Summer Fishery in South Jersey, by Alexi

Steve Standing

     In the quietest part of the night we launched our kayaks into the backwaters of New Jersey.   From there on the trip is a blur.  Like a dream, or a memory of a song.  Time moves like molasses, and then it's racing, running.
    It's all quiet on the flat.  Enter the thru-way.  A bluefish on a top-water lure.  Outgoing tide into sunrise.  Break on through.  Night becomes the day.  Sunrise.  Fish feeding on the banks but no hook-ups.  "Smack, smack."  A million casts.  This one is perfect.

    Daytime.   Low-tide.  It's eerily quiet.  Where are the boats?  It's a nice day.  No wind.  Like another dream I have of being at school when it's a holiday, only I didn't know, and no one is there.
    Eventually, we give up on bass and go for croakers.  Hook up.  In the box.  The rays are acting very territorial.
    Sunset will be soon. Target Fluke.  Slack.  Low.  Incoming.  Wait for the switch.  Once my drift reached 1.5mph  it was fish after fish every drift.  Fatigue.   One at 18.  Wait, how long was I in my boat?
I fall asleep mid-sentence on the way back....twice

very very small black sea bass

short fluke

two croaker, one blue, one fluke