December 28, 2019 – It Usually Ends with a Thorough Skunking – Ocean County Surf

We had a chance.

Jeff and I gave it one last shot this morning with mild temps and an incoming tide at first light.  I have not even attempted to fish this late in the season for a long time, but I was happy to have some enthusiastic, reliable partners this fall in the absence of my dad.  Jeff is perhaps the most enthused, but Pete was also out this morning a little further north of us, so he is also sick with it.  Since I have been keeping the blog, it appears that that latest I have quit in recent years is around December 22.  It was a long shot today but by no means a lost cause.  Geese and loons were still diving, though I did not see them coming up with anything specific.  We also had a school of Atlantic herring right in the wash with us, but no bass big enough to eat them—almost no bass period, perhaps. 

Calmed a bit after high tide, but no fish made it to the sand.

Despite some whitewater and good visibility, we unfortunately did not go out with a bang in 2019.  I was only hoping for shorts or even rats, but I dropped the only fish I hooked after it was clobbered by a 4-footer.  Otherwise, we both had a couple bumps in close that did not connect.  That usually means overenthusiastic little fellas.  Besides few remaining fish around, the heavier surf may have been the issue: the surf was sexy for bigger schoolies, a steady shore break, but it was a bit dicey for 15 inchers, I think.  I have done best with rats on a calm high tide before sunrise or just before sunset.  The little Mag Minnow I tried to throw to target little ones before we quit was just getting pushing around aimlessly in the north to south sweep and the 3 and 4 foot shore break.  Sexy surf for November, but maybe a bit much for today.  At least it was warm enough to give my gear a good hosing down back home this morning.   All in all, it was a rather good fall run of small fish, and I hope some of these many shorts survive until next year, but I am ready to go back to trout fishing.