The Fish are In Between Pesky Northeast Winds

Three separate northeast wind events in week! First was the freak snow storm, followed by two annoying dry nor’easters that only served to waste calendar time since the westerlies never returned with force after the snow. Northeast wind events will usually make for an exciting bite, that is when there is enough time between them so as to let the water settle out some and the fish regroup. To have them right on top of each other in one week was less than ideal.

The good news is the bass are here in numbers, as some very good bites went down on days when the water was cleaner and more fishable. Even when the winds were blowing, gulls and gannets were working hardcore two casts out, just beyond the dirty/clean line. Large schools of bass were surely going crazy beneath them, feeding all day out of range of us surfcasters who were impeded by short period waves and gusty winds. It was ‘Ok. That was a good cast.’ One . . . Two . . . Three . . . Bam! And a fish would hit nearly instantly. The problem wasn’t that the fish weren’t there, rather the problem was fighting the waves, wind, and drift for another ‘good cast’.

Some very good sand eel bites went down on the days between northeast winds when the wind and surf was relaxed (highlighted in blue). During the northeast winds, the bites were generally poor with the fishing not much better than a pick. This was counter to the normal modus of great bites during northeast winds, however that rule applies to when the northeast wind events are not as successive. On some of the sandbars, gulls are feasting on sand eels at low tide, and by the nature of the bites it’s obvious a good amount of sand eels are residing on the backs of the bars.

A good bite happened on the morning of the 3rd, as soon as it became fishable after the wind and waves of the 1^st and 2^nd. The bass were stacked up on the back of the sandbar feeding on sand eels. It took a long cast with metal and a teaser, with most hits coming during the first few cranks, but those who were there landed a good number of fish over a couple hours. This was at a place where the sand eels have been thick since September, so it was only a matter of time.

Unlike the excessive precipitation of the freak snow storm, northeast wind event 2 of 3 this week was a dry one- a dry nor’easter. Coming only two days after the last northeast wind, there wasn’t really enough time for the ocean to recover and fishing was only a slow pick.

Finally the wind and waves calmed some on the 3rd and a great bite went down.  A good number of people were out in the afternoon trying to recreate the success of the morning.

Just as things were looking good northeast wind event 3 of 3 arrived. The fish were feeding hard two casts out during the blow but we were blocked from them by the wind and surf.

The first annual Berkeley Striper Club Catch & Release Tournament was thwarted by northeast wind event 3 of 3 on the 4^th and 5^th. The back bay was the place to be at the start of the event, where Steve George from South Jersey scored 6 bass in an hour to win it. Congratulations Steve!

This morning, Sunday the 6^th, after northeast wind event number 3, I scored a very good morning bite. The fish were feeding heavily on the back of the bar. Because of the northeast winds, the trough had widened, so the back of the bar was way out there on the best cast. The fish were only hitting on the first few cranks, so it was very important to time the waves properly and not waste a cast. Those who are apt at the long cast-good timing method took the most fish. Every time I looked to my left or right I saw at least one person hooked up on a fish, and usually it was the same person, Billy, who was doing well on the long cast with a tin squid and teaser.

After spending too much time fishing lousy surf for the tournament free fishing this morning turned out a lot better. I scored two double headers on the Tin Squid and Shoestring Teaser combo and had 8 bass total. It was all about a long cast to the back of the bar. Those who couldn’t do that spent their time watching us bang them up.

After a post-tournament late start this morning Rick demonstrated a fish could be taken on the inside too. A fish on the inside is a good sign!

I am really excited that the next afternoon bite, night bite, and morning bite will be very fun. The days are growing short, the sun will be setting very early today, the fish are here, and the water is finally fishable. This time of year is so special- the energy is in the air, the water, and even in the Wawa when comparing catches with a cashier. It looks like there will be yet another annoying east wind event and large waves this week, on Wednesday and Thursday, though the local winds aren‘t forecast to be as strong. A cold front with a good west wind, finally, is forecast to move through at the end of this week. Hopefully a good calm water Needlefish bite will follow that front . . . For now the metal thing is perfectly fine as long as it continues to produce!