Tight Lines

The second edition of Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring Tournament is coming to an end in what appear to be good conditions as boaters use up their three fishing days out of five. Only 16 sailed today, but there will be many more of the 80-boat fleet in action during the last two days.

So far there have been only two weigh-ins that might stand up to the end. TLC opened up the first day with a 437-pound blue marlin, and Taylor Jean/MJ’s weighed a 231-pound tuna. None of the other tuna entries have been over 70 pounds, while the wahoo and dolphin leaders are relatively small – and no white marlin have been weighed. I’ll bring everything up to date with a blog after the scales close.

Capt. John McMurray said Jay Odell’s first tuna practically wore him out. He noted that the edge of the shelf was alive today with sand eels, dolphins and whales plus a shark feeding frenzy.

That was what the Golden Eagle from Belmar was looking for yesterday during their first Inshore Exotics trip. However, the area that had been producing tuna only had bait. A few tuna were lost as they fought the seas plus full moon currents that created a 3-knot drift. Some mahi, sea bass, ling and blues were caught. The Golden Eagle was back to bluefishing today as they had a pick of 2-5-pound blues before heading south to add some sea bass, ling, fluke and even a cod. The next exotics trip is on July 18 by reservation.

The forecast is for southwest winds at 5-10 knots.

Mike Monte gave up on the Monmouth County surf after five straight mornings of no bass — three while using sand fleas and the last two casting lures at dawn. He’s returning to Nantucket where there should be no such drought.

There was sad news at the end of the day with a report that a Jersey Shore legend has crossed the bar. Phili Sciortino Sr. of the Tackle Box at Hazlet lost a long battle with cancer. I’ll have details when available.

Red drum always have a spot or two at their tail, but this small one that Chuck Many caught in a salt pond at Hilton Head, South Carolina was really showing off.

With only 8 of the 80 boats competing today in the Quest for the Ring Tournament out of Atlantic City, there was no change among the first day leaders. Only two tuna and a released white marlin were recorded. With much better weather, results tomorrow should be considerably improved.

Miss Belmar Princess reported good jigging and popping for bluefish this morning before the wind came up by noon and killed the bite. The high hook kept his limit out of 15 blues, and there were other limits taken.

Capt. Ron Santee of the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands knew he’d have to find some fluke before the wind became a problem. He did find keepers on the first few drifts, but it was tough after that. South winds have lowered the ocean water temperature to 60 degrees.

Small craft warnings are up until late tonight, but it will be down to southwest at 5-10 knots by morning.

I’ll have an update on Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring at Atlantic City after the scales close tonight.

A nice fluke taken on the Last Lady from Belmar.

With the scale almost closed for the night, a total of 27 fish were recoded though only two have a good chance of being in the big money.

The 107.5-inch blue marlin noted in my earlier blog weighed 437 pounds and has no competition. However, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it beaten before the week is out. The only large tuna was a 231-pounder by Drandon Kape on Taylor Jean/MJ’s. Other tuna entries were under 70 pounds. Danny Young had a 16.5-pound wahoo on Catch 23, and the largest dolphin was only 13 pounds by Andy Levy on Three’s Enough. The only billfish releases were four white marlin and a sailfish.

Vinny D’Anton didn’t catch any stripers this morning in the Monmouth County surf, but he saw schools of bunkers out of range that were being torn up by dolphins while pelicans attacked from the sky.

The first fishing day in Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring Tournament out of Atlantic City got off to a good start with a legal blue marlin boated. It was a 107.5-incher fought by Devin O’Neill of the TLC team, but hadn’t been weighed in when this blog was published. I’ll add a blog after the scales close tonight.

Capt. Joe Massa of My Three Sons at Morgan Marina reported striper fishing is holding up in Raritan Bay and the Hudson River, while jumbo porgies around the Tin Can Grounds provide plenty of good eating.

The Jamaica from Brielle continues to fill coolers with chub mackerel while chumming southeast of the inlet. Some sea bass and ling are added, and blues show some days. Christine Helminger of Allentown, N.J. was a pool winner with a 4-pound sea bass.

Capt. Dave DeGennaro rounded up enough fares to get offshore Saturday with his Hi Flier from Barnegat, but had to turn around when the seas got too steep for comfort. Yet, the first bait dropped back on the inshore tuna grounds produced a 35-pound bluefin. A dusky shark of about 130 pounds was released.

Small craft warnings are up for south winds of 15-20 knots with gusts to 30, but the next day looks great with northwest winds of 5-10 knots.

Chuck Many released this impressive red drum back into the shallow salt pond where it hit in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Mike Ramirez boated a 12.3-pound doormat to win yesterday’s Raritan Bay Anglers Charity Fluke Tournament out of Perth Amboy while Manuel Prado had to settle for second with a 10.75-pound doormat. Fluke of 7.15 and 6.15 pounds followed, while fluke pro Dave Lilly managed to make a showing with a fifth place 5.45-pounder boated with Bryne Farmer.

The two-day Sandy Hook Bay Anglers Fluke Tournament has its 40th edition next weekend at Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina. The July 15 captains meeting will be in the Senior Citizen’s Building at 10 p.m. For info call 732 787-4008.

• Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring Tournament was a big success last summer at Atlantic City, and will be running again this week after two days of registrations that started today.
• The final results of the July 4 World Cup Blue Marlin Tournament were topped by My Victoria with a 950-pounder from Cape Verde that was worth $628,000. The location wasn’t a surprise as the second largest Atlantic blue marlin ever was boated there by a South African angler this summer. The Big Blue Calcutta worth $550,000 went to Done Deal with a 586.5-pounder from the Gulf of Mexico.
• The Golden Eagle from Belmar picked at blues up to 10 pounds, but not enough of them before adding some sea bass.
• The Jamaica from Brielle has been chumming southeast of the inlet and catching lots of chub mackerel plus some sea bass. A 5-pound bonito was a pool winner.
• Capt. Ron Santee said it didn’t rain, but the swell came back and fluking on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands was terrible. That boat isn’t available on Monday.
• The forecast is for south winds of 5-10 knots which increase to 10-15 later.

Though there’s been some good yellowfin tuna fishing for weeks in the canyons, the opportunity to catch those fish closer to shore has become especially important during this year of sky-high fuel prices. Fortunately, Capt. Jim Freda reports that midshore fishery is developing. Due to a cancellation, the July 25-26 trip on his Shore Catch is now available by calling him at 732 762-0870.

The IGFA Mediterranean Championship Online Auction is open for bidding on a wide variety tackle, marine art and fishing trips through 8 p.m. Sunday.

Nick Honachefsky has moved his Saltwater Underground fishing shows to the Discovery Channel and has a presentation on Jersey Shore Fluking at 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar read lots of bluefish on bottom, but anglers only picked at 4-8-pounders with Run-Off jigs and poppers. Sea bass were added to the catch in the afternoon.

Sunday’s forecast is for northeast winds at 10-15 knots before dropping to 5-10 in the afternoon.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar with blues reported lots of surface action with blues on Run-Off poppers . The choppers ran from 4-8 pounds, and anglers then added some sea bass and ling. That boat has a few spots open on Monday’s inshore exotics trip by reservation.

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands picked away at fluke this week, but cold bottom waters are a problem. They won’t be sailing on Monday.

The Raritan Bay Anglers Charity Fluke Tournament runs tomorrow out of Perth Amboy. The forecast is for east winds at 10 knots and possible showers.

Vinny D’Anton reports a pick of small stripers on lures in the Monmouth County surf, but better action on sand fleas. Frank Manzi released one of about 28 inches on the crabs this morning.

The Discovery Channel must have a deal going with sharks leading up to their annual Shark Week because encounters seem to be in the news almost every day lately.

Some TV commentators have been ascribing that to Climate Change making inshore waters warmer, but that’s been given as the reason for everything from drought to flooding. The HHS Secretary even blamed Climate Change for the out-of-control border situation.

A serious attack was on a young girl who was in five-foot depths in southwest Florida when a bull shark attacked her leg –which had nothing to do with warmer waters as that’s the natural habitat of the most dangerous U.S. mainland

shark which even runs up into rivers.

We have a better idea of where great white sharks are as an organization named OCEARCH has placed satellite tags in many giant whites. Yesterday they noted a couple weren’t too far from New York. which isn’t unusual — but the location of one as near Hamilton in Madison County was surprising since that’s the site of Colgate University. I graduated there in 1958, and can assure you it’s a very long way from the nearest saltwater! I wonder if that 11.26-foot white shed the tag which was then picked off a beach by someone who took it to upstate New York?

The Canyon Runner Fleet from Point Pleasant sent the following report of their Coaching members offshore trips:

“Members Jon and Christian Licciardi fished with their friends on the boat, Five on It, out of Deep River, CT for the Montauk Marine Basin shark tournament.  Day 1 they weighed a 273 Thresher which was good enough for third place thresher overall. We had another Member who wishes to stay anonymous fish a Charity Tournament on Long Island a week or so ago who won the tuna category!!Tournament time is now upon us for the next 8 weeks – good luck to all fisherman who decide to enter – nothing like hanging a six figure – or dare we say – seven figure fish!! OC Tuna Tournament, Jimmy Johnson, Big Fish Classic – and our first of the year – Montauk Canyon Challenge are all right around the corner.“

Montauk Canyon Challenge Expecting the Biggest Turnout in the History – The are Already Past Last Year’s Total Number in Pre-Registration Alone!! New Outboard Only Calcutta! Prize Money Highest Ever!! Folks the format for the Montauk Canyon Challenge is the exact format that puts the odds on an even playing field for all – and is fun as hell! We’ll be there with one of our tournament charters – hope to see you there too – we should but up there Saturday night or early Sunday morning.”

The Golden Eagle from Belmar picked at 4-8-pound blues which hit best on poppers. Sea bass were added to the catch. That boat’s first Inshore Exotics trip by reservation sails on July 11.

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands reported an improvement in fluking on Tuesday even though the bottom remains cold with the fish coming up feeling like ice. There were a couple of limits with a 3.5-pound pool winner and a few sea bass and ling.

The forecast is for east winds at just 10 knots.

I go in for another eye operation tomorrow, but will try to get the blog out.

JU ST IN:

Atlantic Shortfin Mako Retention Limit ModificationAt the recommendation of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), NOAA Fisheries has modified the retention limit for shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) in order to provide the stock an opportunity to rebuild to a sustainable level. The retention limit for both the commercial and recreational fisheries in all state and federal waters is zero fish, effective July 5, 2022. Assessments will be conducted annually to determine any future harvest limits.

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