Chris Gatley
11-20-2007, 01:56 PM
Nov 20 - Tuesday
Here is today's report from my website:
Tim Wilsey and his son Andrew were on board to fish today. Despite the small craft advisory and stiff south wind, we fished as fishing in the bay had produced extremely well for me over the past few weeks (and up to Sunday for my charter captain friends). The bay was calm and easy but finding the bait and fish was tough. I targeted the places I had been catching fish while scoping the horizon with binoculars. On my way to the hook, we ran into birds in the popular place of Officers Row. After catching some very small 15 inch striped bass, the USCG began telling me (and the other two boaters) to move. I guess the 300 foot clearance had now been extended to 500 feet but I must not have seen the signs! Naturally, the fish were well within the 500 foot mark! I moved at their request but the other two boats kept playing through.
We ran back into the bay channels, Great Kills and even up to the Islands. I saw virtually no life whatsoever but fished anyway. A quick run by the islands had us in waves approaching 4 foot and cresting. I knew that fishing this water would be tough but beating up young Andrew was not in the cards. I ran back to the Hook, Officers row and the Earle region and continued to mark nothing and catch nothing. At 10AM, I called the trip off because in my professional opinion, the bulk of the bait, and fish on that bait, had left the bay. Unfortunately, fishing in the bay today was just not going to produce. We needed to be out front as the bait and fish obviously dropped out. I just couldn't get there to fish them - not today! My friend Randy was out front in a 26' Contender and he said there were birds for miles but it was Nasty, Big Water!
The bay definately cooled down on this blow over the past few days. Plus, their is an awful lot of cold runoff from recent rains and snow way up the Raritan River watershed. The water in the back and mid bay is dirty and cold as a result. I will be out front the remainder of the season.
Here is today's report from my website:
Tim Wilsey and his son Andrew were on board to fish today. Despite the small craft advisory and stiff south wind, we fished as fishing in the bay had produced extremely well for me over the past few weeks (and up to Sunday for my charter captain friends). The bay was calm and easy but finding the bait and fish was tough. I targeted the places I had been catching fish while scoping the horizon with binoculars. On my way to the hook, we ran into birds in the popular place of Officers Row. After catching some very small 15 inch striped bass, the USCG began telling me (and the other two boaters) to move. I guess the 300 foot clearance had now been extended to 500 feet but I must not have seen the signs! Naturally, the fish were well within the 500 foot mark! I moved at their request but the other two boats kept playing through.
We ran back into the bay channels, Great Kills and even up to the Islands. I saw virtually no life whatsoever but fished anyway. A quick run by the islands had us in waves approaching 4 foot and cresting. I knew that fishing this water would be tough but beating up young Andrew was not in the cards. I ran back to the Hook, Officers row and the Earle region and continued to mark nothing and catch nothing. At 10AM, I called the trip off because in my professional opinion, the bulk of the bait, and fish on that bait, had left the bay. Unfortunately, fishing in the bay today was just not going to produce. We needed to be out front as the bait and fish obviously dropped out. I just couldn't get there to fish them - not today! My friend Randy was out front in a 26' Contender and he said there were birds for miles but it was Nasty, Big Water!
The bay definately cooled down on this blow over the past few days. Plus, their is an awful lot of cold runoff from recent rains and snow way up the Raritan River watershed. The water in the back and mid bay is dirty and cold as a result. I will be out front the remainder of the season.