Still No Keepers by Dave Spendiff

Posted on May 8, 2014 by VHFC

I went out early 0n May 6, 2014 to fish the outgoing tide around the bridge closest to Ship Bottom The lagoon temp was 56 and I didn’t see anything higher in the bay than 57.8 degrees all day. I made what seeded like hundreds of drifts covering the bridge and surrounding area. I marked fish but couldn’t entice anything to bite. I used BKDs on various weight jig heads, trying to cover the water column at depths I was marking fish. Around 11:30 I got a definite hit and shortly thereafter picked up the first of identical 18″ twin stripers. The second was caught on the next drift on a pink BKD and 3/8 oz. white jig head.

I spoke to Bill Figley on my way back in around 2:00, as he was washing down his Parker “Red Herring”. He had been at the middle grounds clamming for black drum and tried the large bridge for bass without luck. He said he too has picked up a few small bass this season.

I went out again early this morning, May 7th, and headed for the middle grounds to try for bass with artificials. Nothing! Not a touch! Bill’s boat was out when I came in so don’t know how he made out today. Water temp in the middle grounds never got above 56.5 all day.

Some day soon it is all going to break loose so keep the boat full and those hooks sharp!

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Fishing Facts

Of the fifty United States, thirty-eight have a striped-bass record. New Jersey has the largest striped-bass record—a 78-pound 8·ounce whopper that was caught in 1982. The state with the smallest striped-bass record is Iowa. That landlocked striper weighed only 9 pounds 4 ounces and was caught in 1983.

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