# Barnegat Bay report



## HelpOnTheWay (Feb 23, 2004)

Hey all, I fished the backside of LBI over Easter weekend. Saturday night had water temps to 52*. Managed an 18" short (first bass of the season  ) and had a big boil about 3 feet from my feet, which I missed due to early season rust. Scared the bejeezus outta me. Action was on a sinking yo-zuri plug on the incoming tide (so much for what I know about spring fishing in NJ). Sunday and Monday gave me nothing, with water temps falling to 48-49*. Tried clams, jigs, plugs, topwater, even eels that I found in the minnow trap that I forgot about last fall  I couldn't afford gold-plated worms. 
Also, I was visited by an otter several times. Has anyone seen these in NJ bays? Sure was cute when he hopped up on the boat ramp and started barking at me.


----------



## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings HelpOnTheWay!

You shouldn't be smoking that stuff while fishing....


----------



## HelpOnTheWay (Feb 23, 2004)

Hi Jake,
I'm dead serious. I got a very good look at him several times. Folks on other boards think it was a small seal, but it was DEFINITELY an otter. He had ears, clearly defined front and back extremities, 3-4' long, and shaped like a weasel. I know what I saw, I just don't know how he got to a barrier island 5 miles from the mainland.
Or were you talking about me fishing plugs on an incoming tide at this time of year?
Maybe my 'lost' killie trap?


----------



## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

> I know what I saw


An otter would be a rare sight indeed, but I guess anything is possible. They've had a cougar or cougars wandering around Delaware County (PA), and last winter it/they were spotted as far south as the Cristianna Mall in DE. Supposedly escaped or abandoned pets....

Last summer they found four alligators in a pond in Lehigh County (PA). Two winters ago a thoroughly chilly four foot gator was pulled out of the Wissahickon Creek in Philly!

Everybody knows about the MD snakeheads, but a 5 pound pacu (relative of the pirahnna) was pulled out of a NJ apartment complex drainage pond.

The best has to have been the guy who went to get the morning paper and spotted an 8 foot bengal tiger walking down a Jersey street. I bet the cops were checking HIS coffee cup....


----------

