Yesterday (Tuesday, May 28), I returned to Alpine, New Jersey in the mid-afternoon. I began by picking up two dozen bloodworms and one fresh bunker at Jack's. There, a fisherman had wheeled in his day's catch: a monstrous striped bass. It must have measured several feet, and I was told it weighed over 40 lbs. (Of course, I left my phone in the car, so there's no picture.) He caught it nearby using a piece of fresh bunker. I don't know if he was on shore or in a boat. I congratulated him, shaking his hand and saying, "God bless ya! You're my hero." He appreciated my good wishes.
I then drove to Alpine. Since there was traffic on the wretched Cross Bronx Expressway, I was delayed by 45 minutes or so. I started fishing around 3:10. I missed high tide, and it was starting to recede. The weather forecast called for showers, but over here, it was raining harder than I expected. The solunar calendar predicted nominal fishing success, but I went anyway. As I have written before, fog and a slight, bearable rain usually evoke a pleasant fishing experience I once had on the Potomac River off Fletcher's Boathouse--days after I learned that I would be getting my Master's Degree.
The rain (as you can see in the above photo) created plenty of mud. Of course, I got soaked as did everything else. There was also a dense fog in the area, and I couldn't even see the George Washington Bridge. I put a piece of bunker on one line, and a bloodworm on the other. I didn't have much action at first. I eventually managed to get a few hits on both lines, but didn't catch anything.
The rain continued to batter the area and my aging frame without mercy. (Wisely, I took my pain medication before leaving home.) I managed to hold out for about 80 to 90 minutes before making another early exit (this one due to rain).
I was extra careful driving home because of the fog. Fortunately, the bad weather kept the bicyclists and pedestrians away.
