October 28, 2023 – Lured by the Chance at a Big October Fish – Monmouth County

Even the headboats were out there  And did I mention a full moon too?

Well, Jeff and I notched our first skunk of the fall, but it was a trip pregnant with potential, not an early scouting trip or something.  There was definitely a shot at a fish or two in the 20-to-30-pound class if things went well.  The conditions were pretty right with early morning and late afternoon flood tides, the water was clean, the wind was out of the West (well SW, but not S, at least), some bait was in the wash, and, oh yeah, hundreds of boats were a few cast lengths off the beach floating in the middle of football fields of flopping, larger peanut bunker, not dinks but those tweener bunker.  We fished before sunrise with big dark-colored shads and even big old wood darters, and then with the sun coming up we tossed a pencil and other topwater, even my long-flying THex peanut bunker spoon, but not one clown on the beach, not us or the other 50 jamokes out there with us, landed a fish during the morning window.  Maybe they got them at the next tide, but Jeff and I only had a few hours in the early morning to give it a shot.  This is early for me, but it has been years since I have been involved in a blitz of fish that were over 15 years old—most have been slot keepers and shorts before last year’s bunker bonanza.  I hope things are lining up well.  I know some dude’s falls have been made already.  I just hope Jeff gets into one of those memorable 40+ inchers this year!  Full disclosure: I wouldn’t mind one either since my last 30-pound surf bass predates this blog by several years!  Today was not that day, but we had a real chance, so a worthwhile pre-dawn drive for the smell of bunker and skunk on the tongue.