Tog Action!
December 03, 2023 Stone Harbor 3 photos
Tautog
Tautog

Trip Summary

It was one of those days. I tried to find someone to go fishing with me, but everyone had other plans, or had an ailment. Looking at the weather I started to figure fishing was probably not the greatest idea anyway. It was pretty dismal out. And besides, there were some good college football games scheduled throughout the day. I took Bubbalouie out front to check the mail. He kept looking over at the truck. So, we took a ride over to Avalon to check the inlet. The ocean looked quite inviting. There was a bit of fog, but entirely manageable. So, I hit the tackle shop and snagged a few dozen green crabs. Then ran home to prep the boat and gear. While wolfing down some left overs, I tried another fishing buddy. As luck would have it, George was available and wanted to go. So, I was no longer a solo trip. I met George at the ramp and we headed off for the reef. The fog that had been rather wispy earlier was getting thicker. We poked our way through the ICW and made it into the inlet and made our way to the reef. We looked for signs of stripers along the way, but the fog was a major impediment. We spot locked over some rubble and dropped green crabs down to their doom. It didn't take long for the tog to find their free snacks. They picked us clean the first few rounds, but then we got the hang of it. We pulled up shortie after shortie. It was nonstop action. Towards the last of our crab bits, George and I caught our only keepers of the day. His was 16", mine was just shy of 20". The fat bugger was five pounds. Around this time we noticed we could no longer see any of the other boats that were around us. The fog really socked in! And it was getting late. Time to bug out. I put the radar on and followed my track back from whence we came. Running in a heavy fog is just eerie. All sense of direction vanishes. Sounds are distorted. Thank God for electronics. We made it safely into the inlet and under the bridge. Once inside the ICW we felt constricted and disoriented. We thought about pulling into one of the other, closer boat ramps or just tying up at one other marinas for the sake of safety. Then we just figured stuff it. Let's take our chances. So we pressed on. Pretty sure the fog got even more dense as we approached the football field area. If you know it, you know it. The place is a long stretch of narrow channel flanked by mucky mud flats. The place eats boats on crystal clear days. We were running it blind. Slow and steady won the race. We made it through and picked our way back to the marina. We arrived in the dark. The fog never relented. I pulled the boat and made for home. George was good company and a solid navigator, picking the channel markers out of the pea soup. We didn't find any stripers, or any of the streaking bluefin tuna that have been rampaging through bunker schools. Maybe next time... Tight Lines!
Frank Breakell
Stone-harbor, New Jersey, United States
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Whether you’re a novice or seasoned angler, Brynnie-B Inshore Fishing has a trip just right for you! Captain Frank Breakell offers something for every level of angler – every trip is fully customizable to suit your needs and desires. Everyone ...

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Back Bays, surf, it's getting better!
Back Bays, surf, it's getting better!
June 2, 2025
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Windy fun!
Windy fun!
September 17, 2024
Decided to get out and fight the wind tonight. For whatever reason, I enjoy fishing on stormy nights. The water is rough, casting is hard, retrieves are difficult, and the fish usually bite. I enjoy the challenge. So, I went to a sod bank and battled the northeast wind. The flood tide was a bit much, making the current run even harder than the nearly full Moon already was. And of course it pulled every bit of grass off the sod banks and I to my casting lanes. Regardless, I managed to catch a nice weakie. Of course it popped off the hook as I lifted it. But, it was all good. I would've released it anyway. It would've been nice to get a photo though, it was a nice weakie. A few casts later I got another weakie that spit the hook as I reached for the leader. Just not my night it seemed. The bite died out and the grass got thicker, so I took a walk. I found a crazy Eddie that was swirling and rough. As luck would have it, a striper popped right in the middle of the maelstrom. I cast a bunch of times trying to present the bait just right. After about twenty casts I must have got the presentation correct. I got hammered by a nice striper that peeled off drag in the heavy current. We battled back and forth, both giving and taking line. I finally got it close and grabbed the leader. She measured out at 31 inches. Snapped a quick photo and released her back I to the churning water. No other takers. I took a ride and tried a new area. It seemed quiet at first, but then a school of bait erupted in the surface. I cast and something swirled on my jig. A few casts later I came tight to another striper that put up a fantastic fight. This one measured out at 27 inches and was fat. Another quick photo and release. And again, the action died. Took another ride to search another area for any willing brawlers. Found loads of bait, even had it exploding on the surface, but no willing predators. On the plus side, I got to watch a pair of otters chase each other around. Cuteness overload. But no fish. I tried one final spot, but it too was devoid of any willing takers of the scaled persuasion. So, I called it a night. And it was a good night. The windy conditions did not disappoint. Tight Lines!
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