Junior Member
Just Can't Wait
Leaving Albany tomorrow for first trip to the NJ shore in about a year. Doesn't matter if I catch fish, I am just psyched to get a chance to ply the waters. Will post report on Sunday.
Thanks guys for all your posts. Being so far away from the shore, I live my surf fishing life mostly through your experiences. This is truly a great website.
OGB
you may want to reconsider with way things are,this storm is really messing things up
Pay attention to what history has taught us or be prepared to relive it again
Junior Member
Do you think the surf will clear up by tomorrow night's tide?
Administrator
Albanyguy, you may want to take Fin's advice seriously. The old grouch is obsessive about weather, as am I. The window on the noreaster pattern for surf fishing may be closed till Sun or monday. Bay and ocean are brown. The areas away from the back bays and the inlets should clear up first, but the rollers now hitting the surf are 6-8' depending on where you want to fish.
The one area you like to fish may be fishable, but only a short stretch of beach there will allow you to get and work anything in the strike zone. Clams or bunker may the the best bet for this kind of weather pattern till the swell dies down. Even so, guys who fished bait today told me they couldn't hold with 8 oz. IMO when you need to start throwing a 10-12oz sinker just to keep it in the zone, that kind of fishing becomes very boring to me.....
The biggest thing is the swell, the duration is such that the waves are now every 3 secs. That sucks. For fishing artificials, I feel a lot better when the duration is 5-8 secs, or even longer.
There are migrating fish traveling along the surf line now. Some are in tight, a friend saw them surface every so often yesterday, but try as he might, he couldn't reach them. With this weather pattern the bulk of NJ's migrating fish will be travelling 2-10 miles offshore. You have maybe 10%- of the total now within reach of surfcasters. Despite what the internet pundits say, the northeast pattern is not really good for consistent surf fishing. Look for the weather patterns where there will be a storm, then a few days of hard NW. Those are the times one should consider coming down if he is making as long a trip as you are....
Check Wunderground for detailed daily reports and predictions for the area you want to fish. It will frequently show a window of a few hours. Although not always accurate, that's what you want to shoot for....a window of NW pattern weather.
If I were spending that kind of $$ on gas, I would take the detour to Montauk and fish first light to dusk, if you don't have the pass. That way you just pay the daily parking fee in the lot, and if you get blanked at least you had a shot at some small fish.
The last 2 days weren't that great there, but they have had some good days there in the last 2 weeks. all out blitz fishing. Make sure you do a search on our site for the montauk threads if you go. The fishing there can be quite dangerous and is a lot different from anything you may have experienced in NJ.
As opposed to other places like NJ, a noreast pattern usually pushes bait and fish into the beach in Montauk. You could pick up some small fish, and have a decent trp. It's still a coin toss, but that's what I would do if I lived where you do...
People see me calling Fin the Old grouch or OGB here and may just think I'm downplaying what he says... as to some other friends of ours he is known as " MR Doom and Gloom".
As far as weather and when to fish, his advice has always been on the $$. The fish that are around now are very scattered. Anyone who claims they aren't... is probably fishing under schools of bait, or highly exaggerating the reality that we face, one good night, 2 bad nights, repeat, repeat...that's been our fall so far...
Hope that helped, good luck in whatever choice you make.
Junior Member
Dark/Finchaser
You have both given me pause....I think I shall reschedule. The next window of opportunity is the end of October as the next two weeks are completely shot.
Thanks.I really appreciate your help.
Senior Member
These guys give good advice. Chill a bit and fishing will be better all along NJ. How far from NJ do you live?
Junior Member
jigfreak
It takes about 4 hours to get to SH from where I live, so I try to schedule the 2 or 3 trips I am able to do each year carefully. I try to plan around a westerly wind whenever possible.
Senior Member
I'll be out at Montauk this weekend. I'll shoot you a PM with my cell. I'll hit some of the less fished beaches (not the combat fishing areas near the light) and, of course, you can take the obligatory tour of the rocks. I mainly night fish. Give a holler. Gotta fish when I can....Originally Posted by albanyguy1
I'm an hour south of you, near Middletown, NY. I understand the need to plan trips....
Mick
Mick
Senior Member
That's what's nice about this site, people always willing to help. Albany guy the fishing here is really lousy right now. The weather and cloudy water make things pretty bad. Last year we had some greaf nomoco action around the end of october. As for me, I fished there last night and got skunked.
Junior Member
Storminsteve - I totally agree with you about the quality of members on this site. I met Dark on a beach several years ago and knew he was a standup guy. Joined the site shortly thereafter.
Wish I could come down more...I just love the Jersey shore. Planning an Oct 27-29 trip and a Nov trip around Veteran's day. Hopefully the weather will cooperate (and the fish too).
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