Fluke stop biting before northeaster

Capt. Ron Santee got a real surprise today when he tried to sneak in a last fluke trip on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands before the weekend gale watch.

Fish usually bite readily before a storm, but that wasn’t the case at all today as Capt. Ron Santee tried several spots without putting a single keeper on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands. The ocean was getting nasty, so Santee gave out passes for a future trip and headed in early.

Mike Monte of Nantucket has been catching stripers over 16 inches during a short period after dawn from Monmouth County beaches. Yesterday morning he had a 30-incher on a popper, while another angler beached a 31-incher. The northeaster will probably kill that action, but fall storms can produce for those willing to take a beating if the waters remain clear.