Yesterday I went to fish here, haven't been here since 1989, I was basically going for cats and using YouTubers hotdog , jello, oyster sauce recipe as bait, I also brought along some hefty sardines that I got at Aloha Tackle shop in Huntington Beach. Didn't get no bites but there were so many bluegills, Chads and baby bass , at one time something broke the surface in front of me that I almost dropped my phone while I was on a call. Spent the whole day just getting some peace of mind , overall it was a great day.✌️

Well folks. We headed up to Clear Lake Wednesday morning. Fishing with two fellow stagers, NoCal Steve, George(the bus) and our friend Mark. Two boats. We were on the water at sunrise on Wednesday morning. Lake was like glass and the weather was hot. We fished hard all day, into sunset. Caught a total of eight LMB for the day, biggest, a 4 pounder. We were concentrating on all our known spots that proved productive in the past. We threw everything at them, sinkos, Ned rigs, chatterbaits , swim baits etc. the four pounder was fooled on a rattletrap. Day two..back on the water at sunrise. Once again, same techniques and various spots. Ended with only eight bass for the day, with Steve catching the biggest bass for the trip, a five pounder. While working a sinko I had a major hit, though I had a monster LMB on the the line. After fighting the fish for several minutes it was obvious that it was not a bass. After another ten minutes of fighting this fish we finally got it to the net. It was a 22pound catfish. What a fight! Yes, it was not a bass, but the fight getting the fish to the net made my trip! Gonna put the LMB gear away until spring and concentrate on the stripers in the delta. No matter the results, it’s still great fishing with fellow stagers! Tight lines my friends!

Went carping in the 64 degree Millstone River on the north shore in Plainsboro, NJ, this evening on a warm, cloudy day with light drizzle and no wind during a small craft warning and gale advisory. My spot was still loaded with weeds, moss, algae, duck weed, mosquitoes, and debris. I killed 3 mosquitoes. Threw out a can of corn 🌽 for chum, then caught nothing while ultralight jigging. Landed a bluegill and 2 common carp to 5.5 lbs with Happy Valley whole kernel corn on 12 lb test line. As I lifted my rod to reel in my line and leave on my last cast of the day, there was a deeply hooked 3 lb carp on the end of my line with someone’s hook and line tangled with my three hook rig. Sometimes when a carp takes my bait, I don’t feel a bite. Saw 2 adult bald eagles 🦅 fly downriver. Mallards, crows and double crested cormorants were flying. I used my Thermacell. Gave the carp to the Ukrainian National Home. Saw some bubbles rising from the bottom of the river. Rowers were on the lake. I removed a lot of moss, weeds, tree branches and debris from my spot.

It took an extra hour to get to the lake, due to a 5 exit parking lot on I-84. All because of an accident on the exit before the lake exit. Still had fog on the lake even though I was late. Water temperature was warmer than Zoar, 62° at the ramp. Another dink and panfish day unfortunately. 5 little Largemouth, and a couple Rockys and Crappie. Found a big school of Crappie, while looking for Smallmouth. Could have filled my cooler if I had it with me. Got a few pictures of the trees for the southern guys. 😃

After I fish a spot for more than 60 years, I call it my spot. When other people are in my spot, I go elsewhere. Last year I didn’t join the best striper blitz of the year because of the crowd, and fished in the inlet instead of the surf. I never join the crowd. The crowd always comes to me because I never fish in casting range of other people. Yesterday after two intruders came over to my spot and removed half of my fishing area, I moved to another spot. Most people don’t realize that they are going to be blinded for the rest of their life after they get a hook in their eye.

Drove to Manasquan to go fishing this evening but police roadblocks blocked access to the inlet because of the annual tug of war. Went to Dog Beach. Caught nothing in 10 casts with a 2 teaser Ava rig, then went to the inlet after the police left. Weather was cloudy and cold after a cold front with a west wind small craft advisory and outgoing tide. Ocean was very rough and dirty. More than 10 surfers were in my spot. Didn’t get a hit again. Two women arrived and started surf fishing with bunker on the point. My High n’ Dry breatheable chest waders leaked. After the surf fishermen left, I started using a school bus Bomber and 2 teaser rig. Got a big tangle and lost a teaser and plug. Switched to an ASalt black Bomber and 2 teaser rig. An intruder arrived and started fishing on the jetty in casting range. He caught, beached, then released an undersized striped bass with a plug, then took over my spot. On my last cast of the day, I caught, tagged and released a 29” striped bass with my brother John’s homemade pink synthetic buck tail teaser. The intruder in my spot caught my line while I was fighting the striper. I was very fortunate to land my first striped bass for this year. NJ crowd surf fishing is not fun.