Beware of the strong currents at SH

[Irish Jigger]

http://www.nj.com/morris/index.ssf/2017/12/fisherman_dies_after_being_swept_out_at_sandy_hook .html#incart_2box_nj-homepage-featured

[Take a kid fishing]

Just was this on Facebook. Terrible

[Gerry Zagorski]

Wow how sad..... If you are new to fishing this area please beware that on the north end from the Bug Light on the bay side to North Beach on the ocean side, there are areas with VERY STEEP drop offs right from the shoreline.... The currents are also very swift in the area as well, especially around full and new moon tide cycles...

You either want to avoid these areas or be very careful around them...

[Canyonfish]

Well that is just plain sad and tragic. Prayers to family and friends of the deceased as this must seem like a senseless loss of life. May he rest in peace.

[Adrenalinerush]

That's sad, out doing something you love and then a tragedy occurs. Prayers to his family!

[Capt. Debbie]

Its sad. Never ready for that. But at least he died doing what he loved. Better than at some factory stooped over a machine

[Irish Jigger]

Follow up may he Rest In Peace

http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2017/12/cops_id_fisherman_who_drowned_in_surf_off_of_sandy .html#incart_river_mobile_home

[NoLimit]

Gunnison doesn’t drop off that fast, does it?

[Gerry Zagorski]

Gunnison doesn’t drop off that fast, does it?

Gunnison does not drop off that fast...... Sounds like the heavy surf was the issue here since they say he was in waste deep water...

This is not the first fisherman we've lost on Sandy Hook either.... I remember a few years ago hearing about a guy who was fishing one of the steep drop off areas. He apparently took one step too far, water filled his waders and that was it... Something like this can happen even when the surf isn't rough.

I boat in the area all the time... You'd be amazed to see how deep the water is tight to the beach, especially by the tip of the hook and the false hook. That also tends to be where the currents run the swiftest and it's not uncommon to have a 3 or 4 knot currents when the tide is running.

[Billfish715]

The Sandy Hook Channel runs close to the beach at the tip and the bottom drops out immediately. The bug light area is another dangerous area with strong currents. What I found even more treacherous was the soft sand especially after a storm. I was the only one out on North Beach after a storm, in the middle of the morning a few years back. Fortunately a ranger warned me not to go any farther from where I was standing. I could feel my feet starting to get sucked into the sand which at that point was beginning to turn to quicksand. I crossed a tidal pool to get to shore getting sucked in with each step. I was never happier to get to the hard sand on the other side!

I have to assume the poor man who died was retrieving a rod and reel that might have been pulled out of a sand spike. What else could he have been doing? Be careful. Rip currents grab swimmers in bathing suits. Imagine what they do to fishermen in waders!

[NoLimit]

There’s one account that he got stuck on rebar from an old structure and got overwhelmed on a rising tide

[Fish on]

When I fished from the surf, ( it is well worth the investment) I wore neoprene waders with a good quality rain jacket over the top. Cinched a belt around my waist. I have fallen in on several occasions and only very little water seeped in from around my neck area. Probably saved my life. Now I fish only from my boat and still ware them when it's cold, and they keep me dry and warm.

[Capt. Debbie]

Besides the belt to cinch off the water entry. Suspender PFD's might be a great Christmas gift for those who do this even if the drop off is only 10 feet you will drown.



The Sandy Hook Channel runs close to the beach at the tip and the bottom drops out immediately. The bug light area is another dangerous area with strong currents. What I found even more treacherous was the soft sand especially after a storm. I was the only one out on North Beach after a storm, in the middle of the morning a few years back. Fortunately a ranger warned me not to go any farther from where I was standing. I could feel my feet starting to get sucked into the sand which at that point was beginning to turn to quicksand. I crossed a tidal pool to get to shore getting sucked in with each step. I was never happier to get to the hard sand on the other side!

I have to assume the poor man who died was retrieving a rod and reel that might have been pulled out of a sand spike. What else could he have been doing? Be careful. Rip currents grab swimmers in bathing suits. Imagine what they do to fishermen in waders!