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Date: November 13, 2021 Body of Water: Seaside Heights, New Jersey Moon Phase: Full Moon minus six days; waxing gibbous moon Tide: Low Tide at about 8:50 AM Boat: None, surf fishing With: Alone Target: Stripers Time: 6:30 AM - 11:30 AM Conditions: Generally clear and sunny (although a big thunderstorm came through a couple of hours after I left); about 60 degrees F; ESE wind about 10 mph but increasing; heavy surf but increasing water clarity The night before, I had scouted Island Beach State Park and had scored an inexpensive room at the adjacent Island Beach Motor Lodge hotel. Clearly, they cater to the surf fisherman, and many sand rigs were in the parking lot, while more were out fishing in the dark. I'd even learned where to get an early breakfast and tackle/bait/advice - Nick and Betty's. "Nick" made it clear that bass were hit or miss from the surf as they focused on bunker on their journey south. Fresh bunker chunks were the top choice, and there was no consistent sand-eel bite to report. The best current option for lures was a big-profiled metal-lipped swimmer, and so I purchased my first Danny. I like Gibbs Lures and am proud to support a fun company from my childhood hometown. I'd been dragging my feet, waiting for the park to open at sunrise, but couldn't wait any longer. I crossed the dune behind the hotel and was greeted with the spectacle of a busy beach! Surfcasters were spread to the north and south, and multiple trucks cruised the sand. I scanned the beach and was pleased to see an obvious and unoccupied cut within a short hike. I was in position before sunrise. The wind was in my face, and I was surprised at how poorly the heavy plug threw into the wind. Still, my cast made it across the trough, and I had plenty of whitewash to provide cover for any lurking bass. I was watching the bait swim, trying to get a feel for it's action, and had just slowed down my retrieve to produce the widest wobble when the water exploded no more than 30 or 40 feet in front of me. First cast and Fish on! Fortunately, it wasn't a big bass on my inshore tackle. Measured in inches instead of pounds, I'll give it 28 or 30; not a giant by any means, but still my first New Jersey fish and my largest-ever striper from the surf! And then, my good luck changed. I flubbed the fish at my feet and lost the opportunity for a picture. My leader parted at the mid-point and my Danny sailed away on a subsequent cast. The fish showed no interest in my other offerings (Diawa SP Minnow, bottle plugs, diamond jigs), and nobody near me had any action. By 7:30 AM, I was in the car, headed back to the Nick and Betty's for a couple more plugs and then to enter the park. I tried several access points within the park over the next few hours and moved from structure to structure at each stop. I never had another chance, and didn't see any, either. One party reported a single short fish on bunker for their efforts. Most people throwing lures seemed to be prepared for sand eels (diamond jigs and teasers were universally evident), but I saw no connections. After another stop at Nick and Betty's for lunch, I hit the road. The expected 6.5-hour drive took more like 8.5 due to heavy thunderstorms from NYC on, but I made it! What do I have to say about this? I probably accomplished everything I could have asked for from this side trip. I decompressed a little bit, got the lay of the local landscape, zeroed in on some fish and even enjoyed a small taste of success. I shouldn't shake a stick at a PB from the surf (it is slowly inching upward), and I got home safely, which after three days of driving under difficult conditions and seeing a pile of accidents along the way, is certainly appreciated. The smallish striper cost me a hundred dollars in lures, but I've secured a new-to-me technique and I can see repeating this quest again. I am intrigued by fishing the surf, and can see lots of opportunity for learning and improvement. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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Date: November 12, 2021 Body of Water: Barnegat Light, New Jersey - Surf and Outlet Moon Phase: First Quarter (waxing) moon Tide: High at about 2 PM Boat: None, shore fishing With: Alone Target: Stripers Time: 2 PM - 4:30 PM Conditions: Post- very heavy thunderstorms and generally overcast (but increasing sunshine); about 60 - 65 degrees F; ESE wind > 10 mph; water temperatures in low 60's (?) and heavy, dirty surf Having safely delivered my mother back to her home in Virginia, but unable to cope with driving all the way home immediately, especially given the likely presence of migrating stripers along the New Jersey shoreline, I diverted my path to the coast and started poking around. I'd done just a little bit of research, and I figured that there'd be a shot at some fish somewhere around Barnegat Light and outlet. My "plan" was to move from south to north, probably staging myself for the next full day, and probably near Island Beach State Park. Route 72 finally terminated on Long Beach Island, and I had my choice of off-season access points. I could hear the surf pounding as I got out of my car; the surf was way up, here on the edge of Surf City, New Jersey. I took a look at the conditions; a few bait fishers were scattered about in both directions, but the surf was so heavy that I declined to put on waders. There was no way I needed to be in that washing machine! Still, I walked to the water's edge and bounced from sand point to sand point, casting a sand eel/diamond jig and hoping for some good luck. After a half hour or so, I decided to look elsewhere and headed north. I stopped at the local Surf City tackle shop, and picked up a few more diamond jigs in return for some unenthusiastic information. In summary: Surf over bay, bait (bunker) over lures, north over south. I continued north. I could have accessed the beach at a number of points, but declined to do so given the heavy surf, and finally stopped at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park. After some quick reconnaissance, I grabbed my rod and returned to the walkway along the outlet channel. There were lots of birds (gulls, terns, cormorants and pelicans) working over bait here at the edge of Barnegat Bay! Although the birds were active, I never saw any fish disturbing the bait, which appeared to be tiny rain-bait. Multiple boats chased the birds, but I never saw them hook up either. I was joined by a few other casters, and many folks were fishing just inside the bay. One happy guy walked off the rocky pier with a small tautog, and I spent as much time just watching birds and boats as I did casting, especially since the most intense activity was mid-channel and out of reach. I switched from the diamond jig to a Hogy epoxy jig to try to match the smaller bait, but it didn't really matter. I knew I wasn't going to stay here; Island Beach State Park beckoned from across the cut. I could see vehicles moving on the beach and I knew folks were surf fishing over there. I hit the road again. What do I have to say about this? I didn't find any biting fish, but I was reasonably in the game. It took most of the day for me to wind down from the intense driving over the previous couple of days, but it proved to be enjoyable and productive, enough. I landed in a good spot for the next day's effort, and I was dead asleep by 7 PM. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways |
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