My Dream re-lived, this time a reality, with a caveat...
I was prepared 60% for this one. As the previous Saturday was planned for a trip off Long Island, NY or Rhode Island, this one was for Long Beach Island aka Barnagat Light, New Jersey.
Based on previous years the report for bass signaled for a Halloween bite. This year being a late season we encountered alot of warm weather with much more warm water. The air temperature was 64 degrees by nightfall and that isn't anywhere close to the 51-54 I was hoping the water would be.
Oh I can't complain. I was living out the dream as written in my last post.
We left NYC around 5pm got to Fisherman's Headquarters promptly as the sun was touching down on brant beach and grabbed some items for evening. Two sinking Super Strike needles (one pink & one black), 2 bunker (my first time using bunker for bait on a beach or jetty), hooks and weights, knife, and some fish finders...
Wawa, for an amazing chicken sub, then off to BL aka jetty aka the lighthouse.Okay, so this was a fishing trip where we lost to the ocean, to the surf, and to being only 60% prepared. I had FIVE bananas in the car about a week earlier that had been left on the commute beforehand. We threw them out before leaving the city but YES, the reverse effect of the banana's came to realization. (Remember, Bananas usually work FOR me, not against). Well, it came to be that for each banana in their banana stock, there would be FIVE, yes 5....1,2,3,4,5 bad trips altogether for the future.
I spent the next 30 minutes rigging line systems, re-rigging hooks, and organizing all the gear into my backpack in complete darkness. I don't know what it is but I like the fact we are fishing for stripers and that means fishing at night and not using lights. I think this part took me more like 45 mins. oh lala...
About an hour earlier I called Greg and Yonnie. Seems Yonnie was fishing Loveladies through two day tides and slack without much love but short bass. Better than zero. Guys at Fishhead were up in Montauk the weekend before and from reports were slaying mini bass non-stop. Couldn't meet up with Dante and Greg was snoozing so it was just gonna be us. I knew there was bass where we were but there would be no way we hook into them.
Okay, move on. We have bait and Bayaar pitches an 8oz and bare hook to practice. I must not forget that he has experience. From childhood to the last two boat trips out of Rhode Island & the Peconic.
Headlamp on and trekking forward into the dark. I realize there is something missing. It's the drone of that tower at the end of the jetty.
We find a rock and slash up the bunker. head, one-inch pieces, guts & glory. twenty minutes later I lose the pink needle. We retire bait setups, with a short lesson on how it's done for FanFan and decide to move further to the surf. Bait & a sunken jetty sound promising at the end of an incoming.
Sometimes as I walk on this jetty there comes a time when I realize walking the surf would be mucho easier. Fan & I jump down and take ease as the sand is lenient on our legs compared to the jetty. Bayaar commits to the rocks and we move on. Now, I can't believe what happens next would actually really happen. as the tide on the surf side heightens propose to Bayaar to come down on a sandy notch so we can walk the beach. He does but doesn't approach the notch from the flat sloped piece we recommend by headlamp. SLIP, SLIDE and SPLASH! ~~~ Bayaar is swimming. Butt first with jeans and sneakers, left elbow on the algae and an eventual plomp of his body and face into the water. I freeze, I take a mental snap shot, and then run over. Fan is already halfway and in a moment of reaction time Bayaar pops back up and spits out saltwater and sand at the same time! LOL, this isn't funny but as I watch he jumped out of the water as fast as he slipped in.
Soaked. and in dismay. I make the choice to head home. 215fishspot crew 0, Banana 1.
