Weather imoroving

Though a small craft warning is up in NY/NJ Bight tonight, Sunday is looking better with northeast winds dropping back to 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 with a chance of light rain. I’ll have results of the Big Rock tomorrow.

As noted every year in this blog. a sure prized last minute Father’s Day gift for any angler is a selection of AFTCO fishing shorts plus shirts including the Guy Harvey styles. The fishing shorts wear like iron and are easy to clean. Now that I’m permanent in Florida, I wear them every day except for weddings and other such rare events.

The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is heading toward another exciting conclusion. This morning’s tournament blog noted “After a red-hot day offshore yesterday with 122 billfish released on Day 4 alone — the tournament total has climbed to 259 releases and counting. For perspective, last year’s entire tournament tallied 268. With two full days of fishing left, the bite is on fire.”

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Saturday’s forecast in NY/NJ Bight is for northeast winds at 10-15 knots with showers being likely.

Other categories also started filling in as two large wahoo were boated — a 60.7-pounder by Bull Pen. and a 19.6-pounder on Motley Crew. Smoker weighed the first tuna at an impressive 117.4 pounds.

A 47.2-pound dolphin on Sea Wish took a big lead, but there was also a 19.6-pound entry by Motley Crew.

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The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for east winds at 5-10 knots.

Most surfcasters concentrate on striped bass’ and some don’t even “waste” their time on bluefish. That’s too bad because there’s some good sport to be had at this time with fluke.

The vast majority of surf fluke are shorts, but it takes a good “touch” to tempt and hook them while seeking an 18-inch keeper in the N.J. surf.

Vinny D’Anton has been frustrated by the lack stripers in the northern N.J. surf this spring, but has enjoyed fast action with white Gulp every time he’s switched over — and he finally hoked a keeper this morning. Vinny had given sand fleas a good try without a hit, though he heard that one bass was caught on fleas this morning. He notes that the fluke are very close to shore, and it’s important to fish your lure or bait right into the wash.

Vinny fishes the Monmouth County surf. but there have been even better surf fluke reports coming from South Jersey beaches.

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The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for south winds at 10-15 knots.

West winds at 5-10 knots continue unil a slight increase to 10-15 knots southwest in the afternoon.

Betty & Nick’s Tackle in Seaside Park reports: “6-10-25 UPDATED 7:55 AM Based on yesterday and today, getting a run of big bass from the south hitting here now. Jim and Tommy with a 47 inch, 40+ pound bass this morning on clams.— with Kevin Deiter.

The 67th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament out of Morehead City, N.C. started in rough seas though 43 of the 267 registered boats managed to release 12 blues. 4 sailfish and one white marlin on Day 1. Just 8 dolphin were weighed up to a 14-pounder on Offshore Outlaw.

The NYNJ Bight forecast is for west winds at 5-10 knots before switching to southwest at 5-10 plus gusts to 20 in the afternoon.

Johnny Calamari reports “SUMMER VACATION! As the BIG GIRLS head north for their summer vaca there’s still a few in our area to tussle with! Just believe in the eel and put your time in! Constantly changing baits (“frisky eels”) and working the spread are key for a TROPHY!! #stripedbass#fish36#tackleboxNJ

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The forecast for NY/NJ Bight is for southeast winds at 5 knots before switching to south in the afternoon.

Vinny D’Anton raised a few cocktail blues to his Chug Bug in the Monmouth County surf this morning, but remains surprised at the lack of school stripers there as none of the regulars are catching them. Stripers should be gorging on sand fleas by this time, and those baits are abundant. Yet, Vinny can’t get a bite on them despite perfect conditions. A switch to fluke on Gulp was a lot more productive even though there wasn’t an 18-incher among them.

Capt. Frank Masseria of Vitamin Sea from Leonardo has been out of action due to a reaction from a medication, but his crew has continued to do well with the Raritan Bay stripers.

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The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for east winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20. There’s a chance of morning rain.

Party boat skippers often contend that NOAA Fisheries underestimates sea bass populations which results in tougher regulations than necessary. The results from New Jersey’s season so far seem to uphold that stance as catches haven’t dropped off.

The latest report from the Golden Eagle from Belmar was of a full boat sea bass limit along with the usual few ling. Capt. Ron Santee actually had a slower start on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands this morning due to poor conditions, but the trip ended with another good catch. That boat is chartered on Sunday.

The forecast for NY/NJ Bight is for northeast winds at only 5-10 knots before increasing to 10-15 plus gusts to 20 in the afternoon.

Sorry I couldn’t get up for the annual Manhattan Cup (now run out of Liberty Landing in Jersey Cit),especially when compared with the first one I fished in pouring rain plus thunder, lightning and hail before ending up with a tornado warning which required ordering all boats into Great Kills. The contestants had to be transported by a party boat to Manhattan for dinner and all the festivities.

The Viking Fleet at Montauk reports as follows: “Steven Sr. reports a very good trip on the Viking Starship. Day 1 the Tilefish were picky to start, but when the conditions changed it got better and better. We had mostly Tile with some Pollock and Hake too. A lot of the Tiles were Large and X-Large. Day 2 started with a bang then slowed down, so we tried deeper water where we found Jumbo Tiles and very Large Hake. On Day 3 we fished the Fluke grounds. It started off slow with wind against tide. As the tide picked up it got better and better! We left them biting!! Don Wetzel won the Tile pool with a 39.6 pounder. Anthony Zheng won the Fluke pool with a 9.2 pounder. The edible pool went to Bill Beacher with a 34.9 lb Hake. “

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The forecast in NY/NJ Bight is for south winds at just 5 knots. There may be some areas of fog plus showers in the morning, and seas will be up to 5 feet.