09.11.23 Twenty two years later...

     I don't have a routine for the anniversary of 9/11. Each year I do remember that day and the time I spent down at Ground Zero. It amazes me how many people who were alive and lived through bthat are gone and how many kids, and now adults, that were born after September 11, 2001. 

    I told Theresa, "I think I'm going to go fishing tomorrow", and she said she already knew because I had my stuff staged near the back door. I didn't expect much but this has been the week in years past where we would see mullet migrating down the beach. That means it Snake Fly season. 

        It was a little after high tide and the water looked good. It was wet wadable but I had the Orvis PRO's on. I met up with Richie and shot the shit for a bit before giving it a half-hearted attempt working the lip looking for a fluke. I thought maybe the albies might be outside of the inlet so I 

took the ride down and took a peak. A few anglers out throwing metal but I didn't see anyone hooked up. There was nothing showing, no nervous bait, no blow ups, just a weak tide exiting the inlet. If you

fish alot you can really see how the moon phases affect tides and water movement. Right now we're 4 days from the New Moon and the next Full Moon is September 29th. Today the water was hardly 

moving and any bait that was inside could easily fight the current to stay put until they can't. It was an easy ride both ways thanks to the new Jeep. What's great is the gas gauge hardly moved. And it was a pretty morning and maybe the last we'll see for a week with Hurricane Lee set to run parallel to the Jersey Shore later in the week. Sporty weather is good, but as we've seen with mullet before a storm can kill their run. So maybe they'll show after the blow hopefully with cooler fall temps and some bass here.

     After it is 9/11. The above is the helmet I wore for most of my career in the Newark Fire Dept. On it was this pin which was sold to firefighters shortly after the attack to raise monies for funerals and funds. 

Later in the day while on a Chinese food run I stopped at the town 9/11 memorial. It, like most others I have visited, is well done and peaceful. Most have some chunk of steel from the Trade Center. This one is being held by two hands coming out of ground. What's amazing is that last Friday the NYC Medical Examiner's Office released the news that two victims remains had been positively identified 22 years later. That has been a long wait for closure for the families. RIP to all the victims from that day at the Trade Center, Shanksville, Pa., and the Pentagon. And, to all the survivors who have come down with 9/11 related illnesses. They continue to suffer and add to the rising death toll from that day. 

 

09.09.23 Wrong time, wrong tide, but there...

      If I'm close I'm at least stopping. The day brought me close to some salt water so I took some time and made the walk. Crystal clear and warm water on the outgoing. I must have skirted the deluge of rain that ran through the area before I got there. It was the typical backwater scene for this time of year. Lots of bait, nervous at times, and a spray here and there from something in the chase. More of a walking and stalking than casting and stripping kind of quick outing. 

09.08.23 "Use it (them) or lose it..."

     Theresa and I have been on a "get rid of it tear". Not like impulsively just throwing stuff out, but really thinning out things that are broken, don't fit, too many, just clutter, or just things from the past being held on for most likely not the healthiest of reasons. Let's just say we've kept the local church's thrift store with a steady stream of new merch.

     Theresa made me listen to the above video this morning while we drove to the dump to get rid of tons, of not stuff, but clippings from the 100 foot of hedges that we cut down hard to try and get them pretty and more manageable. Landscaping that has been allowed to grow butt wild for years will eventually look like a head of hair that needs a visit to the barber. Cut it hard, see what happens, and then pull it and replace them if they don't look good. That's what people with nice yards do. 

     My partner has been proud of my progress in thinning things out by either donation, sanitation, or Facebook Marketplace, which has been slow. She is also happy with the changing look of Tobacco Road out back. With things looking "orderly" with just the two boats sitting there, covered and unused, from season to season. She gave me the ultimatum, "Use it (them) or lose it......"

     Funny things these boats are. They get into your wallet and get into your head. I'm a confidence kinda guy. My old Jones I would take anywhere, anytime, with great confidence. My current rides have me just a tad less confident after having them act a little wonky while out on the water. One's the 1996 Jones Brother's 19'10 LTE and the other a 1999 Lowe 165 Fish-Pro with a 40 Mercury jet drive. The river boat I took possession of in April 2022 and had it out on the river about a half a dozen times. The last time it sputtered and would not get going so under the tarp it went. 

    So today it was off with the tarp. I hoped I wouldn't find what I did with Ryan's car, just something I held onto that just went to shit while not being used. I hooked the boat up to my truck and hit the boat ramp up the street from my house. I've been a proud member of the Titusville Boat & Ski Club since being voted in during January's meeting. So I took some pictures to get my jet boat juices flowing. 

     It's funny in life how we just have things around that we pass everyday that just become an object, and you don't see what that object actually is, it's just something you see everyday. She's a fine boat 

that might be a tad skinny and underpowered for the big spring waters of the Delaware but outside of that it'll be perfect. There's so much water for me to fish in this river and being mobile in a boat gives

me a chance to boat to certain spots and get out and wade fish, which is my favorite, when I want to. 

     There's still fishy seasons left on the Delaware River so I'm going to focus on that leading off. I know I need two batteries and the engine could use a once over. Delaware Joe said he'd give me some help with it so maybe next week I can get it done and wet sooner than later. Then it's the big boat...oh Lord. 

 

09.07.23 And just like that summer's back....

 

     We kinda did this in the spring. Normal temps with some early warming trends and then an all out equator-like assault creating bathtub conditions in the waters we fish and uncomfortable air and drought like conditions the state. It was then "normal" followed by Mother Nature turning on the spicket, more like a fire hydrant, causing deadly flash flooding in New Jersey and other states on the East Coast and into New England. Summer was good, as far as the waters go, with water temps holding below normals, which helped keep the fish up and active at certain parts of the day. 

     Then an "early" fall arrived and with it came the storm season. Hurricane's Idalia and Franklin came and went but not without destruction and loos of life. In New Jersey this Labor Day weekend four peopled drown and numerous others had to be rescued due to rough surf and rip currents. 

     Near home the Delaware River went from just a tad above 70 degrees on September 2nd to peaking at 80 degrees a week later. I have started to see dimples on the water that are formed by either shad or herring fry as they make their way to the ocean. It is also during the late summer and fall that mature American eels, which go from "Yellow" to "Silver" start their migration down the Delaware to the ocean heading to the Sargasso Sea to spawn. They've been in the Delaware for 10-30 years and after spawning, just once, they will die, kind of like Pacific and most Atlantic salmon. 

     According to NOAA Sandy Hook's ocean temps are just about 80 degrees. You can forget the waders because you'll die of dehydration. It's muggy with the humidity at 93%. I would bet most will be wet wading looking for fluke or pelagic chasing small baits in the bathtub in front of them. 

     And on deck for the storm season is Hurricane Lee. It's still a ways away from the United States and if it becomes something we wouldn't see it, or him, until next week. I'm not a Weather Channel or storm chaser junkie but fall, weather, and fishing all go to together, plus mi Madre is down there. If you look at the below map you can see what the potential path of Lee is which, at least now, is blowing at 

100 mph and could hit a Cat 4 or 5. What is also cool is, if you didn't know, like me, where the Sargasso Sea really is, well there you go. Our eels are heading right into the face of the storm. All to have sex and die. 

     

09.05.23 Food for thought.....

 

It won't change if we fish but it might change how we fish. 

09.03.23 Christmas in September and on the board for fall 2023...

     My change counting and gift card plan worked perfectly and yesterday was the payoff. Came home to find two packages from Orvis. One had the Christmas Island Booties and the other the PRO bootfoot zip waders. I tried them on again and thank God Theresa put me at the Plymouth Meeting Mall last weekend where I tried on the L11 which was spot on. 

     If you get these waders don't cheap out and forget to buy the Posigrip studs. These are the best I have had hands down. The waders come with a beefy but not too heavy, like the old Muck boots,  Michelin

made soles.  Orvis even went ahead and made location "holes" in the sole for proper placement. The Posigrips come with a tool that works with your screw gun. Just a word of caution. The studs don't seat hard into the socket and it's easy to lose grip on them when you are pushing them into the rubber sole. If you are going to install them don't be like me and do it outside, on a brick patio, next to plant bed, 

which is made of black mulch and has the usual weeds and leaves and stuff. Mine must have hit the bricks and bounced perfectly into the brush. They're kinda black and green so it took me to get on 

my knees with my cheaters on to find not just one, but three. If you're in the market for a pair of waders that you can beat the piss out of with confidence, and replace as needed, or treat them like a baby and have them for life. They are built really solid and after abusing, by use, the stocking foot PRO ZIPS

this spring in the Delaware these will meet and exceed my expectations. I want to explore the wader sock market a bit and see what's out there. Orvis offers, and I purchased, the Midweight OTC (over the calf) Wader Sock. For $37.95 I expected to feel some sort of difference while and after using them. They just felt like a old pair of high rise socks. They are made of merino wool and can double as a pair of wet wading socks which I'm not on board with because I feel these things stretch out enough just after normal washing and drying and not a daily wet grind of wet feet in flats boots. 

     And just like a kid getting a new bike I wanted to ride it. Luckily I had a needed early night run back east so why not stop and fish. One nothing's for sure that gas gauge doesn't move right to left in a Jeep Cherokee as it does in a Silverado. That eases the ride of shame home for sure. 

     I arrived just before high slack and waited and watched for something to make me get into it. A splash here and a splash there as little bluefish slashed through pods of bait moving with the tide. That bait is surely making it's way out front so I wouldn't be surprised if someone gets into fish on this bait. That could include blues, bass, bonito, albies or Spanish. 

    I didn't pull as long a shift as I did on the moon the other night but it was close. As the water ebbed I found some bass set up in feeding lanes willing and ready to eat a fly. While the bass were nice the annoying blues were well annoying. Biting off tiny flies and keeping me retying. I didn't want to go wire leader as it would just kill the presentation of tiny white bait. If I was looking to eat (yes I known they're delicious...I'm good) or needed to harvest them for shark or tuna bait I would have. But the bass don't like wire ahead of a snack. 

     Good to be on the board for Fall 2023. I hope it's not a few fish September and then that long wait until November like it has been in recent years. We're about 2 weeks from when the mullet usually run and those mornings can be magical with a mix of beautiful sunrises and upper water column wakes that run the beach followed by blow-ups from striped bass. 

09.02.23 Getting the new rig set up, and of course I did....

     I have been envious in the past for anglers that just have every set up right and in working order. Maybe I still am. With my new ride I am going to try and turn over a new life. Of course no everything bagels are going to be ingested inside, yeah right, and my "stuff" and gear will always be neat and organized, yeah right. 

     Early this spring I took the ride out to see our and friends and hit the Long Island Fly Fishing Expo. It was there I scored a bunch of stuff including two different RodMounts fly rod holders. At that time I didn't need them for my pickup but for $10 for the pair I well hoarded them in for potential future use. 

     In was in July that I took a back seat in Joe Armenti's Yukon and saw the new RodMounts set up he had. You can see the backrest portion of it above. I took a look at the RodMounts website and saw what they had listed for sale. They still offer the Sumo rod carriers for the exterior of your vehicle. The thing 

I really like about their company is they sell replacement parts. If you recall last spring I refurbished my SUMO suction rod carriers for a fraction of the cost it would have been to replace. You would think my thoughts on the company would lead me to just go ahead and order a new interior set but, sorry, I can't. 

     The last thing Theresa wants to see, and already warned me, are deductions showing on the bank website from places like WeatherTech, Amazon, Jeep lovers, or yes, RodMounts, as I go and outfit my newer Jeep. I did take a look online and see what a brandy new in the box set would cost. Their Rod-Up line was on sale for $199.95, let's just say $200, plus tax and shipping. Seems fair enough for a solid product from a solid company. 

     I already had the rear component from the rod carrier it's just the suction cups are a tad old. I looked on Amazon, I hate Amazon but how can you get around it. Imagine trying to find suction cups without Amazon. Drive to six different store? Is there a suctionworld.com website? I found a few possible ones that would work but just decide to soap and water them and give them a shot. 

     When I was at the show I probably could have found the headrest section that most likely was sitting there. I was so surprised they only wanted $10 I just paid and ran thinking the two parts I had were it. I haven't looked close enough but these two may make up one set, just an older version. The second one looks like it would hang of a garment hook but back to the headrest section.

     I went back on the RodMounts site and found they offered just what I needed. It listed for $84 plus tax and shipping. I almost pulled the trigger but in the back of my mind I could hear Theresa giving me the business, "I told you don't order anything else". You see, buying the Jeep kinda came out of the blue. Not like mentally ill impulsive blue, but not budgeted blue. 

     I decided to go back to the arch nemesis of everything, well one big thing, that is wrong with out country today. Keyboard shopping. There's no RodMounts store where I can go and talk with a sales person and get sold on why I should drop over $100 for it. Yes, I could look online and find a dealer and see IF they carry it and then add my gas, tolls, and time driving and seeing one in person. Most retail places carry just the exterior SUMO mounts in suction or magnet lines.

     I found the above option. It's a headrest rod holder that looks like it would do the trick....all for $21.99, let's say $22, with tax and free delivery. In this day and age of "I want it now" and "I'm not paying that much", this I am sure satiates many anglers needs. What I can tell you is I didn't see anywhere the proud "Made in America" sticker. I looked on the RodMounts website and didn't see one there either, which you usually do if things are made here at home, although their base is in Eugene, Oregon. And where would my Littlemole product be coming from or at least originated from, yep, 

Yuyao Zhejiang, China. I feel like a lot of people do. I hate, harsh word, I despise that we support overseas manufacturers and can't make our own stuff or just do without. So if take this order from Amazon which gets this from China there is money going overseas. Amazon employs a ton of people over here and pumps a ton of money into our economy. RodMounts, with a home here in America, may outsource there stuff overseas or at least get the parts from abroad. So really is there a difference? 

     So I clicked on "Buy Now" and the next day it was on my door step. Easy peasy directions and the finished set up looks great. It might not be RodMounts great but I think it will work. One little glitch, to me, if there is no way to secure the rod tips into the headrest section. It just kind of lays in there where the better system has foam where the rod tip section is secured by. 

      So in the end I laid out $35 for my rod carrier set up. A new one would have been about $225. I am sure somehow, just by my history, it will up short, or better yet somehow cause my truck to catch fire. But for now no more fly rods banging around in the back of my pick up truck. 

     And during the beautiful fall day yesterday, and yes it is fall, I had the pleasure of being pulled over by an Upper Makefield police officer. It was me and the wife with the sunroof open driving through Buck's County on the way back from Lauren's house. She did a once over on the Jeep and gave it a thumbs up. 

     But little did I know, how would I, that my truck was in violation. "You're third bake light is out", the officer said. He added, "It's a ticket-able offense". He said he was going to give me a written warning but "let me go" with a just a verbal. 

     As I spun around, I pulled off the main road for his safety, he waved me down again. "And just so you know I could write you another ticket". Now what did I do?. "You're front blinker speed is too fast".  "Alrighty bud, I'll get on that".

09.01.23 Yet another new ride.....

     Recently my daughter asked me how many cars I've had in my adult life. It's funny but I had a hard time remembering. All of them have been used, slightly abused, and passed on while they had a little life in them. In the end each of them served me well for a season, a reason, but not a lifetime. I would say my manufacturer of choice for many years had been Dodge. I bought a new off the lot Doge Ram 50 when I was a tot, then a Dakota, then a Ram in 1500 and 2500 models. Extended cab, crew crabs, long and short beds. I've had Silverados, one in the 1990's, and recently the Duramax diesel and now a 2500 HD. In between there has been a Suburban, which I basically lived out of while working as a photographer for the New York Post in the mid-2000's. A few vehicles back after getting rid of a newer Ford F-150 I landed in a GMC Yukon Denali, which has been my favorite non-pick up vehicle. My buddy Joe has two new ones and I recently took a ride in one of them and I would say that is my bucket list ride. 

     I can't remember but I think I even had a Jeep Cherokee along the way, or my parents had one. With the help of my in house Mopar (Jeep) mechanics Lauren and Brandon I set my eyes on another Jeep. With there help and guidance I found a bunch out there. Theresa and I looked at a few and in my ADHD impulsive head I would have bought a few of them, always making excuses on why it's a good vehicle. 

     Then on Thursday before fishing I went and looked at the above which is now my new fishing assault ride and daily driver for work. It's a 2004 Cherokee Special Edition with 181,000 miles. . It's a 4.0 straight 6 which is what I've learned the go-to engine if you're going to buy an old one. It's stupid clean inside and out with minimal rust underneath, something that they are notorious for getting over the years. It's crazy to think this car was born in 2004, when I was 36 years old. That's a long time and many, many lives ago. 

     I was nervous going alone because my purchase history of just about everything isn't that solid. When I showed up and saw it I was impressed and not only about the car but the seller. He knew the history, had all kinds of receipts, and pointed out every noise and concern he had. I did the check the kids had told me about things to look for and it all checked out. For a final price of $3,900 I felt it was a good purchase. I am sure something will come up but again the kids do this for a living which gave me great confidence. The sellers were kind enough to deliver it to my door from down in Medford. They came in and we had a nice conversation. They are God-fearing Christians so I don't think they'd pull a fast one on me. 

      The cargo area is big and will surely hold my stuff and fishing gear. I've seen Leif is in his own similar year Jeep since I've known him and it has served him well. I'll outfit it with rod holders and some bins for waders and tackle. I've seen all kinds of cool set-ups fly anglers have come up with which makes going fishing a little more organized them me having a Helios 2 hanging out the bed of my truck doing 60 down 195. 

     So it was no surprise to me that after cleaning the windows and breaking out a new bottle of Armor All this morning the check engine light came on when I fired her up. I'm not worried, it's just par the course for me. I'll have Lauren throw a computer on it and see what comes up. Last evening I took it for a nice ride down to Philly to see Erin at school and it drove nicely. I hope it's around for a long time.