2023 was a bit of a weird fishing year. Didn’t have any real solid “Striper” nights. Had one really fun Blue Fish night. For the second year in a row had some health issues in the fall that impacted the fishing effort but still was able to get out there. Overall, I had a load of fun out there, not one time did I fish in a crowd. Almost all fish caught in the dark this year, very little time extending the trips into the daylight, one bass caught top water the whole year. And I am thinking I learned a lot…. 2023 highlights: 14 Weakfish was more than I caught in all my entire fishing years. Targeted them a bit as they seemed to be around more than Stripers at times. I had a night where I caught 10 Bluefish, most between 30 and 33 inches, missed and lost some. That was a fun night, they were spread out, in tight where I would have thought Stripers were. The Albie Snax and the large Savage Gear Freestyler each caught 14% of the Stripers, next at 8% was the Habs Stubby Needle. Looking forward big time to the 2024 Season.
December 3, Jersey ocean side, 3 spots from 11:30 PM to 7:30, skunk city, fitting end to a wacky fishing year. Nice weather at start, cross wind at the end.
November 26, Not all the way west….., ocean. Dropped one and missed another. Then finally a short, first on a Magnum. Nice night, chilly, fun. New reel, liked it…..
November 19, West, backside to ocean and then the ocean again, 11:30-7:30, covered more sand this trip than any I can remember in some time. Just could not find anything. One short bass on a Super Strike Bullet. Nice night and sun rise.
November 12, West, backside to ocean, 11:30-6:30, took to 2:30 to find a Bass, then had action to 4:45. No size, 22 inches to 28 inches, long casts mostly. Habs Stubby needle 4, Savage Gear Freestyler 3 and the other two on the Explorer. Dropped 4 and missed crazy amount of hits. Fun trip, haven’t had anything resembling consistent action this year.
November 5, West, ocean side 11:30 PM -2:30 AM, two hits and misses in some white water. Moved to the back, had a 20 minute window where I missed two and ,landed one. Nice night out.
October 29, West, fished 11:30 PM to 8:00 AM, could not find fish except for brief time. Dropped one and landed one, covered over 1.5 miles of sand. Beautiful night and fun.
October 22nd, Jersey, fished 11:30 PM to 7:00 AM, two beaches, ocean side. beautiful water and structure, wind. Just not a lot of action. One bass at 4:20. Enjoyed the time OTW.
October 19th, Westerly, fished 11:30 PM to 4:00 AM, just a short on a Snax, could not find fish.
October 18th, Westerly, fished 11:30 PM to 4:30 AM, finally somewhat of a normal trip. Decent water, nice weather an 5 Striped bass spread out through the trip. Very fun.
October 15th still a no go, the 16th I hit up a few new places on Staten Island with a friend, fun, no fish. Then October 17th I hit up Jones Beach for the first time in years, midnight to 4:30 AM. Three hits and misses, then finally a FISH. That was it, great being out there!
October 8, no fishing, still under the weather, but hopefully next Sunday will be out there.
October 1, 11:30 PM -2:30 AM, Back side in Jersey, gave it a shot, nothing, I was not 100%.
September 17, 11:30 PM – 7:30 AM, no fishing the 24th (sick day), Back side to front and back. One short bass and a small blue. Could not find fish. Looking forward to getting back out there.
September 10, 11:30 PM – 7:00 AM, well ocean side and weeds that were finally not atrocious. Could only manage a small weakfish and a couple short bass. Missed a few hits, dropped a few, most likely small weakfish. Most “action” (used lightly, on the Snax. New area basically, need a better plan next time there. Fun trip, lightening stayed away, covered 9 rock piles, little over a mile of beach traversed.
September 3, 12:30 AM to 7:30 AM, walked to water found cracked guide, back to vehicle switched rod and reel, back to water, reel had issues, back to vehicle, switched reel, back to water and really never felt “it”. Nice night weather wise, windy, two small fluke and a snapper. Front again weedy. Small bait in the back. Looking forward to next trip, changed the cracked guide Monday.
August 27, Midnight to 7:00 AM, traffic, late start, hit two ocean spots and had weeds out the wazoo, unfishable. Ended up in the back around 3:00 AM, couple bumps, Sluggo bit in half. 3:30 did hook up close to the sand, on a 9″ Sluggo, didn’t give any ground, some splashing, hook bent a bit, landed, quick pic, 38 inches and released first bass in some time!
August 20, 11:45 PM to 6:45 AM, beautiful night, but weeds out the wazoo. Snax and sluggo only offerings that had a chance of no weeds. They were close, far and in all water columns. First trip covering over a mile of water on this beach. Nice and lonely in the surf, really enjoyed the “alone time”. A couple small Weakfish and a snapper. Weakfish spit up a few spearing. With snappers in the surf, action should pic up….. I may catch a Striper again one of these weeks.
August 13, Midnight to 1:00 AM, new spot, had to look around for a parking spot. Lightening “scared me away” after about an hour on the water. Water started filling in and looked great. Picked up two fluke. The Striped Bass slump is growing…… Can’t wait for next trip! Did find my old Spyderco knife before the trip, which was good. Trip home from fishing was through monsoon and the most lightening I have ever seen. Was nuts.
August 6, 11:30 PM to 8:00 AM, old time long trip. Bay to ocean and back. Dozen of blues, 16″ to 26″, most around 24″, missed a few, dropped a few. I Cannot find a bass……I’m terrible. Anyway, fun trip with action spread out, great weather, bugs stayed away, just no stripes.
July 30th, Started ocean side, moved to the back. Tiny fluke, then one large swirl on a pencil. Bunch of taps out front and back. But nothing doing. 11:30 PM to 7:00 AM.
July 23, midnight to 7:30 AM, no threat of lightening for the first time since I can remember, nice night, likely to nice. Back side to ocean and back. One Fluke and a Blue. That was it, both on a Sluggo. Didn’t see any bait, nice water ocean side. in a spot or two.
July 16th, 11:30-6:30. Skunk, 3 spots. Last spot was “chased” by a vehicle on some back roads. I need to get a serious weapon. Thinking sword. Also last spot lifted Sluggo out of water and big fished swirled, head out of water scared me more than people in the vehicle. I waited for vehicle to leave the area and then went and fished. Also I changed my game plan for the night based on lightening forecast that never happened. They are wrong more than they are right.
July 9, 11:30 – 5:30, out west ocean side. High tide around 1:00, had water and just a touch of weeds in a few spots. Worked a mile of beach, picked up 6 Weakfish and a short bass. Threw pink 80% of time. Didn’t drop a fish and missed a few hits. Fun trip, most Weakfish I have caught in a night, no size, but fun and beautiful fish.
July 2, 11:30 – 6:30, out west, ocean side. Still had weeds, a couple spots unfishable, but others OK especially with Snax and Sluggo. Picked up a short Bass and 4 Weakfish. Lost 4 Weakfish and missed a few hits. Good trip, some rain and all alone like I love it!!
June 22, 11:30 PM – 5:30 AM, Out West back side. Well with wind an current, Blues were in tight to the sand. 10, most right around 30 – 33 inches. Fun night, they were spread out. Weeds, but not atrocious.
June 21, 11:30 PM – 5:30 AM, Out West back side to ocean. One Blues, wind.Weeds!!
June 20th, 11:30 PM – 5:30 AM, Out West back side to ocean. Gator and another Blue. Like that Dinner Catcher. Weeds!!
June 19th, 11:30 PM – 5:30 AM, Out West back side to ocean. One real nice bass 12:30 back side, then a blue. Walked to ocean and picked up one short bass. No wind most of the trip….bad. But a real fun trip. Weeds!!
June 18th, 11:30 PM – 6:00 AM, Out West ocean side. Well beautiful night, a shooting star and grinded out a few fish. This is fun for me. All action in the dark. A small fluke, first weakfish of the year and two 26 inch bass (on a snax and Trouble Maker Maverick).
June 11th, 11:30 PM – 6:00 AM, Jersey shore. Two blues and two bass. One lost, not a lot of action, but it was great being out in the surf on a nice night. Took some pics of surf for a change, the camera I have been using sucked, upped the game.
June 4th, 11:30 PM – 7:00 AM, west, ocean side then back side. One 32″ Blue in the back side on a Dinner Catcher, lost a nice fish on the Freestyler. Not a lot of action, weeds a bit.
March 28th, 11:30 PM – 6:30 AM, west, ocean side then back side. Weeds both sides, a blue out front then a bass and blue in the back. Most plugs with trebles picked up weeds every cast. One blue was on a Sluggo, the bass on a Snax. Weather was superb.
May 21st, Out west, two short bass, dropped two on Albi-Snax, could have been weakfish. One short out front, moved to back and the other. Lots of weeds, worse out front.
May 14th out at Demo, one 32 inch blue and a dropped fish, Fished from midnight to 7:00. I am not “one with the fish”.
May 1st, 3rd 4th, and 5th. One trip NY, others Sandy Hook. Lost a real nice fish on the 4th, Quake. A blue and Fluke on the 5th. Atrocious. Fished midnight to 4:30, give or take a half hour each trip. Weather was whacked. I was “not zoned in”.
April 30, Jersey, Midnight to 4:30 AM, a bass at the start and a blue at the end…a few bumps between. Bass was juiced.
April 23, ….First cast 11:30 PM, second at 3:00 AM, finished up before 6:00. Lightening chased me off the far west beach, got back out there, few bumps on Afterhours darter. Finally 4:45 on a long, deep cast hooked up with one bass.
April 21st, 11:45 – 4:30 AM, LI, west. Lots of bunker, took to 2:15 AM to hook up, caught two.
April 20th, Midnight to 5:00 AM. Slowwww. Jersey Three bass, around 27 inches.
April 16th, 17th and 18th. Jersey. Well not productive. Fished basically midnight to 4:30 AM. First trip, one solid fish on, dropped quickly. Next trip two bass, some bumps, missed hit. Last trip, one short bass, a couple hits and bumps. Taking a night off, back out the 20th AM.
April 9, Jersey, left the vehicle at 11:45 PM and finished up at 7:00. Two spots….. again, nothing at spot one, some dead bunker and hooked a few. Spot two, one Striper on the small Madd Mantis Quake. That was a lot of walking. And it was cold, but fun out there.
April 1st, first trip out, fished 11:00 – 5:15 AM, two spots Staten Island. First spot nothing, second spot 4 Bass to 30 inches. A couple on Afterhours darter, others on Mack Stick and Savage Gear Freestyler. They were spread out time and area wise. A few dead bunker on the beach. Cold, windy and saw no one, perfect opening day for me.
