December 1, 1999:

No fishing for me last night, I just couldn't tear myself away from all the things I have going on right now. Just as well, the wind was tearing up the neighborhood and I could hear the chill in that wind, no thanks! I will give it an effort to get out tonight, I haven't given it any thought as to where I'll go, just fishing if all goes well. I imagine the oceans a mess again with the winds yesterday, I'll check the surf camera later, sometimes you need to look at a couple different cameras to really see what the water looks like, each cam has it's pros and cons. The best surf camera is down on LBI, sent to me by MattG. Make sure you check this one out, it gives meteorological data both current conditions and the past twelve or so hours, that's pretty cool! I still like the Ambrose Tower to give me my current winds and wave heights...and they got their water temperature sensor fixed! For years, I relied on them for current water temp, then a couple falls ago, a big freighter hit the tower and took out the water temp sensor...almost destroyed the tower. I looked into it a bit and found that they had no intentions on fixing the tower, it was ready to fall into the sea. I guess somebody other than fishermen needed the temperature apparatus fixed, it mysteriously started working again the fall.

I keep getting pictures almost everyday, and I put them up as promptly as I can. Keep checking those pages as even the existing pages are getting updated pictures as people dig them up and send them to me. There's still a few folks that haven't sent me any pictures yet....let's get on it! Ironic, now I have a web site where I can put up pictures and I haven't fished a single day on the Brick/Ortley stretch where I always have the camera handy...that's the way it works. Luckily, there's a lot of people taking good snapshots and sending them to me, it helps to share the fishing with others that can't get down here for whatever reason. I think it's those folks that used to live near the shore and then were forced hundreds of miles inland that really break my heart. I feel for you guys that have tasted the surf, gotten your hands dirty while plugging the suds...then had yourself removed a few hundred miles or more away. It's for these guys/gals that all you others need to send in your pictures, they don't even need to show a person in them, just fishing pictures in general.

Thanks again, the input and orders keep coming! I'll consider each change and feature that you guys are suggesting, it's just a function of time. Not to mention learning html, CGI scripting, and about 100 other things to try and make everything here just the way we want it. Bear with me, changes daily, I promise!

Sincerely,

Tim Surgent

December 2, 1999:

Yet again, no fishing, between the weather and trying to keep a stock of teasers and jigs, it just hasn't been coming together lately! It's strange, usually no matter how busy or what I'm doing, I can always get out 5 or more times a week this time of year, but I have been barely mustering 3 lately. It's the damn weather, the ocean hasn't been flat in like 3 weeks! The wind has been screaming between N and NW for the fourth day in a row...the NW isn't so bad, but the 40kt N winds yesterday had to roil up the beaches, put a new top on the swells, and just generally make it tough to fish in. I will really try to get out tonight a bit, even if it's just real local for a little look see. I'm confident that if the ocean and winds would all cooperate at the same time, things would be hectic on the sand right now, but we just can't seem to get it all right at the same time. It'll happen, I'm betting we get another couple weeks at least of real good daytime action, bunker and bass in the wash. Last year, the first time I met MikeP, it was around December 5..it was 65 degrees, we had fish from the minute we drove over the dunes till the minute we left. And that wasn't it, there were bass caught solidly for a good 10 days after that. There's still plenty more bass to come for those that haven't packed it in yet...there always is!

I'm in the process of planning my first trip down to Indian River Inlet to meet an online friend that I haven't as of yet had the pleasure of fishing with. What a place that inlet would seem to be, Poppy described it in a little detail in an e-mail...imagine an inlet with a maximum depth of 110' and a current flow of 10 feet/second filled with rocks, sand bars, ledges, and old bridge abutments? I can...and it kinda makes my hands sweaty just thinking about the untapped possibilities there! I fell in love with the Cape Cod Canal this past June, the IRI sounds like at least an equally interesting place. I am really looking forward to giving it a good, honest shot...pretty soon, just waiting on the weather to guide us a little bit. I know what will happen, we'll commit to a date, then the bass will literally throw themselves on the beaches right down the street from my house. Oh well, that's to be expected, they'll always be other bites around here, I'm anxious to give the IRI a shot, thanks Plug!

Let's see, I put up more jigs, the plain lead type for Fin-S-Fish, shad, and other plastic bodied baits. I've been working on the picture pages daily. I put up three new handwarmers yesterday, I'll add two more today...then I'll have to make a decision as to how to handle that page. I haven't decided if I want to add one or two each day, or just replace the current ones with new ones and archive the older pages...or just continue to plunk down new ones till the page grows out of control...any ideas? Also, please read the definition page, people are sending me new ones each day. While you are there, read the definition of "handwarmer", it's not intended to be sexist or dirty, it just a term that arose while fishing in the cold one time and noticing that another fisherman had his girl with him...I teasingly called her a handwarmer to Charlie, stating that his hands wouldn't be as cold as ours, as he had his handwarmer with him! You can take it however you want, it was not intended to be X-rated, maybe PG-13, not X!

Thanks again, everyday, for all your help, input, orders, pictures, ideas, and definitions...keep them all coming and I'll keep working on the parts of this site that aren't up yet to keep you all occupied in this upcoming cabin fever season. If I can time it just right, everything will be functional just as the last hope of bass slides out of our casting range for the year......

Boy, at first, no one was ordering my silicone spearing, then I make them $4 ea in a "try these" type of sale, now I've been tying them almost nightly...and I had a pretty good selection before I knocked the price down! I'll continue to leave them at $4 for another few days, just in case someone had intended on getting some but hasn't gotten around to it. They really are dynamite flies, possibly the only one that I created entirely on my own some 4 years ago...the fish just love them.

Sincerely,

Tim Surgent

December 3, 1999:

I fished with the weekend warrior again last night, seems John and I have issues lately catching a damn fish! First, I was late, I was repairing...er, rebuilding a Penn 650SS when I talked to John. I gave myself 45 minutes to finish building the reel, put on a turtle neck, kiss the wife goodbye, and jump in the car...a reasonable amount of time I thought. Back to the reel, I had 4 Penn reels apart looking for the parts I needed to fix the one I've been using lately. The reel had back slapped so bad that the rotor actually spun on the keyed shaft that it's on...I thought that alone was impressive! Upon taking the reel down, I realized this had trashed the gear that turns the rotor and the keyed metal washer that is supposed to prevent this from happening. The dilemma, I had two 6500SS apart looking to donate to their better build older brother, the 650SS. Taking these down side by side was certainly eye opening. No wonder the 6500SS reels don't last compared to the 650SS reels. The main drive gear, the one that the handle screws into is one of the most important pieces of a spinning reel...Penn replaced the solid, heavy brass one in my 650SS with a cheap white metal one in the 6500ss. If that's not bad enough, they made the gear smaller, the teeth shallower and shorter...all encouraging the gear to wear and give sooner than the deep cut, long tooth, very solid brass gear in the 650SS. And if that wasn't enough, the gear that drives the rotor, on the 650SS it's a work of art, terminating at the gear end in a taper that's really smart...the 6500SS, straight cut brass rotor gear...shallower gears to mesh with the white metal, shallow teeth on the main gear. That's why the Penn 6500SS can't get a break among serious fishermen, they are built to fail where the original, the 650SS, was built to last. That's so sad, the 650SS are not available anywhere, they were discontinued for these newer reels, we were all told they were built just as well, only now they were lighter! What a crock, yes, they are lighter, but they are built to wear and self destruct. Penn ought to be ashamed, they had a solid, well built reel...and they replaced it with garbage. As the great Forest Gump once said, "That's all I got to say about that."

Back to the fishing, John and I didn't score, nothing. My feet were frozen, somehow, my neoprene waders got two wet feet...inside! I didn't realize this till it had soaked through both pairs of socks and my feet started getting quite cold. I had other waders in my truck, had I known about the wet feet, I'd have worn the others, even though they don't have the nice neoprene handwarmer pocket...uh, this type of handwarmer is unrelated to the other handwarmers. I'd give up warm hands for dry feet! So John and I basically fished the same spot for the whole time we were out...I'll tell you why. First, we only fished a few hours. We had planned on fishing the end of the outgoing and the beginning of the incoming, a nice little package that was supposed to happen at 10:30pm...so we planned to fish about 9:30-11:30pm. At least that was the plan! As it was, we fished the outgoing tide....and more outgoing tide. We left at 12:30am...and it was still going out. We left it going out when we should have been on our second hour of incoming...still going out! So, we're not holding ourselves responsible for not catching any fish, we hold the tides responsible...we fished the times we wanted to, just not the tides we wanted to, and in current, sometimes the tide can be everything! So, now John and I had fished together two times, no one has taken a fish yet...granted, we aren't really covering too much water or putting in a lot of time finding them...but we haven't scored. I told him last night, one more trip, that's 3...if we don't score, maybe we should fish together anymore. John said "Either third times a charm or three strikes your out." I couldn't agree more! This is just teasing, no matter what John and I catch, we do have fun trying...and it's just a matter of time. It's beach time now, December on the sand for me...it's likely last night is my last trip down to LBI this year, it's really been rough on me lately, I've taken one fish there in the last 3 trips...100 miles round trip times three for one short...not real productive! So I'll focus my efforts from Seaside north to Sandy Hook...and try to pin down some fish to catch in the surf for a change. I wouldn't be surprised to see them start to show up in the surf real soon, the waves are finally subsiding, hopefully getting to the point of being flat soon!

Sincerely,

Tim Surgent

December 4, 1999:

Last night was certainly a change from the hum drum fishing expeditions as of late, and not just because there were some fish caught. Charlie and I didn't get out till almost midnight...I was planning at 8pm arrival up at the Hook, it didn't happen. There's been a fair number of fish taken up there lately, nothing big, but when you hit it right, it can be every cast. I much prefer any dropping tide out there, right to the last drop, over any incoming tide. Dawn and dusk don't hurt your chances up there either! Regardless, it's been one of the more consistent places lately as the rest of NJ coast is just starting to sputter back to life after the past few weeks of surf unbecoming a fall unicorn. So we get a real late start, missed the entire dropping tide...in every place I could conceive running into a few decent fish, so we headed due east and threw some plugs in Belmar....nothing. I'm really beginning to believe that this beach replenishment project is cause for the lack of random fishes plugged in my attempts at Belmar/Spring Lake. The disgusting sewage that they are throwing on the beaches, trying to pass off gray/brown fecal smelling mud as sand, is clouding the waters for miles north and south and likely miles offshore. How can they call this sand, it smells to the point that if you are very near it, you can feel nauseous. If you get it on your waders/jeans/boots...they will need to be washed in hot soapy water or they will make your truck stink. If it makes me sick, how can it not bother the fish? Anyone notice how few albacore came into Shark River this fall? Just another kick in the teeth for us, and we deserve it for we didn't stop them. They are covering the shore and at least a mile out with sediment of this putrid smelling muck, smothering out every single form of bottom life...I've been told the damage extends much further out than that, but I don't want to exaggerate. Bottom life takes many years to get a foothold in an area, just a couple days to smother the life out of every bit of it with this sand replenishment, for what? So there can be more sand for a couple months, then it will return to the way nature wants it, at what cost? I think the dollar figure totals like $7 million/mile, don't quote me, but that's ringing a bell. The cost in permanent and long term damage to the NJ shore line and all it's fragile ecosystems...absolute devastation, irreparable. See what a beach house and a few bucks can do for you in NJ? Sorry for the necessary rant, it had to be said...so, Belmar basically sucked, I blame the "dung pumper" as I lovingly call the mud flinging barge. Charlie and I did pick up a few fossilized shark's teeth in the sand...you can tell when the plugging is slow in Belmar and Charlie and I are fishing, you'll see two flashlights on the sand as we kinda crawl around on hands/knees looking for these shark's teeth. They are nothing fantastic, but they are cool! We found a bunch of little ones, I had to drag Charlie out of there, his optimism this fall is gone...so sad, there's much to come.

We head north, run into a friend that tells us another friend has 3 keepers on the dropping tide earlier that night, probably when I was watching Small Soldiers as I was unwinding. I make a mental note, teased another club member as he came up on us about him "helping" ChrisB lose the biggest fish in the past weekends tournament. We continue north and decided to poke around some of the only remaining jetties in Monmouth County. The beach was looking nice, water was moving just right for this time of year, and there was spearing in the pocket....but no fish. Back to the shark's teeth for Charlie. I continue to poke around the area, working north, Charlie hunting shark's teeth in that general direction behind me. We're keeping about the same pace, me fishing, him hunting for teeth. Not a hit, not a bump, not a break. It was beginning to feel like we were out on a real nice night in February, after the fish had left for the year!

At the end of the stretch of beach I was plugging, I decide to give my back a break and let the water get a little deeper. I was now noodling around the sand for teeth...you know the fishing was excruciatingly slow! As odd as it was, I found the biggest fossilized shark tooth I've ever seen, I bet it's 2 1/2" long..and still sharp....a real trophy for the shark tooth hunter! I spend another 10 minutes looking, then decide I'd really rather hook some fish, I started out on a jetty. Charlie is so convinced there's not a fish left, he just sits at the base and stares towards me like a puppy that wants to go home but won't ask....I'm used to that when the fishing's slow, if the tide were lower, there would have been a nest there! I take a couple casts along the sides and am anxiously working towards the NE corner, the light SSW wind has a nice chop coming around the corner there. As I get close, I fire one beyond the white stuff, and I hook up...I was as surprised as the fish was, I'm sure. Charlie walks out to watch, as we were out there with the light Loomis spinning outfits...not intended for jetties! I land the fish, maybe 10#, it had my 2/0 30#er teaser surprisingly deep in it's mouth, no sweat....released him, told him to be well and prosper. During the holidays I like to wish the fish well, I think they like it, it can be lonely being a striper...especially this fall! Charlie's not convinced. I miss another hit the next cast, seems I didn't check the hook point, it was bent a bit, I fixed it and fired off another few casts and stuck another fish, a good one! It took a quick 30 foot run, strong and steady, and was gone...it happens, I don't sweat them when they come unbuttoned, at least they let you play the game while they were there, and I think the hit is the climax anyway. I check my hook, the 2/0 teaser hook came back in like a straight pin! This tells me I hit bone on the hookset, the fish turned and ran, the hook point was taking all the pressure...and it bent badly. A buried hook puts the pressure of the fish on the bend of the hook, not the point...hooks bend extremely easily by the point! I loop on another teaser, throwing it rigged 4 foot above a schoolbus bomber. I hook another one, it's violent and quickly off...I am beginning to notice a pattern here. I bring the rig in for a checkup...teaser's great...can you believe the back 1 inch of my schoolbus is missing? Busted off, not bitten off. Ok, that's a first for me, I've had lots of things get busted by the stripers, but that's the first bomber...if you come across a good sized bass with a #2 4X Eagle Claw attached to a tiny piece of bomber in it's head somewhere, can you send me a picture at least?!? :) Charlie's now fishing right with me, I tell him to take my rock, toss it just beyond the foam, and hang on...he's less than enthusiastic...once he gets it in his head the fishing sucks, it takes an all out massacre to change his mind...he thinks I make stuff up to keep him out there, I don't mind if he makes nests, why make stuff up! Meanwhile, we've seen and heard a handful of small, but deeply toned pops around us...but the only hits come at the edge of the white water. I replaced my busted schoolbus with a 5" schoolbus Mambo minnow, it's got a deep yellow nearest to the 30#er teaser two of the three fish I stuck ate. First cast, I get a bone crushing hit, as visible 30 feet away as it was hard...I missed it, but I was definitely shaken by it! Charlie was still looking for a hit, it was just one of those days for him, we were using identical rigs in the same exact place. I moved out more on the jetty, finally landed another keeper, released it...and released a big hickory shad. The shad were likely the reason why the big fish were poking around there, but them why were they taking the teaser? Who knows. Once the shad started hitting, I was pretty sure the bigger bass had split, and so did we.

On the way back down the beach, I noticed some more shad playing in the first wave. We ran into DChoi and JimK as they were heading up the beach. I showed them the busted bomber and told them we hadn't seen a bass in an hour. Dave noted that it was harder to hear that than to hear that they were a day late! We all plugged the surf as one of the most spectacular dawns came up, what a beautiful daybreak! Dave took a picture, snuck one of me in the daylight...they are very rare, pictures of me fishing when you can see, but he's now got one. Charlie got a few hits diligently working the pocket, stuck one and dropped it...but he noted at least he was getting closer to scoring! Daybreak bought no more bass for us, we fished the jetty a little in the light, and watched as Jim was showing Dave a little on how to fly cast. We were leaving, I stopped by them to watch. Jim was telling me how hard it is to explain casting to another, so I threw it a couple times...wouldn't you know it, I was false casting, not a lot of line, gently going through the motions and explaining it to Dave...and the rod snapped! What a surprise that was, I'm glad Jim was watching as the rod broke, he was as shocked as I was. I wasn't even loading it fully, maybe 25 feet of line out, and it just came in two! After the initial shock, we all got some laughs out of it. I gave Jim a 9wt Orvis to get him through the rest of the season. I also told him I thought Dave had weakened up the rod before he gave it to me ::)) We all split, headed home for various domestic obligations...and some rest.

Sincerely,

Tim Surgent

December 6, 1999:

Saturday night I was looking for a date, Charlie had pretty much decided he was done chasing stripers this year, I think he'll be back....there's a lot of fish left to catch! I still think that we haven't seen the peak of the action yet, things are picking up now, but it's not the big push yet...it's coming. So many people are asking the question, speculating that the fish are gone, "it's too late", "they already went past", "they took the offshore route", "water's too cold", and about 100 other forms of the same thought...that the fishing is over. Well, I'll step up and tell you that it's not over, it's far from over, there are probably more fish still coming than have already passed. We'll see fish, some big fish still out there waiting to come visit us, the guys who are there will run into them...the others will hear about it. It'll take some back to back bad storms to chase the fish south quickly, the water is just now hovering around the 50 degree mark, teetering just below it for the first time this past weekend. That's plenty warm, the fish love 50 degree water!

So Saturday night I was looking for a date, I got a hold of JohnM on the phone, we talked about the prior nights escapades, and had my date. John would be here in a couple hours, fine, I could wrap up what I was doing, eat, and get out there. We didn't get out till a little later than anticipated, we always seem to find something to yak about before we get out there. We headed north towards Long Branch. So, we start just before low tide, I stick a little one on the first cast...generally, a bad sign! Third cast, another good hit. Then another hit...then John got a couple hits...I went to the front to poke around, and John got a little fella...a shad...than another little fella. That was pretty much it, I couldn't buy a hit on the front, and it looked ideal. We had both landed a couple little fellas, and a couple hickory shad...all in the first 40 minutes...then it just died right out. We gave it a bit longer, moved around the rock some, no joy...they were apparently taking a breather. We decided to fish a little south while the tide came up. The next jetty greeted us with breaking fish, not big fish, but bass. I stuck one first cast, got him in, and he fell off as I was lifting him up to me. That was it, they continued breaking, John had a hit, but we didn't land one there, they stopped breaking, and it was like they were never there! These fish are weird this year. Usually, in December, you can walk up to any jetty, almost around the clock, and expect to catch a handful of fish...not this year!

We head back to the original starting point, the tides up a little more now. Don't hear anything, but they are nosing around, both John and I had a couple good shots, then I hooked up...it was a decent fish, as I got it near the rock, I found a likely spot to land it, I went down but as I slid it onto the rock, the hooks pulled out...perfect! That saved me from wrestling treble hooks from a 10-12# bass in the dark and putting him back was the plan anyway. Now, as I get back up the rock, John calls me to "see something". As I walk over, what is hanging from his bomber my minds eye doesn't quickly recognize...then it clicks, it's a giant squid! A 21" 2# squid had grabbed John's plug, but John prevailed and the squid was subdued! We admired it for a good while, I'd never seen one that big a live. I asked John to retain it for measuring and some pictures, he agreed. After that bass, we didn't have another hit, although it was shortly after that one that my back just decided it was time to stop...the rest of my parts agreed. We left, we had caught a few fish, one keeper, and a 2# squid that is certainly the coolest thing I've seen taken in a long time.

The fall should be under way, it's December, the waters hanging around 50, the baits around still...but the fish are moving a little better it seems. The boats are trolling some nice fish, some are being taken in the surf as well. People say it's over, they stop fishing...then they don't see any fishing reports and they think they've made he right choice. If you don't fish, how will there be any reports ?!? Hello.... My favorite, "there's no night bite".....not because no ones fishing at night, but because for some reason, all the fish stopped feeding in the dark. What a joke that one is! There's no night bite when there's no one fishing at night...that's the only time!

Sunday night, I got out for a social clam tossing trip with DanO...not a serious trip, just a couple sticks and some clams. Well, the tide had sucked all the water out of the hole I wanted to fish, but you could walk out to the bar to place your bait where you want it. I had 3 or 4 real good hits, I busted one off. Dan had some good shots, too. Not one bass stuck, a couple rat-tailed flounder. We had a good time, the fishing was excellent, that catching poor. It's not for the fish not trying, there were some good, violent bass hits, just none dragged into the sand for proper greeting. Sometimes, it's good to just hang around a clam rod and chew the fat, it's almost a necessity after throwing plugs till your back tightens up the night before...done right, there's really nothing wrong with clamming...but your intentions need to be pure!

I bet the fish are good and thick this week, if we can just get the surf to lay all the way flat, perfectly so. The fish are around now, just need energy to go out an get them. As much as you hear about them out there in the daytime, you'll still find me there in the dark only...they always bit better in the dark! Best of luck as you guys pound the surf to a froth, hope you are scoring heavy!

Sincerely,

Tim Surgent

December 7, 1999:

Last night I got to fish with Paul Naj. We decided to try a couple jetties north of Shark River as the south wind was sure to have whipped the water up a bit during the day. It was one of those nights where the wind had been screaming from the south since the prior night, the rain had been coming down all day, and it just seemed like the fish should be there with bells on. They pretty much were! I was about the customary 30 minutes late, and Paul was still on the jetty we had agreed to meet on...that told me either he was scoring or he was stuck in the rock! Luckily, he was scoring...as a matter of fact, he had 5 shorts and a keeper before I even set foot on the jetty. I was intrigued, the water was absolutely gorgeous, rolling past the jetty tip maybe 3-5 footers...mostly 3, plenty of 5's though...and just spilling white water the whole trip down the rocks. There was also your rip current along the side where all the water was pulling back seaward...it was real nice. I started with a rigged eel, the conditions just begged for it. Not a touch. Then I "bent" on a bottle plug. *Bent used here in jest to quote someone who thought he'd sound knowledgeable by quoting someone who is...I'm guessing many of you will follow this* Paul had a couple hits as I was working my down the big fish lure scale...that's from rigged eel to bottle plug to bomber then to a teaser and bomber. I like to start with the most likely lure for a truly big fish if there are nosing around...apparently, they weren't! As I tie up the teaser rig, Paul lands a keeper "for the fridge" as he put it. I get the rig done and am met with a good hit the first cast. There were a lot of fish moving around. I head to the front of the jetty, it seemed the fish were on the move. I shoot one off the front of the jetty, get creamed right away....Paul comes to see if I need a hand, I tell him I either got one good one fighting weird or two fish....sure enough, a short on the teaser, one about 9# or so on the plug...I give them a lift up onto the rocks and release the small one. I went to unhook the big one, realized that the middle hook was missing on my bomber. I look for it on the fish. It was buried in the poor things eye! It had turned my split ring into a paper clip and had the hook buried in its eye....ouch! I decided I should do the right thing and keep it, rather than let it go with a major injury like that. I think I had a hit on the next 5 or 6 casts, landed a couple more shorts there...Paul was doing the same. He did comment on the double header by asking me if I was trying to catch up or something...two at a time was a good way to do that! We had some more hits there, I got a shad, we decided it was time to make a move. We went south a tad to hit another jetty that we both like. I fished the south side out to the front and around to the north side where Paul had set up camp. Neither of us had a hit....then Paul got one and missed one. The were inside on the north side...I relocated and got a couple shots right away. I was throwing the conventional, the wind had swung to NNW by now and it was a little tough getting the bomber out and up by Paul where the fish appeared to be. I put a bottle plug on and stuck a nice keeper on the first cast. That was the only shot on a bottle plug. Paul continued to get hits casting NE...and occasionally, the fish were come inside enough for me to get a shot...I missed a half dozen hits there and thought maybe the front would be a better bet for me...I could reach the outer portion of the seam that way. Paul continued to pluck away at them where he was standing, a couple nice keepers and some shorts. I got on the front, admired the walls of water careening towards my platform and figured the bomber wouldn't stand a chance there, I put the bottle plug back on...and stuck a decent one right away...it took the teaser....a lot of fish last night took the teaser. I continued to score on the front as Paul's little niche dried out...he came out front and we both continued to get hits out there, landing some, missing some. It did seem that I had the advantage out there with the bottle plug reaching and digging in the bigger water. After 4 or 5 fish there, we decided to call it a night, we were soaked, it was raining most of the time, we had both taken a share of 5 gallon buckets of salt water in the face...and it was getting late. No doubt we could have continued to take fish as long as we dared be out there, but the fishing was good, no need to push it any further! Paul ended up with about 16 fish, I had 9...a good number of keepers were taken by both of us, nothing big, maybe 10-11 pounds...but it was just one of those nights that you love to be out there...rain, rough water, 50 degree air and many hits. At one point, Paul said he was wondering how Charlie and Steve were making out...he was teasing, he knew they were both home in their beds! As we walked back to the truck, a couple dozen feisty fat fall stripers between us in a few hours, I reminded Paul that "it's over" and there's "no night bite." He chuckled, we toweled off at the trucks, grabbed some java at the 7-11, and parted company...good company at that. I'm sure we'll do it again, Paul's a good guy and a good fisherman...a little braver on the rocks than I think is safe, but he handles himself well on the jetties. A good night, I'm looking forward to the next time we can get out and enjoy the fact that the fish are gone and there's no night bite! :)

Yesterday I got a really nice e-mail from a young striper hunter named Albert, I asked him if I could post some of it here, it made me smile when I read it...thanks Albert! Here it is, the names have been changed to protect the innocent (spots that is!):

I don't think you remember me, I emailed you a couple times, anyway I feel like sharing this with you. I went fishing yesterday in Long Branch in a place I like, there's a deep whole there. I stick on a darter and start casting. Got a few bumps. The wind was coming out of the South pretty good so I looked in my surf bag to see what I should throw next. This is where you come in....I know how you swear by Smilin' Bills so I took one out. It was white, tipped off with a plastic eel. I took a couple casts noting which way the current was going (also learned that from your site). I began reeling the lure against the current hopping it at times. The conditions seemed "right" to me. I was getting some good sharp hits when I finally hooked up with a short. Released it of course and began casting again. Some more hits then I hooked up close. It felt like a good fish but I held myself from saying those words so I wouldn't have to face the consequences :-) . It took some line heading for the tip. I quickly moved off to the left driving away from the structure. I beached it and it clearly passed the keeper mark on my pole. It ended up being 14 pounds. I kept it for the dinner table. A keeper isn't a daily thing for me since the only time I fish is Sunday because I go to school in New York City where I live year around. As much as I wanna fish everyday, I know I have many years ahead of me since I'm only 15 years old. The point of this letter was to say thank you for your site. If it wasn't for your site I probably wouldn't have had the important knowledge of currents, effective lures and many other things. Thanks for the opportunity to catching a keeper in the little time I have to fish. Hope I see you on the surf...Sorry for the long letter.

Albert B.

I love stories with a happy ending like this one, way to go Albert! My love of Smilin' Bill jigs in the surf is actually a recent one, the great and fearful Bass Dozer opened my eyes to them. Mind you, I've always known that jigs are one of the most effective fishing tools available, I hadn't really used them in the surf, always in moving water. As we pick up knowledge, we pass it on, that's how it works! I hope you catch many more, Albert, as I'm sure you will...and keep up on that school work! :)

One of the fish kept last night was autopsied by me, it had 5 fresh peanuts of varying size, a 12" eel (sand eel or American eel...tough to tell!), and a handful of well digested rain fish in it's gut. It's fall, they are eating whatever they come across whenever they come across it! The fish had nothing fresh in it, so the fish we were catching last night were not there because there was an abundance of bait, they were moving through the area on the prowl for some grub as they fatten up for the trek south. I can always tell when the falls in full swing, when you catch a 30" bass and a 20" bass on the same cast, that's fall! When you get a hit on every cast for half an hour, that's fall! It ain't over folks, much as I've been saying, it's just beginning...the water temps noodling around 50 degrees right now, that's prime time and the fish know it! I've been getting reports from the few brave soldiers who haven't settled into their couches for the winter, they are, for the most part, catching fish each trip out...don't hang up your stuff just yet, there's a good couple weeks yet where you can expect to take a LARGE! Winter's long and cold, don't let the fall sneak past you!

**Don't forget to click on the Gofishin' Banner up top, they constantly add new items, almost every single day, and the guys that check there a lot are the ones who score the great deals! This spring, I got two new St. Croix surf rods cheap...very cheap! I've bought lines, fly fishing stuff, fly rods, hooks, and lures from them, it's a true discount place. I picked up Yozuri Crystal minnows there for $3 each, you have to look constantly to get in on the good deals, everything is in limited quantity.

Sincerely,

Tim Surgent