Anglers on the Golden Eagle from Belmar saw bluefish splashing on the surface today, but had to work hard with Ava 27 and 47 jigs, plain or tailed, in order to bag a limit.of 2-8-pounders.
Capt. Ron Santee had tough porgy fishing conditions with a strong west wind against the incoming tide on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands. The tiny sea bass were also ferocious. It was better Sunday when scup up to a 2 1/2-pounder were boated.
A cold front is coming through, and the forecast for the morning is northwest at 15-20 knots with gusts to 25. Showers are likely..
Though the recent garage sale went very well, there’s still plenty left — and I’m seeking bids on the balance before putting my home on the market in order to downsize. There are still over 60 rods along with hundreds of lures and such accessories as outrodders, wreck anchors, a two-man seine for bait, and several coolers including an unused giant Igloo. Contact me at cristori@aol.com or at 732 757-5531 for details.
Bob Matthews, at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina, says there’s loads of bait in the local surf — bunker, mullet and spearing. Unfortunately, there aren’t always game fish on them as Vinny D’Anton found this afternoon at Sea Girt as schools of small to medium bunkers remained untouched. However, Vinny did hit it right further north this morning as 6-pound blues chased bait to the beach and hit poppers.
The bluefin tuna bite off the Rockaways continues as noted by N.Y. skipper John McMurray on Facebook as follows:
“A solid 70” fish for the Oceanside Boys yesterday, in some not-so-nice conditions. Came after a heartbreaker that swam under the boat, even tho I was backing down full-bell and taking WAY too much water over the transom. Team effort by Ollie McMurray, Luke Cascarelli and Mikey Dannon, with Frank Monteforte providing instruction and muscle when needed. Props to Frank for keeping her under control while I got a measurement in the water. There were some STOKED kids on that tuna”.
West winds at 10-15 knots are predicted along with possible morning and afternoon showers.
Even the weekend crowd didn’t seem to scare off the big bluefin tuna at the Rockaways as N.Y. striper pro Joe Balzamo not only caught one on his boat but then went out on a friend’s for another.
The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported another day with lots of chub mackerel while some bluefish and bonito were added while blacktip sharks were swimming around the boat. Some sea bass and fluke were released. The Saturday night bluefish trip was good, but anglers had to work for their choppers..That boat will be on a canyon tuna trip tomorrow.
Mike Monte left Nantucket early this fall in order to get into the mullet run along his native Monmouth County beaches, and was rewarded this morning with 27-inch stripers on a popper.
The ocean was fine today, but the bluefish weren’t turned on. Fortunately, chub mackerel responded to chum and party boat anglers went home with dinner.
At Belmar, the Golden Eagle reported just a pick of blues on jigs early before heading off to chum successfuly for chub mackerel. Miss Belmar Princess had a similar report and noted that some blues up to 4 pounds eventually found the chum.
Capt. Jimmy Freda was coming in from tuna fishing this week with Shore Catch when he saw a surf rescue operation in progress and was able to to ensure that it was successful. That was a real great catch!
The Sea Girt surf was shallow this morning, but Frank Manzi still managed to catch a small striper on a popper — though that appeared to be it for the beach early in the morning.
Chuck Many got another surprise while casting for redfish in the Hilton Head, S.C. salt ponds. It’s hard to tell the difference between a summer flounder (fluke) and a southern flounder.
Sunday looks good with northwest winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 that should lower 3-5-foot seas.
The weather seems to be strightening out even though small craft warnings are up into tonight — and boaters should be out in force tomorrow when the forecast is for north winds at just 5 knots.
The tuna fleet will be gathering off the Rockaways and further east to troll live bunkers or bluefish that may be attacked by a large bluefin which is a very reasonable target in shallow waters — and the Golden Eagle from Belmar resumes daily bluefish jigging as well as a Satirday night bluefish trip which departs at 7 p.m.
Ken Zwirko was one of the successful inshore bluefin fishermen this week.
Vinny D’Anton tried the Monmouth County surf this afternoon and found clear waters plus a school of mullet. Unfortunately there weren’t any stripers on that bait, but Vinny switched to Gulp and started releasing small fluke just as had been the case before the season closed.. He couldn’t duplicate the stargazer he also caught at that time.
N.J. anglers could be catching these if the later season alternative had been adopted.
Please join Fred Golofaro’s family, friends and all who knew him as we share memories and celebrate the life of the man we all loved so dearly. Saturday, October 2, 2021 from 1-4 pm, Robert Moses State Park, NY, Field 4. Service to start at 2 p.m
Another day of southeast wind. The small craft advisory continues, but the wind shifts to west at 5-10 knots with 3-4-foot seas.
Southeast winds are rarely good for along the Jersey Shore, and I wasn’t surprised at not receiving a single report. A small craft advisory remains up through late Thursday night.
The morning starts with SE winds at 15-20 knots with gusts to 25 plus a chance of showers. It is looking better for Friday and Saturday.
Capt. Ron Santee has switched to porgy fishing with his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands, but isn’t sailing again until Sunday due to the SE blow plus moon currents.
Though bluefish seem to be spotted pr read by party boats every day.thney don’t always bite during the usual early morning period.
That was the case today for the Golden Eagle from Belmar. so they went offshore and chummerd lots of chub mackerel plus some blues. After putting fish in the bags they retirned inshore for a slow bluefish bite before they finally turned on and many 4-8-pounders were jigged along with some porgies as the boat stayed out late.
Yesterday’s canyon mahi trip produced some big dolphin, but not the volume of the previous sailing. It was also rougher than predicted.
Small craft warnings are up from tomorrow morning to Thursday afternoon. Southeast winds of 10-15 knots gust to 25, and there’s a chance of showers.
Fall fishing seems to be starting, or at least that was what Vinny D’Anton found at Monmouth County beaches this morning as he relesded five shorts on his Chug Bug and added some mall blues. He didn’t didn’t see any mullet, though that forage fish is what usually attracts bass at this time of year.
Miss Belmar Princess reported slow bluefishing today with only the better anglers managing limits. However, there were lots of chub mackerel. Some out of season sea bass and fluke were released.
Tomorrow’s forecast is for east winds at just 10 knots.
Chuck Many continues to have a ball catching school redfish a short walk from his new townhouse in Hilton Head. S.C.
The fluke season ended in N.J. today, and Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina said it was generally a good one. Bluefish will take up the slack for some, and he noted that both the Golden Eagle and Miss Belmar Princess caught choppers up to 10 pounds today. The former also ended up with a good Saturday night bluefish trip after a slow start;
Matthews reports blackfish are hitting well in Shark River Inlet, though most are shorts. Mullet have been showing up in the surf from Belmar to Deal, and stripers are often on their tails.
The surf was rough today, but that worked out well for Vinny D’Anton as he fished sand fleas for stripers in the Spring Lake surf. Only one small bass was released, but he caught two fluke on the fleas — and one was a 22-incher That fluke had other fleas in its stomach along with half of what was probably a 6-inch snapper. Ironically, Vinny has been catching lots of short fluke in the surf with only a couple of 18-inchers among them while using Gulp before coming up with his biggest on the last day on sand fleas.
Monday’s forecast is for east winds at 5-10 knots.
Tight Lines 