A small craft advisory is up in NY/NJ Bight through late Saturday night. The forecast is for very cold northwest winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25 and a chance of rain and snow in the morning.

Mike Monte checked out the Monmouth County surf again this morning and found it to be devoid of fish life though some loons were diving on sand eels. He said the water temperature is under 50 degrees with no sign of the usual small stripers normally hanging out through December.

Following is a Facebook report from New Zealand:

“In an exhilarating fishing expedition off the North Cape Karikari region of New Zealand, captain John Gregory and his deckhand Jim Gigger made headlines after reeling in a colossal swordfish. The duo, aboard their vessel Primetime, hooked the massive fish, which weighed an astonishing 404.4 kilograms (891 pounds, 8 ounces), setting the IGFA Men’s 37-kg (80-lb) Line Class World Record.

The epic battle began when the swordfish took the bait—a skipjack tuna that was being drifted deep in the water. “The fish took a large tuna we were drifting down deep, and it sucked the bait right down into its guts,” Gregory recounted. The fight was intense, likened to “riding a bull in the rodeo,” as the fish delivered powerful head shakes and performed a spectacular jump before diving back into the depths. After an arduous struggle lasting one hour and twenty minutes, the anglers finally brought the behemoth alongside their boat.

Measuring an impressive 14 feet, 5 inches from the tip of the bill to the tail, with a short measurement of 10 feet, 3 inches and a girth of 6 feet, 4 inches, this swordfish not only redefines fishing records but also stands as a testament to the thrill and challenge of big-game fishing in New Zealand’s rich waters.”

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar reported such a calm Wednesday that they had a hard time staying tight on the anchor. There was a pick of blackfish, and the high hook caught four keepers.

Unfortunately, the NY/NJ Bight forecast for Friday is northeast 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25. There’s also a chance of rain.

The best sea bass fishing of the year is occurring right now at far offshore wrecks fished by N.J. party boats. Those beautiful male sea bass also fight well and are probably the best eating fish in our waters.

New York anglers can get up to the hour weather condition reports on the Capt. Lou Fleet from Freeport by calling Anthony Gillespie by calling him at 516 623-5823. They are sailing for those sea bass every day it’s possible -even Christmas Eve.

Golden Eagle sea bass

A small craft advisory is up from late tonight to Thursday morning. The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for northwest at 15-20 knots with gusts to 25 before diminishing to 10-15 in the afternoon.

This is the roe-laden 56-pound striped bass released from SHO-NUF out of Cape Charles, Virginia that was noted in yesterday’s blog

The most unusual party boat fishery is going on this month off Ocean City, Maryland , where Capt. Monty Hawkins is catching 200-pound class bluefin tuna from his Morning Star with consistency. His latest trip was in in rougher than expected conditions this week.

“Only had three clients on this short notice open boat trip. They were three of my favorite anglers though – off we went.

Played a hunch; looked further south. Found life and saw a few tuna on my screens but no bites.

Kept paddling.

Back where we had em yesterday worked.

First one bit a Shelly and came across the rail in just 8 minutes. Forty nine inches but not the heart of some.

Exhilerating when headed for London; our second fish dumped a lot of line on the strike; had bitten a wayback to begin with so perhaps 400+ yards of line out! After several rounds of anglers it took 43 minutes.”

That long rod may be good for working the tuna at boatside, but must be a killer on anglers. West Coast party boat tuna fishermen long ago found that short stand-up rods put the mechanical advantage in the human’s favor rather than the tuna’s.

Don’t expect to earn IGFA recognition as a giant bluefin angler for a catch on the Morning Star as the rod is shared during the fight, but this is a unique opportunity to experience the feel of fighting the strongest fish in the seas. Hawkins is adding trips as weather permits.

The Sho-Nuf started its winter striped bass release fishery out of Cape Charles, Virginia yesterday in unpredicted rough conditions which produced only one trolled striper — though it was a 56-pounder!

Vinny D’Anton did nothing in the northern N.J. surf this morning, and says most of the regulars are giving up on the usual run of small stripers to conclude the year.

The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for southwest winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 20 in the afternoon. Morning rain is possible.

Anglers seeking to improve their striped bass personal record have a great opportunity to do that during the catch-and-release winter season at Chesapeake Bay.

Stripers hooked at that time are full of roe building up for the spring spawning period, and weigh far more per inch than usual.

New Jersey striper pro Chuck Many has been fishing that area for decades and is back there now to conclude his very productive 2014 fishing season. His first report follows :”Shot gun trip to VA to fish with Clinton & Landen for a rendezvous with some of my striped friends!! Awesome time!!!! 11 hours of driving for 9 hours of fishing is totally worth it!!! Suffer for those fish anytime!!

If you ever get the winter blues and want to get a Giant, look up Clinton at Sho Nuf Sportfishing in Cape Charles, VA!! You won’t be disappointed.”

Capt. Ralph Leyrer tried for NJ Bight stripers yesterday out of Belmar without finding any promising signs and switching to blackfish. He’s available for tog fishing on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 a.m. Contact him at lastladyfishing.com

A small craft advisory is up through Tuesday afternoon. The forecast is for southwest winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 30 along with morning rain before dropping to west 10-15 and gusts to 20 in the afternoon.

Just as noted last night, the weather was right for offshore sea bass trips — and that’s usually all that’s required in the winter.

The Golden eagle from Belmar reported as follows:

“IT WAS EXCELLENT FISHING ON THE OFFSHORE GIANT SEA BASS TRIP!
The fish started biting right away and bit all night long. The boat was limited out by 8 am and everyone was in catch and release mode. The SEA BASS were 4 to 6 lbs. and Meredith was the pool winner with a fish around 6 to 7 lbs. We also had PORGIES, WEAKFISH and BLUEFISH.
We have a few more Offshore Giant Sea Bass Trips scheduled in December so be sure to make your reservations to join us on one of these exciting trips.
Folks, the weather for the first 3 to 4 days of the upcoming week is looking horrible for Striper fishing. We will not be fishing until Friday or the weekend. Please check our emails and website for updates.“

The inshore forecast is for southeast winds at 10-15 knots.
 

Small school stripers usually bite well into the winter in the northern N.J. surf if water temperatures don’t get too cold. However, the last report came from Sea Girt a couple of days –ago — and Mike Monte couldn’t get a touch there the last two mornings in cold, but fishable conditions. Though the water remains mild enough, the sand eels also seem to have moved out.

Offshore sea bass anglers should do very well tomorrow as the forecast is for light east winds.

Sorry about no blog last night. but Kathy and I got stuck behind a major road accident in Florida that took hours to get around.

Though a gale warning is up until 6 p.m., the morning forecast is for only 10-15-knot northwest winds — and the Big Mohawk from Belmar is scheduled to sail for tautog at 6:30.

The Golden Eagle from that port may try for stripers later in the week, but has an offshore sea bass trip set for 7 p.m. Dec. 14.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. has decided to call it a season on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands after the main body seemed to move too far south.

The great winter tuna fishery is underway in North Carolina, and Water Proof has some dates open. as per the following post: dates remaining:

Jan 28-31

Feb 13-14, 24-25

March 1, 4-5, 8-12

Give us a call to experience this world class fishery first hand ..

Mark (201) 988-5475

This was certainly not a day for fishing in NY/NJ Bight. as a storm warning is only now moderating.

By morning there will be clearing west winds at 25-30 knots, which will start settling seas that were up to 18 feet.

A gale warning is up in NY/NJ Bight through late tonight, and that may be the beginning of the end for a great fall striped bass season.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. of the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands said the local bass seem to have moved out to at least Shark River Reef. “Some may hang on a bit longer as long as they still have a little something to eat, and that is getting thin. The past two days the fish we have been catching, their stomachs have been empty.

The East wind has never been my friend and today was no different, we caught fish, some did better than others but you had to fish hard to get it done. Bill V. and Big Tom were High hooks with 8 & 6 fish each. Few guys had 3 and 2 but they worked their asses off to get it done. I constantly moved to stay on top of the small readings we had to catch a couple a drift. No, it was not easy. 

We also had to stay on the nasty bottom loosing many jigs, I tried a couple times to go deeper but there were no fish there. Today may have been the swan song for us, I will see what the weather holds for Friday through the weekend then make my decision. I will never beat a dead horse. We have had another good season, if I think we can get it done by Sunday we will shape up, if not, Thank you to all who have fished with me.”

The Golden Eagle from Belmar sailed right into the main body of stripers this morning and had a great first drift on surfacing fish as everyone got their keeper and Bonus Bass. They will try again if the weather permits.

The forecast is for south winds at 20-25 knots plus gusts to 35 before gusting to 35 as seas increase to as much as 17 feet in the afternoon.