Many of Joe’s friends will gather Wednesday at D Elio Funeral Home in Lakewood for a viewing for that great angler and fighter for fisherman’s rights who died at 82 this week. That will end with a memorial service at 7.
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The weather in NY/NJ Bight is moderating tomorrow with northwest winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20. However, Dave Lilly reports the Shrewsbury River is frozen solid despite the powerful current.
Famed angler Bill Boyce reports from Tropic Star Lodge in Panama:
“Another HISTORIC WEEK at Tropic Star Lodge, Panama. Just yesterday setting an INSANE number of lodge records…. most blue / black marlin released in a day = 61, most marlin released in a week = 243, 40 of which were black marlin..!! A total of 426 sailfish were released, and to sweeten the week even more, the release of a massive blue marlin on the Miss Ma’am with Captain Jack White which taped out at the 1,000 lb mark. Also worthy of note was the first recorded release of a shortbilled spearfish, and several jumbo yellowfin tuna to 230 lbs and many donkey sized dorado. The guests were all top notch anglers, and the sea conditions were north winds that kept these marlin and sailfish at the surface and CHEWING..!!!Another HISTORIC WEEK at Tropic Star Lodge, Panama. Just yesterday setting an INSANE number of lodge records…. most blue / black marlin released in a day = 61, most marlin released in a week = 243, 40 of which were black marlin..!! A total of 426 sailfish were released, and to sweeten the week even more, the release of a massive blue marlin on the Miss Ma’am with Captain Jack White which taped out at the 1,000 lb mark. Also worthy of note was the first recorded release of a shortbilled spearfish, and several jumbo yellowfin tuna to 230 lbs and many donkey sized dorado. The guests were all top notch anglers, and the sea conditions were north winds that kept these marlin and sailfish at the surface and CHEWING..!!!Another HISTORIC WEEK at Tropic Star Lodge, Panama. Just yesterday setting an INSANE number of lodge records…. most blue / black marlin released in a day = 61, most marlin released in a week = 243, 40 of which were black marlin..!! A total of 426 sailfish were released, and to sweeten the week even more, the release of a massive blue marlin on the Miss Ma’am with Captain Jack White which taped out at the 1,000 lb mark. Also worthy of note was the first recorded release of a shortbilled spearfish, and several jumbo yellowfin tuna to 230 lbs and many donkey sized dorado. The guests were all top notch anglers, and the sea conditions were north winds that kept these marlin and sailfish at the surface and CHEWING..!!!Another HISTORIC WEEK at Tropic Star Lodge, Panama. Just yesterday setting an INSANE number of lodge records…. most blue / black marlin released in a day = 61, most marlin released in a week = 243, 40 of which were black marlin..!! A total of 426 sailfish were released, and to sweeten the week even more, the release of a massive blue marlin on the Miss Ma’am with Captain Jack White which taped out at the 1,000 lb mark. Also worthy of note was the first recorded release of a shortbilled spearfish, and several jumbo yellowfin tuna to 230 lbs and many donkey sized dorado. The guests were all top notch anglers, and the sea conditions were north winds that kept these marlin and sailfish at the surface and CHEWING..!!!Another HISTORIC WEEK at Tropic Star Lodge, Panama. Just yesterday setting an INSANE number of lodge records…. most blue / black marlin released in a day = 61, most marlin released in a week = 243, 40 of which were black marlin..!! A total of 426 sailfish were released, and to sweeten the week even more, the release of a massive blue marlin on the Miss Ma’am with Captain Jack White which taped out at the 1,000 lb mark. Also worthy of note was the first recorded release of a shortbilled spearfish, and several jumbo yellowfin tuna to 230 lbs and many donkey sized dorado. The guests were all top notch anglers, and the sea conditions were north winds that kept these marlin and sailfish at the surface and CHEWING..!!!Another HISTORIC WEEK at Tropic Star Lodge, Panama. Just yesterday setting an INSANE number of lodge records…. most blue / black marlin released in a day = 61, most marlin released in a week = 243, 40 of which were black marlin..!! A total of 426 sailfish were released, and to sweeten the week even more, the release of a massive blue marlin on the Miss Ma’am with Captain Jack White which taped out at the 1,000 lb mark. Also worthy of note was the first recorded release of a shortbilled spearfish, and several jumbo yellowfin tuna to 230 lbs and many donkey sized dorado. The guests were all top notch anglers, and the sea conditions were north winds that kept these marlin and sailfish at the surface and CHEWING..!!!Another HISTORIC WEEK at Tropic Star Lodge, Panama. Just yesterday setting an INSANE number of lodge records…. most blue / black marlin released in a day = 61, most marlin released in a week = 243, 40 of which were black marlin..!! A total of 426 sailfish were released, and to sweeten the week even more, the release of a massive blue marlin on the Miss Ma’am with Captain Jack White which taped out at the 1,000 lb mark. Also worthy of note was the first recorded release of a shortbilled spearfish, and several jumbo yellowfin tuna to 230 lbs and many donkey sized dorado. The guests were all top notch anglers, and the sea conditions were north winds that kept these marlin and sailfish at the surface and CHEWING..!!!Another HISTORIC WEEK at Tropic Star Lodge, Panama. Just yesterday setting an INSANE number of lodge records…. most blue / black marlin released in a day = 61, most marlin released in a week = 243, 40 of which were black marlin..!! A total of 426 sailfish were released, and to sweeten the week even more, the release of a massive blue marlin on the Miss Ma’am with Captain Jack White which taped out at the 1,000 lb mark. Also worthy of note was the first recorded release of a shortbilled spearfish, and several jumbo yellowfin tuna to 230 lbs and many donkey sized dorado. The guests were all top notch anglers, and the sea conditions were north winds that kept these marlin and sailfish at the surface and CHEWING..!”
Anglers in the NY/NJ Bight area get a break in the brutal weather as the Tuesday forecast is for west winds at just 10 knots.
Northwest winds continue in NY/NJ Bight along with the brutal cold, but the 15-20 knot winds will be calming tomorrow night to set up a fishable Tuesday.
No one enjoyed fishing in Point Pleasant Canal more than Joe Melillo, who passed away this week at 82. He joined many other regulars to cast small jigs, metals and plugs on light tackle for bluefish, school stripers and fluke that flurry through the strong currents. It’s rarely fast fishing, but most of the anglers who fish there enjoy the challenge. There aren’t many large fish hooked during the day as boat traffic is a problem, but Joe seemed to find an exception to that rule one morning when he lifted into a solid fish.
The fight went on in swirling currents and boat wakes for a long time as Joe also had to worry about straightening out the small hook of his jig. A big landing net was located, and Joe was gaining line very slowly as everyone wondered what it could be. We were hoping for a strange-acting striper, but suspected that it might be a big skate or ray. Joe was no stranger to catching big bass in the “old days” and was making progress when a large shape was spotted just below the roiled surface which turned out to be the head of a big tuna!
When it came to the normal fishing there, Joe had the touch, and was glad to help other anglers get in on the action which often required working a particular type of lure at just the right speed and level.
The NY/NJ Bight weather certainly hasn’t been fishable lately, and there is a freezing spray warning up from this evening to Sunday when it increases to a gale warning.
One of the original founders of the Jersey Coast Anglers Association and a legendary Point Pleasant Canal angler has passed on to heavenly waters at 82 after a fight against cancer. Joe held court at his Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant for many years and made better anglers of all who stopped by for coffee and fishing tales every morning.
His mounted striper of over 40 pounds in the shop was evidence of what was possible from shore in the canal long before I knew Joe. Though the canal has remained very productive, it’s no longer a spot to seek out the largest of stripers which Joe attributed to the abundance of bunkers in the ocean. Bunkers had been decimated by big seiners working with airplanes, and that made the canal attractive due to all the smaller fish always available to the largest predators. When the efforts of the JCAA and other groups brought about the a return to bunker abundance Joe figured that there was no need for the largest bass to leave the ocean.
I’ll have more about Joe in tomorrow’s blog.
The Saltwater Anglers of Bergen County Fishing Flea Market runs from 8:30 to 2 on Sunday at the Hilton in Hasbrouck Heights. As previously noted here, this event includes a presentation by the area’s best fluke angler, Dave Lilly, included with the adult $5 entrance fee. There’s no charge for kids under 10.
The Raritan Bay Anglers Club will hold their Flea Market on Feb. 7 at St. John Vianney Parish in Colonia from 8:30 to 2. Admission is $5 for adults while kids of 12 and under are admitted free.
There’s been no lack of northwest winds in NY/NJ Bight this winter, and that continues tomorrow with 15-20 knots before switching to west in the afternoon.
Water temperatures will continue dropping as Hudson River ice keeps melting.
y mentioned
Dave Lilly has proved his fluking expertise by winning many fluke tournaments in NY/NJ Bight, and will provide those secrets at the Feb. 1 annual Salt Water Anglers of Bergen County Flea Market in the Hilton at Hasbrouck Heights. The $5 show admission for adults covers this and other seminars.
The marine forecast is for northwest winds at 15-20 knots before going west in the afternoon.
As if ocean waters weren’t already low enough ,they will get even worse as all the upriver snow and ice melts away. A gale warning is up today
which backs off to west at 20-25 knots plus gusts to 30 tomorrow.
The great white shark I wrote about yesterday was estimated by the surf fishermen that released it at Pensacola as being12 to 13 feet in length and around a thousand pounds. Since great whites are a protected species, there was no way to get more than estimates during the required fast release. Unfortunately, the anglers didn’t have a tag to place in the shark.
Tight Lines 