WEATHER: Windy, partly cloudy then partly sunny. Approaching storms in afternoon yesterday. Did I mention windy?
WATER: Looked great, some weeds in the wash, about 60 degrees F according to the interwebs. Barnegat Inlet had a lot of drifting grass - unfishable with flies/lures.
FORAGE/BAITFISH/BIRD ACTIVITY: Nothing.
Managed to get away for a couple days to the shore and wanted to get there before summer season starts. I'm usually confident in May. . . but it's inshore saltwater game, always hit or miss. The reports were poor and Betty & Nick's was "dead."
First day I hit lower Island Beach State Park and made the long hike down to the north jetty. (Dang, I forgot how long that is! Used to do it with ease when I was younger) I don't think I have ever seen the beach so abandoned, especially during a prime month, had the jetty to myself. Strong winds from the south didn't help. The surf looked good, clear and green with good waves but no fish. Even the many ospreys circling never went down to the water. During the hike back I blew out my wading shoe (they were old) and had to nurture a blister.
Yesterday morning, I took the 8WT out to the back bay for some flats wading and conditions were better - still no fishermen. Had a couple good sized bluefish blow up on my popper but once the sun came out they disappeared. Went back out front in the late morning up island at the beginning of the incoming tide hoping to pick a fluke or schoolie bass out of the sandbar cuts, but no luck.
WATER: Looked great, some weeds in the wash, about 60 degrees F according to the interwebs. Barnegat Inlet had a lot of drifting grass - unfishable with flies/lures.
FORAGE/BAITFISH/BIRD ACTIVITY: Nothing.
Managed to get away for a couple days to the shore and wanted to get there before summer season starts. I'm usually confident in May. . . but it's inshore saltwater game, always hit or miss. The reports were poor and Betty & Nick's was "dead."
First day I hit lower Island Beach State Park and made the long hike down to the north jetty. (Dang, I forgot how long that is! Used to do it with ease when I was younger) I don't think I have ever seen the beach so abandoned, especially during a prime month, had the jetty to myself. Strong winds from the south didn't help. The surf looked good, clear and green with good waves but no fish. Even the many ospreys circling never went down to the water. During the hike back I blew out my wading shoe (they were old) and had to nurture a blister.
Yesterday morning, I took the 8WT out to the back bay for some flats wading and conditions were better - still no fishermen. Had a couple good sized bluefish blow up on my popper but once the sun came out they disappeared. Went back out front in the late morning up island at the beginning of the incoming tide hoping to pick a fluke or schoolie bass out of the sandbar cuts, but no luck.
