The Golden Eagle from Belmar completed their season with a Saturday to Sunday trip to far offshore sea bass wrecks that worked out well. There was a boat limit of jumbos up to a 7-pounder that won the pool plus lots of porgies some ling, and many bluefish before dawn. Most surprising was an abundance of very large bonito with up to 40 caught by anglers fishing for them.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc was shocked to find the striped bass that had been so abundant through Saturday were gone Sunday  when he made what turned out to be his last trip of the season with the Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands. There was no surface action, and working on readings produced only one slot and a dozen shorts.

It wasn’t like that the day before much further down the beach where Capt.  Jim Freda got into a fly rod paradise with his Shore Catch from Manasquan as he followed schools of small stripers from Lavallette steadily to the north. His son Matthew (see below) became a fly rod pro with a St. Croix Legend outfit.

 

Blog reader Jim Giles was into that fishing from south of Manasquan Inlet with his brother  and Chad Wieder as over 140 bass were released. Jim used a 6-inch Sluggo on a 1-ounce jig head.

 

Jerry Lasko said surfcasting was challenging today, but still productive in the morning as the waters were green. Returning at 2 p.m. they found the water had become very dirty and unfishable at Point Pleasant. Maren Toleno had released 11 bass up to a 25-incher early, and Jerry added three.

A gale warning is up tonight for southwest winds up to 35 knots. That drops to southwest at 15-20 knots in the morning, and to west at 10-15 in the afternoon along with rain.

Jerry Lasko said surfcasting for school stripers was an on-and-off pick all day in northern Ocean County, but the bass turned on just before dusk. Maren Toleno ended up with 41 releases, while Jerry had 31, Doug Fredericks 26, Will Fredericks 32, and John Gregor 15.

Small craft warnings go up late tonight for southwest gusts to 25 knots with likely rain. Monday starts with south winds at 15-20 knots that increase with gusts to 35 plus rain as a gale warning goes up.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar concluded its striper season on a high note with a boat limit of slots, some keepers and lots of shorts. They also reported loads of birds in the ocean.

Mark Roy fished further to the north with his Release Me from Raritan Marina and didn’t see any birds up there. He said there were some marks, but nothing hitting.

Jerry Lasko said even Maren Toleno had to work hard for school stripers in the northern Ocean County surf this morning as the bass wouldn’t come in over the bar. Yet, Maren still recorded 16 releases. Jerry got back to fishing after having to rest following a medical procedure, and managed a couple of bass.

Vinny D’Anton fished the Belmar surf this morning and scratched out four bass. He returned in the afternoon to catch another while Frank Manzi hooked a couple up to 23 inches.

The Paramount from Brielle has room on a 9:30 trip tonight to the far offshore wrecks for jumbo sea bass. Call 732 528-2117 for reservations.

The marine forecast is for southeast winds at only 5-10 knots before going south in the afternoon at 10-15 with gusts to 20 knots.

If you enjoy striper action even if keepers are missing, then you’ve got your choice of hot December fishing from both surf and boats.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had another day of great action with loads of shorts, some keepers and a slot bass for everyone. Unfortunately, tomorrow will be their last striper trip of the season.

The Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands didn’t find any birds when they went out this morning, but picked away on readings before the ocean suddenly erupted with feeding bass and everyone enjoyed great action. There were no keepers, but large slots up to a 27-incher (photo below) provided dinner for all. Capt. Rob Semkewyc won’t be sailing Saturday, but will try to get Sunday in.

A gale warning is up until midnight for west winds gusting to 35 knots, but the morning forecast is only northwest at 10-15 knots before south gusts to 20 in the afternoon.

Maren Toleno fished the Ocean County surf this morning to catch 13 school stripers from 6:15 to 8 a.m. Vinny D’Anton said it started slowly at Belmar, but picked up as the morning went on. He ended up with 14 schoolies that were the usual end of the year small bass except for a 23-incher.

Bob Correll caught one bass at Bay Head and saw a few others released.

Bob Matthews reports from Fisherman’s Den in Belmar that there are lots of small stripers in the surf, while dock fishermen continue to take their two-winter flounder limits — and party boats are doing very well with blackfish.

 

Friday’s boating weather looks good, and the weekend should also be mostly fishable. For party boat striper anglers, this could be the end of the line.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar is sailing right through Sunday — which will be its last striper trip. The Big Mohawk from that port is sailing open for blackfish at 7 a.m. Friday.

Jerry Lasko said surfcasting wasn’t as good as the day before because it was too nice. The surf was flat and there was no white water under the sun. Yet, Maren Toleno still managed seven school stripers.

 

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Small craft warnings come down in the morning with west winds of 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20. However, that shifts to southwest 15-20 in the afternoon with gusts to 30.

Capt. Hans Kaspersetz said he enjoyed fine blackfishing yesterday with Capt. Mark De Blasio on Waterproof.

Nick Honachefsky (above) of Saltwater Underground had a 10.25-pound tog to top his catch that day while fishing with Capt. Matty and using Magictail bucktails.

 

There was a very good striper bite reported today from both Atlantic Highlands and Belmar, but with west gusts to 30 knots and a small craft advisory up, both the Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands and the Golden Eagle out of Belmar have postponed their trips until Friday.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc of the Sea Hunter said it was the best day of the season as lots of school bass were caught and everyone went home with a slot striper. The Golden Eagle report from the ocean was similar as all aboard had a slot among the many bass caught.

The Big Mohawk from Belmar had good blackfishing with a pool winner of about 6 1/2 pounds. Whitelegger crabs worked best. They will be sailing on their reservation tog trip tomorrow since the west blow won’t bother them relatively close to shore.

Maren Toleno found surf conditions to be just fine even if the waters were a bit dingy. She caught 27 school bass at Brick in the morning, and added 9 more at dusk. All were on the Tsunami Sand Eel and a teaser.

Paul Haertel of the JCAA set up a fundraising page on Facebook, and quickly raised $500 on giving day with more coming in as the effort to fund that group’s conservation activities continues.

The west wind is flattening the seas and the forecast is favorable tomorrow and Friday. Thus, what remains of the fleets will be heading back to sea this week.

The Big Jamaica from Brielle has room on offshore jumbo sea bass trips leaving at 11 p.m. tonight and tomorrow night. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations.  That fishing has been very good, and should hold up for some time.

The Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands will try to get out for stripers tomorrow if enough anglers call by tonight to make the trip possible.  Call Capt. Rob Semkewyc at 732 291-4468.

The Golden Eagle will sail for stripers from Belmar at 7:30 a.m., and the Big Mohawk has an open boat trip for tog from that port at 7 a.m.

A small boat advisory is up through this evening for northwest gusts to 30 knots, but that drops to west at 10-15 with gusts to 20 overnight.

Surfcasters will be back in action if the waters have cleared enough.

Weakfish were practically unheard from this year, but they are being caught far offshore on the Jamaica.

 

It’s not likely that there will be any reports to add during a poor weather day, but there was continuing good news from the far offshore wrecks that have been producing limit jumbo sea bass catches on the Big Jamaica from Brielle.

That party boat reports there have also been lots of porgies plus some bluefish, weakfish and ling. Weekend pool winners were Tony Tran from Germantown, Md. with a 12-pound pollock and two anglers with 7-pound sea bass — Jerry Chen from Staten Island, and Fred Cheng of Sayreville. Melito Bisany of Bellville had a 6.2-pound sea bass. The Jamaica has openings on many trips through the end of the year. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations.

The gale watch is continued tonight, but improves tomorrow to northwest at 20 knots with gusts to 30 that should start knocking down the big seas. It may take a day or two for the waters to clear.

Chuck Many has been releasing many trophy stripers since moving his Ty Man to Cape Charles, Virginia. Mike Greene and Bob Bowden have joined him.  When I fished live eels with Chuck there several years ago, my first bite was from a bass over 50 pounds. Those interested in releasing a trophy striper there can get in touch with Sho-Nuf Sportfishing at 757 710- 0098.

 

 

 

The start of the northeast wind provided the rough, but clean green water that often results in a blitz  — but Jerry Lasko said it was just a pick in the Ocean County surf. Maren Toleno worked hard to catch six school stripers. Will Fredericks caught three in the morning, including the one pictured below which was typical of the day.

 

Bob Correll caught three bass at Bay Head in the morning.

The gale watch is up through Monday. The early forecast is for north winds down to 15-20 knots with gusts to 30.

The Mimi VI from Point Pleasant has many limited blackfish trips set for December. Call 732 370-8019 for info.

A gale watch is up for Sunday afternoon into Monday. Surfcasters may get an early shot as the Sunday morning forecast is east at 10-15 knots with gusts to 20. By afternoon it’s up to 25-30 with higher gusts.

Vinny D’Anton said surfcasting at Belmar was decent without the north wind that was hard to fish in the day before. He picked away to end up with six bass, including one pushing 28 inches.

Jerry Lasko said Maren Toleno only caught seven bass while working the IBSP surf most of yesterday. When she has a hard time catching, others are lucky to catch any at all!

Bob Correll didn’t see a fish caught at Bay Head this morning, and there was no bird action either.

The Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands got into lots of bait which made the bass a little fussy. Yet, they still caught plenty and later had a shot at larger slots and some keepers up to 15 pounds. The Sunday trip is cancelled due to the forecast, and the next fishable day may be Wednesday.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar got into picky striper fishing with mostly shorts, but some bass were boated. They won’t be sailing Sunday due to the forecast.