Following is a recap of the 2021 fishing year by Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina:

    Happy New year to all,the season isn’t over by any means but   a review of it so far in my observation it was a very good year.   The spring bass bite was good,the boat boys did good trolling   and fishing live bunker,the bite up north in the bay was fantastic.   Fish from slots to 50+ lb was an everyday occurrence.  The Fluke season by all accounts was a very good one, we didn’t  see as many double digit fish but keeper ratio was way up.  The tuna fishing this year was of epic proportions, many boats limiting  out on multiple trips. Blackfish season has kept pace with past seasons, not better not worse. Winter flounder was fair as usual, some anglers did better than others,putting in their time paid off,hard thing to do when you work full time.Now for the present we are seeing some red hot surf fishing, not seenlike this for years.The stripers are showing no signs of leaving,they have the perfect water tempplenty of bunker,spearing and sand eels.The bays, rivers and surf are loaded with peanut Bunker, I personally havenever seen this concentration bait and bass this time of year that I canremember.You can go  into the new year with Bass still hitting in good numbers and there is a good chance for a keeper fish.Keep in mind the backwater season for bass ends Dec 31 st.,Rivers Bays Etc.Have a Safe Healthy New Year   BOB 

Following are comments on the 2021 fishing season from Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina:

    Happy New year to all,the season isn’t over by any means but   a review of it so far in my observation it was a very good year.   The spring bass bite was good,the boat boys did good trolling   and fishing live bunker,the bite up north in the bay was fantastic.   Fish from slots to 50+ lb was an everyday occurrence.  The Fluke season by all accounts was a very good one, we didn’t  see as many double digit fish but keeper ratio was way up.  The tuna fishing this year was of epic proportions, many boats limiting  out on multiple trips. Blackfish season has kept pace with past seasons, not better not worse. Winter flounder was fair as usual, some anglers did better than others,putting in their time paid off,hard thing to do when you work full time.Now for the present we are seeing some red hot surf fishing, not seenlike this for years.The stripers are showing no signs of leaving,they have the perfect water tempplenty of bunker,spearing and sand eels.The bays, rivers and surf are loaded with peanut Bunker, I personally havenever seen this concentration bait and bass this time of year that I canremember.You can go  into the new year with Bass still hitting in good numbers and there is a good chance for a keeper fish.Keep in mind the backwater season for bass ends Dec 31 st.,Rivers Bays Etc.Have a Safe Healthy New Year   BOB 

Chuck Many continues to release big stripers on Tyman at Cape Charles, Va., such as this one for Justin Lerner.

The Saturday forecast is for south winds at 10-15 knots plus rain.

A Fishy New Year to all!

​A year ago today the fishing community lost one of its “greats”. One year ago today I lost my husband, best friend and the love of my life, the father of our amazing children, Christopher, Chandler and Brendan. Greg lost his twin brother and best friend. Chris meant so much to so many of us. He was a family man, a wonderful son in law to my parents, brother in law to both of our families and a brother as well! He was a true friend to so many people, and left a lasting impression! His smile was infectious and he lived life to its fullest! We were all blessed to have Chris in our lives! As you go on with your day today, think happy thoughts! Remember Chris, and know that he is smiling down on all of us from Heaven! Celebrate his life and think, “It’s not the end, but till we meet again”

Dec. 31 is the last day for the 2021 Bonus Bass Program. The N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife reminds anglers that all reports have to be sent in, and that there is no carryover to next year.
The forecast is for west winds at 5-10 knots before going southwest in the afternoon.

The last few party boat trips to far offshore wrecks that hold big sea bass are being made before that season closes at years-end.

At Brielle, the Paramount sails at 8 p.m. on a trip limited to 26 anglers with a $200 fare. The Big Jamaica also has a couple of spots left on tomorrow’s 10 p.m. trip. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations on the Brielle trips.

At Belmar, the Golden Eagle makes its last trip tomorrow. Call 732 681-6144. They had a slow start in the dark yesterday before the sea bass turned on in daylight along with lots of porgies and some bluefish.

Bottom fishing much closer to shore holds up as demonstrated by Capt. Hans Kaspersetz with his blackfish caught yesterday on the Waterproof.

The forecast is for east winds at 5-10 knots with a chance of rain.

The arrival of herring in the N.J. surf has resulted in late season blitz fishing throughout southern areas.

Mike Monte fished the Belmar area this morning and didn’t catch a thing though there was intense bird action offshore. He later got a call about what was going on in the Brick Beach area and down into IBSP and got worn out this afternoon catching 25-35-inch bass on swimmers and metal. Vinny D’Anton was also in on that action and was able to catch his bass on poppers.

The forecast is for east winds at 10-15 knots with a chance of rain.

At year’s end it’s a real gift to get a comfortable day at sea, but Tuesday may be one with a forecast of west winds at 10-15 knots.

Chuck Many reports he had the Wakefields out on Tyman last Tuesday at Cape Charles, Virginia and it was a grind. ‘Had decent conditions for the first hour or two and thought I would get a bite. Didn’t, then wind against tide made it very tough. They never gave up despite the raw, cold conditions and it paid off. Didn’t get the 50 we were looking for, but got one between 49 & 50 pounds”

A small craft advisory is up until 1 a.m. Monday, but conditions improve after that.

Monday’s forecast is for north winds at 10-15 knots with gusts to 20, but that drops off to east at just 5-10 in the afternoon — and Tuesday looks very good,

Blackfish remain abundant in the Shrewsbury Rocks area as Capt. Joe Massa demonstrated last week

Wishing a Merry Christmas and a Fishy to New Year to all my followers.

A small craft advisory is up through Sunday evening with gusty NW winds on Sunday.

Chuck Many continued his satellite tagging efforts with Gray Fish Tag Research and The Fisherman magazine by implanting one of those tracking tags in a 47-inch, 44-pound bass at Cape Charles, Virgnia last week. Also aboard Chuck’s Tyman were William Sisson of Gray and Tom Lynch of Angry Fish Gallery in Point Pleasant.

The forecast is for south winds at 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 and rain. Mike Monte tried the Monmouth County surf this morning without a hit, and was surprised to see no birds or bait.

The Jamaica from Brielle has room on its Dec. 26, 1 a.m. sailing for offshore sea bass wrecks — along with those at 10 p.m. Dec. 27,28,29 and 30. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations Wednesday’s trip produced many sea bass limits plus a few bluefish, a couple of porgies, a weakfish and an angler.

The re don’t seem to be many dedicated surfcasters left, but Mike Monte thinks there’s still a good possibility of catching a bass or two from 18 to 24 inches in the Monmouth County surf. He got shut out this morning, but caught a couple yesterday. The few anglers he’s talked had similar reports of a shot at a bass or two especially at dawn and dusk.

The forecast is for southwest winds at 15-20 knots before shifting to northwest at 10-15 in the afternoon.

With ocean water temperatures still well over 40 degrees, Capt. Joe Massa reports blackfish remain on the feed. He had a triple limit of tog yesterday while fishing with two friends in the Shrewsbury Rocks area with his My Three Sons from Morgan Marina. The bite was in 75 feet.

The forecast is for northwest winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 30 before diminishing to 10-15 plus gusts in the afternoon.