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September Surf Fishout, Palm Beach
by Kirk Mathew

With our esteemed President plying the waters of Alaska, the task of chaperoning the monthly outing fell to me. A small but happy group hit the beach at sunrise. Whilst we could have stood a little more action (tide was favorable but there was a full moon the night before), we could not have wished for better weather or companionship. Dave did catch a perch, first-timer Gordon reveled in the abundant bird/sea lion/otter/dolphin activity, and Elaine managed to avoid her usual dunking. A fine outing indeed!

This fishout held yearly in part because it is so close to home and in part because it is float tube-friendly, but has its share of challenges. The wind can wreak havoc for tubers and put the fish down and fish can be scattered over a large area. But if the fishgods are smiling up at you the Forebay can provide great fishing experiences. Top water action occurs sporadically and if you are in the right place at the time you can catch a striper on the surface. There can be non-stop action on smaller fish with an occasional bigger one thrown into the mix just a short paddle from your campsite.
On our fishout the wind blew and fishing was challenging, but on the other hand, there were enough boats so that no one had to get into a float tube and everybody caught something. Some actually did very well. About 10 members participated. We took a break for lunch, but did not go back out because of the wind.
The Forebay isn't all about fishing. Another reason members like this place is because it has campsites. Members appreciate the chance to commiserate after a day on the water and to get to know each other better. The next O'Neil Forebay fishout is October, 24th.

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