Ocean conditions weren’t good as the sea bass season opened today in New Jersey. Indeed, the Big Mohawk from Belmar took a pass on the opener due to those conditions which also often have a negative effect on the sea bass bite. They’ll be out there tomorrow. The Golden Eagle from Belmar is running a special early trip from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A small craft advisory is up through Monday morning, but the forecast is for north winds at just 5-10 knots, before going east in the afternoon. The seas drop to 3-5 feet with an east swell and rough inlets.

The exceptional rain combined with big seas made for a dirty surf. However, Nick DiNapoli caught a fat 31-inch striper on salted clams at Monmouth Beach.

Capt Joe Massa from Morgan Marina fished with a group of avid tog fishermen last week in Rhode Island on The City By The Sea Charter. Capt. Heaney put the group on big tog along with quality sea bass. Massa said the tog bite for two days was epic. Dozens of fish between 6 and 12 lbs were caught by the group which released all the big tog . The fish were keyed in on big white leg crabs which Massa cut in half and used a slider rig with two hooks in the crab

Massa (see below) said City By The Sea Charters is the top bottom fish boat in Rhode Island, where the waters are the best for tautog in both quantity and quality which we don’t see in New Jersey.

Striper anglers should be sure to take in Chuck Many’s appearance at 6:30 this evening in the Tackle Box on Rt. 36 in Hazlet. Many is the top striper pro in the area, and he doesn’t hold anything back when discussing his techniques which have resulted in many 50-pounders being released from his Tyman out of Highlands.

A small craft advisory remains up through Sunday evening, but there’s finally some improvement in the weather. Sunday starts with north winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 and 4-6-foot seas. That should be good enough for most boaters to get into the opening day of the N.J. sea bass season on Sunday.

Record rain after an unending northeaster has virtually shut down saltwater fishing in NYNJ Bight except for those persevering in backwater areas which have remained clear. Unfortunately, there’s still no sign of the roaring northwest wind needed to clear up this situation.

There is finally a mention of west in a future forecast, though it’s only for a light west wind on Tuesday.

In the meantime, there are small craft warnings through Sunday evening. It will be northeast in the morning at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25 along with 5-8-foot seas and more rain.

The N,J, sea bass season opens on Sunday. and the Jamaica from Brielle has switched from tuna fishing on rough offshore seas to a 9-hour sea bass fishing trip in calmer waters. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations on the 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. sailing.

Ian Scott Devlin with the sporty and good-eating Atlantic bonito.

Striped bass fishermen, and especially those who would like to become successful striper anglers, should be sure to take in the seminar being presented Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Tackle Box at Hazlet by New Jersey’s most prominent striper pro. Chuck Many.

Chuck is one of the most dedicated striper fisherman I’ve met in decades of fishing for that species from North Carolina to Maine. The results he’s achieved aboard his Tyman from Highlands include many tournament victories and an American Striper Association Angler of the Year designation — all while releasing even those bass weighed in for contests. However, quite unlike most striper pros, Many is happy to share his expertise and techniques with others who want to become better striper anglers.

There will be plenty of stripers to be caught after the lengthy period of northeasters which should get the fall migration started. Some big bass were caught in Raritan Bay at the beginning of the storm, and that bite should resume as waters clear.

Unfortunately, there’s still no forecast of a calming northwest blow. However, at least the northeaster has backed off to a small craft advisory through Saturday evening with diminishing seas. The Friday forecast is for northeast at 20-25 knots with gusts to 30 plus rain and 5-8-foot seas. By Saturday, it starts at northeast 15-20 with gusts to 25 plus 4-6-foot seas and only a chance of rain.

Hopefully, by Sunday’s opening of the N.J. sea bass season there will be decent conditions for that fishery. The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands expects to get started again that day.

Capt. Frank Masseria is putting together an open boat live bait striper trip for Sunday on his Vitamin Sea from Keyport, Call 917 439-6448 for reservations.

Adam LaRosa says his Canyon Runner from Point Pleasant has a few open dates into mid-October to finish the offshore season with yellowfin chunking that’s been very productive. Call him at 732 272-4445.

The Hudson River Fisherman’s Assn. has postponed their Fly Fishing Derby scheduled for Saturday at Sandy Hook until further notice.

New Jersey has taken action to bring state regulations into complience with those in federal waters. Thus, cod must be at least 23 inches long during seasons from May 1-31, and Sept. 1 to Dec, 31. The bag limit is five.

The summer flounder season in NJ waters ended in rough seas today as the Ocean Explorer from Belmar had to cancel a last day Marathon trip when the ocean remained “wild” last night rather than dropping down to a manageable big swell condition. The only good news is that the sea bass season opens on Oct. 1 and runs through Oct. 31 with a bag limit of 10 at a 12.5-inch minimum.

The longest lasting northeaster anyone can remember continues with small craft warnings for northeast winds at 15-20 knots on Thursday along with 4-6-foot seas and likely afternoon showers. There’s still no change to calming west winds in future forecasts.

Nick Honachefsky reminds us there are less than 10 days left to sign up for the Barrier Island Beach Brawl! – by which time the northeaster may finally stop blowing!

The Oct. 6/7 – 2 day surf fishing tourney features $25,000 worth of free fishing tackle rod/reel/gear door prizes, plus cash prizes for15 eligible species- with Striper PHOTO/Release only.

Nick emphasizes that registration gets you a $50 FREE Goody Bag just for signing up! You can’t go wrong by getting into this fun-fishing contest. Sign up at local tackle shops, or visit saltwaterunderground/barrierislandbeachbrawl.com.

Everyone I’ve talked to agrees that they’ve before seen such a long,unrelenting northeaster. Mike Monte says the surf is filthy, and infishable. He thinks it will take several days of northwest winds to clear it up, but there’s nothing of that sort in upcoming forecasts.

The gale warning comes down at 6 p.m., before shifting to a small craft advisory through late tonight. Wednesday starts with northeast winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25 — and 5-8-foot seas.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar has been planning a season–ending fluke trip for Wednesday in hopes that the wind will back off enough for them to fish deep water rocks and wrecks in search of a fluke that could be worth over $5,000 for those joining the seasonal and monthly pools as well as the daily. An 8-pounder presently leads in those pools. Those interested can text 848 565-0519 for info and a reservation.

A fond memory from Mel Deak. Whitey and Jimmy Morenz ran Miss Take II out of Highlands for many years for stripers, weakfish and blue. That 60-foot party boat was built in 1952.

The northeaster just keeps coming, and with big waves crashing the beaches surfcasters must be alert to the dangers posed by backwashes.

It’s possible for N.J. surfcasters to cast into a pretty stiff northeaster in search of that first striped bass blitz of the fall, but the greatest danger isn’t the big waves coming at you — but rather the backwash as all that water pours back down the beach and can easily sweep your legs out from under you.

Falling down in the surf line can be a killer, especially at this time of year when there are few people on the beaches. Getting back up as the waves keep coming is no sure thing even for veteran anglers. Unless you carry a walking staff, your rod butt may be all you have to work with under the circumstances — especially if your waders have taken in water. Using a strap across your wader top is a good idea on lonely beaches even if you don’t plan to wade beyond the wash.

The northeaster just keeps coming, with no sign of a calming northwest blow. A gale warning is up through Tuesday afternoon with northeast winds at 25-30 knots plus seas up to 9 feet in a south swell. Inlets will be rough, and there’s a chance of rain.

The N.J. fluke season closes after Sept. 27, which may not make any difference unless the weather improves.

NYC Capt. John McMurry says it hasn’t been a good year for big dolphin during his tuna trips, but this one caught before the storm was an exception.

At least the gale watch is gone, and it’s down to a small craft advisory for tomorrow. However, northeast winds of 20-25 knots plus gusts to 35 continue to the afternoon. Add in some showers, and that makes a good day to stay home. Vinny D’Anton reports the surf is a mess, and it may require a change in wind direction to take care of that problem.

Capt. Vinnie Vetere of Katfish at Great Kills sent the following report about Friday’s fishing:

“”We went out 5 am in the dark to get an early jump before the blow. We found the fish chewing.

Most fish were overs up to 41lbs.

We were only able to keep the boat limit of 6. We fished eels as we had no time to look for bunker. By 10:30 the wind came up to 35mph and the waves crested at 4 feet.  We got home just before the wind blew the house away.  You were right again.  Always fish for big bass just before a big east blow.”

Vetere hopes to be out there again on Tuesday.

Paddy Sciortino of The tackle Box in Hazlet also got into big stripers by fishing live eels at night in Raritan Bay just before the storm.

The gale watch comes down tonight after northeast winds gust up to 40 knots. East winds continue Sunday at 20-25 knots with gusts to 35 and showers.

The IGFA starts its 2023 Tournament Series Online Auction at 8 a.m. Sunday. Check in with the IGFA for a preview of all the tackle, art, trips, etc. that will be up for grabs.

Capt. Ron Santee got a real surprise today when he tried to sneak in a last fluke trip on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands before the weekend gale watch.

Fish usually bite readily before a storm, but that wasn’t the case at all today as Capt. Ron Santee tried several spots without putting a single keeper on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands. The ocean was getting nasty, so Santee gave out passes for a future trip and headed in early.

Mike Monte of Nantucket has been catching stripers over 16 inches during a short period after dawn from Monmouth County beaches. Yesterday morning he had a 30-incher on a popper, while another angler beached a 31-incher. The northeaster will probably kill that action, but fall storms can produce for those willing to take a beating if the waters remain clear.