Gale warnings wipe out fishing

There were no reports today, and I doubt if any boats fished. Indeed, there were probably only a few diehards who fished from shore in rain and wind.

I have to admit I was one of those nuts.  I’ve often fished from shore in Shark River with a northeast wind and rain at my back. Yet, today that combined with very high water and a roaring flood tide that made it hard to maintain my footing while wading.  To make things worse, I didn’t get a hit during the short period I cast. Needless to say, I had no competition and there was no boat traffic.

Gale warnings are posted through Monday afternoon, and even as winds decline in the middle of the week we’ll be dealing with big waves from offshore storms.

Below is an 11.8-pound dolphin that Kyren Dooly caught while fishing for fluke with Paul Haertel of the JCAA in much better conditions last week.