Tight Lines

After writing last night about how consistent the striper run had been, there was a fundemental chamge reported yesterday by Dave Lilly. From the shallows of Keyport Creek and throughout Raritan Bay there were vast numbers of porpoise such as he’d never seen before in 60 years of fishing in that area.

There were no bunkers on top. but plenty were marked and the porpoise were blowing them up. On the other hand, Dave never marked a fish in the still cold 54 degree waters throughout Raritan Bay and over to New York. Hopefully, tjat was just a one day event.

The foreccast is for south winds at 5-10 knots. Fog may be a problem in the morning.

It isn’t invariably great from start to finish, but the small boat skippers who are fishing stripers every day come through day after day. The Jamaca Bay area is also good, especially for fly fishing.

Saturday’s frecast is for south winds at 10-15 knots before increasing to 20 in the afternoon.

Cold waters have held back the very early fluke opening in northern NJ waters. That should turn around shortly, but the best bet now is to fish the tidal rivers with their warmer waters.

This is a shot of the opening day near-doormat noted yesterday.

Though fluke fishing in NY/NJ Bight was generally very slow during the May 4 opener, there were a couple of bragging-size fluke reported.

A near-doormat of 8 pounds, 11 ounces was taken on the Super Hawk. and Kevin George Rusty reported a 27.5-inch fluke off Coney Island that was almost 5 pounds.

to northwest winds which should result in warmer waters and a better bite. The Thursday forecast is for just 5-10 knots.

Fortunately, there’s a switch from southwest

Fisher Price IV reports a great live bait bite of mixed size stripers as fluke fishing is off to a slow with cold waters and southwest winds. That southwest wind continues tomorrow, but there’s a shift to northwest coming

after then.

Ginger Tatum releasing a trophy bass with Gary Caputi in northern N.J.

as that seson opened at a very early date with 53 degree waters that produced only two keepers and a few shorts. He’ll be back at it tomorrow at 7:30 with his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands.

The forecast is for southwest winds at 15-20 knots.

Most N.J. party boats will be shifting to fluke for the May 4 opening of that fishery at a very early thatdate. The Golden Eagle from Belmar caught one Friday that was released along with sea bass and tautog while ling went into some bags.

The forecast is for NW winds at 10-15 knots.

Though I virtually live in AFTCO shorts, I recommend long pants for fishing the sides of Keys bridges, That’s especially important during the warm months when moisquitos are a problem. They will also protect your legs should you fall on a dry coral rock.

The Saturday forecast in NY/NJ Bight is for south winds at 5-10 knots. Showers are possible in the morning and rain in the aftrernoon.

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Yesterday’s report from Chuck Many sums up the Raritan Bay area fishing with live eels for jumbo stripers. Before leaving for a vacation in S.C., Many put his crew on Tyman into 45 releases from 42 to 49 inches!

The forecast there is for NW winds at 10-15 knots before going SW in the afternoon.

With fine weather in yhe forecast, the Golden Eagle from Belmar will be back to chasing stripers on Friday.

The Thursday forecast in NY/NJ Bight also looks fishable with northwest winds at 10-15 knots.

T

hough Chuck Many is the most successful striper angler in N.J., he can still appreciate his first sea robin of the season.