Sometimes when it blows, it doesn’t….

I can’t actually say that the big Northeast blow that is churning things up has get me irritated. For our section of Southern New Jersey, even though it is wiping out this weekend for fishing, a change in weather is just what we needed to hopefully get things on track for the Fall. Face it, 69 degree water in the surf is not really what you would expect to kick off the activity that we usually enjoy this month.

Last weeks’ totally weird, Indian Summer type conditions did allow many of our offshore brothers a great window to go out and beat up on some tuna and tilefish, and there has been a crazy redfish bite going on from Corsons to the south, but the striper scenario has virtually been a schoolie and back bay popping un-adventure. Lots of numbers, but no size. Sure, there has been some decent tog fishing going on for those that want to dunk greenies, but for me and many like me, that effort will not start in force until the limit bumps back up to a worthwhile 6 per man on the 15th of next month. Togging for one, however, may be the only thing you might be able to do this weekend, IF you can find a really sheltered area, and IF you can find some rocks that you won’t get knocked off of by the high surf. Trying to catch a bait stealing, snaggle-toothed dinner when you are getting whacked by 8 foot seas just a’int no fun in my book.

I can tell you what my plans are for the weekend, it is workbench, boat and shop time. A weekend of investing time in getting ready so when we can pull the trigger our guns are fully loaded. A great time to break out the split ring pliers and start switching out the hooks on that box full of Stretch 25s & 30s. The perfect set-up for stripping the last 20’ of braid off our reels so that little nick we really can’t see does not cost us the fish we am going to work so hard for. A really good weekend to hit our favorite bait & tackle shops and stock up. Perhaps one of the last times to go work on the boat and get it ready for the foul weather and super fishing ahead, where your fingers are not stinging from the cold. Top off our fluids, check our batteries, give our float switches a flip, grease up the bearings, and throw on those extra set of lines that are in the dock box. If not now…. when?

You avid anglers did, however, dial us up for a fishing forecast so I will do my weekly duty and tune you in to what our network is buzzing about.

Dennis at Murphy’s Hook House in Tom’s River is ripping the price tags off his Quantum reels and starting his fall “Let’s make a Deal” conversation with customers. He has got some inventory to move. He also just got in a bunch of the new Penn 704z reels… the old coffee grinder is back! In the “this is kinda cool and new” department, he also now carries a clear elastic string for clam slingers.

Dave at Absecon Bay Sportsman’s Center took a look at the forecast and decided this was a great time to run his N’oreaster Blow Out Sale. He is busting out the “closeout” price tags on lots of stuff on the walls and the back room. There are only a few of them but he does a have about a dozen panther Martin 9’er rigs usually tagged at $30 marked down to $9.99. That’s worth a look in my book.

Big wind or no big wind, this is the big weekend in our area for the first ever Tackle Direct clearance canyon Sale. They have been getting ready for this for weeks and I kid you not, this is a serious warehouse clear out. When you stock 30,000 different outdoor products from 500 premium brands and ship to 200 countries around the world and decide it’s time to clean things up, the deals the local guys get are totally worth the trip. If I can impress you on just one thing… get there early, they open at 9. There are a few things I saw in the showroom that they only have a couple of that are priced somewhere in the ‘stupid” range. Get me?

Always good to talk to the guys at Fin-Atics in Ocean City but there is really nothing much to report there either. Just the hope that the storm will blow all that sand out of the jetties and groins and open them up for some great rock hopping later next week when things calm down.

Best Bet for this weekend

Get ready! This is the weather event we have been waiting for to drive those northern inshore waters to the south, and bring the free-riding stripers from New England down our way. I’m going to guess that the NE blow is going to move lots of the bait across the bays and out of the back, but whether or not there is much hanging out front to chow down on them is up in the air. File some hooks, lube a few handles, tie a few teasers, and Stay Tuna-ed!