Percy still going strong at 90

It seems as if every Raritan Bay charter boat is equipped with a Percy cast net with which to load a live well with bunkers which are often the key to successful striper fishing. For decades, Percy has been demonstrating how even a man in his eighties could open up his net. As of today he’s demonstrating how a 90-year-old can do so!

Percy also mates for Capt. Vinnie Vetere on his Katfish from Great Kills. Those trips start with netting bunkers, and Percy also performs all the other mate functions which end in filleting the legal-size catch. Percy is an inspiration to relative youngsters like me as well as to anglers of all ages.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. said yesterday was far too windy for drifting fluke in deep waters with his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands, but he was pleased to see the water temperature get up as high as 65. Yet, the fluke coming up from the bottom still felt ice cold.

At Belmar, the Golden Eagle reported as follows:

There was a better showing of KEEPER FLUKE for us today. Fishermen were dialed in early this morning on great action on throwbacks with nice KEEPER FLUKE in the mix. It continued until late morning when the drift slowed up. We moved offshore and had nice JUMBO SEA BASS along with LING and KEEPER FLUKE “

Capt. Ralph Leyrer of Last Lady had a similar report of keeper fluke during an open boat charter.

The Big Mohawk had this 10-pound, 11-ounce doormat come aboard on June 25.

The forecast is for south winds at 5 knots before going southeast at 10-15 plus gusts to 20 in the afternoon. Patchy fog is possible in the morning.