12.19.16 Just had to go one more time......

    There must be something about older guys named Al. Besides my fishing buddy Al, Theresa and I have informally adopted Al, a 97 year young lifelong resident of Red Bank we met at Foodtown two years ago. Al comes for holidays and birthdays and any time we're having a party. Except for Saturday. We decided our Christmas Open House might be too much for him, so we didn't invite him. If we did we would have picked him up at 430pm. But, with no invite, he ventured across Broad Street from Foodtown and got runned over by a Escalade. He was transported to Jersey Shore in critical condition. This was the third time he was hit by a car at that intersection.

                                                      

    So I was going to visit him today and I decided to break out my stuff and give it a go. Fished from Ocean Grove down to Sea Girt without a tap. Didn't matter. I had fun, somehow wasn't cold in the 27-feels-like-13 degree weather, and my waders didn't leak, at least not that much. Back to Al. After admission he was foggy and out of it. Yesterday and even more so today, alert, oriented, and ready for discharge. Amazing. 98 this January.

    Back to the party. My group included some of the fly anglers that I spend a lot of time with either on the beach or in the boat. Two brought over something for the tree, Joe a fly tied ornament, and Paul, well you can see what he brought. Plugs for the boat.......good one Paulie. 

     I am now done. Comfortable to organize it, see what I need to replace or purchase over the winter, and put it away. I was okay saying I was done last week, but not really. Yesterday's 60 degree day had me wanting to go, but I had more fun at home with the kids, visiting Al, and watching some football.

    This winter I will be spending more time in the man cave and on the computer. I'm going to be tying more and going through hard drives to put together a collection of images for an upcoming book that I have been thinking of. There's so many images of fly fishing the Jersey Shore that I think they need to be shared with not only the people I have photographed but for fans of the sport, who are jealous of our landscape, at least they were, and our extended season.

12.16.16 Hey, that's my boat.......

     Had an expected day off today as the census on the unit at work was low. Thought, for a minute, about going out fishing......but I am done! See that guys that went out yesterday found some smaller fish with gannets diving in the distance on herring. What I had to do was head down to the Atlantic Highlands Marina and give a deposit for 2017's land storage. Nothing like dropping $650.00 right before Christmas.

     One thing;s for sure is having a boat is expensive. I don't care if its only a 20 footer it adds up. Maintenance, access and storage, winterization, commissioning, and then this spring I am sprinting for a head to toe detail. Could do it myself but no one does it like a true detailer. After leaving the marina I was heading up 36 and looked over at Gateway and I was like. "Hey, that's my boat". Last year she spent the winter in the Highlands, this winter she 'll be before lock and key in Belford.

     Wanted to share a friend who's still getting it done up on the Connecticut rivers. Guide Ian Devlin goes until January or when the ice gets in the way. He offers fly and spin fishing. You can contact him at 203-451-9400. Rates are $100.00 per hour with a 2 hour minimum. Nice job Ian!

12.15.16 Kudos to a great Surfcaster's Inc. C & R Fall Tournament....

   

Proper way to submit a fish 

     A few years ago I talked with local angler and fellow Asbury Park Fishing Club member Chris Buchta about having a catch and release tournament. There have been several catch and kill tournaments that have gone on forever along the Jersey Shore, with one hosted by the Asbury Park Club. There's some rivalry between the clubs, mostly healthy, and the members fish hard to give their club and edge over the other.

     Each year I would raise my hand during the "New Business" portion of the APFC meeting and would gently suggest to long-time President and great guy Joe Ercolino that we run a Catch & Release tournament. After the laughter and quick one liners he would say, 'No". But I would try again during another meeting. 

    This year Chris went on to run, which is a ton of work, the Surfcaster's Inc. Fall Catch and Tournament.   This is a Facebook fishing group, made up of a lot of hardcore anglers, many of who have adopted a catch and release mindset when it comes to striped bass. Education, and a little peer pressure, has done well for the catch and release movement as of late. 

    When I saw this tournament I asked him about having a fly-fishing division, and he opened it up, but I couldn't get participant's in time for the registration before the start of the 8 week, then playoffs, tournament. Kudos to Chris and all of the anglers that participated. 

     For the next tournament I will reach out to Chris again and get some of the Jersey Shore flyrodders involved in this great event. 

     Some interesting stats that came out of the tournament-

Over 9 weeks,

316 keeper sized fish released, plus an untold plethora of short or slot fish

And the largest,

50"   1
40"   22
30"  203
28"  90

12.11.16 I'm done......I think

     Well, I think I'm done. Sunday, December 11, 2016. Went out at first light and found zero wind with a flat lake-like Atlantic Ocean. Started home, then moved north after a half and hour. Just nothing doing. Did find some peanuts swimming long the outside of the bar but nothing on them. Fished for a while and then watched. Birds were non existent or the ones around much have been hung over. Thinking the afternoon bite may be better.....but......I'm calling it a year.

     I tried a popper/ dropper combination which can usually produce, and it's something I have to consider using more. I even need to tie some flies that can allow for a dropper line to be tied to the hook with out fouling the lead fly. I'm going to work on that this winter. Also, I'm all set up to get my boat in the water early next spring, so April will begin the hunt. I'll be working the back of the rivers and bays early, something I haven't done since that's when I would be up on or going back and forth to the Upper Delaware. 

     So, I think I'm done. Maybe there's one last quick trip before this weeks up. Lots to do with the holidays and the kids coming back home. I would like to get one last keeper, end the year on a high note. 

12.10.16 Two at first light.....then all the bait and birds you wanted

     Chilly this morning at 27 degrees. West wind with the outgoing had things flat. Didn't see any ripples on the water where I was but did manage two as light arrived. Thought about staying but wanted to go hard north to see if any of those Hudson or Raritan Bay fish might be sniffing along the Hook. Nope. I did find a lobster claw, wonder if that's the hatch to match.

     Headed south and found the life. Birds everywhere. Flying, picking, diving. Then I saw the bait, just about on the beach. Peanuts and lots of them. Problem is there wasn't anything on them. Walked down and had the camera out and made some cool images.

     I met another spin/fly-rodder who was there the day before and had small bass so he brought out the fly rod today. The birds were on peanuts, that weren't pushed onto the beach, but just found there way there and were trapped between the bar and land. 

     The birds were hovering and picking and stealing peanuts from each other when one was lucky to score. I fished into and under the birds and outside the bar but nothing was doing. Saw about a dozen guys out and no one hooked up. If they stuck it out I bet something popped on the incoming in later afternoon.

 

  

  I jumped in the truck and went a big block north and figured I'd give it a look. As I walked up it was quiet, except a couple of birds sitting on the beach and floating in the water. I didn't see the guy in the corner pocket and he yelled over for me. He said, "The bait is here, and there's bass on them". He was livelining and no sooner was he hooked up. I just about hooked a baby bunker on every cast, and then finally hooked up casting behind the pod. While I was there the bait moved north about 100 feet, then as the tide flooded they moved back south, right back into the pocket, and the bass met them there. I managed another, but I was sure that I saw a few better blow-ups of the next grade class of fish. Probably schoolie to just under/at keeper size. I tried but couldn't get them to fall for the imitation, even after three fly changes.

     As I fished I noticed something over my shoulder that was interested in what I was doing. Once I threw him a peanut he stayed with me for the next hour. So as I hooked up after hooked up I would throw them on the beach for him. He must have had a dozen. I am surprised he was able to go airborne as he took flight when I left. Wish I coulda stayed to see what happened as the day got late, and boy would it have been some day if there were some good fish around.

12.07.16 That might be a wrap......

     Couldn't pull the trigger on where to head today. Tempted to stay north or go south, so I took a quick drive south. Ended up in Seaside Park. Bassy looking water, bucktail type of water. Saw guys either driving around or on the beach. Tough fly rod water, even at the low tide. Couldn't find them in the shallows so I moved north, checking occasional spots as I went. 

                         
   
     I had my head set on a spot and as I worked north the water got progressively more dirty. This has to do with all of the beach replenishment. Water wasn't Yoo-Hoo but it was close. I worked some pockets and open beach with a sinking one and a bigger white Snake Fly but didn't have a tap. Pockets were dirty with foam, leaves and debris getting caught up on the line and the fly. The fat lady may be done singing but I am going through what so many anglers do each fall into winter, 'When am I done?". With Christmas, kids coming back from school, me finishing up school, and having to play catch up with so many things I have been letting go astray since September, it might be time for me to call it. But, it only takes a window, or a report from friends to drag stuff out and hit it once again.

     There have been rumblings that the Army Corp will be shutting down sections of beaches from Allenhurst through Deal as the sifting and checking for ordinances from WWII have been found. I know this was a big issue down on LBI, and it seems they have moved equipment in to start those processes soon.

12.06.16 Very slow and nothing to show.....but I did get lucky today

      Got out late, like 9, catching the mid incoming tide. Stayed local, hit the Hook, didn't see any activity. Yesterday the gannets were diving, today nothing. Fished hard, small and then big without a tap. Few other guys out got blanked too. Trying with those dam sand eels but I'm not sure they are here. Seems like south still is holding fish, but that is slowing too. They came, they ate, they are trying to leave. The bait will hold them but then they have to make a choice, "Should I stay or should I go". I saw a NY guide got a few today, good for him and his clients, glad they got them. Not sure where or on what. 

     Hate to say it again, but I think we can get a better grip on what's going on when the Ocean County action, which has been the same fish for 2-1/2 weeks, peders out. Either that, or a new area gets hot.....then we'll truly know. So, for now, it's just good old fishing if you're still into it. Nothing really to chase, not much for bait, bass, or blues, but it is nice walking the beaches all to yourself hoping for that one straggler. I might see if the outgoing tides are better, and maybe even late afternoon. 

     I did get super lucky today. I had fished and went south to check on a spot. After taking a quick peek I was in my truck and pulling alongside The Bagel Oven on Monmouth Street in Red Bank. I looked and looked but couldn't find my wallet. I know I had it. So I went back to my last stop in Monmouth Beach and as I looked over from Ocean Avenue I could see it standing up on edge. One minute later another guy pulled up, who may have grabbed it, to turn it in or search for it's owner, which could have lessened any chance for a return. Got lucky, its a pain in the ass losing your wallet and replacing the license and cards and whatever else we keep in them.

12.05.16 Back from Newport.....and a quick one before work

     Got out in the dark before work. Got one on a sand eel fly and then it was dead. Went through the box before putting on a Greg Myerson (World Record Holder) big rattle fly. Everything he sells has a rattle in it, and this one has a big loud one. It doesn't cast too well, but I had the 11wt with the 300 gr sinking line so it moved through the air. Things looked good, nice water, overcast, just no bait and no fish. Did check it out after work and found lots of big bunker in close but nothing on them.

                  

     Had a great weekend up in Newport. I think we have really decided that in 6 years we will be relocating, or at least selling the Jersey house and buying up there. Can't wait, done with New Jersey. We did Christmas in Newport and had a a blast with too much food and, for me drink, at least on Friday at Scales-N-Shells. We did the mansion tour at The Elms and the tree lighting at Bowen's Wharf. Thankfully it wasn't fishing season so there was no temptation there. I do love Rhode Island, always have. 

    

12.04.16 What's on your Christmas list this year?

             
     So the kids are asking me what I want for Christmas this year. While I see most boats equipped with the heavy Grunden's bibs I was leaning towards the GAGE Weather Watch Bib Trousers. They are made by Grunden's and are a lighter version. The product description is as follows,

Super versatile, completely comfortable, and extremely durable. The Weather Watch Bib features fully adjustable suspenders, 100% waterproof fabric and taped seams, adjustable leg cuffs, a handy right side cargo pocket and an inside chest pocket to keep valuables safe, dry, and easily accessible.