# Avalon Report



## Chuckles (Oct 12, 2003)

*Avalon Report - first NJ striper*

I’ve been going to the beach and throwing bait in front of me for a few years, but last Saturday it finally came together for me...

We arrived in Avalon Friday night at 12:30, and after tucking the kids into bed I headed up to Townsend Inlet. Strode out on the bridge to do a little recon from above and saw the big fish staging along the shadow line on the upside of the incoming tide, just like you read about. First cast with a ¾ oz white with red accent bucktail, and I was immediately on to a monster fish. Alas, after about five minutes, it had broken off my 40lb floro leader on a bridge piling, or that’s what I tell myself – couldn’t be knot failure of my improved clinch, could it? So, back to the drawing board. Hmmm, if they broke off my floro leader, maybe I should try something more stout, say an 18” steel leader with a big ol’ duolock snap on the end. Well, as you might imagine, no takers there after some fruitless tosses with an all white bucktail, and after a while I plucked a Yozuri out of the plug bag. By then, all the big bass had moved off, and twenty minutes later all of the holographic tape was rubbed right off the lure and the polymer streamers were shredded. I thought I was into snappers, but couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t hooking any. Upon closer inspection, it became evident I was bouncing my lure like an idiot through a huge school of bunker, as evidenced by scales on the hooks. You could have walked across the inlet on those bunker, but there was nothing slamming them. It ran counter to what I would have expected, but it was late and I wasn't thinking clearly. Frustrated that I didn’t land the “fish of a lifetime”, and befuddled by the blue/bunker confusion, I decided to call it a night. No voices came to me in the late hours Friday night.

But, Saturday proper arrives with a beautiful sunny disposition, a light west wind, mild temps and nary a bug in the air. Life is looking good – a beautiful day at the beach with the family awaits. My wife and son go up for a walk on the beach early, and my daughter and I follow suit a bit later right as they are returning - just before low tide at 11:30. Brrrrrr, I stick my toe in and the water’s to cold for me, but there’s a huge tidal pool warmed by the sun that my nine-year-old girl can splash around in and hunt for hermit crabs. Suddenly, and most unexpectedly, a faint voice pops into my head and I hear myself saying, “Hey Elizabeth, let’s follow this pool down the beach and see where it empties into the ocean, huh?” “Okey-dokey, Daddy.” And three blocks down we are there. “If this isn’t the exact thing you’ve been reading about, I don’t know what is”, the voice says. And it is: the perfect cut – a rarity if ever there is one on Seven Mile Island. Two huge bars, split by a channel running diagonally out to sea, formed by the emptying tidal pools north and south, all of which is down a good ten-foot drop-off from the apparent high tide mark. It’s suddenly second nature to triangulate on the two houses above me, and then its back to the house for lunch.

After lunch, the wife and kids are getting ready to go up to the beach with Grandma, and I find I forgot to pack my swimsuit. I’d normally drive down to Island Pursuits in Stone Harbor, but turn north towards Avalon instead and stop in at HodgePodge. No clams in the shell, “but we swear it’s fresh shucked!” They look okay, so I grab a couple of bags and some ice for the coolers. I find a suit, and now its 3:30 - time to catch up with the family on the beach...

But, this time I’m hauling a kiddie wagon with one cooler full of “freshly shucked – we swear” clams, another with a six of Sammys, a couple of spikes and a beach chair with one hand and carrying my 11’ Solaris and 7.5’ plugger with the other. Well, there’s the family, in the usual spot, so I play some bocce with the kids then say, “Um, I’m going to move down the beach a bit to fish – yeah, all the way down past the lifeguard stand and then some.” A rolling of the eyes from the mother-in-law and another taunt from the wife about the “vegetarian fisherman” (a reference to all the sea lettuce I usually haul in), and I’m off. Slow slogging through the soft sand with the wagon, ‘cause the tide is just about peaked, but I’m elated when there’s nobody in the spot I'd noticed earlier – maybe the steep drop-off scared off the families with little kids, I don’t know. What is apparent is that the water looks exactly like I had imagined it would, breaking waves over the bars and rollers along the channel – just where I’d remembered.

Okay, I’m set to go, but nervous about snapping off the tackle. Time to be honest with myself: "admit your knot failed last night. You’re gonna lose it for sure, buddy, if you load the rod properly but use the clinch”. Okay, let’s see if I can remember the uni people have been talking about for PowerPro….

Four casts, four bait sets.

First cast – my first with the Okuma – and I’m pretty happy with it, but a little short and right of the target, and the littoral current sweeps me further right. But, what the hell, might as well let them soak once the 4oz pyramid settles. Fifteen minutes later, and I haul in…. bare hooks.

I flash: “thread the foot three times, more if you can.”

Second cast: remembered to load the rod a little and pull down with the leading hand this time and I’m fifty yards past where I was – and beyond the target. “Oooooh, did I do that? That’s looking much better!” Self-satisfied with my improved distance, and after tinkering with the rear drag, I’m planted in my chair checking out the local talent and not expecting much. But only briefly – the pole is shaking like it’s nervous to be there and I throw the main drag into gear and start reeling. Jeez, this thing is wriggly. I tell the kid who runs up that it’s probably a shark – no, I doubt it’s a Great White - but we both know otherwise when we see the 19” bluefish do a little aerial ballet for us. A few minutes later, and it’s on the beach and I’m scaring off the little kids as I prepare to immediately bleed the thing. “Sorry, kids…” “Yeah, thanks - I rarely see anyone catch anything off the beach here either.” Okay, think I’ll pop one of those Sammys – I’ve earned it, right?

Third cast, a little left, actually does bring in a little sand shark, which thankfully goes back unnoticed.  

Three times through, right? Okay, it’s 4:30 and the tide’s running out now and where’s that cut again? Fourth cast. Right. On. The. Money. I know it, and you’d have known it too had you been there. Less than two minutes – just enough time to open a second beer and take a single swig – and suddenly ZZZZZZZZZZZ: the baitrunner is screaming. Flip the switch and I almost fall over. I’m chasing whatever this thing is up and down half a block. “Whatever you do, don’t muscle it in”, one of you yells in my head. Another: “Don’t tighten the drag, you idiot!” Hey, if you’re going to be a voice in my head, can you please be civil about it?

Twenty minutes later, and there he is at my feet. Beautiful and measured thricely at 35.5”. I look up, and who’s that? My son Charlie walking casually down the beach to let me know Grandma is heading up to the house to see about dinner. Only, he breaks into a full sprint at about fifty yards out when he sees the crowd gathering and this silver flopping flash. If we ever let him use that kind of language, I’m sure he would have screamed “hooooly shiiiiit, Dad!” – he wore the look all over his face. He’s followed a minute later by the gals of the family; Elizabeth’s suitably impressed, but wonders if she has to have fish for dinner – she hates fish. Ann, my wife, is grinning as she comes up and says, “congratulations, that’s a nice fish you caught there, mister”. And another voice comes into my head – this time it’s mine – and it’s saying, “No, it’s a nice fish I caught with help and advise from a lot of very generous people."

Amazing what you can do when you listen to the voices in your head!

Pic's in the gallery!


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## kev (Sep 26, 2004)

great story and great fish.glad to hear it.


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## david123 (Jun 24, 2004)

*Congrats!*

Some years ago I used to vacation in Stone Harbor and Know of the areas you speak of. I never had any luck with anything but Sand Sharks! Your tale was a good one and was a pleasure to read. Good job!

Dave


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## FunnyFishMan (Nov 19, 2004)

That story made my day! I think there are many of us out there that can totally relate...I know I'm one of them! So I can say with a Sammy held high...CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!!

This Buds for you Mr. Modern Day Get Me A Fish Beer Chugging Beach Dad!

I find myself doing alot of fishing pre-season at Townsend Inlet. Pulled out a nice 25" striper and a many many 27" + Blues, and I enjoy it doing it with my 13 year old son. Maybe we'll meet up someday. Again Congrats


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Well....*

Had to work OT today but as of 06:30 pm today I am on vaction. After reading this I can't wait. Way to go dude.    Vacation just got cancelled!!!


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## RoadRage (Jul 8, 2005)

i goto avalon everyother week, but usally fish at the 8th st jettie or the bay on 54th street cause ofthe wife and kid. but if you would be so kind as to tell me where on the beach u were at i would be most greatful!


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## jerseysalt (Jul 8, 2005)

*nice*

great story....makes you come back for more


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## ReelinRod (May 29, 2003)

Great story!

Thanks for posting.


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

good read... thanks...


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## Chuckles (Oct 12, 2003)

*As to where...*

I've been back up twice since, and so far have not had a single skunked outing - not counting the above, I've had 20 bass in 10 fishing days, about two hours a day. Three keys: always on the first two hours of the falling night tide, fresh-shucked clams from the place at 2389 Ocean Drive on a high-low rig w/8/0 gammi circle hooks (at least 4oz to hold), and fish the best structure you can find. I did all mine off the beach, but the deep cut I saw in June was gone, so I fished the measliest change in flatness I could find - with a beach that flat, you take what you can get - but look for a steep dropoff from the high-water mark. I did most of my fishing around 67th street and south, but that's only cause it was within easy walking distance.

Most of the fish were mid-20" range, with the exception of three to 37".


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