The leaves just keep coming and the wind keeps moving them around. We live in the woods — raking leaves is futile. The weird thing is it is like a hundred degrees out and the leaves are falling off the trees. It just doesn’t seem natural. Any excuse to go to the beach and fish, I guess.

Dogfish and skate have been the main catches along the beaches for bait and wait anglers. There are some kingfish and the like still biting. There are flounder along the ledges and the cuts in the surf. Jigging with soft plastics will produce keeper flounder. It’s some work, but it is fun fishing while your bait is soaking. Unless you came out just for cornhole and beers, then that wouldn’t be your thing. With the fall fishing water temperatures, tuna are starting to show up off the coast of Jersey chasing striped bass. Anglers out of Delmarva are still on tuna offshore.

The migratory striped bass are on the move south far up the Jersey coast. I highly recommend a day trip to try out catching striped bass in the Jersey surf. The surf fishing is much different. Get some good waders — you’re not going to be standing on the beach in most places. I think this year’s lure up there is the AVA 47 with a green tube. That will change next week to something else. Sand eels are the best mimic for striped bass in the surf.

Locally, the resident striped bass are schooled up and migratory bass should be moving around in the Delaware Bay now, too. They are early arrivals on their way south. The migration is weird because fish join the main Atlantic migration, but these fish all came from different waterways that they return to each year to spawn (spring run). The migration comes in waves, and fish follow food, too. There’s no reason to move if the food isn’t. Food moves, fish move. Find the bait fish, find the predators. Birds will also work the bait schools from above.

Migrating striped bass get the tuna fired up and anglers can try ghost hunting this winter for migrating tuna. The striped bass aren’t just predators, they are also prey because there is always a bigger fish. That’s one reason fish school in the ocean — protection from predators.

Freshwater fishing has been producing, and a great alternative on the windy warm days. That water is chilly near the beach with a good stiff breeze. A nice kayak ride on a pond makes for a fun day fishing. There is plenty of action with bass and catfish. A lot of anglers are doing well on many species. The action is better on the warmer days.

Tis the season to shop for gifts for outdoors folks. It can be hard to shop for anyone. Gift cards are usually the best. It isn’t easy to buy items for an angler or hunter if you don’t know what gear they use. It might look cool to you but it is useless to them. Hence the gift cards to their favorite local bait shop or outfitter. Brand or product gift cards work well, too.

Fishbites has a lot of newly released baits every angler will want to try. A gift card from that company will go a long way. Their products make excellent stocking stuffers, too. Or check out your local tackle manufacturer DS Custom Tackle. There are some cool gifts you can get any outdoors person. I’ll make a few lists for the next few weeks. Everyone can use a good pair of gloves and a knit hat, well except today.

It is going to get cold soon enough. Pack the truck with the gear you need. This is deceiving and then it will just drop like a switch was hit. Brrrrrrr — not ready for that.