[chunking]

All the building blocks seem to be in place for a healthy back bay system for next year.

We ended the season on crabs around Thanksgiving. Never seen so many large healthy blueclaws. By now they are deep in the mud waiting for the spring dig out.

Compared to past years this one is about the best I have ever seen on grass shrimp. My drop net at the dock hasn't been baited in weeks. Yet every time I pull it up there is about a cup of shrimp in it. At low tide the bottom looks carpeted with them. Make no mistake about it. Grass shrimp are the main food source for flounder, weakies, stripers and blues in the back bays.

When you don't need them is when you can catch all you want. Big minnows and lots of them have moved into the protected waters around our docks. These are the same minnows that will fill the tidal creeks when the waters warm in March.

Last week I took a long ride in a slow boat all through the back bay. Everywhere I looked I saw healthy signs. For the next two months it will sleep and be ready for the spring start up. With all the building blocks in place It may just turn out to be a great season.

 

[fatboy]

I hope your right!

 

[clamchucker]

chunking....always a good read

. & Thanks for the forcast.

 

[Captain Phil]

Yes Fred. I always look forward to your posts. See you in the spring!

 

[Bay Bum]

I agree 100% with the crabs. It was the best year in a very long time.

 

[Brian E. Mullaney]

One backbay spot I fish further north was grass shrimp city a few weeks ago.

Looking forward to the spring Fred - I'll be back for skiff rental - try to get a group again - that was alot of fun that day!

 

[Fin-Advisor]

good report ! I hope your right

 

[DEEP POCKETS]

Thanks for the report, and keep us updated

 

[NJAngler Bill]

Fred, any fish back there on bellies lately?

 

[phillyfishing]

hey fred are people still fishing the back bays.. when do you stop your rentals

 

[Esox1]

Those killies are good ice fishing bait for perch and pickeral.

 

[Red_Cherokee]

Originally posted by phillyfishing:
hey fred are people still fishing the back bays.. when do you stop your rentals

Probably till the 1st.

 

[Captblock]

Fred,
Is there any explanation why we are seeing so many crabs this year. The Delaware bay was loaded with crabs this year. Fishermen could catch as many as you want while striper fishing in Nov. Although we saw plenty of crabs in the bay the weakfishing was not good this year until late in the season. I am hoping for a more normal weather pattern next year. At one time the water temperature was 83 degrees. Do you think the warm water attracked the crabs? Some fishermen think that is why we saw so many spot in the bay this year.

 

[23parker]

Great post for this time of year.As far as the crabs are concerned it seems as though[my opinion only]when the weak fish are strong crabbing stinks,when the weakfish are scarce the crabbing is great-preditor/prey type thing?

 

[The Edge]

Originally posted by Brian E. Mullaney:
One backbay spot I fish further north was grass shrimp city a few weeks ago.

Looking forward to the spring Fred - I'll be back for skiff rental - try to get a group again - that was alot of fun that day!

I agree, we'll have to do a spring back bay bash. When do things normally turn on in the spring in the back?

 

[The Edge]

Originally posted by Brian E. Mullaney:
One backbay spot I fish further north was grass shrimp city a few weeks ago.

Looking forward to the spring Fred - I'll be back for skiff rental - try to get a group again - that was alot of fun that day!

I agree, we'll have to do a spring back bay bash. When do things normally turn on in the spring in the back?

 

[Brian E. Mullaney]

if you look at stipertracker.org you can check by buoy - April is when they first show usually - Im sure March there are fish too.


March 1st you can legally fish again in da back

[ 12-21-2005, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: Brian E. Mullaney ]

 

[Skip M]

Hope you're right Fred,it can save a lot of gas.

 

[High Wire]

Fingers crossed.

 

[BIGGESTJACK]

FAT FRED BUMP

[ 12-23-2005, 07:22 PM: Message edited by: BIGGESTJACK ]