Wednesday, November 26, 2014

A Walk in the Woods

I figured Tuesday to be a good day to try trout fishing before the impending storm and it seemed like everyone else did too. I tried to get to the spots that have been producing since late September, but found anglers all over the stream. I ventured off to some other areas but found the water running a little too much to my liking and it was the color of root beer. This would turn out to be the first shut-out since the winter before last. At least we saw some cool birds ( Pileated Woodpecker, Hooded Merganser...) and had a close up of some Pheasants. The reports from the ocean were a pick at the blackfish and a poor striper bite.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Last Day of the Season Report

I did not like the way the fish acted last Sunday. The bite was very lite and I could tell the water was getting cold. The hard freeze we had during the week came about a week earlier then normal, and it did not help. All that being said, we left the dock on a beautiful day, the first morning with temperatures above freezing in a week. I did not expect much, but was happy to get a few scratchy bites and catch a couple of shorts and one lone keeper. We waited for the tide change hoping for an improvement but the bite died completely and we headed in early. The fish have moved off to the deep and now it's time to fish on the big boats before the winter sets in. Thanks to everyone that fished with us this year.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

COLD

Too cold, too fast. The hard cold weather has come a week earlier then last year. Friday looks like a thirty-thirty day, Knots and degrees. The weekend shows moderating temperatures, but will there be any biting fish left or have they moved into the deep?

Monday, November 17, 2014

Brisk

Both the weather and the bite were brisk on Friday. Randy, Rick, Paul, Ken and Mark had a steady pick in bouncy wind against tide conditions. The wind blew 15 to 25 knots all day and the temperature never got much above 40 degrees ( you needed gloves ) but the crew managed to land a mess of four to five pounders and many 15 inch shorts. Sunday started off cold and calm and stayed that way all day. The bite was lite as it seemed the fish had cold shock like the trout in the streams did the other day. We picked all day and managed enough keepers for a few dinners. Around 1 PM, Roger asked "The Legend" if he was cold, as he had turned a bright shade of raspberry, and we blew three and headed for the barn. On a special note, congratulations to Mike L. for his huge eight point buck on Saturday.

Monday, November 10, 2014

A Nice Weekend

Saturday we had frost on the boat in the morning and it was a chilly day on the bay. The bite was picky and the fish never really took hold as we only managed a few keeper size blackfish. Sunday was flat calm in the morning, something we haven't seen for a while. We sat and waited for the bite to start and slowly began to pick at some bigger fish. A steady bite all day and the keepers were all around five pounds.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Weather

We have to pick our days this time of year. The weekend looks good but Friday's forecast has been showing winds from 10 to 40 knots. That's a pretty big spread and all it tells me is that they don't know. Tonight is the full moon and tomorrow will be the maximum current so I decided to keep the boat on the wooden anchors.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

A Couple Nice Days

Tuesday was almost summer like on the bay except for the gusty breeze and fishing was just a pick, which is typical on a full moon. The "Rev" landed the biggest of the day at 7 1/2lbs. and everyone had fun with good sized tog. "Tugboat" Fred and the crew from West Milford had a better bite today before the current became too strong. Fred was the star of the day, landing several large tog, including a brute at just over 9lbs., the biggest of the season. The wind blew much harder than the forecast both days and Friday's trip is questionable right now.