November 27, 2020 – Some Social Fishing (at least Casting) with an Old Friend – Ocean County Beaches

Dolf snuck a shot of me testing that shoulder some more.

 I met my old pal Dolf and his neighbor Tony at a Wawa on an OC barrier island and tried to find some space to cast on a mild Black Friday afternoon.  It was a foregone conclusion, still confirmed by phone, that bait was not going to be available.  It would have been a comfortable night to bait and wait, though maybe not very effective.  The ocean temp at the AC buoy is still 55 degrees or more, so we only saw bait guys dragging in sharks and skates anyway.  By all accounts, southern OC is still hit or miss, but mostly miss.  It was a warm night with warm water, dirty rain water too.  Besides catching up and drinking a couple beers at sundown, the three of us covered a few blocks of good looking water at a good tide with good conditions, minus that stained water, of course, but none of us had even a touch.  

An OG mitch and moonrise in OC

I covered more ground than the others.  We took a couple breaks to share lack of success and drink a beer or two.  Dolf and Tony stuck mostly to a deeper slough with black plugs, while I ranged north a few times in search of something, anything.  We stayed until just after a cloudy moonrise and had to be content to shoot the breeze on a street end under the lamps since none of us were on the mask up and visit a diner or bar page.  Being it was Thanksgiving weekend, it seemed like all the homeowners were down enjoying the long weekend.  Surfers were out taking advantages of a warm night.  Though the West wind was light, there was a good 4 foot swell to make things interesting for surfers and fishermen alike.

Nice night and looked fishy.

Before we quit, I had a side agenda to scout an old favorite point on the beach where there often forms both a cut and a rip.  It was still in the same general vicinity, has been for years, only slowly migrating north or south a little each season.  There is a buried jetty or two in the area, so there are still a couple holes on this stretch too.  I threw a lot at the structure, at least twice: a THex and teaser, then the metal with a soft plastic eel, then after sunset a black SP, even a black and silver needle and a dark teaser.  Not a touch.  No birds, no bait, not even a scent of bait on the wind.  At least I got to see an old buddy and got to scout a favorite stretch of water.  I will be back in another week or so, I hope.  Dolf and Jeff may go Sunday, which is probably not a bad idea ahead of some forecasted snotty weather.  I am penciled in to fish with Eric for some stockies or holdovers somewhere.  If the Monday storm is still slated to arrive later that morning, Jeff and I may give the first light bite a shot before running for cover.  Maybe this storm and the swells after will give the fish the motivation they need to keep heading south?  One can hope.