Hello,
I'm 24 and I've been fishing my entire life off of docks and different back-bay areas of Stone Harbor, Grassy Sound, Wildwood, Sea Isle, etc. (We can't afford a boat, and have never had these problems 5 years ago). I fish with my father and my uncle, and they are both extremely experienced.
Now here is my dilemma: Back in the day.. when I was young, sea bass and fluke were plentiful... especially sea bass. I remember just dropping a piece of squid on a hook and bringing home tons of nice keepers.. NOT ANY MORE...Not a single one.
Why??
We can't even get junk fish anymore. My Dad and uncle are very experienced, with boats, surf fishing and on shore in the back bay. We don't understand the "disappearance" of the fish.
Do they not eat squid anymore? We try minnows.. nada, blood worms? nothing... The infamous GULP on a bucktail? Nothing..
We really are baffled and extremely frustrated as to why the fish aren't biting anymore... And I can't say that I've seen anyone around us catching anything either..
This seems to have started in the last 10 years, but mostly bad in the last 5.. Someone please give me a miracle answer, because my dad and uncle are about to call it quits with fishing because of the cost of bait, gas, etc for NOTHING. I'm trying to save a tradition.
Thanks for any help!