“Summer” is over…

Before we start the fishing report, we have a very important public service message.  During the time period from Sunday September 3^rd to Monday September 4^th there was a reported 36 water rescues in the area between Lavalette down to and including Island Beach State Park alone.  Since this fact was told to us, we have heard the first responders’ sirens a few more times, so that number is up to, and likely over 40 by now.  NOT ALL OF THOSE RESCUES WERE SUCCESSFUL.  Read that again and let it sink in.  We heard of at least two deaths and one person is still missing.  Almost every rescue was either in a place where there were no lifeguards on duty, or after the lifeguards were off duty.  For your own sake and the safety of the first responders that will have to come get you, if there are no lifeguards on duty, STAY OUT OF THE FRIGGEN WATER.  The ocean isn’t as safe as you think, and you are definitely not as good a swimmer as you believe.  And if there are guards on duty, follow their instructions on where to swim, and how deep to go out. 

And now the fishing report…

No wait, shop news first…

It’s been a minute since our last fishing report (it’s all Ray’s fault, as usual), so there is a little to go through here.

We received a big shipment from Hogy, and while restocking some items in the store, we got some items on the website that were overdue for their online Grumpys debut.  The first is right on time for the false albacore and bonito run too.  You can now get Hogy Epoxy Jigs online, so you don’t need to show up and deal with Scott just because you want to catch an albacore.

We also added Hogy Heavy Minnow Jigs, for when you want a little more weight for the cast without adding size to the lure.

For the mullet run, and what we are hoping will be an epic peanut bunker run later in the fall we now have Alan’s Custom Lures Bully.  This spook style lure casts great, works easily and has an action bass and bluefish are not going to be able to resist.  This will make a great search lure for when you are figuring out where the fish are hiding too. 

All summer in the shop, we were being asked if we had “fluke hi/low” rigs?  When shown the Mai Tai bucktail teaser rig, we were informed that is not what they were looking for.  We now have it.  The Hurricane Double Drop Surf Fishing Leader.  Don’t let the name fool you.  While you can add a couple hooks and use it as a Hi/Lo rig in the surf (as it was intended), you can also add a couple baitholder hooks and put a bucktail or bank sinker on the bottom and jig this for fluke.  It’s a very versatile item.

Did something bad happen to the inserts in your FJ Neil Bag?  We have OEM replacements for it.  The FJ Neil Replacement inserts is a five slot insert that will fit all FJ Neil bags except the small Supreme Bag.

We have a new, budget friendly dehooker added to both the store and the site.  The Baker Push Pull Dehooker has a unique bend in the end that allows an angler to either push or pull a hook from a fish’s mouth, dependent on what the situation calls for.

The mullet should be upon us any day now.  If you don’t want to come into Grumpys every time you need a bag of fresh mullet, we have to tools for you to catch your own.  We now have Bett’s Tyzac cast nets on the website, from 4 foot to 8 foot.  If you want a smaller net, we also have 3 foot South Bend Monofilament Cast Nets.

We restocked on our Grumpys Straw Hats.  While “summer” might be over, the sun will still be brutal well into October, so protect your skin from the sun. Skin cancer is no joke, as It has made Margaritaville less festive this past Friday.

We restocked on Ebb Point Beachwalker bags, just in time for the fall run.  These are great bags for fishing the sandy beaches of NJ.  Get yours now. 

And now for the fishing report. It is kind of a good news / bad news report.  The good news is, not much has changed.  The fluke are still biting in the surf (Bucktails and Gulp!).  The bluefish are still biting in the surf (mullet, bunker chunks or small metals), and the false albacore, bonito, and Spanish mackerel are still biting in the surf (epoxy jigs). 

The bay is still giving up snapper blues, spot and blowfish. 

The bad new is also, not much has changed.  The mullet run should start soon and will hopefully shake things up, but for now the report is “status quo”.

Some notable recent catches:

Joe Matise with fluke up to 21” and 3.75 lbs

Brian Arling Fluke 3.30lbs from surf on Gulp!

We are going to lay off Ray today.  If you were in the shop this weekend you might have heard the music of Jimmy Buffett being played in the shop.  That was Ray’s request, but I doubt there was anyone in the shop that disagreed with it.  For those who may have been living under a rock, or were sailing offshore all weekend, Jimmy Buffett passed away Friday night from skin cancer.  Even for those who don’t consider themselves ”Parrot Heads”, as anglers I think there is at least some commonality with his music and the lifestyle we all attempt to lead.  I’m thinking “Changes In Latitude”, Son of a Son of a Sailor”, “A Pirate Looks at Forty”, and “Captain and the Kid" to name a few.  Calm seas Captain...