Though internal waters closed for striper fishing in N.J. on Jan. 1. the ocean remains open all year with the same regulations. A few hardy surfcasters will take advantage of that, especially with mild temperatures and west winds in the forecast.

Mike Monte plans to return to the Belmar surf that was producing a few shorts recently, but Ray Lewis reported recently that there were few small bass left even all the way south at Brigantine.

In the past, before heading to Florida for the winter, I almost always caught surf stripers in N.J. well into January and often right to the end of the month — though never in February even when I tried the very rare fishable day. Watch for cormorants which indicate the presence of small bait — and cast Tsunami Sand Eels or small plugs plus a teaser.

The marine forecast is for northwest gusts to 25 knots tonight before switching to east at 10-15 with gusts to 20 in the morning.

Here’s wishing all a Fishy New Year!

My New Years Eve went better than last years at a pond across the street from my Ft. Myers winter home. Though I caught only one largemouth bass running a Z Man paddletail over the surface, there was no encounter with an alligator!

There are many changes in seasons starting today. plus imposition of the mandatory use of circle hooks when using natural baits for striped bass in N.J. Those circles must be non-offset.🔚

Chuck Many made a solo trip to Cape Charles, Va. to release this striper stuffed with roe while fishing in the rain.

Small craft warnings are up through Saturday afternoon as southeast winds gust to 25 knots tonight. However, the morning forecast is for a surf calming west at 15-20 knots with gusts to 30.

It’s been a long time since I last celebrated New Years Eve by going out to party, but I did pull myself away from TV bowl games long enough to make a few late afternoon casts for black bass in a pond across the street from my winter home in Ft. Myers. Fl. last year at this time. There wasn’t much action in that shallow pond though a small alligator followed me along one side as it normally did. As I was making my last casts on the other side while walking out of the pond, I snubbed my foot on something. Out of curiosity, I used a small pocket flashlight to see what I had bumped into — and saw the gator staring back at me!

Why it didn’t react to my bumping into it is a mystery, but it sure looked annoyed before slipping back into the water. Since then I’ve tried to leave ponds before dark.

I get lots of walking exercise while casting surface lures on light spinning tackle. My usual lure is a 5-inch Z Man paddletail worked slowly over the surface for exciting strikes. I’ve had releases of largemouths up to a roundish 23-incher so far this winter, but most are much smaller.

Small craft warnings are up until 6 p.m. for west gusts to 25 knots. Friday’s forecast is for east winds at 10-15 knots that changes at night to southeast 10-15 with gusts to 20 and rain.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar tried deeper waters Wednesday for blackfish, but found too many dogfish. Some keeper tog were caught in shallower waters, but not enough for a good crowd.

Nick Honachefsky has announced that his new shows for Saltwater Underground on the Sportsman Channel will start Friday at 10:30 a.m. — and then every Friday at that time plus Sundays at 4:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. through March 28.

Anglers along the N.J. Shore were shocked to hear last night that Capt. Chris Hueth of the Big Mohawk from Belmar had passed away from a heart attack.

Hueth has long been famed as a blackfish and doormat fluke specialist, but was just as skilled with all bottom fish plus stripers and tuna. The info I’ve had so far indicates that Chris was driving home on Rt. 71 when he had the attack and pulled over to call 911. Help arrived too late to save the 59-year-old skipper.

Bob Matthews said everyone at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina was shocked by the loss of the relatively young and healthy Hueth. Hopefully, that concludes the bad news from 2020. Ironically, despite all the problems with the pandemic, it was more normal physical problems that downed other famed captains such as Art Hilliard, Stan Zagleski and Jeff Gutman — as well as Dave Arbeitman from the Reel Seat and my fishing buddy Bruce Vitale.

Matthews noted that only a few small stripers are still being caught in the local surf, and winter flounder fishing has been spotty at the the docks as the season winds down before closing on Jan. 1..

Capt. Vinny Vetere says the weather is right for closing out the year with a shot at big stripers with his Katfish from Great Kills. Call him at 917 693-8908.

Small craft warnings go up at 4 p.m. and into Thursday morning for southwest winds gusting to 35 knots with rain likely. Those winds go west at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 30 in the morning before diminishing to 10-15 northwest with gusts to 20 in the afternoon.

Chuck Many had to work hard for for just a couple of stripers during his last trip this week on his Ty Man out of Cape Charles, Va., but they were worth the effort as the pre-spawn bass weighed 57 and 56 pounds before release.

Maryland has announced a change in ocean striped bass regulations to one per day between 28 and 35 inches. That applies on Jan. 1 for the ocean and its tributaries — but not in Chesapeake Bay.

The striper below was released by Chad Parks on Chuck Many’s Ty Man from Cape Charles, Va. and will be a lot lighter after she sheds her roe in the spring and that belly flattens out. The only hit of the day — but well worth the trip trolling live eels.

The Paramount from Brielle may have two spots left on their offshore wrecks trip sailing at 8 p.m. today. Call 732 528-2117 for info.

Betty & Nick’s in Seaside Park reports that stripers seem to have moved on’ However, Mike Monte had some better news from further north. He fished the Belmar surf from dawn to 8 a.m. without a touch even though dipping birds indicated that sand eels were present. Yet, after returning later he met an angler who had also been shut out but had watched two other casters catch 5 and 10. One was using a Tsunami Sand Eel. and the other a Kettle Creek paddeltail. Those were the typical end-of-the-year 18-to–22-inchers. Apparently, those bass turned on around 9 a.m.

Small craft warnings are up until 10 p.m. The morning forecast is for west winds at just 5-10 knots before increasing in the afternoon to southwest 20-25 knots with gusts to 30.

Though big striped bass appear to have migrated to the south, dedicated anglers can follow them south — and that’s what Chuck Many does with his Tyman. Fishing during the catch and release season out of Cape Charles he trolls live eels to catch big bass that have become huge with roe that makes “fifties” out of ‘forties” until the spring spawning. Tyman had 12 50’s in a 10-day period this month.

Bob Matthews, at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina reports that a couple of regulars at the shop picked a few small stripers from the local surf at first light. Flounder fishing off the docks started slowly this morning with only one caught. Party boats targeting blackfish have had mixed results..

The Big Mohawk reported good conditions Sunday, but the tog weren’t biting as only a few keepers were caught.

Small craft warnings are up through Tuesday afternoon. The morning forecast is for northwest winds at 15-20 knots that increase to 20-25 with gusts to 30 in the afternoon.

The Paramount from Brielle has room on a jumbo sea bass trip sailing at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Call 732 528-4117 for reservations.

The surf settled quite a bit today, but Mike Monte didn’t catch any stripers at Belmar or see any caught by other anglers at what had been a hot spot.

Jerry Lasko also found nothing in the Ocean County surf either early or in the afternoon, but another surfcaster caught two later in the morning This doesn’t mean the stripers are gone as Jerry reported the surf is at about a relatively mild 45 degrees..

Small craft warnings are up through Tuesday afternoon. Southwest winds will be 15-20 knots in the morning with gusts to 25.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had to cancel their offshore sea bass trip on Dec. 28 due to the weather, but will be sailing Tuesday at 7 p.m. and has room. Visit their web site for reservations.

Calming seas

West winds will provide calming seas and better fishing conditions. The forecast is for west winds at 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 which will reduce seas from 4-6 feet to 2-4 feet as winds diminish further in the afternoon to 5-10 knots. Though stripers disappeared off Sandy Hook this week, that area may be worth checking again. Those calm seas should be ideal for blackfishing and for school stripers in the surf.

Small craft warnings are up through Saturday morning when west winds at 15-20 knots should start settling 6-9-foot seas.

Mike Monte proved there were still stripers in the Belmar surf yesterday morning as he had another good morning at Belmar. The bass were smaller, 18 to 22 inches, but they were right in the wash. Mike said they were hard to catch despite all the hits as they were nipping at the tail of the Tsunami Sand Eel.

Jerry Lasko said it was a different story in the Ocean County surf. Yesterday afternoon Maren Toleno caught four bass and he had one — but conditions were tough this morning and they did nothing.

A storm warning went up at 6, and the morning forecast is for southeast winds at 25-30 knots with gusts to 50. Seas build to 12-17 feet.

Merry Christmas