Spring run in July?

[Stripercoast1]

As I type this, I am relating thoughts based on review of my logs from the last few years. On this date 1 year ago, the bay temps were 71 degrees, right now it is hovering at 61. A full 10 below average. The bait stocks are varied and unusual. The squid crowd are still filling buckets at night at spots that were barren this time for the last 5 years at least. They are still getting egg bearing squid! In my near 40 years of fishing Narrie, I can't recall the amount of Butterfish present, along with sardines and schools of needlefish. When I was a youngster we used to fill our buckets with tinker macks at the docks around Jamestown, it apears the youngsters looking to do the same will have that opportunity. Large schools of 5" macks are swarming the finger piers and docks around the island once again. Menhaden are present all over the place, adult schools are spread out in open water as well as the coves and inlets. The previous 4 years they were pushed into the rivers and held there in concentration by the Bass, soon joined by the Blues as the water temps rose. This year is differant, the water temps have kept the Bluefish out of the bay until just recently, and yet to see the numbers of choppers we had. One of the biggest and confusing additions to this mix is the appearance of peanuts now showing. They are a full month ahead of schedule at least.
When the sun finally shows and the sun starts to get the estuaries and marshes warmed up, all this bait will flush out of the upper bay and cause what I believe will be one of the biggest slam fest runs of Bass we have not seen in years. It's not that there will be more Bass, just that the food sources will have them concentrated along the coast for a surf casters wet dream. As the fish from Joisey and New York flee the rising water temps they will find comfort here and lots of food.
They will also find Me and Jake as well as the rest of our crew waiting.

[storminsteve]

It sounds like a combination of a 7-11 and a supermarket for the striped bass population, where they can get all the protein they need in one stop shopping. You lucky dogs, or should I say scurvy dogs, that will soon be into all those fish.

[surfwalker]

Stripercoast1, you brought back some memories of fishing the docks for the tinks as a kid. I haven't seen them around here(Jersey) for a long time. I looked in my log and the last time I picked up Bass on tinkers was in 1993, using a 5" mackeral Rebel. I still carry one of those in the bag today. Full sun and the area I was in was packed with schools of them, nice Bass running through them. This was on July 10th of that year. Only had them for one day, but what a great time. wish we still had the bait around that you are seeing now.

[Stripercoast1]

If anyone is thinking of a road trip up here, I would really think hard about the coming weeks. get an Email or Pm to me, make sure your korkers are still sharp. The last week of this month or the 3rd week as 2nd choice would be my recommendation.