my keys. I reached in for it and the pocket was a quarter full of water. I looked at my iPhone and I could see water on the screen as water emptied from inside the LifeProof case. My day was done.

     I hurried back to my truck and took out the camera battery and dried the camera off as best I could. It was done. My iPhone was a bit better, at least it turned on, but it didn't respond to my touch, even with dried off fingers. I went home and tried the rice in a sealed bag trick and prayed for a miracle. The camera is $500 and the iPhone is I don't even know but if you go to buy one they're almost $600. It was a very expensive day to say the least. 

     Lesson of the day- is- whatever lesson you could take from this. I guess water proof and water resistant is not 100% always the case, no pun intended. 

                       

After I wrote this post the UPS truck showed up in front of the house. The driver dropped off a box from Orvis, it was a new pair of River Guard Silver Label Bootfoot waders. I had a seam rip out and sent them in Monday and got the quick turn around I needed. Special Thanks to Orvis' wader guy Tim Daughton for seeing my predicament and helping me out. You can see Tim below talking about the new Orvis Silver Sonic waders.

                   

06.06.13 Yesterday it was off the beach, today it was on the beach.....

Can you find the big bass in the above pics?

     I had my 7 year old and her friend in the truck and we were heading to Wendy's for a cheap meal. I had my camera with the long lens in my truck so I decided to see how the surf was looking in anticipation of a beach charter I had for tomorrow morning. As I drove down the Avenue I noticed more and more cars and trucks parked in the usual blitz fishing locations. If you're parked here.....your pretty much guilty of looking for big blitzing bass. 

     

I pulled into a popular street and there was only three cars there.....for about 15 minutes. one guy in broken English was telling us about a blitz that happened before. He brought over a shorter fellow that in broken English described something you may see on the cable show "River Monsters". I stood there looking out to the ocean concentrating on one boat that was closest to the beach. Then I saw what he was talking about.....he yelled....."Kraken!". And the other guy whipped out his cell phone, and the shorter guy whistled.......and guys started jogging down.....and cars started pulling into the street. Welcome to blitz fishing along the Jersey Shore. 

     I met one guy who knew me through the blog. I met another fellow Asbury Park Fishing Club member Eric. He's a good fisherman who catches a lot of big fish. I watched him calmly walk out on the end of a stub groin and start to cast. It wasn't long before the fish moved in close within range and he hooked up. I only stayed to watch one fish caught....and kept. I didn't want to see what may happen

if those fish came in closer and pinned bait in the pocket. When I got home and before I started editing the pictures for this blog post I went onto Facebook. And yep, sure enough, there were pictures up showing guys dragging off big fish. Here's an example below- this was posted on New Jersey Fishing Reports by James Buonanno Jr. 

I am glad I left when I did. 

From New Jersey Fishing Reports- Facebook

06.05.13 BIG bass bunker blitz....and I have one picture to show for it

     It was about as cool as you could get. I had a morning and afternoon bass chasing sessions, but I'll start with tonight. Make a long story short. Things have been on the slow side. That's been for the surf and boat guys. We've all been waiting, and hoping, that "new" fish would move in. Well, some of them are here, and they are dandies.

     I got out to where I wanted to be around 3 pm. There were a few boats out with most snagging bunker and live lining. I made some drifts finding more bait on the screen that fish. I moved out and found more bunker, but now cocktail blues were on them. I stayed with them hoping some bass would pop up underneath. For kicks I threw on a popper and caught a few before moving on. 

     I started my slow ride home around 530 and stopped when I got to a bunch of boats milling about. Off in the distance was a single boat and as I looked I saw disturbances in the water. I thought it was an empty treble hook retrieve, the kind of wake you see often off the groins when guys are snagging and dropping. I made my slow way over and about halfway the ocean surface erupted. These were bass, big bass, and a lot of them. As I neared I grabbed my camera and made one image, the one above. It doesn't do what I saw tonight any justice. 

     Sadly, not only did I see it but so did the dozen boats that were close, and the other handful in the area. Soon enough the fish were put down. They did come up close to me one more time. I had two casts at them....and they were gone. It was over just like that. Over for me with the fly rod, but several boats caught fish all of them live lining bunker. 

     The morning session started at 5 am. I was just about to end of the rocks working when another 

angler, Eric, came out and asked if he could have the end. He made a handful of casts and brought to hand a beauty of a fish. It was that moment when I took his picture that I decided to get out this evening and I glad I did. 

     On my way to a different groin I spotted this almost brand new lure on the sand. It was similar to the one Eric had used. Was this a sign from the fishing gods? Should I buy a spinning rod and get in on the action and fun? Not a chance, just yet.

06.04.13 Beautiful morning but no bass bite.....

     Started out real early this morning. Wind from the north at a good clip. Fished hard on the outgoing for a few hours without a bump. Saw lots of bunker, dolphins and a few whales.....just didn't get a bump on a trio of different flies. Saw Al in the distance so I took a break and we sat on a bench like two buddies and shot the shit for a while. After he left I went back at it with more of the same results. Nada.

     After a day of organizing the boat, truck, and fly boxes I figured I would take a ride down to the beach to see if the late afternoon looked as good as this morning and to see if anyone was fishing. I did find anglers, but they were waiting and watching more than casting and catching. Blitz fishing as they call it. Getting a good groin tip spot, waiting for the bass and blues to push the bunker up and in, and they cast large poppers and plugs trying to get a strike. I stood there for a while watching each groin end get filled up with anglers ready, and waiting, to cast. I left before anything happened, I wonder if it did?

06.03.13 Nice to be out on the rocks again....what did this scale come off of?....and waders back to Orvis

     After nearly a week of running the boat is was nice today to be standing on the rocks, even if the wind was blowing hard from the south and it was the end of the ebb. Had the rocks all to myself and picked a few spots that held water and went one for two on the bass. It was nice to finally hold a striper, since it's been all bluefish lately.

Last week Jimmy gave me a large scale that I put in my truck and did nothing with. Over the heat wave it curled and shrunk and I just threw it out. Today, while on the rocks, and then walking to my truck, I found a ton more. These are big scales, off of a big fish, or fishes. I put them up against my reel for sizing. When I got home I sent these pics to Russ Allen from the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife. He rules out big striped bass and thought it might have belonged to a black drum. There have been several large black drum caught up in the Raritan Bay as of late so it could be that.

     SCALE UPDATE- A few days after I made this post fly rodder Joe sent me the below picture for scale clarification. This definitely confirms our guess. 

     And, my wader woes continue. Over the winter I contacted Orvis about having problems getting my felt bottom Silver Label Bootfoots waders replaced. In the end they sent me a new pair of the Riverguard Silver Label Bogs Bootfoot Waders with the Eco-Trax Soles. I broke them out on my walk and wade trip with Dmitri on May 13th- and today they are going back. On Saturday while putting them on my foot went in, my hands pulled up, and the seam around the boots gave wave and tore up the seam on the leg. I called for a repair number, took out the screws, installed them in a pair of the Silver Label felt soled bootfoots, and dropped the other pait off at UPS to send to Orvis. I need a quick turn around and wrote a letter and let the customer service person know. I'll let you know when I get them back. 

                            

06.02.13 First time fly fishing......15-20 mph south winds.....Hey, why not?

     What a great morning. Last night I got a little worried that we wouldn't get Victoria's first fly fishing trip in. The weather, and winds, were looking crappy starting midday but you really don't know until that very moment. I stopped by Allenhurst at 430 a.m. to see how things looked at front and the winds were starting to pick up. However when I got to the ramp things looked much better, albiet the river, but I figured we'd give it a go.
     Out in the Raritan Bay the winds were blowing S at 15-20 and we had a little choppy ride out. Victoria didn't mind at all and was eager to get to work fly fishing for her first time! Fly fishing for the first time, in the salt, with a 9 and 10 weight, on a boat, in 15-20 mph winds- that's pretty darn cool.
We had big bluefish on our first drift and it was entertaining throughout the morning. They would start to crash 50 feet out and follow sometimes all the way to the boat jumping out of the water when the teaser or fly were being taken out of the water.

                   

      We made continuous drifts over the blues that kept on crashing until the tide died around 10 and then it got a little slow. Victoria was more interested in getting her casting down then actually catching a fish. She did great especially with that strong tail wind. We finished up with an introduction to a 350 grain sinking line (loved it!) and then the single and double haul.  It was a great morning with a great lady who is absolutely in love with fly fishing. I look forward to fishing with her again.

06.01.13 Lots of big blues....no bass....and a kayak rescue in the bay

     Had the Walker boys out today for a great day on the water. On the water by 6 a.m. and got to a spot and had a fish on within a dozen casts. Bluefish were what Dagon (the fish god) served up today. Great topwater action with lightning fast follows and explosive strikes.  We had a few interesting things

                       

happen today. Had a hook impaled in Mike's finger which we had to knock the barb down and reverse out.....ouch! Then right after we set up on a new spot I heard a few yells......which got my attention. I thought it could be a big fish yell.....like...."Hey, I'm being dragged on my yak behind a big blue or black drum." Well, then we heard a whistle. Two sounds. Not three short-three long, the S.O.S. signal. So I told my guys to pull up because I wanted to play it safe and check out if the people were okay.
     As we approached we found one kayaker in his sit on top, and one sit inside kayaker in the water holding on to his flipped and submerged kayak better than a half a mile off Keansburg. He was spent, but luckily had a life jacket on. Mike, on my boat, got hold of the kayak and we pulled it up across the gunnels emptying the water as we pulled it up.
     After a little rest and getting the kayaker back into his vessel the two started slowly paddling back to the beach. After a bit we looked back to check on their progress and make sure they were not in harms way. I don't know kayaking but I learned a few things today-

1) It was his first time in a kayak and it was a little sporty out there, and they were a ways out

2) I don't know if a sit inside kayak is appropriate for the bay, it was a bear trying to get the water out of it. First trying in the water, and then lifting the kayak out across the boat

3) Life jackets are no joke! Good thing he had one on.

4) Kudos to the kayaker that had a whistle, I heard it. But, he should have sounded the S.OS. signal

5) It takes teamwork in trying to assist anyone in distress in the water, good job to Mike on my boat for helping the guy out big time.

6) Always take a picture- it makes the story better, and makes for a great blog post.

     After that we jumped the bay looking for some striped bass. A few drifts across the shoal and the rip didn't produce anything....except another bluefish. It was a great out early in early day. My favorite part, besides assisting the guy, was listening to father and son reminisce about their fishing adventures

over the years. I got to hear about Al's first striped bass caught, I think, in August of 1956. I heard from Mike about all the times that Al hooked a fish only to have him hand the rod over to his son to finish the job. Today, Mike was the hot hand, with the fish's mouth welded shut when they would see Al's fly. At one point Mike hooked up and said, "Here, Dad, you take this one", as he handed the rod over to him.

    They say all things in life come full circle.