Slim Pickings

This was one of two stripers landed today right
at dark. There's still a lot of bait but few fish.

I fished the oceanfront today.  Conditions were good with moderately rough water and a cloudy day with rain on the way. However, the south shore beaches looked like a ghost town as you really had to look to find anyone fishing.  That tells a lot about the state of our fishing.
Everywhere I went I saw bait and birds working.  I saw good numbers of gannets, cormorants and gulls working, the same activity I have seen in the last few outings. However, there seemed to be no fish working under the bait.  Another observation I can report is the presence of seals.  I saw them in every spot I fished.  It's never good when seals are on the prowl.
As far as fish, I managed to find two stripers (schoolies) and one hickory shad right at dark along an oceanfront location.  That was it....a couple of fish moved in close as darkness arrived.  I stayed later, but had no success.
In other years, this weekend before Thanksgiving has been a hot time to fish, but not this year.