Dead Fishing After Storms

Having just got on I-80, Jorge trailing behind in his van, the view to the west of an approaching storm was awesome. In minutes, rain fell heavily, and I felt relieved wind wasn't a problem. I use a two-inch ratchet strap with big, heavy gears, so that canoe is secure on my car, but even so, there's a reason I was nervous. I found only one tie-down loop. In the front. So I was able only to rope the front to the right of where I sat driving. No tie-loop in the rear, I tied leftward to the frame. I looked underneath to the right, but refused to mess with a rope on the exhaust pipe and against the gas tank.

I've always thought I could just ratchet the thing down and do without the ropes. Maybe. 

My new car took not a scratch. Guys would wonder why I drive a Civic, not an SUV or pickup. I don't need an SUV or pickup. It would be nice for stripers and blues on Island Beach, but maybe I'll get an invitation. It would be nice on Ocracoke beaches, too, but I work way too hard for the little money I earn to spend thousands just so I can drive a beach once or twice a year. And when was the last time I was on Ocracoke?

We had to wait out the very slow moving storm. And a second storm behind that one. Went into town for coffee. Jorge caught sunnies from the dock. Cast them out hoping for a bass. I plugged for a few minutes. We talked and talked, and that talk was the best part of the excursion.

And we fished from the squareback for more than three-and-a-half hours. Afterwards, I figured that yesterday, it was a morning bite. Fishing just ahead of the storms would have been interesting, at least, but getting skunked thereafter was, too. I felt flabbergasted. Lush habitat everywhere. You could have sat on one spot and fished that the whole time, expecting to hook-up, because there has to be bass in such water. Not to mention pickerel. 

This is the second time I've fished Aeroflex from a boat, and the first was a slow day under intense sun. We caught only two bass and a pickerel. The bass were good ones, but I felt a little put off by so few, and I chalked it up to high pressure, even though we do a lot better elsewhere under the same sort of conditions.

Yesterday, forget it. Cloudy sky. Water temp 78, Cool air. Sound fishy? I think so. The water temp was four degrees above my comfort zone, but not really bad. The lake was dead. Something took my unweighted Chompers right up against the bank under an overhang, but I couldn't tell if it was a bass. Other than that, no hits from bass or pickerel. I was rattling on about fishing pressure. Aeroflex has a ramp. But if you want to talk about pressured bass, talk about Spruce Run Reservoir or Lake Hopatcong. When I go bass fishing at either, I do well.

Yesterday was the last I see of Jorge for awhile. He's moving to Florida, where I expect he'll find some excellent spots for largemouths, not to mention the shore. For the next four years and some months, I'm tied down to my job, but my wife's plan--since she manages many millions for a large corporation, she does well managing our finances--is for me to spend a couple of years writing, doing photography, and fishing before I actually retire. (Doesn't mean that when I "retire" I will stop doing same.)

Jorge generously invited me down. So four years and some from now, expect a few posts about it.

Flex