Tight Lines

There were mixed results with striper fishing today, but what happened then may not mean much tomorrow as east winds return. The forecast is for 15-20 knots with gusts to 25 — followed by gusts to 35 in the afternoon. Gale warnings may be posted then. Sunday is looking good with NW 10-15.

Chuck Many decided to take advantage of the moderate north wind by making the long run east  where stripers have been stalled on the migratory run for weeks. There was no life until Tyman was east of Fire Island Inlet. but then we came upon two fleets picking away at bass. There was no wild bird action such as we had at the mouth of Raritan Bay in November last year, but everyone was catching some bass despite an abundance of spiny dogfish hitting jigs as if they were their favorite food. Alex Katyan , Chuck and I released 17 stripers that included five of legal size though nothing large. There were even five hickory shad on the 3-ounce Crippled Herring jigs that proved most effective, and a single fat bluefish before we left them biting for the 55 mile trip back to Gateway Marina in Highlands.

The Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands reported just a pick of mostly shorts locally, with the last drift being the best. Capt. Rob Semkewyc  is going to try getting out for the morning tomorrow.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar picked a few short and keeper stripers, but not enough.

Bob Matthews, at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina said the Big Mohawk has been bringing in 40-pound bass every day, but the largest weighed this week was a 52-incher that tipped the scale at 43 1/2 pounds for Nicholas Vitolo (12) of Howell.

Matthews noted that flounder bit well from the marina dicks today and most anglers limited.

Capt. Joe Massa went out himself with his My Three Sons from Morgan Marina and chunked in Ambrose to catch 15 stripers.

One skipper at Gateway made a run offshore to look for bluefin tuna and found none, but  was rewarded on the way back by getting into a blitz of big bass off Belmar.

I’ll catch up on more reports tomorrow.

Sand eels are the prime attractor for striped bass in the surf, and we finally may be seeing some. Nick Honachefsky  was casting shads into the Lavallette surf yesterday afternoon without success when he spotted a large sand eel of 5 to 6 inches on the high tide line. Then this morning, Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park reported getting word from surf fishermen in that area that sand eels had been spotted. That’s the forage which has fueled the surf bite from Fire Island east, where anglers are catching big bass on diamond jigs with tube tails — and was also the forage during the IBSP surf blitz of stripers several years ago.  Pray for more!

Stiper fishing for boaters was generally tough today, with trollers doing by far the best. The Golden Eagle from Belmar picked a couple of stripers, a few blues and some sea bass. Miss Belmar Princess ran offshore for the jumbo blues they had on Sunday, but there was no sign of them. What little inshore bite there was occurred early — and that’s where they start tomorrow.  The forecast is for NW 10-15. but more east weather is coming Friday.

 

The Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands started with bait and had one keeper on a long drift, but that was it. A report of birds offshore turned out to be just that — birds with no fish under them. The Fishermen also got drawn out there and Capt. Ron Santee said they were just diving gannets. Those birds don’t need fish to drive bait up as they can dive deep for it. However, they are often a sign that herring have arrived.

I fished with Chuck Many on his Tyman from Gateway Marina in Highlands. Chuck did well in Monday’s rain with large stripers in the mouth of the bay, but this morning we had a hard time getting live bunkers and then couldn’t give them away — even in the Hudson and East rivers,  We ended up casting to small bass in Sandy Hook Bay before boat traffic and a roaring west wind put them down.

Tomorrow’s forecast is a lot better at NW 10-15, but another east blow is expected Friday.

I found a belated report from Capt. Vinny Vetere who had a great trip on Oct. 4 when 23 large bass were caught on his Katfish from Great Kills. He may have openings before the weekend. Call 917 673-8908.

 

It appears the forecast of some mid-morning rain and even a possible thunderstorm was enough to scare off most anglers. Capt. Rob Semkewyc shaped up with his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands for another shot at the big stripers he found Sunday, but didn’t get enough to sail — and most other party boats didn’t post reports.

It’s supposed to be a bit breezy tomorrow, but the lack of rain should bring more fishermen out. West winds of 15-20 knots should help settle the swell before diminishing to 10-15 in the afternoon. Thursday looks even better with NW 10-15.

The surf was booming this morning, and I only made three casts before retreating  as it was too rough for fishing and dangerous when casting as the big waves swept up the beach and can knock you down as the waters rush back to sea. A move to Point Pleasant Canal provided much nicer conditions even though it appears that only three school stripers had been caught. I didn’t get a touch, but returned briefly later in the morning during the ebb to break the ice with a schoolie on a Z Man 6-inch white Swimmereez just before the rain started.

Offshore waters remain warm, but Capt. Chris Di Stefano knew of five boats that fought through the early dry northeaster on Sunday morning to look for the bluefins that have been jumping not too far from shore — but didn’t find any. Don’t write that fishing off yet as bluefins can stick around into December during warm falls.

Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina reminds anglers that there’s good blackfishing in Shark River Inlet and winter flounder fishing from the Belmar docks.

Fall surfcasting has been disappointing so far, but there are still lots of bass feeding on big sand eels to the east. As an example of how slow it’s been along the Jersey Shore, the striped bass leader in the 64th Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic as of this week is a 10.9-pounder caught on bunker Oct. 31 at Ship Bottom by T.J. Loughran Jr. The contest runs from Oct. 6 to Dec. 9, and used to produce some jumbo bass for anglers who fish bunker day and night even long before the migratory run arrives.

Theeast wind came up quickly this morning and was even stronger than expected — manking most fishing at least uncomfortable at best.

After the great bite of big stripers that Capt. Rob Semkewyc had Sunday on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands, he wanted to tough it out despite the weather — but the wind was even worse than forecast so he sent the anglers who showed up home.

 

The forecast for Tuesday is better, though small craft warnings are posted into the afternoon. The east wind is supposed to drop down to 10-15 knots before increasing later. Wednesday looks much better with a switch to 10-15 west before gusting to 25. Thursday looks best with west 10-15.

The Jamaica from Brielle will run a 6:30 a.m. striper trip on Wednesday, and a canyon trip at 7 a.m. Thursday. They caught a couple of big bass Sunday in poor conditions. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations.

The Mimi VI from Point Pleasant will run open for stripers on Wednesday. Call 732 370-8019.

Capt. Stan Zagleski had  a bunch of regulars aboard Elaine B. II from Bahrs in Highlands to release lots of blackfish up to 6 pounds on green crabs while keeping the one presently allowed. Some keeper sea bass also hit the crabs, but when soft bait was used there was a problem with spiny dogfish. They sail daily at 7.

Capt. Ron Santee got a birthday present Sunday when he put his fares on the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands into big stripers on eels and jigs. Lots of weight was required as the current was at three knots all day. There was nothing under 30 inches, and Rick DeVito won the pool at 39.8 pounds.

The surf was very rough. and I didn’t get any reports from this morning. I tried Point Pleasant Canal briefly without seeing anything caught. Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park weighed a 33-inch, 13.75-pound bass that Ben Allison caught over the weekend on a plug at IBSP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Everything  changed after yesterday’s gale. A huge fleet found a choppy ocean with no apparent life inshore off the Jersey Shore, but the Golden Eagle, Miss Belmar Princess and Queen Mary went offshore to load up on jumbo blues with jigs.

It was a different story to the north where the Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands found better striper fishing than before the gale. Capt. Rob Semkewyc was surprised to find they didn’t want live baits, but hit jigs and shad. The largest was over 40 pounds. Despite the forecast of rain and east winds for Monday, he’s planning on sailing for those bass.

The surfcasting report from Vinny D’Anton wasn’t as good since all the pros he talked to had no action at all. Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park reported the clear water line was moving closer to the surf.

The southwest blow lasted too long this morning for boaters to get the calm along the shore provided by a northwester, but when the gale force NW arrived it wasn’t comfortable even standing at Point Pleasant Canal.  As a result, it appears that party boats stayed in except for Miss Belmar Princess — and they only caught one bluefish in near impossible conditions.

It should be better tomorrow as that NW knocks down the swell before the wind is forecasted to drop to north 10-15 by the morning. Most party boats should sail tomorrow, and Mimi Vi at Point Pleasant will also run open for stripers.

After the fine action for school stripers Friday morning and evening in the canal. this morning was a bust even before the gale started. I only saw one very small bass caught, and heard of a couple of others.

Vinny D’Anton didn’t fish, but heard from several anglers who did nothing in a discolored and rough surf. Those conditions may improve somewhat by the morning, but we’re in for a shift to northeast and rain on Monday.

The huge stripers that have been giving anglers a hard time off the Jersey Shore got a day of rest today as the south wind appears to have kept almost all boaters in. I checked the pocket at Manasquan Inlet this morning and didn’t see any signs of fish though two small boats were spotted going out into a rough ocean.

I missed a good bite of small stripers in Point Pleasant Canal while doing that and just got there in time to release two. Castaways Tackle regular John released 11, and Joe Gale had caught nine. Since the rain held off this evening, I went back to the canal at dusk and ran into bass breaking on peanut bunkers and even some large bunkers. Only the usuual 20-to-24-inch bass hit my Z Man 6-inch white Swimmereez, but I ended up with 10 releases.

The forecast for Saturday includes strong west winds which will be alright for seaworthy boats that stay close to shore. The Jamaica from Brielle has cancelled its tuna trip due to the weather, and will instead sail at 7:30 a.m. for the big stripers.

Bob Matthews, at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina, said bass up to 48 pounds have been caught on the party boats the last few days, and a 51-pounder was weighed at the northern store in Atlantic Highlands.  He heard of only one big bass from shore — a 48-pounder on a pencil popper at Spring Lake. He also noted good blackfishing in Shark River Inlet and big winter flounder off the Belmar docks.

The Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands didn’t fish today, but only ended up Thursday with five bass boated plus a couple lost after having had two better days earlier in the week. There were some birds working on the way home, but the only bass jigged were from 18 to 23 inches. Photo is of Sea Hunter bass on Tuesday.

 

The Jersey Shore striper fleet ganged up on big stripers not too far offshore from Point Pleasant to Belmar today. Unfortunately, they may not be sailing on Friday due to a forecast of rain and south winds of 20-25 knots. The action has been almost entirely on snagged bunkers, and all of the bass are large. Capt. Dave Riback reported a 43-pounder (above) on his Queen Mary from Point Pleasant. Almost all the action has been on snagged bunkers which are located in the same area as the bass. One was caught on a swim shad.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had a similar report.

However, the word from the north was very different. Tank Matraxia and his Lyndhurst crew fished on Tagged Fish from Highlands but never had a hit all day in the N.Y. Harbor-Hudson River area that had produced stripers the previous two days. They had live bunkers and eels, but couldn’t give them away — and didn’t see anything caught in other boats. Capt. Chad Hacker ran all over the area and stayed out late in an attempt to break the ice.

Allen Riley started fishing the Sandy Hook surf in the dark after catching four school bass there a couple of days ago, but he never had a touch on a variety of lures.

Steve Mirande reported no life in the Bay Head surf this morning though there was lots of action offshore. He went to Point Pleasant Canal and managed one small bass on a Mullet Fly teaser.

I fished the canal in the morning and had only lost one small fish before starting my last ten casts after all hope is lost — and hooked a 21 1/2-inch striper on the seventh cast with a Z Mam 6-inch Swimmereez. I ended up catching four bass.

Jerry Lasko and Maren Toleno have been catching some school bass at dawn and dusk in the Seaside surf, but the Wednesday evening south wind killed that bite — though Maren still managed one bass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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From reading today’s party boat reports from the ocean, it appears that the striped bass hooked were too big for the tackle being used by surprised anglers.

At Belmar, the Golden Eagle claimed to have caught a 50, 45 and 37 among their fish which were primarily on bait — though one hit a swim shad and another a Deadly Dick. Miss Belmar Princess read a lot of bass until the wind came up, and managed to boat two over 35 pounds. Big Mohawk took advantage of the opportunity and was also in on the big bass.

The Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands didn’t find working birds as was the case Tuesday, but bait produced just two bass short of a limit for 12 people  plus shorts.

I have been having computer problems and never received a message from Allen Riley about his shot of Tuesday morning striper action in the Sandy Hook surf. He got started at dawn with a 21-incher on a Power Bait Mullet before releasing three more of 21 to 22 inches on a variety of lures between 7:30 and 8 a.m.

That’s the best surf fishing I’ve heard of, but Nick Honachefsky caught a 27-incher Tuesday on a black Bomber  despite fishing under the Hunter moon.

I opted for a short attempt at Point Pleasant Canal this morning and quickly caught a 23-inch striper on a Z Man jig, but never had another hit.

Joe Melillo weighed bass of 30 and 40 pounds at Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant for Bill McCrystal of Point Pleasant after he trolled them on a bunker spoon.

On Tuesday he weighed a 13-pound striper caught by Anthony Pellagrino in the  canal on a Swing Shad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

on a black Bomber.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took a few days after the NE storm, but the fall striped bass migration has started off the Jersey Shore — for boaters at least.

Capt. Chris Di Stefano was especially happy yesterday when he broke the ice on Frank Criscola’s Crisdel from Brielle Yacht Club with a 51-inch bass of almost 48 pounds that hit a mo-jo. They found the bass on open bottom in 40 to 50 feet off Asbury Park. Crisdel ended up with seven bass from about 22 pounds up, though most were over 30 pounds. After biting best on mo-jos, the bass switched  to bunker spoons — though most hooked on the spoons pulled off. There were no schools of bunkers showing or birds working, but they saw gannets for the first time this fall — though they weren’t diving except well beyond the three mile limit.

The Golden Eagle from Bolden Eagle from Belmar didn’t go offshore for blues due to rough seas, but switched to stripers which didn’t cooperate at first. However, on their last drift they caught several large bass over 20 pounds — including two over 40 pounds. They’ll be trying again at 7:30 a.m.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc found on good patch of diving birds  in the morning with his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands and managed one keeper bass plus 15 shorts. He made a move at 11:30 and hit it right as the boat limited. The pool bass was 22 pounds.

Capt. Ron Santee of the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands had a rough trip trying to continue catching porgies  which left with the storm. His fares into some sea bass and blackfish. He will seek stripers daily starting Thursday.

The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant found “tons of bait”, but had no luck with stripers today. Encouraged by the Golden Eagle report, they will be sailing tomorrow.

The good news for boaters wasn’t the case for most surfcasters though Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park had some good bass reports from there to the park.

I gave the Manasquan surf a try in the morning, and did nothing even though conditions were good. A move to Point Pleasant Canal produced a 21 1/2-inch striper on a Z Man Swimmereez jig on my last cast.  Vinny D’Anton checked much of the northern Shore without getting a hit or seeing any bait.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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to the rough seas in a west wind, but

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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the migratory run of striped bass off the Jersey Shore has begun — for boaters/