Great report from Captain Jeff Davis aboard Let It Fly Charters

Sunday December 10th, Party of 4, 6:00am departure from Van’s Marina in Barnegat Light. Threats of high winds, rain, pressure dropping, Gale Force Warnings issued by NOAA. Results = Inlet very normal, seas normal, wind normal, no rain. “Red sky in the morning; sailors take warning”?

Not another boat going out. Barely first light, we begin to search for birds working, although we can barely see, scanning the fish finder.  Not one boat in any direction as far as the eye can see.  We literally have the ocean to ourselves.  So we begin to zig zag back and forth from beach at 25-30 feet deep to 50-60 feet heading north up as far as the Pavilion along Island Beach State Park. Very few birds looking along with the fish finder screen showing next to nothing.

We trolled a little bit and picked a 1/2 dozen fish. Then headed up the beach a little more. That was when all hell broke loose!

First we saw bird play and then the bait and stripers filled the fish finder screen solid.  We took light spinning outfits with Ava 27 diamond jigs, one Atom popper and one Nordic Eel.  It was clouds of birds down on the surface of the water feeding. Stripers hitting everything on the bottom, mid column and very wide spread on the surface flopping and smacking the bait. It was pandemonium! “Fish On” every drop or cast. Fish on the deck, measuring each fish, tagging the bonus size 24-28’s and ending up with everyone limiting out. We left them biting.

This was an event of magnanimous proportions. It was eerie and surrealistic with absolutely no other boats out or even within sight.  It definitely was a fly fishers’ dream. Can’t depend on it again, although it’s that time of year.  The ride back into the wind was very reasonable.

Temperature was mild. I guess everyone listened too closely to the weather forecast. Wednesday’s forecast looks good and we’ll be back out looking for more.

Let It Fly Fishing Charters is staying warm with hot fishing recently.

Saturday repeat client Drew Fialko was aboard for a fun day of fly fishing. We fished the near shore waters of Long Beach Island. At daybreak the birds and bass were active and fishing was strong for the early morning.

Drew caught ten striped bass on the fly. Three were slots and seven shorts. Also missed a few bites and caught two big herring. We tagged and released seven of the ten fish

Warm temps, no traffic, calm seas & willing fish.

Others are hanging it up but we are still fishing. With unseasonably warm temperatures so far this month and much less traffic in recent trips we will be fishing it out… calm seas and fish willing.

Are you looking to get into late fall light tackle fishing? Give Let It Fly Charters a call 16093771299