Labor Day Weekend - Somerset Co. & OC.

[Slobber Bob]

My work projects cancelled on me last Friday, so I took the day off and decided to hit the water bayside in Somerset County hoping for some specks. I mostly trolled and cast soft plastics or a crystal minnow. It wasn't lights out fishing, but it was a steady pick of fish, although mostly 12 - 14" stripers with the biggest topping out at 21". Unfortunately, specks were hard to come by. I only found one barely legal speck at the very end of the day. Add in 2 bluefish around 17", a barely legal weakfish, a surprise 17" Spanish mackerel, and a snagged ray to round out the day. Chartreuse really seemed to be the color they wanted that day.

The Spanish mack was only the second one I've ever caught and kept, but they have to be the finest eating fish in the bay. Man, they are good, good eats!

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I also gave it a try behind OC early on Labor Day. I launched around 4 and planned to be home by 8:30 before the family was done breakfast and ready to go for the day. I figured I'd find some blues and maybe stripers before sunrise. Nope. Complete ghost town. I didn't even get a bite. All I saw was happy, unmolested peanut bunker flipping around. It was hard to believe there was that much bait around and nothing on them.

After first light I pulled out some frozen sand fleas to do some prospecting for sheepshead. I poked around for a bit finding plenty of toads and little nibblers eager for some breakfast. Eventually I stumbled into what I was looking for. The first one I hooked was solid, but within seconds the fish had me in some oysters and cut my braid above my leader knot. This was going to be the theme for the morning as I would hook two more smaller sheepshead about 15 - 16" each that were both just barely hooked. I got both to the surface, said to myself "ah, perfect eater!", I notice how they are just ever so barely hooked, and within a millisecond of seeing how lightly they were hooked, both would pop off to freedom. Although I was very happy to find some sheepshead in OC away from the inlet, it was equally maddening not landing any of them.

[Rudy]

Thought I saw you peddling around out there. We did get in to some nice size specks but we went to a spot farther south to check out some new to me waters.


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[Slobber Bob]

It possibly could have been us? I was with Gary. He peddles, I paddle. He pointed out your house to me when we first started so we were in the area. We headed south from there to fish.

It had been over a year since I fished that spot. It was nice to get back. Some of the grass beds that have been very good to me in the past looked like nothing but sand flats now though. That was disappointing to see.

[nhunter344]

I also gave it a try behind OC early on Labor Day. I launched around 4 and planned to be home by 8:30 before the family was done breakfast and ready to go for the day. I figured I'd find some blues and maybe stripers before sunrise. Nope. Complete ghost town. I didn't even get a bite. All I saw was happy, unmolested peanut bunker flipping around. It was hard to believe there was that much bait around and nothing on them.

I tried the bay a couple weeks ago and it was the same. I went out both day and night. Day time was dead and night time was all you can catch 6" croaker and I think silver perch (look very white perch-like but no lateral line).

I did see one cool thing that weekend though. My wife dropped me off at the marina across from the inlet, I drifted for flounder for awhile without luck. I got bored and decided to take a bayside sightseeing/trolling trip up to the 87th St launch. I made it up to 30th street before the heavens opened up and I got caught out in a torrential downpour. I actually had fun. Its been a while since I got a soaking like that. Scared the wife though as she kept calling to check on me but I was drenched and my cell screen wouldn't work in the rain. Anyway, that cool part. In the middle of the downpour, the water turn absolutely flat and all of a sudden there were hundreds of ribbonfish jumping all around me.

[Rudy]

It possibly could have been us? I was with Gary. He peddles, I paddle. He pointed out your house to me when we first started so we were in the area. We headed south from there to fish.

It had been over a year since I fished that spot. It was nice to get back. Some of the grass beds that have been very good to me in the past looked like nothing but sand flats now though. That was disappointing to see.

They have been scraping a lot for peelers it tears up the grass and I still wonder why it’s still legal and in the oyster sanctuary too.


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[Hemingway]

It was nice getting out with you again, Brian. That Spanish Mac was a beautiful fish, glad it tasted even better!
Rudy, I agree with you about the scrapers, there was one working out in front of your house, and the clumps of grass were floating everywhere from him.

[Slobber Bob]

Yeah I've never understood the scrapers either. Why destroy the habitat that peelers rely relies on? The peeler traps seem more logical and less destructive. Although, from a fishing perspective I hate having the traps on every point when I'm trying to troll .

[Slobber Bob]

Anyway, that cool part. In the middle of the downpour, the water turn absolutely flat and all of a sudden there were hundreds of ribbonfish jumping all around me.

That's really strange. I've never heard of anything like it.

I enjoy the backbay away from the inlet when it's on. But when the bite is off there, it's really quiet. I could have gone to Rt. 50 and I would have been into some fish but fishing that bridge from a kayak at night isn't easy. It's takes some planning and I usually don't want to work that hard for a quick trip lol.