The steady bluefish jigging was tougher today in rain and wind, but the Golden Eagle from Belmar reported that those who stayed at the rail did all right — and sea bass were aded to the catch. The forecast is much better for Monday with north winds at 5 to 10 knots before going east in the afternoon — which bodes well for the bluefish bite.
The Jamaica from Brielle has room on its last tilefish trip of the year at 10 p.m. Monday. The cost is $330, and reservations are available by calling 732 528-5014. They’ll be trying to find a tilefish bigger than the one Dennis Muhlenforth boated on the Voyager this year.
The White Marlin Open promised full results on Saturday, but I’m still waiting.
Though I’m still waiting for official results. the White Marlin Open at Ocean City, Maryland has handed out millions of dollars to winners as noted in their last release:
“When the 48th annual White Marlin Open ended their 5-day event on Friday night, August 6th, there were many big claims on the world record fishing tournament purse of $9.2 million dollars. Out of the 444 registered boats, one boat proved the class of the tournament. The “Seven” out of Jupiter, Florida netted the top blue marlin (worth $1,100,000) and the top tuna, (good for $1,220,000) with a total winnings of just under $2,400,000. In addition to their final achievements, it needs to be added that, until the final hour of the event, they also held the 3rd place white marlin. No boat in the half century history of the White Marlin Open has achieved such a mastery of fishing prowess. Where their bigger money winners? Yes. Butch Wright, from Arnold MD, fishing abord the “Sushi” out of Ocean City, MD took the top white marlin at the last minute and the $3,200,000 prize that came with it. Wright’s fish may turn out to be a world record for catching a fish! We’ll have a complete breakdown of all winners in all gamefish categories and the world record payouts after the dust settles on Saturday. “
I’ll get that info out as soon as received.
The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported another good morning of bluefishing until the bite slowed around 11 and they went offshore to add sea bass as most fares limited on both species.
Capt. Ron Santee reported better fluke fishing than yesterday on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands until the south wind came up against the current. The Sunday forecast is for east winds at just 5-10 knots, but with gusts to 20 and possible showers.
Capt. Jim Freda had a great inshore bluefin tuna trip on Shore Catch for the Tim Murphy party as they caught 14 up to 44 inches by 9 a.m.
The 84th White Marlin Open at Ocean City, Maryland had been plodding along all week with the early leaders secure and fishing very poor..That all changed today as the Seven from Jupiter, Florida went in hoping to hold their lead in tuna but also ended up knocking back the seemingly secure 559.5-pound blue marlin by Mama C with a 775-pounder and adding a 77.5-pound white marlin.
Fender Bender had been leading all week with an 82.5-pound white marlin, but was edged out of a huge pay day at 9:30 when Sushi weighed an 85.5-pounder. I’ll have much more tomorrow when official results become available.
Closer to home, the Golden Eagle from Belmar reported another great day of bluefishing with mostly 3-to-6-pounders as the best bluefishing in years continues;
There’s a huge fleet of boats pounding the southern canyons today in hopes of catching a marlin or tuna that could be worth over a million dollars. Those boats are the last of the original 440 which established the standards which have been chased ever since without success in the quest for a $9.2 million purse.
Trolling in the southern canyons has been very poor, but it only takes one hit to change everything!
I’ll have an update late in the afternoon, and final results later tonight.
The Whte Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland set the stage for million dollar winners tomorrow as follows:
“A world record payout for catching a fish! After the third day of fishing, the 82.5-pound white marlin caught Monday by angler Mike Atkinson off the “Fender Bender” both from Virginia Beach, VA, is in prime position to net $4.9 million dollars! That would be the most money ever paid for a fish in the history of fishing – and that spans over 7,000 years of recorded history of man luring the aquatic creatures into their nets. Though it sounds dramatic, it is not untrue. While mulling over that, there is another $4.3 million that has been claimed in the other gamefish categories of the WMO. After Wednesday, the leaderboard remains virtually unchanged. The 559.5-pound blue marlin caught Monday by Chris Perry from the “Mama C”, both from Virginia Beach, VA, is holding onto the top blue marlin prize of $800,000. There is over $1,200,000 to be awarded in the tuna categories and, after day three, the bulk of that money is still held by the “SEVEN” out of Jupiter, FL with angler Lawrence Morejon from Stuart, FL taking the lion’s share of $1,043,000 for their 137-pound tuna. The shark division purse of $120,000.00 is still held by Anthony Sapanero aboard the “Go Fish”. The dolphin division is still led by Andrew Kinsley fishing aboard the Kilo Charlie, holding first with a 31.5-pound fish worth $20,000. The wahoo division is still holding from day 2 as Alex Haskins off the “Island Hopper” weighed 48.5-pounder good for $2,000.”
As expected, a small fleet didn’t change the places in today’s White Marlin Open. The only weigh-in I could find was a 23.5-pound dolphin by Trey “Cricket” McMillan on Michael Jordan’s Catch 23.
The bluefish bite off northern N. J.had been up and down, but now seems to be very consistent.
Both the Jamaica from Brielle and the Golden Eagle out of Belmar have been filling 5-blue party boat limits on jigs quickly before running out to hard bottom for the two sea bass presently allowed plus ling and possibly a fluke to fill out the catch. The blues generally range from 3 to 8 pounds.
The Golden Eagle had some yellowfin tuna caught and lost on Monday’s weekly exotics trip along with a couple of bluefins. The trip was topped by a 104-pound yellowfin.
The Jamaica has another tuna trip coming up on Aug. 8 at 11 p.m. — and a tilefish trip at 10 p.m. Aug. 9.. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations.
Tank Matraxia had a hot hand yesterday on Tagged Fish from Highlands as he took his limit from six legal fluke while drifting in the Scotland area.
Allen Riley and John Mazzeo fished the Sandy Hook surf yesterday morning and finally saw some small bait in the wash. Gulp produced three short fluke for them, while John also hooked a small blue on cut bunker.
A last try at surfcasting before heading back to Nashville produced a fat fluke in the Sea Girt evening surf yesterday for my grandson Aiden , but it was just a quarter-inch short. He was casting a Band of Anglers Dart Spin.
There’s a small craft warning up this evening through Thursday afternoon, though the morning forecast is only north at 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 before dropping to southeast 5-10 in the afternoon.
I’ll be updating the White Marlin Open later tonight if their Marlin Cam works. Don’t expect much because only 36 boats sailed today after most of the 440-boat fleet sailed the first two days in fine weather. I suspect that few will fish tomorrow in order to get out for the final shot at the $9.2 million purse on Friday when light west winds are forecast.
After being unable to get on the Marlin Cam at all to see the weigh-ins, and seeing the White Marlin Open site showing no change in leaders except for the first wahoo of 48.5 pounds 0n Island Hopper — I’m not sure there was really no change as there was a photo of a tuna weigh-in that should be second in that division.
Hopefully. I can get this tigured out in the morning. In any case, with most teams fishing both of the first two days in fine weather, there are only 491 boat days left the rest of the week in the 444-boat contest.
There was a dramatic rescue at sea the first day as Knot Stressin filled up with water and sank right after Fishbone arrived to take the crew aboard from the lifeboat.
LAST CALL for JCAA HEAVY HITTERS FLUKE TOURNAMENT – August 5th – 8th $10,000 cash prizes based on 250 entrants. 1st to 5th place prizes based on total weight of 3 fluke plus one prize for the largest fluke and one prize for the largest sea bass in the tournament. Ten weigh-in stations from Sandy Hook to Cape May. You pick your one day to fish, huge Calcuttas, $175 per boat (up to 4 people/anglers) Last year’s big winner won a total of $14,684 including Calcuttas. Our awards ceremony will be at the Forked River Tuna Club on 8/8 from 4-8 PM. Salad, Italian food, soda, water and desert will be served. There will be door prizes, a 50/50 and our High Roller Raffle tickets will be on sale as well. To top it off we will have a live band, Ken and the Escorts providing entertainment. Visit www.jcaa.org to register online or print an application or see our FB page (Jersey Coast Anglers Association and please “like” it) or call 973-943-8201 for more details. Online signups will continue to 11:59 PM on Wednesday 8/4 or you may call Paul at 973-943-8201 for last minute credit card signups.
Paul was fluking in Barnegat Inlet yesterday when he caught his first N.J. cobia. It was well short at 26 inches, but any cobia this far north is a thrill.
Capt. Rob Semkewyc reports lots of fluke action today on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands plus the best whale show he’s ever seen.
Tomorrow’s forecast is for east winds at 5 to 10 knots before increasing to 15-20 in the afternoon.
The 84th White Marlin Open continues with 420 boats fishing today. The first day’s results were in my late blog — and I’ll be doing another after the scales close tonight. The name of the boat with the leading 82.5-pound white marlin is actually Fender Bender.
The volume of weigh-ins on the first day of the White Marlin Open out of Ocean City, Maryland wasn’t impressive considering that 421 boats took advantage of fine weather to fish the canyons.
Mama C broke the ice on blue marlin with a 559.5-pounder to lead for $800.000, while Gender Bender leads in white marlin with an 82.5-pounder that could be worth $4.9 million. The tuna leader is Seven at 137 pounds, followed by Fishanado at 96 pounds,Uno Mas with a 60.5-pounder — and Finatic at 51.5 pounds..
Tight Lines 