[rob]

Monday, I “guided” a few of us from the club went to the Toms River, specifically to the Trout Conservation Area. There were 4 of us, and I managed to get 1 trout LOL… this is an accomplishment for me since the stocky rainbows always give me trouble. Eustace was high hook when I left, had to run a couple of errands but Joe, Brian and he kept on fishing. Joe had his camera out so I’m sure there will be some photos coming.

I’ve fished the Toms many times over the years, but this was my first time there in over 15 years (perhaps 20!! Yikes!)

And I have never done well fishing for stocked rainbows in the central/south jersey ponds (mud holes) and streams. At any rate, had a couple of other follows and due to not fly fishing for trout, didn’t really have the right set of flies (after losing some). I did steer Eustace into using a cone head muddler that did the trick for him, so I’ll take some of his success vicariously LOL. I only had one muddler with me and lost it on an underwater snag in a deeper hole.

 

[rob]

Will get out for flounder soon, but no hurry. Yesterday would have been perfect but already lined up to fish for trout.

The Toms is an interesting stream. Spring fed but still has pine barrens Tannin stained water. Water temps in the summer are best as the stream level goes down. There is a warm water feed below the trout conservation area where a feeder comes from a lake with a spillway. There used to be nice holdover stocked browns in this stretch but I guess it's been too many years since the state stocked browns to expect any now.

 

[rob]

Nice pictures! One of our daughters and boyfriend treated 2 Moms: my wife and eldest daughter (mother of our 3 grandchildren) out to an early Mother's day lunch at Oyster Creek... great lunch but getting in and out was like driving through a Noreaster (wait, it was a Noreaster ) ... wind gusts were near 60... blasted getting in and out... the grandkids loved it LOL... and we had a great lunch. I should have taken a few pics but never got the phone out.

The creek next to the restaurant was gone... you could see all the way out to Great Bay. Showed Daughter's boyfriend what it looked like normally via a nice aerial photo they had and was pretty amazing.

 

[rob]

Joe texted and told me the Penns trip was cancelled, asked me about any fishing my way. I told him that guaranteed any fw was blown out (Monday, some might be ok today) as we had heavy rain Monday early AM besides Sat/Sun. Back bays will still be chocolate, ocean front had that NE wind, though maybe at an inlet you could tuck in somewhere, still tough to fly fish.

So, for me, will try the surf somewhere tomorrow, just to get out. Still hadn’t dropped the boat in, maybe Friday. Will get the waverunner next week and go clamming soon, as well. With prices of everything, we’re going to be eating a lot of clam dishes (and bluefish and ….) this summer