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For-hire boats remain on hold

Though there have been discussions about opening up the economy as the pandemic curve flattens, the owners of party and charter boats in N. Y. and N. J. remain confused about when or if they will be allowed to take customers this year.

The bills keep coming for dockage, but income remains at zero. It isn’t like that everywhere. Charter boats have been operating in Florida, and Capt. Monty Hawkins is planning to start running limited trips in May with his Morning Star from Ocean City, Maryland. Hawkins will carry only nine customers, which is just 22,5% of his capacity in order to ensure the proper distancing. The cost for those sea bass trips will be $155  on Saturdays and $135 from Sunday to Friday.  Reservations are required by calling 410 520-2076. The sea bass season there opens with a 12-inch minimum and 15 fish bag limit.

Charter boats are operating in R.I., but don’t rush up there. Mike Laptew, the famed underwater photographer, checked with the governor’s office and found that they may only carry R.I., customers.

Even non-residents who own boats in R.I. have to check with their marina and quarantine before working on their craft. The state’s waters are open, but out-of-state boaters can’t overnight at the marinas.

Jack Kauffman confirmed last night’s blog about Saturday’s crowd of boats in Raritan Bay turning off the bite. He noted that there were no markers in the bay, and though he marked lots of fish for three hours they all had lockjaw.

Mark Roy got out into the bay today with his Release Me from Raritan Marina in Hazlet. His crew trolled stripers of 28 1/2 and 35 inches on mo-jos and released two smaller ones. They couldn’t find any bunkers for bait in Great Kills Harbor  before going to the back of the bay where there were bunkers flipping but no hits up to the time this blog was written.

The weather is turning on us again. The wind turns southeast in the morning at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 before increasing to 20-25 knots in the afternoon with gusts to 30 knots.

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Boat traffic slowed Raritan Bay striper bite

Capt. Vinny Vetere reports from Staten Island that Saturday’s striper trolling in Raritan Bay wasn’t as good as expected due to the huge fleet that gathered there in nice weather.

The skipper of Katfish from Great Kills still has his charter boat out of the water due to New York’s ban on charter fishing, but had his two mates out on a smaller boat, and they trolled up some stripers later in the day on Vetere’s pink and white Hojos. Included was the release of a fat female loaded with roe which taped out at 49.5 inches with a 34-inch girth.

Vinny 49.5 inch bass

After a mild winter, we’ve had an historically cool spring. That should change later in the week, but at least the wind shifts to the northwest at just 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 in the morning. The calming northwest direction will bring seas down to 3 to 5 feet, and diminish further in the afternoon.

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Small craft warnings up through Monday afternoon

The cold, raw spring continues as small craft warnings are posted through tomorrow afternoon.

Northeast winds of 15-20 knots tonight drop a bit to north at 10-15 plus gusts to 20 in the morning along with likely showers.

Scott Leadbeater of Haddon Heights got his Aquasport center console into the water yesterday morning for its 24th year at Atlantic Highlands , and took advantage of the calm morning to fish for stripers among about 100 boats in Raritan Bay from Romer Shoal to Union Beach. Only one short was caught among lots of marks tight to the bottom before he moved to Chapel Hill where the marks were higher. Three stripers from 15 to 18 pounds were then caught in 30 minutes.

Tommy Cox has been enjoying kayak fishing in Lemon Bay on Florida’s lower west coast before heading back to New Jersey. Casting to the mangroves has produced a variety of species up to large redfish and snook.

The lack of pressure on Florida’s east coast has resulted in much better fishing. My nephew, Todd Correll got a report of one boat that caught 40 sailfish in a day off Key West, which is something I’ve never heard of there before.

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Lilly trolls an “exotic” — a bluefish

Dave Lilly called this morning with news that he ad trolled an “exotic” — at least by last year’s standard in Raritan Bay — a bluefish.

Lilly went east from Keyport and saw nothing but a lot of boats on a calm morning.  Therefore, he went to the back of the bay where he’s been doing well by trolling 3-ounce Tony Maja mo-jos and caught the blue of about 8 pounds before starting a pick of bass in the 30-34-inch class that got better before he came in later in the morning. Dave said the radio was pretty quiet. He did see bunkers flipping in the back of the bay.

Capt. Chris Di Stefano said a friend trolled mo-jos in the bay to catch 30-inch  bass. He also had a report of cod at Sandy Hook Reef, including a 20-pounder. Another boater had lots of both short and keeper blackfish at Sea Girt Reef. In addition there were 18-22-inch winter flounder and the first showing of big sea bass that are out of season.

Unfortunately, those areas may not be fishable Sunday as small craft warnings are up. East winds of 20 to 25 knots are predicted along with gusts to 30, plus showers.

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Huge tog for Paul Haertel

While most anglers are fishing for stripers or waiting for blues,  the tautog season is also open. Paul Haertel, Blackfish Committee chairman of the JCAA, proved his expertise in that fishery yesterday by boating a 15.85-pounder.  That tog of a lifetime will be mounted.

Paul Haertel tog

After this morning’s rain, there are northeast winds blowing that will diminish by midnight and blow at only 5-10 knots in the morning before going southeast in the afternoon. However, instead of a clearing west wind, it will be back to the east at 15-20 knots on Sunday.

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Striper bite continues in Raritan Bay

Dave Lilly of Hazlet trolled up stripers in Raritan Bay again today, though it wasn’t as easy as it had been.

Lilly decided to head east from Keyport and never had a hit all the way to Romer Shoal before running to the back of the bay where about a dozen bass in the 34-35-inch class were trolled in 16-foot depths on Tony Maja 3-ounce mo-jos.  He only saw one bass caught to the east among a good fleet taking advantage of a calm morning — though some snow flakes were falling in the cold air when he started out. However, he did hear a radio report of a 7-pound fluke being trolled.  The water temperature was up a couple of degrees to 48 in the back, though there were no surface signs of bunkers or birds in the bay.

As noted in yesterday’s blog, Capt. Stan Zagleski passed away from cancer at 76. His son Stan sent this shot of his father with one of his top big fluke customers, Ashley, on Elaine B. II from Bahrs in Highlands. Stan, Jr. will be running the boat as soon as party boat fishing is permitted.

 

Stan Zagleski

Capt. Art Hilliard was also lost to the for-hire fleet recently. He had run the large-group charter boat Eagle from Atlantic Highlands. R.I.P. Art.

Art Hilliard

Capt. Bob Garafano from Belmar also reported the recent loss of former party boat owner Marty Tave. Capt. Chris Di Stefano noted that he bought the Renegade from Tave and briefly ran it as a party boat.

Chis had some inshore cod news as a friend told him that 19 legal cod were boated at Sandy Hook Reef last weekend along with ling and blackfish. There was also a cod report from Sea Girt Reef.

Bob Correll of Bay Head has been hooking and jumping small tarpon from the back of a house he’s been living in at Islamorada in the Florida Keys, but finally got one that hung on for a photo a couple of nights ago.

Bob's tarpon

Rain is forecast after midnight, and the morning prediction is northeast winds at 15-20 knots with gusts to 25.

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R.I.P. Capt. Stan Zagleski

The N.J. party boat fleet is being hit hard this month, though not entirely by the pandemic. I got word today that Capt. Stan Zagleski Sr., of Elaine B. II from Bahrs in Highlands has passed away.

The information I have at present is that Stan broke his hip, but in the hospital they found him “full of cancer” — and he never got out.

Stan specialized in catching doormat fluke, even though he didn’t normally drift the rocky bottoms. I’m sure that Stan ,Jr. will carry on the tradition when party boat fishing resumes.

Though west winds are gusting to 30 knots this evening, they are predicted to drop to 5-10 in the morning before shifting to southeast in the afternoon.

 

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Gale warning into tonight

It’s been a windy cold spring, but there are better days coming. The northwest wind now blowing up to 35 knots should drop to 20-25 west by morning plus gusts to 30. At least that should settle the ocean.

The relatively few boaters fishing in  Raritan Bay continue to do very well with large stripers. One claimed on Facebook that he had a hard time finding one under 38 inches.

I was able to find an article by Dan Radel in the Asbury Park Press noting that Norma Keller, owner of the Norma K party boat fleet in Point Pleasant, died at 80 from complications of old age. Due to the present restrictions, a small private service was held. However, I haven’t been able to find out any more about Capt. Art Hilliard after reading on Faceboook that he had passed away. Anyone with information can contact me at cristori@aol.com.

Vinnie D’Anton continues to do well wading for spotted sea trout at Sarastota, Fl. — and even added a flounder yesterday on a Z Man jig.

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N.J. party boat fleet loses two great ones

Two of the great veterans of New Jersey’s party boat business have passed away.

Norma Keller, owner of the Norma K. fleet in Point Pleasant was a fixture in that town for decades. Capt. Art Hilliard was part of a famed fishing family sailing out of Atlantic Highlands. He was best known as skipper of the large group charter boat Eagle. I’ll try to get details for the next blog.

A gale warning is going up for Tuesday.  The morning starts with south winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 30 before going southwest and gusting to 40 in the afternoon Showers and possible thunderstorms are predicted.

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Marinas open from NJ to CT

The new coalition of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut governors acting together in selectively reopening the economy as the pandemic shows signs of diminishing took a big step this weekend by reopening marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers in all three states. Unfortunately, both charters and rentals remain prohibited.

Party and charter boat skippers remain out of work, and are finding that they don’t qualify for government programs aiding small business.

Small craft warnings are up until midnight for southwest gusts to 30 knots. The morning marine forecast is for northeast winds at 10-15 with gusts to 20 knots.

Capt. Jim Freda was able to get out on Raritan Bay with family this week and had no problem jigging and trolling large stripers from his Shore Catch.

Freda's striper