Ok, Here Goes:
Zim - Life is overrated, just go fishing, life will still be there when you're done. And, you can sleep when you're dead :rolleyes2:
roberm225 - I normally fish southern Monmouth County, and will drop into northern Ocean County from time to time, as the mood strikes me....today, it was northern Monmouth County.....see report below. And yes, dawn and dusk are the times, but for me, the hour either side of sunset has been the most productive, on average, by far, for whatever reason.
Sudsy - DingDingDingDingDing!!!!!!! We have a winner!!!!!! Yes, with the front moving thru and the east wind, I was hoping for a spectacular convergence of circumstances culminating in blitz conditions, with bait being pushed into the beach and big, hungry fish following them into the wash.....it kinda worked that way, almost.
Jim - That picture of the birds working over the herring has been replayed here lately over a pretty long stretch of coastline, but I have not seen it as far south as Manasquan......but I did see that scene in another M town today, around noon, about a half mile off shore, birds were rushing from spot to spot, the bait would blow up and all the birds would rush over, then the bait would blow up a little ways away, and all the birds would rush over, and then the bait would blow up.....you get the idea. The birds looked like fishermen, racing from spot to spot.
Anyway, after I saw that scene on my way up north, I made my way to the bottom half of Sandy Hook, to the place where one of the coldest Stripers247 gatherings took place, and fished there for a couple of hours......nuttin but the stench o' skunk. Moved to the top half of Sandy Hook, and was rewarded almost immediately with fish, all the same size (small) and almost all of them hitting the red/white (candycane) teaser. Continued to catch fish after fish, a guy I know from our fishing club showed up and he started catching, and all in all we had a very enjoyable afternoon, I wound up with approx 25 fish. I had to leave because I do not have a valid night parking permit, told the other guy where I was heading and got out of there. After a coffee and a sammich, headed back to the aforementioned "M" town and picked right up where I'd left off at da Hook, catching schoolie after schoolie, then the club guy walked up behind me and scared the bejeezus outta me.....it was raining, I had the rainjacket on with the hood up, I never heard him till he was right next to me. So, we caught more fish till our bones were about to seize up, then hauled ass.
I STILL have not found a keeper, but at least I'm catching, at this rate I'll just keep fishing till the big fish start swimming back up :love4: