Incredible Monarch Butterfly migration through New Jersey

It happens every year and residents of the Jersey Shore anxiously wait for it.

Just like the throngs of tourists that leave the beaches and shore towns bring joy to shore residents, this annual trek does the same.

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Not every town will see them every year, but it's a good bet if you keep an eye out you may be lucky enough to catch this spectacular phenomenon.

I was lucky enough a few years ago to catch a smaller group trekking through Atlantic City and Ventnor while on a Sunday morning bike ride.

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Sometimes they're in such great numbers that you can actually see almost a cloud of them making their way south.

It's an incredible journey for these beautiful creatures and hard to believe that they make it all the way to Mexico. Yes Mexico!

Photo by Mike Simons/Getty Images

They live about nine months and the ones that hatch here after August 15th won't reproduce here and will head to sunny Mexico for the winter. And not just over the border. The delicate Monarch makes it to the hills of Southwestern Mexico.

They usually arrive in mid-November. They start making the trip from New Jersey sometime in mid to late September.

Photo by Susana Gonzalez/Newsmakers

The official term for a "flock" of butterflies is a kaleidoscope, and if you see them close enough in flight you'll see why.

I'll let you know if and when they're around this month. Stay tuned!

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The bass are biting in New Jersey fresh waters

Starting in mid to late May the largemouth bass started biting on my favorite lake. I finally got a chance to get out and see how good the fishing is this year and it didn't take long to catch. I got two bass in the first 10 minutes on the lake. We used to fish exclusively with live bait, either worms, nightcrawlers (the bigger worms), or minnows. That got too easy and it's not what "real" fishermen do.

It's more of a sport if you fool the fish into biting your hook with the right lure and the proper presentation. You have to figure out what they would be feeding on that time of year, pick a lure that resembles that and finesse it in a way that makes it look enticing to the fish. To most people, this is a stupid waste of time, but to those of us who caught the fishing bug as a kid or an adult, it's almost addictive. OK, it is addictive.

Most people look at a body of water such as a pond, lake, river, or stream and admire it for its natural beauty. Fishermen try to figure out what kind of fish are below the surface and what would be the best spot to catch them. If you have small kids and you know how to fish, you can create amazing memories and give a great lesson on nature. My dad and my uncles did that for me and those of some of the best memories of my childhood.

There are so many different kinds of fish and fishing in New Jersey's fresh waters. We usually think of fishing at the Jersey Shore, but there are plenty of fishing opportunities not far from where you live. Make sure you know a few simple rules and ask a local tackle shop for some good advice on what to buy and where to go, and you're good to go. It's a great way to enjoy the diversity of landscapes we have here and challenge yourself a little.

I challenged myself for the first time this season to try and catch a few bass on Thursday afternoon right before the rain and thunderstorms and had success right away in one of my favorite fishing holes in Medford.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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