March Browns?

[PortMurrayAng]

Did I miss them? I know everything is early, including bass in the SB and the Musky near Califon and Penwell, but I don't remember seeing or hearing about March Browns this year. What gives? Did I just miss them? Did those massive rain storms drown them?

[joe_panella]

I was down at the Pequannock looking around and did not see much in the way of bugs. I used to hit great hatches in the poconos Memorial day weekend. I usually see March Browns on the Pequannock all of May. Granted there are not tons of them but fish take the drys.

[Drossi]

I was down at the Pequannock looking around and did not see much in the way of bugs. I used to hit great hatches in the poconos Memorial day weekend. I usually see March Browns on the Pequannock all of May. Granted there are not tons of them but fish take the drys.

Haven't seen any MB's there either (or many other bugs for that matter).

The 1st round of sulphurs had started to come off on the rockaway but I haven't been there (or anywhere for a week).

I'm thinking the slate drakes may start soon but who knows with the yo-yo weather and high water.

If I get out tonight and see anything different I'll post it tomorrow.

[cappy]

In NJ I only fish Caddis and Terrestrials patterns on top during the Spring and Summer months. Our Mayfly hatches aren't the greatest, Caddis on the other hand are always present. With regard to the March Browns, they are a sporadic hatch, nothing heavy like Hendricksons and Sulphers, they pop-up throughout the day, all day. GRHE nymphs work perfectly below the surface where you have March Browns.

[Drossi]

There were a fair amount of the bigger sulphurs hatching last night on the mighty rockaway and a smaller, darker mayfly that was too small to be a march brown (probably size 16-18). BUT the stupid rainbows weren't of any interest in soft hackles or wet flies, let alone feeding on top. . I couldn't keep the stupid sob's off a micro bugger though but I had to get it down with weight.

I was away the end of last week, north jersey saw some heavy rain huh. The river being up along with the weather shift seems to has put off the surface feed temporarily.

[PortMurrayAng]

Thanks everyone. I'm learning and appreciate the insights. Mid May already...I hope everyone makes the most of it. There's an article in this month's TU magazine and one idea I found interesting is how newer anglers are less interested in dry flies as euronymophing catches fish (I'll save what this does to the art of casting for another thread). I find the bugs almost as interesting as catching fish with their imitations. Just my two cents.

[Rusty Spinner]

There were a fair amount of the bigger sulphurs hatching last night on the mighty rockaway and a smaller, darker mayfly that was too small to be a march brown (probably size 16-18). BUT the stupid rainbows weren't of any interest in soft hackles or wet flies, let alone feeding on top. . I couldn't keep the stupid sob's off a micro bugger though but I had to get it down with weight.

I was away the end of last week, north jersey saw some heavy rain huh. The river being up along with the weather shift seems to has put off the surface feed temporarily.

The smaller, darker mayflies you saw were almost certainly a Baetis hatch (BWOs).

In any given year, sulphurs are going strong by May 15 (yesterday). While we did have high flows earlier in Spring, if you look at any USGS gauge today for NJ trout waters, nearly all will be slightly below average for the day. We should have solid sulphur dry fly action for the next 2-3 weeks or more, both with Invaria and Dorothea duns and spinners and emergers. Isos were just starting on the Upper Delaware when I was up last week, so expect them to be here as well. Ours aren't as large as the ones up there, but an important hatch for certain.

[Rusty Spinner]

Thanks everyone. I'm learning and appreciate the insights. Mid May already...I hope everyone makes the most of it. There's an article in this month's TU magazine and one idea I found interesting is how newer anglers are less interested in dry flies as euronymophing catches fish (I'll save what this does to the art of casting for another thread). I find the bugs almost as interesting as catching fish with their imitations. Just my two cents.

New anglers like anyone new to anything gravitate towards "more is better" and Euro nymphing will give them the most fish and is the easiest form of FFing to learn. Having to cast a dry fly to a rising fish across the river and then get a good drift is beyond most newbies' abilities. And to have to learn the aquatic insects they need to understand is just too much work in today's feel good now world. Then again, I'm a dinosaur. I am decades beyond needing to catch fish to go fishing. I prefer the challenge of matching the hatch and watching trout feed on top.

[46er]

I am decades beyond needing to catch fish to go fishing. I prefer the challenge of matching the hatch and watching trout feed on top.

I have a box of flies with the hook cut off for the 'special' places. Mellowed with time.

[Rusty Spinner]

I am decades beyond needing to catch fish to go fishing. I prefer the challenge of matching the hatch and watching trout feed on top.

I have a box of flies with the hook cut off for the 'special' places. Mellowed with time.

My fellow dinosaur

[robtf]

Curious with our spring weather how everything is/was early?

Down here our fishing has been totally bonkers with the prevailing ( and I mean unending) south/southwest winds
Keeping the surf, and thus the backbays, cold most of the summe. They had 56F surf temp the past few days. That, and I still say the wind farm sonar exploration, and the replenishment, has screwed up the season. This time of year our back bays should be paved with short flounder. The bite has been d e a d in areas that should be hopping.

Hope all is well otherwise with GST ( and by proxy NEFF and ex njtrout ) anglers!

[Rusty Spinner]

Curious with our spring weather how everything is/was early?

Down here our fishing has been totally bonkers with the prevailing ( and I mean unending) south/southwest winds
Keeping the surf, and thus the backbays, cold most of the summe. They had 56F surf temp the past few days. That, and I still say the wind farm sonar exploration, and the replenishment, has screwed up the season. This time of year our back bays should be paved with short flounder. The bite has been d e a d in areas that should be hopping.

Hope all is well otherwise with GST ( and by proxy NEFF and ex njtrout ) anglers!

I have several buddies with boats and they have been catching big numbers of shorts with a very low keeper ratio, but they are at least catching fluke. One guy I know is focused on very shallow water due to inshore water temps like you mentioned due to the incessant southerly blow. He is catching fluke in 1 1/2' to 2' deep water in bays and doing well there.

[robtf]

Yes some areas very shallow. I fish Ventnor to Longport most of the time and my brother in law has over 50 years fishing it, and this is the weirdest year ever. Each area has it’s own idiosyncrasies, up in Barnegat, Great Bay and down south of here back behind the wildwoods and then cape may area, each fish a bit different. My fishing club folks have found fish like you said, all the way up creeks in shallow water, but closer to the inlet the water temps have been frigid with very low catch rates. But the other thing is this year there were just no fish of size, not in numbers we usually see. That all can change if we get good schools of mullet as big fish come in with the schools!

We’ll see

[Rusty Spinner]

Yes some areas very shallow. I fish Ventnor to Longport most of the time and my brother in law has over 50 years fishing it, and this is the weirdest year ever. Each area has it’s own idiosyncrasies, up in Barnegat, Great Bay and down south of here back behind the wildwoods and then cape may area, each fish a bit different. My fishing club folks have found fish like you said, all the way up creeks in shallow water, but closer to the inlet the water temps have been frigid with very low catch rates. But the other thing is this year there were just no fish of size, not in numbers we usually see. That all can change if we get good schools of mullet as big fish come in with the schools!

We’ll see

Yup, the blasting southerlies have not been the angler's friend this summer for sure! I hope the wind direction turns before the Albies show in September and October to more westerly and northwesterly. I just haven't been fishing much at all this year, warm or coldwater, salt or fresh. Just one of those years. Making plans for a western Alaska float and camp fly fishing trip for '25 or '26 on the Aniak River. Silvers, dolly varden, grayling, and rainbows, all wild and native and all on the fly over an 8 day trip.

[robtf]

Have fun!

[joe_panella]

Yes some areas very shallow. I fish Ventnor to Longport most of the time and my brother in law has over 50 years fishing it, and this is the weirdest year ever. Each area has it’s own idiosyncrasies, up in Barnegat, Great Bay and down south of here back behind the wildwoods and then cape may area, each fish a bit different. My fishing club folks have found fish like you said, all the way up creeks in shallow water, but closer to the inlet the water temps have been frigid with very low catch rates. But the other thing is this year there were just no fish of size, not in numbers we usually see. That all can change if we get good schools of mullet as big fish come in with the schools!

We’ll see

Just got back from my wildwood and was in cape may a few weeks ago. I can attest to the very frigid waters for swimming at least. It has been the focus on quite a bit of conversation at the beach this year. I guess it is making the fishing tough as well.

[46er]

Water temps are in the 70's along the coast. Rutgers also has a very good site for temps.

https://www.windy.com/-Menu/menu?sst,39 ... i:pressure

[Rusty Spinner]

Water temps are in the 70's along the coast. Rutgers also has a very good site for temps.

https://www.windy.com/-Menu/menu?sst,39 ... i:pressure

What am I missing? That only shows land temps (?). As others have said, the constant hard southerlies have blown cold water in all summer and fluke fishing has been tough as has most other species. Surf temps are way down this season because of it.

[46er]

It works for me. Click the cursor anywhere and a flag pops up with sea temperature. Rutgers confirms it. Brother fishes Great Bay and LE Inlet and has a freezer full of fluke.

[robtf]

yes that windy site does seem to work, though I usually just do a search and this pops up https://seatemperature.net/current/unit ... emperature

(or a couple of other sites)

Current surf temps popped up... the ocean surface has been in the mid 70's for quite a while, but out a couple of miles when the the strong SW wind (down here, South up in central joisey) has been steady for days.

It's been a weirder than normal season for us. Got some real nice keepers 18.5-22" last week, bro in law out one day found a honey hole, and a stretch near it has been the only sort of reliable producer of keepers this season.