This false fall weather is feeling great, like fall was when we were kids. Summer would end, we would go back to school and then it got chilly, leaves would drop, then it would start snowing and we hoped for snow at Christmas. Rocktober was the month for striped bass.

These days we are a lot warmer longer into the winter. But with these cold days, the water temperatures drop and fish start stirring too. The cooler nights are great for camping. Overnight surf fishing is fun this time of year. There’s plenty to do before the winter even comes close to starting. This false fall weather has us all thinking of fall fishing.

Meanwhile there is plenty of summer fish action to be had. The pompano are still biting, this cold snap might turn them around. Plenty are still off the Jersey coast as far up as Long Beach Island.

Spanish mackerel have been around the surf. Bluefish action has been good. Use lures for the macks, reel a Deadly Dick or Sting Silver really fast for macks.
Bluefish will hit anything you throw out there and they could care less how fast it is moving. Mullet rigs are the most popular choice. The mullet will start running the beaches eventually.

Flounder action along the surf has been fun for anglers targeting with jig heads and soft plastics. Inshore action is the usual this time of year.

Today (Wednesday) is not a favorable boating day, also known as right nautical.
Weekends aren’t as crowded now, so a day totally alone on a weekday is very possible. The seclusion of the off season is nice.

Tuna is closed for the season for recreational anglers. No one is too happy about that.

Lots of spot and croaker are at the Cape Henlopen fishing pier. The shop keeps anglers up to date when they drop by as to what is happening at the pier. It would be nice to see us (Delaware) work on a new pier over the winter, maybe? Please! Can we start a Go Fish to raise money?

It has been windy and chilly the past two days, and really rainy in Sussex County. Coastal flooding has the beaches covered with water.

I do like the new structure that gets carved out by storm conditions. It’s just in time for soon-to-be fall fishing.

I need to get the radiator fixed in the Jeep so she doesn’t overheat and catch on fire on the beach. I’m looking at a Subaru Outback for my next beach vehicle but nothing can beat the old beach beater vehicles. Uncomfortable blown-out seats, more sand in the footwells than on the ground, terrible gas mileage but we aren’t going far. I love the beach beaters.

The end of summer is a lot of fun. You never know what you will catch out there.