I got to the beach at around 3pm to catch the last of the incoming tide. I had been in the water around 10 minutes when the cell starts to ring. As I was trying to get the phone out of the pocket I start to get hit. I am juggling the phone and the rod while getting just light taps. You know, of course, that I missed that fish and it was just a buddy wanting to know how I was making out. Back into the water for another 10 minute soak and the phone goes off again. This time I am paying more attention and the rod bends over in the spike. I hang up and set up to find a "fish on". The fish put up a very nice fight, coming to the surface way out there and then trying to run down the beach. Shortly the first keeper of the season, a healthy 29 1/2" is on the beach. Life is good, the sun was shining and the fish were biting. It was not a fast and furious bite but there was on and off action until we left at 7:30pm. I ended up with 3 fish, only the one keeper and two at around 23". I was fishing with two friends and they had two and one between them. The beach was pretty crowded and I saw only one other fish caught so we were feeling pretty good about our results. The fish that were caught took the bait hard, while there were only a couple that just seemed to bite very lightly and avoid the hook. I did speak to a couple of guys coming off the beach who said that they had great action earlier on some storm shads. I was surprised but they had the pictures to prove it. With this coming warm weather I think that things are going to break open soon. Get out there and enjoy
