December 14, 2009, It's hard to believe that it is really December. Because today was absolutely beautiful and the fishing was even better. Kevin and Allen had the luck to pick this perfect day to come with a trip. A brisk north west breeze had knocked down the chop from the night before, but it looked questionable as I made the first drift in the inlet right at the change of the tide. I didn't give it much time because I had a pretty good idea what lay ahead on the outside grounds. I bee lined for the Brigantine Shoals where I have been doing extremely well. I had hoped for the big bird play, but the seagulls and gannets were completely absent. Not to worry because I followed the GPS right to where I had left them on Sunday and we probably didn't have lines in the water five minutes before Kevin hooked up with our first fish of the day. It was a short but fighting fatty and the good sign for the next few hours.


It was so calm that the toughest part of finding the fish was drifting into the prime area. We would pick up occasional fish over a wide area, but eventually we isolated the bait and bass on the top of the lump and had a great time bending rods and eventually filling our six fish limit. I had put over 30 spot into the livewell and we made good use of them with at least 20 fighting shorts along with the box full. Spot really seemed to be the ticket. even half smashed and dead they caught fish as long as we could get them on the hook. When fighting a fish we were more worried about loosing the spot than the fish. Several were re-caught in the landing net to be eaten by additional fish. I did hook two or three fish on my favorite GULP jigs, but today they couldn't compare with the real thing.


I don't know how long this will last, but a day like this is like a Christmas Present even for the guide when you can catch fish like this. Numbers wise I think this was my best day of the season. With temperatures of 48 degrees it could go on to New Years, but the cold is going to put a lock on us sometime. When that happens we won't see fishing of this quality at least until April so If you see a weather window and want to get in on the action give me a call.

December 13, 2009, Yesterday the wind did STOP ! and the fish still are biting ! , Jimmy Hare couldn't have made a better choice of a day to take his brother in law Ray out to catch his first striper. We started slow about 10:30 because the west wind was still howling. We were at the exact bottom of the tide and I don't believe I have ever headed out on such a low blow out. As a mater of fact it was so low that in the area of the first buoys by the AB marker I miss-judged the channel and we watched the windmills turn for about a half hour. The only good news was as we watched the uncovered bars disappear the wind subsided noticeably. By the time we were afloat and heading out the inlet the ocean was laid down beautiful.

I headed out to the exact numbers I had been working the last couple weeks and even though there were absolutely no birds to be found, it wasn't long before Ray was telling Jimmy and me that he was getting bites. Now we all know that stripers inhale spot not bite them. But he insisted and a couple minutes later his rod finally bent over and he had his first striper on the line. Unfortunately it was short of legal, Just, but still short. Still it proved to me that there were still fish in the area and it was a good omen. On the same drift Rodney the Rod holder did his thing and we let Ray grab the pole from Rodney and this time he came up with a legal fish. We were definitely in what would be considered a SLOW PICK and even though it was a while between bites we had enough action to know that we didn't want to move. I would spot occasional marks on the machine and we would get semi interested fish that would bump the baits and occasionally suck one in. I suppose with the slow drift we were experiencing they had no rush to attack the spot and would play cat and mouse with them before deciding if they really were ready for dinner. One time some gulls started getting excited about 1/4 mile to the east and we ran out there. When we putted into the area the birds disappeared and even though we did have some marks on the machine and one bass stole a spot we didn't get the hoped for blitz.

All in all, except for the missed bites it was a banner day and we ended up with four in the box that would be well appreciated dinners back at Jimmy and Ray's Philadelphia homes.


The evening and the rising tide evidently did bring some fish back into the inlet as Bob and Vicky Piperato reported a couple shorts and a 28" fish for dinner in the rip. Right now at 6:30 am. as I write this I am kicking myself because it is warmer than it has been in several days and there isn't a breath of wind. I know the bite at first light would have been great. and even though the afternoon looks bleak there would have been time to get in a great trip. I'm supposed to run tomorrow if the weather allows and will try to report on that one.
Absecon Bay Sportsman Center
81 Natalie Terrace
Absecon, NJ
(609) 484-0409
Website www.abseconbay.com
Email go-fish@abseconbay.com