04.11.12 Had a great time out with a client today

     Today I had Seattle based fly fishing guide Joel out for a look for stripers along the Jersey Shore. We made a quick stop along the Raritan Bay and found two guys soaking clams which just wasn't exciting looking enough to join them. After a quick drive south and we made the turn onto Sandy Hook and made our way to the end. I introduced Joel to the Fisherman's Trail and we fished the start of the out going without a bump. One lone angler had a 32" fish swimming on a long rope that he caught on clams. We moved down to Deal and fished off the tip of the rocks where Joel caught a nice schoolie.
Luckily the rain held out and Joel was a great caster so he made the fishing easy in any wind that kicked up.

04.10.12 Found a fly fisherman while out on a scout

     Went out for a scouting mission looking for birds, fish, or anything fishy looking. Wind was blowing and gusting from the W and that made for flat water but it called for some combat casting depending on what side of the rocks you were fishing to. I took a drive down to Seaside Park to see if any of the swarms of gannets were around that guys in the boats have been chasing. I saw a few birds here and there, but didn't venture into IBSP were I could see a bunch of boats outside Barnegat Inlet.

I worked my way north and found a fly angler on the south jetty working the outgoing tide. Luckily I had my "real" camera with a long lens and I was able to shoot him from the south side and then from down from grade on the north side. It's always nice to find a fly angler to shoot, especially at a location that I don't always hit. I stopped and fished a few towns up and didn't get a bite, and neither did a guy soaking clams off the beach. Tomorrow I have a client coming in to fish so I'll have my work cut out for me.

04.09.12 Worth the trip to Orvis Marlton....and stopped by for a 5 o'clock harvest

     Today I ventured back to the Orvis Marlton, New Jersey store. It's a beautiful store and worth the trip for those anglers who live outside of the Marlton- Cherry Hill area. It's New Jersey's only Orvis store and it's set in a large shopping complex with tons of other stores that you could browse. Ed Fowler is the store manager and he has worked in other Orvis locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut. 

     Many of us have seen our local fly shops close over the years and many of us shop via the internet and by catalogue. But if you want expert advice and want to try waders on, cast a rod, or browse tying materials then a visit to this store should be on your lets-take-a-ride list. It's located on Route 73 in Camden and is a straight shot out Route 70. 

     On my way home I stopped by the first trout stream I ever fished, the Manasquan River. Today was the stocking day and the water was open for fishing (and taking) at 5 o'clock. Well at five the harvest started. Fat heads, worms, spinners, salmon eggs- everything seemed to eventually work. Anglers limited out and left, and then someone moved in for more. It's not my style of fishing...but hey, it was at one time.

04.09.12 A sunrise never gets old

     I am lucky to have such a beautiful location to shoot each morning. Sometimes all the things line up. I get there in time, it's nice and clear, and there's an angler out fishing. I always hope to find a fly fisherman but gladly settle when someone is throwing metal or plugs.

No angler tells a different story. Two or more does too. I prefer the single angler in the frame.

04.08.12 Happy Easter

Happy Easter to you and yours. Have a great day

04.07.12 Wake up Helios...it's time to fish

     I got down to the water about 5 a.m. and found Gus out on the tip. It was the flood tide but things just didn't look fishy. I haven't seen the birds off the beaches the last few days and I'm hearing they are more south of us. The morning bite has been slow and today was the same. Fished for about 45 minutes and then drove up a town and found my buddy soaking clams on two rods in the surf. While I was there he got a tap on one and the fish spit the clam before he could set the hook.
     I am going into the back tomorrow hoping to find some fish.

04.06.12 One reason why I like fishing the full moon

     There's good and bad things about fishing a bright full moon....but it does make for a beautiful night. Tonight down the Jersey Shore.

04.06.12 Fun giving a fly casting lesson today

     I had a great time giving a fly casting lesson today. My client fly fished several years (decades) ago with his dad and wants to get back into it. He stopped by the Orvis New York store and got hooked up with a 9ft 9wt Access outfit for fishing along the Jersey Shore. We started with a Hydros 7wt and quickly went to work. He did a great job and by the time we called it a day he was casting nice loops (here and there!) on both his forward and backcasts. I sent him home with my Fly-O till we meet again next week.

04.05.12 Back in time for the Bunker Public Hearing

 

     Tonight was Round 2, and with each progressing round it gets just a bit uglier. I made it back in time from the Catskills to hit Toms River with Paul Eidman from The Menhaden Defenders. It was the Public Hearing on the recent decision to reduce menhaden harvest 37%. Tonight was the hearing on the when and how to do it. The commercial fisheries had more support in the room then we did, and it showed.

Thanks to the fisherman and guides that came out, next time we need more help. 

04.05.12 Quick up and back from the Upper Delaware

Here's the current flows on the Upper Delaware today:

West Branch : 296 cfs
East Branch : 585
Mainstem : 1,220

Last year right before the One Bug in April the flows were the following

West Branch : around 7,860
East Branch : around 11,400
Mainstem : over 22,800

So it was scary low today. We need a nice steady rain that lasts a few days. Top off the reservoirs, put some water on the tops of the mountains, and put some volume in the river system.

I spoke with Joe D yesterday and things were going off and in swing a month early. I saw some other posts on my Facebook page today that described yesterday chilly and windy day as "epic"- that's a strong word but it must have been some day.

West Branch (upper)

West Branch (lower)

East Branch

Mainstem

     I only saw three anglers today, and two of them were a couple of buddies fishing below the Hale Eddy bridge. One was working a fly rod and the other was drifting worms. I watched from above as the new fly fisherman worked a streamer in the middle of the river. I later spoke with him and learned that he is from New Jersey and is just getting his first taste of the fly rod, and the Upper Delaware. Wait until he catches his first wild brown or sees all the rises during a killer hatch.





One of my main reasons for going up to grab my drift boat and bring it back home to give it a good cleaning, inventory check, and test run before the float trips start. Looks like it will be mostly lower West Branch and Mainstem floats this year. It might be time to set up the pontoon boat.

04.04.12 New skins today before the Upper Delaware tomorrow

     Today i finally broke down and got new tires on my truck. With upcoming trips on the Upper Delaware and trips on boat ramps with the Jones Brothers I figured it was time. My friend from grammar school owns Freehold Tire so he put me in the BF Goodrich's best truck tire. I love the tires- but they ain't cheap. But, like they say, you get what you pay for.

     I'm heading up to the Upper Delaware on Thursday to pick up my drift boat and bring it home for a tune up before the season starts, well it's already started with things a month early. I spoke with Joe D today and he said the Hendricksons are in full swing. I hope to wet a line and be back for the bunker public hearing in Toms River. It should make for a long day.

04.04.12 Pre-dawn over/unders off the rocks

     I didn't get home from our TU board meeting till 11 last night so when the alarm went off at 410 am I considered hitting the snooze button, I am glad I didn't. After the last few days and the strong winds had me casting sideways and every which way it was nice to have a calm morning to fish. Not that I don't like fishing in snotty weather.
     I fished the end of the flood and fished the middle of the groin where I quickly hooked up with the above fish. I had to walk it back to the beach to land it and grab a pic before it quickly snapped to and swam off. The only thing that bothered me was that I had forgot to smash the barb and it was a roof-of the-mouth-hookset which made the removal I am sure a little unpleasant. In the end there were four of us and probably 6 fish all 26-28 inches in size.

The cool story from yesterday was the guys were fishing and found an alive 5-6 lobster in the wash. Not wanting to risk death from eating it they cut the tail off and baited a hook with it and shortly thereafter caught a striper. One guy thought it was worth the risk and took the claws home.

I wonder if they sell lobster scented spray at the local tackle shop?

04.3.12 Nice but windy morning fly fishing the river

     Fished the back of the river mid outgoing and luckily had the WNW wind at my back. One angler was leaving as I showed up and he didn't move anything. I had a blast and then did a little scouting around most of the river, which took a while and ate some gas. At one I saw a bunch of gulls and hawks all fighting for the carcass of a keeper striper that was left behind. Fishing in the morning out front and then the Upper Delaware on Thursday.

                             

04.02.12 Glad we know better than Mother Nature

     Well today the N wind was steady today and I scouted the Navesink River and along Ocean Ave from Sea Bright down to Sea Girt. Not a fishermen out there except the Miss Belmar Princess who I saw heading north while I was in Deal and then coming into the Shark River Inlet on my way back up. I could see they had bass on the table as they headed under the bridge.

                            

     All along the beaches there was heavy machinery screening and moving sand from the berms they had created in the fall. Some redistribute it all the beach, others push the sand down into the water. Stupid us, don't we know Mother Nature puts sand and water where and when she wants? In Asbury Park 8th Ave is getting another new look parking lot. Last year it was telephone polls and parking meters, this year it's lights and a concrete median?

     I made a pass down in Spring Lake at the Wreck Pond outflow to see if there was any birds working. There were a few gannets diving just passed where the stained water ended and the really clean water flowed. When coming back through Asbury Park I noticed a bunch of gannets dive bombing the water a ways out so I stopped and shot a little video. I heard they were in closer off of Deal a little earlier then when I was there.

04.01.12 Just got a sniff of Bob Popovic's new FLEYE FOILS

     I was surfing my Facebook page a little while ago and saw some posts Bob Popovic's put up with some pictures of some flies he tied. It looks like Mr. Popovics is at it again...more great innovation. He's coming out with a line called FLEYE FOILS that will be the heads, gills and bellies of silversides and bay anchovies....they even come with a tie in tab for ease in tying.

Of course someone asked within a minute where you can get them and he posted they are coming but we'll have to wait....I asked him to put me down on the pre-order waiting list.

03.31.12 Great time at the Orvis NYC store

     Had a great time at the Orvis NYC store today! Met a handful of nice folks and after attempting to get my presentation up on the big screen....they had to settle for the iPad version. Lots of good questions and interaction on fly fishing the Jersey Shore. Afterwards Rob and I broke out the vices for some fly tying. I tied up a Clouser and Deceiver and then broke out the yak hair. Rob tied some Hollow Fleyes and then finished off with a nice hi-tie yak bunker fly of his own. He shared some great fly tying tips that I'll put into practice my next time at the Regal!

     The Orvis store in Manhattan is a great place to visit. I mentioned to Rob that it was nice to see and be able to touch the different products Orvis offers. We have become such web and catalogue consumers that it's nice to be in a specialty shop that carries flies, rods, ect. In New Jersey we've been without a fly only shop for years. If you are in New York...stop by and say hello to Rob and his staff...and check out the great selection of flies that Rob carries. 

03.30.12 Hitting Orvis NYC tomorrow

     On Saturday I'll be at the Orvis store in Manhattan giving a presentation on fly fishing the Jersey Shore and the Upper Delaware. After the show I'll be sitting down with fly fishing manager Rob Ceccarini and tying some saltwater flies. It should be a good Saturday....stop by if you can.

03.30.12 Caught a beautiful first light...what could be better

     After last evenings howling wind I figured I would set my alarm for 430 am and check things from my bedroom window before heading out. Well, I hit the snooze button and didn't get up and out till 6 am. When I got down to the ocean Gus was the lone angler out and didn't have a bite on a yellow Bomber. Two anglers had came and went before I arrived, with one landing and releasing a keeper sized striper.

                                    

    If I timed it right I may have hooked up a little earlier on the ebb tide, and left with the others feeling content with having caught a fish, but I feel I caught the best part of the morning. It's not uncommon to see anglers stop-and-pop along the beaches and groins before they have to get off to work but they often miss the amazing painting the sun does on some mornings.
    I love to fish, and catch fish, but I think that fly fishing allows me enjoy and get satisfaction from the settings in which I find myself as much as holding a fish in hand. I rarely leave frustrated if I don't catch a fish, although yesterday morning, after having fished for hours alone only to have the next angler come next to me and catch and release a 15 pound striper on the fifth cast...well, sucked.
 

Gus