AM Trip
Jason secured arrived early & secured spots on the pulpit. Boat pulled out of the slip and was only 3/4s full on a nice summer morning. Spent most of the trip fishing down the beach between the Nude Beach & the Crow's Nest. Conditions were not in our favor with a hard NW wind against the incoming tide which made for more of a slide than a drift. At best we had what I'd call a fair pick of short fluke with some sea robins thrown in the mix. Conditions were not conducive for bucktailing so Jason & I dragged bait. Fortunately, being in the pulpit kept mostly tangle free from guys letting out too much line or not using enough lead. Made a few drops further off the beach but the tide slacked and it was skate city. Finished up making a pair of drifts in Sandy Hook Channel. Jason and I combined for about 20 shorts, 4 skates and a pair of sea robins. Only 3 keepers were boated in the morning .
PM Trip
My nephew & Jason's 10 year old cousin Nick joined us in the afternoon. This was Nick's first real fishing trip. As nice as it was, the boat was now only 1/2 full
(guess people would rather sit home & complain about the rain). Anyway, we spent the entire trip fishing the Reach, making long drifts anywhere between buoys 6-12. Beginning of the first drift we had ideal conditions with an ebbing tide and light west wind. Again we opted to drag bait. Jason and I had drop and reel fishing the first 20 minutes...we would set the hook and pass the rod off to Nick & allowed him to fight the fish. He had a ball. By the end of the first drift the wind came up and 8 ounces with braid was barely working. The wind would wane then pick up again throughout the trip. By the time Capt. Rob gave 3 toots of the horn Nick had brought up over 25 fluke. I did mange to sneak in a drift where I bucktailed and managed 3 shorts. Again I'd rate it as a fair pick of fluke. Keeper wise, it was only slightly better than the morning with 6-8 keepers boated.
Pool winners on both trips were nothing to brag over.
Despite the lack of keepers for Jason, Nick & myself it was a great day on the water with my son & introducing my nephew to fishing.
