I was on vacation the last week of the summer. On this vacation I spent 6 days lounging on the beach, slathered in sun block with a good book. Any angler will tell you that staring at open water for a few days and not throwing a line is enough to drive you crazy. Now, the issue is that I am not, by any means, a saltwater angler.
In the past, whenever I have thought about of fishing in the ocean or the back bays of New Jersey, it never really appealed to me. The main reason is that I equate saltwater fishing with simply dropping a hook baited with squid over the side of a crowded boat. There never seemed to be any fun in that type of fishing, unless of course I felt like a good nap.
Over the last few months I have been reading and hearing about the prime opportunities that saltwater angling offers. I’d see pictures of 30-40lb Stripers caught in the surf and think, you know that looks like fun. In the end, on this vacation, I decided to bring my new kayak and try my luck fishing out of my element.
For the most part it was an astounding success. I caught more fish than I could count, but there were no keepers. It was fun to chase small blue fish as they engorged themselves on the baitfish swimming around the back bay of Strathmere, NJ. I also had fun landing Sea Bass, a Sea Robin, and even a small sand Shark.
When I got back to the ramp and another angler asked how I did, I told him about my adventure and all the fish I caught. He was less than impressed. However, I didn’t let this discourage me. I used my experience as a starting point to help improve my overall angling skill. Sure the fish were small this time, but next time I think I have some ideas on how I can change that.
I’ve been fishing since I was a kid, and I have long since giving up chasing trophies. I mean, I live in NJ, and while there is a lot of great fishing opportunities to be had throughout the state it is not known for its amazing world record catches. The state record Largemouth Bass is 12lbs lighter than the world record, and it doesn’t look like that will ever change.
If we don’t make an effort to improve on our favorite hobbies, what is the point in participating at all. It may be a long time before I become proficient in the salt, but I had to start somewhere, and no better place than on vacation at the Jersey Shore.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Saltwater...What is that about?
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2 comments:
I have to say I admire guys like you. My brother is the same way. I am so afraid of jumping into something like that, because of the simple fear of failure or "looking silly" to other people. Kudos to you though for going and enjoying yourself.
I have to say that a river we fish now every year, my brother on a whim a few years back, just went up there and winged it. He met a few guys who were kind enough to help and that was that. He passed it down to me and now we go every year and help other newbies. Very cool!
I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE GIVING SALT WATER A TRY. JUST BE CAREFUL! I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN SHARKS ON THE BAY SIDE WHILE KAYAKING. AND, IF THEY ARE BAYSIDE, THEY WILL BE OCEAN SIDE! I HAVE ALSO HEARD ABOUT CATCHING THE BIGGER SALT WATER FISH (TARPIN). THEY PUT UP QUITE A FIGHT AND WOULD BE VERY CHALLENGING!
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