[CapeMayRay]

Well we finally made it to that turning point where we feel like spring and the fishing season is just around the corner. With more warmer days sneaking in, you get the urge to fish or work on your boat. I still have about 3 weeks before my doctors say I should be back to 100 percent. I still feel like I have been run over by a truck, when I get up in the morning, but each day seems a little better. I am sure as I feel up to it I will try to get in a couple of freshwater trips, just so I can feel alive again.

April will come fairly fast and I am looking forward to the first early season striper trips in the boat.

 

[rob]

I’m recovering from yet another virus. Every time we get together with grandkids, seems like a new one shows up. This time sinus infection, with adjoining tiredness, headaches blah blah.

That said, it’s a minor thing, praying for a steady recovery for you Ray!

 

[CapeMayRay]

Just doing the limited activity like the doctors suggest. Did do 3 hours of light duty shrub trimming today and feel good. Would of tried some freshwater fishing today with it being sunny and fairly warm, but the wind has been honking all day. I am sure a fishing day will be in the picture soon and only a few more weeks till I can do un-restricted work on the boat. With daylight savings time coming up soon I think I will make it.

 

[rob]

Was at the boat show Thursday, very few bay boats seen. Checked out the waverunners for a friend and am amazed that Yamaha is all sold out, almost the entire line, through this year! One or two in certain models are available from different dealers, but if you like a particular model, get in line.

Seadoo ships the waverunners without electronics, so that’s their bottleneck. Crazy, right?

Very few bay boats at the show, and the biggest engine I saw was an outboard 900hp! (Twin props on a single, stearable screw, the motor stays fixed and only the lower unit turns).

Show seemed smaller this year than years past. Listened to Jim H from the Fisherman mag talk on stripers and ran into the guy doing the seminar on Sheep and got some tips from him.

We had an issue with the engine end of last year that is tbd whether it was just gas, or the fuel pump, so we’re dropping it in prob in April and will see. If we have to get the fuel pump done, we might, but will be looking to repower likely this year. Nice 4 stroke 60’s are available for our skiff from all the major manufacturers.

 

[CapeMayRay]

Never seem to be that many bay boats at shows in NJ. Most of our bays can be fished with regular center consoles with an electric motor. With out back bay fishing not like it use to be there are not all that many really serious back by guys that want a true back bay boat. I have been super happy with my 22 foot Triton bay boat. It has a 12 inch draft so I can sneak into pretty shallow water and yet it handles rough water pretty good. I have had it out 30 miles in the past on nice days as it is a fairly dry riding boat.

I have a older 2 stroke on it and it just keeps running great, but with it getting older I will probably repower at the end of this year and will have to go with a 4 stroke and probably go with Yamaha or Szuki as my marina deals with those two brands. Thought about getting a whole new rig, but I really love my boat and last year they stopped making saltwater boats. They just make bass boats now.

Hope you get your motor problems worked out before the season starts.

 

[CapeMayRay]

It was another unseasonably warm day in Cape May today. After another day of working in the yard, I had all I could take by 3:00 pm. With it warm and not much wind I decided to head off to a freshwater lake to see if I could find a few fish. Took two flyrods and two light spin rods as with the left arm restriction for another week or so I wasn't sure if I would be able to cast the flyrod and double haul with the left hand.

Got to lake at 3:30 pm. Tried the fly rod and casting was doable, still keeping left arm below shoulder. First 15 minutes using a baitfish pattern on sinking line I finally got my first fish. It was a decent size largemouth bass, that even made two jumps during the fight.

After not getting any hits for awhile I switched to a very small all black wooly bugger. I hooked up with a nice fish that I first thought was another bass or a good sized crappy, but it turned out to be a monster sunfish. It measured out at a little over 8 inches long and was very fat. I missed three other hits with the same fly and decided to switch back to the original baitfish pattern and had one last hook up and landed a nice slab size crappie that was a little over 12 inches long.

It was the first crappie and good size crappie that I have caught in a long time, where last year they were fairly plentiful. It was a good way to end the day with three nice size fish it total and I quit a little after 5:00 pm. The trip made my day.

 

[rob]

Still don’t have a good spot for crappies up here. Nice fish!

 

[MAI JAKK]

Congratulations. Nice to hear that the fish are biting.

 

[CapeMayRay]

Thanks, I prefer saltwater fishing as you never know what or how big a fish you will catch on any given day. Freshwater is fun as is easy and doesn't take up much of your day. During the winter months it is the only show in town for the most part, unless you are into ice fishing, which I am not. Plus it doesn't get cold enough for that around here.

You can catch freshwater fish all winter long as long as there is no ice. The key seems to be: You have to work your flies or lures deep and very slow. Presentations have to be on the smaller side as fish are not aggressive feeders. When I say work it slow, I mean painfully slow with small twitches. You just have to catch the fishes eye to get an instinctive hit. They are not going to chase anything down in the cold water. As it warms you can start using larger stuff and retrieving faster.

With striper season again open in back bays etc., it is a real hit and miss thing and mainly a bait fishery. I will wait for the beginning of April when the action starts up and they will actively chase flies and lures.

 

[CapeMayRay]

Been a series of non-user friendly days with the cold temps and honking winds. As much as you want to get out and give it a try, mother nature is saying stay inside. Took a ride over to the ferry jetties in North Cape May this morning and found the flags starched out straight and the inlet very nasty. Didn't even get out of the warmth of the car to take pictures and the sand was blowing like drifting snow.

 

[Hardtop]

My wife and I were a little further North of you at a house on the beach. When we left my windshield was covered with Spray from the bay water.

 

[CapeMayRay]

Yes, it just doesn't get much nastier that this. Today was more of the same, only with a little more sun. My wind gauge today hit a high gust of 51 mph. Let's hope we get all this heavy wind behind us this month, so next month we can get in some calmer fishing days.

 

[CapeMayRay]

Finally the wind stopped blasting. Late this afternoon, after finishing up work around the house and it being a beautiful day, I had the option to go freshwater fishing or pull the cover off the boat and start the spring get ready. I decided to go fishing and work on the boat tomorrow as it is to be another nice day. Got to lake around 3:30 pm. Water was still super cold. Even wading in neoprene wader my legs were frozen when I quit fishing.

Had a pretty decent afternoon. I had to work hard to catch, but had 4 hits and caught 4 decent fish in the 2 1/2 hours that I fished. I caught the first bass on a regular baitfish pattern and after awhile switched to a small all black wooly bugger fly catching another bass and really good size sunfish. Near the end of fishing I switched back to the larger baitfish pattern and got the best bass of the day. Never got a picture as in the process of wading back to the shore it came un-hooked. It was a little better than the first two bass. Two of the three fish took a couple of jumps. The one that got un-hooked never jumped and I kept good pressure on the line. (Go Figure) I had a fun afternoon and quit at 6:00 pm. Love this daylight savings.

 

[CapeMayRay]

Should of went fishing today instead of trying to work on the boat. They were calling for a nice warm day today, so I took off the winter cover and planned on doing some major cleanup. Shortly after I took the cover off the weather changed. It got cloudy cold and breezy and we had a few light showers on and off. I was able to get the start battery and the trolling batteries in and some other things, but I couldn't get all that much done. Ended up putting the winter cover back on around 5:00 pm. as they were calling for more rain tonight and tomorrow and temperatures to be colder Saturday and Sunday. Luckily there is still plenty of time and we should get a few nice warm days soon. Small set back, but starting to get excited about striper fishing in April.

 

[rob]

Had George Bucci speak at the club meeting last Thursday. Lots of good info and other than the spots he mentioned most of what he talked about I did when I was younger ( albeit without quite as much success as he’s had LOL). This was local SoftBank stuff. I never really have done the same level of ( shore ) fishing since I moved down here from Monmouth county, for a variety of reasons.

But it was interesting nonetheless.

I’ve been alternately sick or painting in my house, or both, for about the past month.

looking for some health, warmer weather and getting outside and fishing again… soon I hope

 

[rob]

As an aside, I think about 80% of the passionate hard core striper anglers I know of are contractors.

probably why it’s so hard to get them to show up

 

[CapeMayRay]

Rob, you have to sneak in some fishing. You know what they say about all work and no play. I worked the whole day yesterday on my boat. I pressure washed the deck area, all the compartments and even what areas of the bilge that I good get to. Also got all of the boat gear cleaned up. I am in really good shape getting the boat ready. Now it is just waxing, metal, plastic and fiberglass. The hull is easy and always makes you feel good as you can really see the job. I hate doing in inside stuff with all the square corners and small areas where it all has to be done by hand, while on your hands and knees. Should be all set for a early April launch. April can't get here fast enough.