November 13, 2016 – First Casts in the Atlantic this Fall

Blue skies, clear water, NW wind (so no surf) but good to be out there for a while.

I had a “boys’ weekend” in Bradley Beach this weekend, mostly a drinking excursion in Asbury Park with some old friends who, like me, are now just getting old.  Dave said we have been doing this annual get-away for 13 years (minus Sandy), which is quite a run! Seeing the tides and the forecast (and the agenda), I was not planning on any serious fishing.  I packed a two-piece plugging rod and my bag, however, in the event I was up early (or late) one of the days.  Some years we go hard on Friday night, and by Saturday we are all in bed by 10 PM. Well, 5 AM came and went without me stirring, but I did take a stroll and jump around a couple rock piles for an hour late in the morning on Sunday.  I saw well over a hundred boats tearing them up about a half a mile offshore.  Birds and bait were everywhere.  

A few too many.

Tom described the number of boats he saw off the coast on Saturday, and as a fisherman who rarely gets to Monmouth County (especially after what the beach replenishment has done to Deal!), I was doubtful until I saw them all for myself.  If the bait schools were as big as the armada of boats, then there is plenty of bait heading south.  The water was clear, the tide was low, and I was waderless, not to mention a little dehydrated, but it was good to swim some plugs for a while before driving home.  I did some whale watching, as well.  A couple came completely out of the water, putting on a show for me and the dog walkers.  One particular jetty had a bait ball swimming around the tip, but nothing was harassing them but my Smack-It.  I was happy to see that the fall run is happening.  Now I just have to find the time to get my butt in gear.