Unbelievable Day in Northern Jersey

[CastingClinic]

I logged on last night intending on writing up a depressing report detailing how, despite having a great year overall, I haven’t seen a bass since early October.  Zero bass all November and the last trip out my fishing buddy pulled up a nice two pounder on a Ned rig in 30ft but I had no such luck.  A handful of pickerel and a rock bass was all I had to show for almost two months of effort.

 

While cruising the site I started looking into cold water tactics and found a Mike Bucca article about float n’ fly rigs and thought maybe I could piece something together and get out one last time.  I really just wanted one more bass to close out a great year on a high note.

 

I woke up this morning to 23 degrees and quickly changed my mind, accepting that the season was over and I’d be better off using the day to start packing up my fishing gear for winter.

 

I don’t know why by right around noon while pulling out tackle boxes something inside told me this was my last chance and to just suck it up and go catch one more bass.  So I got permission from my wife who thought I was crazy, told my fishing buddy who also thought I was crazy, grabbed some gear, and made for a favorite spot that I know well.

 

I was on the water around 1:30pm with water temps 40-41 degrees, air temp a balmy 35 and a stiff 12mph wind.  I had with me a piecemeal float n’ fly rig that never touched the water because my other rod had a blade bait and it turns out that’s all I needed.  I fished for just shy of three hours before sunset timed me out but in that time I had the best fishing of my entire life.  
 

I ended with 11 largemouth totaling 31.68lbs and a new personal best 4.38lbs.  Two over 4lbs and three over 3lbs.

 

I started the day throwing the blade bait into deep water off a point and jigging it back but had no luck.  However, as I was quickly blown towards shore I tossed it shallow to a spot I’d been successful with spinnerbaits earlier in the year and that’s when I hooked up my first.  I spent the rest of the day fishing that blade bait the same way I had been throwing spinnerbaits all year and into the same spots, throwing shallow and pulling it back out deep with a medium/slow straight retrieve that just ticked the bottom.

 

I can’t believe how successful I was today.  At times I was hooking up to bass one cast after another and they just seemed to keep getting bigger.  I thought I had to be dreaming.

 

I’ve had an incredible year and started 2024 at this same lake back in early March and caught a personal best 3.31lb largemouth only to beat that three more times and end in the same place I started, and to think that less than 24hrs ago I was ready to pack up and admit defeat.

 

The wife and I have our second due late May so I know next year won’t be the same, in fact it’ll be quite some time before I spend as much time on the water as I did this past year making today even more special.

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Congrats, all healthy fat beautiful fish!  

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, CastingClinic said:

 I fished for just shy of three hours before sunset timed me out but in that time

I had the best fishing of my entire life.  

That pretty much says it all.

Nice bass too.

Congrats on a killer day

as well as the impending new human.

A-Jay

[r83srock]

Congrats on an awesome trip!! 👍🏽

[Swamp Girl]

8 hours ago, CastingClinic said:

water temps 40-41 degrees, air temp a balmy 35 and a stiff 12 mph wind

 

Boy, you sure earned your great day! Aaron in Florida, fishing from the shore, also had a great day, and I'm doubly impressed when anglers overcome challenges, like cold winds and being shore bound. Tip o' the hat to you, sir!

 

[casts_by_fly]

very nice!  I think I've missed my window up here.  I hunted the end of Oct to the middle of November (and not disappointed about that).  Then family in town the entire past week (plus prepping for them last weekend) meant today was my first day without any plans.  As I drove into work yesterday morning I could see a couple of the lakes skimmed over in ice and daytime highs for the next could days are only 32-34 (lows in the teens at night).  There is a little warming trend coming, but I'm pretty sure the lakes are going to be iced up by then.  Here's to hoping for an early spring.

[Fishlegs]

Congrats on such a day! Hopefully, you will get to fish with the little ones one day. Helping your kid catch a fish is another great feeling.

[CastingClinic]

7 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

As I drove into work yesterday morning I could see a couple of the lakes skimmed over in ice

Noticed the same today and I am even more grateful for the timing.  The weather seems to be making up for the mild fall.  My gears packed up for winter but I’m with you in hoping for an early spring.

 

@Fishlegs Thants the plan.  I’ve probably got a couple more years before fishing with my son but plenty of time for getting out in nature with him.

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, CastingClinic said:

Noticed the same today and I am even more grateful for the timing.  The weather seems to be making up for the mild fall.  My gears packed up for winter but I’m with you in hoping for an early spring.

 

@Fishlegs Thants the plan.  I’ve probably got a couple more years before fishing with my son but plenty of time for getting out in nature with him.

whereabouts north Jersey are you?  I’m in Morris county. 

[T-Billy]

Congrats on the awesome day!!! Congrats on the baby on the way as well!!!

[pdxfisher]

Great job! I love a blade bait in cold water. It is a great slow  but fast bait. Fast spurts but isn't really moving very far very fast. I think of them as vertical jerk baits. 

[CastingClinic]

12 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

whereabouts north Jersey are you?  I’m in Morris county. 

Wayne

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, CastingClinic said:

Wayne

 

gotcha.  My neighbor is from there and we're over that way for a bit.  drop me a PM if you want to meet up on a lake this spring.

[Macropterus]

Beautiful fish and no dinks! Congrats on the kid!

[The Baron]

Wow, makes me think I hung it up for the season too soon. 👍🏻

[Darren.]

Fantastic outing. Well done! Here's to more of the same....

[dodgeguy]

Congratulations !!!! That's just awesome!!!!

 

[KP Duty]

[GreenPig]

Double Awesome! Best bassin day ever and a new baby coming.