The Tales of Fall Sand Eels;

Needlefish Making a Splash

SPOOKY SEASON: I have to alert outdoors folks, especially those who frequent the Jersey outback, to consider hanging kinda close to home for a goodly chunk of early December. From December 5 through 10, the woods will become alive with the sound of shotguns. That’s the state’s six-day firearm season for deer. Then on Dec. 14 (through the 16th in some hunting zones) a special…

Monday, November 28, 2011:

How about three Classic bass over 20 pounds today? I can ell you the fishing pressure is not high so that’s a nice showing from the surf. South end seems hotter but that can also be fishing pressure thing since that’s where the local angling gang has been hunkering down.

While bigger bass are still a-show, plugging has taken off for many casters. Needlefish are working (see below).  The plugged fish are smaller than bait-eaters, though many are well…

Sunday Nov. 27, 2011: Congrats to JOHN JASINSKI SR. for a fine late-season 34.38 bass taken on bunker in an area famed for bigger bass when everywhere else starts to go much smaller. However, with water temps still oddly elevated for this time of year the upcoming final week of the LBI Classic could see other cows.

There were other bass being caught with a tad of regularity but the skate were also heavily in the house. 

There was some birdplay near the beach mid-Island but by…

Friday, November 25, 2011: I’m in the Outback for the remainder of the day. Yesterday, I did what has become a Thanksgiving tradition journey to the Columbus Farmer’s Auction, Rte. 206, to take in its massive outdoor flea market, one of the largest glorified junk sales in the state.

I bring that up to note there was an unusually large load of saltwater fishing stuff mixed in among used shoes and allegedly valuable minutiae. The bad part was in just a year’s time it seems…

Wednesday: 

That storm was a tad meaner than forecasted. It wasn't even remotely ass kicking but it did toss out a few inches of rain, some serious onshore winds and proved utterly stubborn in departing today. Per usual the beaches got bitten off here and there but there remains enough sand in the system to self-repair in nothings flat. That systemized sand is the trickle down effect from the beach fixes in SC and HC -- and in Brant Beach by springtime. 

A few fish were…

This’ll be yet another fishing-heavy column, as a column titled the “Fish Story” should be – sometimes.

On a whole, the fall fishing is doing fine – not exceptional or intense but a very fine degree of fineness. Both blues and bass are showing with regularity, the bass with far greater regularity.

The average sizes of both species remain below recent years, while the fun-hooking factor is definitely above average for both LBI Surf…

Waves action has eaten away the drive-on point. It is closed as of 6:30 a.m. Per usual, it is unknown when it'll reopen. 

Bite alert: Monday, November 21, 2011:

There is a heated bass bite toward the north end of LBI. It’s on both bait and plugs. This is not a burn or a give-away; just ask at local tackle shops to get the most exact locale -- but I will note that you will likely need an extra beach buggy permit to legally get to this site (big hint).

By the by, it’s ideal fishing conditions out there: light winds, mild temps and the rain hasn’t hit (a.m.)

Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011:

Surfcasters won the day. Some fine fishing mid-Island. In fact, it's a bit weird how well that zone is doing. Anything to do with the beach-fill? Probably not, since there's been two replenishings and the first one didn't seem to hike the mid-Island bassing, still...

I have half a dozen reports hyping the chunking (bunker) for bass in the suds. However, a fellow die-hard plugger absolutely annihilated early-day bass using (I hesitate to even say it)…

Fri. Nov. 18, 2011: 

Holgate is open again.  Our good buddy Mr. Parker has personally worked at getting a drive-on -- again. It looks like we'll be able to drive it through the weekend then a bad moon rises. It won't be one of those king tide ass-pains but it will be high enough to slap around the new drive-on point. I'm purposely not calling it an "access road" because that's way too presumptuous. You can access the end throughout the tides -- at least you could today. It's always…

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Bigger blues are coming to win us …

Seems the slammers are a-surge. It’s still far from frenzied blitz-esque hooking – though that could happen very soon.

Notice the marked hike in average fish fatness. This is a sign the main migratory bluefish biomass is arriving and that the fish therein are slamming down some fatty grub, likely rainfish and sand eels. Where the way-late bunkies (peanuts) are at…

SPECIAL NOTICE: 

Here’s an appeal with heart – and knees.

It has to do with a fellow hardcore angler, Jim Gilroy. Read this – then check out “The Rest of the Story” below: 

EVENT:::: Bayberry Inn, 1302 Long Beach Island Blvd

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Time12:00pm until 5:00pm

Friends of Jim Gilroy are invited to attend an event at the Bayberry Inn located on LBI in Ship Bottom NJ.

As some of you know Jim was injured this…

Wed. Nov. 6, 2011:

I finally drag myself out of the swamp of a nasty sinusy viral mess and right into spit-worthy weather. Any other time, light rain and sky crap would just drain off my back. However, in the recovery mode, I'm going to limit my plugging time.

I don't want to get pissy all over again (it's bad for my immune system) but it sure sucks having Holgate shut-down. There was something soothing about heading down there in the crappiest of weather.…

Sounding Off Against Deer Hits;

Bass Stripes Lookin Crooked

As the fall foliage of southern New Jersey sneaks past peak color (per the Weather Channel), so roughly goes saltwater angling. We’re just this side of peak autumnal angling. Admittedly, things are running a tad late due to a mighty mild fall and the La Nina factor. 

The main highlight of surfcasting LBI 2011 is the remarkably large turnout…

Sat. Nov. 12, 2011 -- 

This is just a quick note. I'm out of commission, fully downed by a bug. 

The bite goes on, as does the tendency for smaller stripers. Still, I have four reports from folks thoroughly enjoying nice weather and a brisk bite. 

Look for south winds to cause the maximum angling impact by tomorrow. Surfcasting should sign but very sadly Holgate, which turns on to the max with these winds, is not for buggying. A couple folks said they were heading down…

How about that push of bass and blues today? Surfcasters using bunker had one of the best of the year, including spring. Although the stripers remain entry-level in size, the fun factor is there -- not only in catching Classic fish but knowing they have a chance at top money despite being modest in size. 

The blues are starting to inch up in size. A couple 13-pound-ish models were caught. These slammers could hang around for awhile. 

With over 800 anglers in the Classic, this…

Friday, November 11, 2011: Feelin’ mighty westerly out there, the way it usually does in early Oct. not mid-Nov. And the slight chill won’t be lasting. There’s a chance at record highs in the not too distant future. I like seeing that warmth because it often implies south winds. Sunday could see south winds to 25 knots. That’s gotta kick up some serious stripering.

Boat fishing is real rocky with gale warnings flying, though I see and hear folks inside the inlets working…

The Taste of False Albies;

Fake Fish for Top Dollar

FALSE AlBIE-KA-BOBS: Jay, I’m back from my tour (of duty). Glad to be fishing again. Wanted to mention I had eaten some smoked false albacore in the Caribbean and it wasn’t half bad. I recall from our conversations that you’ve eaten many fish that most people won’t even look at. Is this fish (false albacore) really as inedible as folks say it…

Thursday, November 10, 2011:

Let’s see what’s going on. Well, I can make out about 50 yards away, the rest is fog-wrapped.

We just had quite an obscure night. I did some after-dark time in the Pines, including driving Rte. 539, a.k.a. deer kill highway. It was a full-blown fog whiteout. Driving could only be done at a spooky crawl, due to both reduced visibilities -- down to less than 25 yards – and also because deer are in rut. That deranged deer factor is…

Monday: See if you can tell when the south winds started blowing a bit. Look at the Classic weigh-in list, by "Date" and then check the time. Something like 22 fish hit the tourney's scales, blues and bass, as the winds huffed from the SE. That sure seems to be the surfcasting green light come fall. 

Bunker chunks remain the trued-and-tried bait call. Every weigh-in for the past couple days went for bunker. Herring chunks also seem to work fairly well when used.

Weather and…