Capt. Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star from Ocean City took another shot at the winter bluefins a couple of days ago with nothing good to report except for a more likely though out-of-season striper. The conditions were tough, but there were other tuna skippers out there as well.
A small craft advisory is up in NY/NJ Bight through Tuesday afternoon. The forecast is for west winds at 20-25 knots plus gusts to 30.
The unprecedented run of bluefin tuna in waters along the east coast during December may have been a once in a lifetime event — or could be a sign of things to come. In any case, the reaction of party boat captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star from Ocean City. Md. sums it up in a post made just before his last trip as follows:
“Say now.. What’s the craziest fishing trip you ever went on?
Well Shoot. Might have a new one for a few locals. Several local charter boats are going. Another boat, who fished with us Friday, is coming from Avalon, NJ!
I’ll give it a go too!
Sure wouldn’t advise driving from afar. Could well be the last of our amazing tuna run though. There’s a good lull in the wind as this storm builds offshore – it’s already begun. A true “Calm before the Storm” has started.
Seas fall out to 1ft at 11seconds at midnight tonight – a seriously calm ocean.
BUT! The wind does come on in the afternoon. We’ll Have To pick up by noon or so – otherwise see a real blizzard at sea!
I have tog & cbass fished in snow many times. Mackerel too back in the day. Built reef in snow; best ever duck & goose hunting back when..
Never tuna.
Time to change that.
Shelly is consulting the American Practical Navigator’s chapters on heavy weather at sea right now, in fact (or not so much!)
Perhaps a tale for the ages..
For this report then? A tuna trip only – tomorrow! Sunday, 1/6/25! Price cut for short term notice!
Don’t Call Anna! Email Me to reserve a spot. (don’t anticipate many emails with 10 hours notice!) Am going even if it’s just crew!
mhawkins@morningstarfishing.com
Sea Bass are closed.
Tuna on the Morning Star:
After going four for four, then five for five? And six for nine? And then seven for nine on our last trip on Friday 1/3/25? I’d say my crew and I have bluefin tuna sort of dialed in – if perhaps only at Junior Varsity levels! I’m offering another bluefin trip 1/6/25 – It WILL get cut short by wind. Regs Do Have Us Cut Back To One Fish under 73 inches. We netted and released 6 our last trip – kept one. We had several trips early on with one fish that were a blast.
Trip leaves at 5:30 (or 5 if all are aboard!) and sells out at 5 for $200 (usually $375) per angler. We can catch and release plus keep one gooder. Also now have spinning rods for tight or breaking schools..
I do not sell fish. Clients split the entire catch equally (with a small share for crew if we want any at all! And, Heaven Help Me! If we catch any at all!!! ..sure have been, but this is fishing in grand scale.)
TUNA:
I’m hooked on this tuna thing. Never dreamed I’d have such fish coming aboard my boat. Have had a bunch nearing and over 150lbs! These are trolling trips – not chunking. First on the rod and following order will be pulled from our daily reef raffle tix – $20 to play because there will be no fish pool.
They fight unlike anything I’ve ever known. On my trips we’ve had full rounds of anglers fighting fish – even three rounds! An angler reels until they can’t and then switch off to the next angler who is already in a shoulder harness/belt.
This way we keep a fresh angler cranking until a tuna is harpooned or gaffed..
Just watching them bust the surface is exciting – the bite is exhilarating..
And now spinners? Fun when they’re right there – either on top busting or on the screen deep….
Leave a smallish cooler for tuna steaks in your vehicle – we’ll divvy up after we tag a fish..
The rules changed January 1st! Only one under 73 inches a day. Also allowed 1 giant a year.. Close to 100 inches? Maybe we box it.
Maybe. “
Monday’s forecast in NY/NJ Bight is for west winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 before diminishing to 10-15 in the afternoon.
Though climate change should be driving seals north to colder waters, that certainly hasn’t been the case at New Jersey’s Sandy Hook. Dave Lilly checked it out this week and found seals to be even more abundant than they have been the last few years. Dave couldn’t determine what they were feeding on, but the seals were diving regularly.
A small craft advisory is up in NY/NJ Bight to late tonight. The forecast for the morning is for northwest winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 before dropping to 10-15 in the afternoon.
Big money for big tuna
Anglers may be interested in the following item I found in Facebook today:
A Japanese sushi company left the first auction of the New Year in Tokyo with a fish the size of a motorcycle, paying $1.3 million for the huge catch.
The buyer, Onodera Group, bought the 608-pound tuna Sunday at Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo. The company shared the news across its social media profiles and in a news release.
The buyer said online that the company has bought the first tuna at the auction for the past five years.
The buyer, Onodera Group, is part of Onodera Food Services, which runs Ginza Onodera and has 20 stores in three countries. Some of the company’s stores are located in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and even Honolulu in Hawaii and Houston, Texas.
The buyer said online that the company has bought the first tuna at the auction for the past five years.
The forecast in NY/NJ Bight is for west winds at just 5-10 knots in the morning, becoming northwest at 15-20 n the afternoon.
Another one-day blackfish tournament will be held Sunday aboard the S.S. Miss Belmar with lots of pools that should result in a big payout for a fortunate angler. Text 848 565 0519 for a reservation.
A gale warning is up in NY/NJ Bight through late tonight. The forecast is for northwest winds at 20-25 knots plus gusts to 30 in the morning before dropping to 10-15 and gusts 20 in the afternoon.
Winter isn’t providing anglers in NY/NJ Bight with many opportunities to fish. The latest is in effect through Thursday afternoon. Northwest winds at 30 knots will also gust to 40.
Nick Honachefsky reports “Saltwater Underground Ep 2 – CRYSTAL COAST REDFISHING – airs on Sportsman Channel tomorrow Thursday 3PM, Sunday 1:30 PM then on DISCOVERY Channel Sundays 6:30 AM. Spectacular backwater redfishing and seatrout on the stunning North Carolina Crystal Coast! Set the DVR”….
@nickhonachefsky on IG
Just before the storm arrived along the east coast, Capt. Monty Hawkins gave tuna another try with his Morning Star from Ocean City, Maryland and reported as follows: “Skippers on the radio thought there would be 8 boats off there tuna fishing today. Was at least that. Could certainly be the last hurrah – the last of our grand winter fun. But then again? Perhaps not. I hear they’re still catching in northern NJ..
We did all we could with it. Trolled, jigged with heavy spinners; boys were casting to tuna 20 ft away with lures that had worked just fine previously. Had hundreds on sounders & hundreds more visibly breaking today on the troll
..and not one bite.
Pretty sure everyone else caught.
Ouch.
Winds were making themselves known before lunch. At 11:30 I started trolling for home.
By 1:25 it was blowing N at 20.7 – just starting to get a bit nautical.
Clearly building into a gale–and quickly: just 20 minutes later at 1:50 winds were 25.2 knots.
Many a day I’ve been the last boat still fishing. With this afternoon’s gale warnings I took my whoopin & left that distinction to others. Though glad to be in before seas matured into their wind driven heights, I truly wish I’d sent my one last minute client home with dinner. Didn’t charge him for a skunk anyway. He can sure have a feast with his fare!
Pretty sure these tuna ain’t over yet. Hope Not!
There will soon be time enough for toggin.. (If I can break ice to get out! She’s gonna freeze hard.. Shaping into a long winter!)
Cheers,
Monty”
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ShareSkippers on the radio thought there would be 8 boats off there tuna fishing today. Was at least that. Could certainly be the last hurrah – the last of our grand winter fun. But then again? Perhaps not. I hear they’re still catching in northern NJ..
We did all we could with it. Trolled, jigged with heavy spinners; boys were casting to tuna 20 ft away with lures that had worked just fine previously. Had hundreds on sounders & hundreds more visibly breaking today on the troll
..and not one bite.
Pretty sure everyone else caught.
Ouch.
Winds were making themselves known before lunch. At 11:30 I started trolling for home.
By 1:25 it was blowing N at 20.7 – just starting to get a bit nautical.
Clearly building into a gale–and quickly: just 20 minutes later at 1:50 winds were 25.2 knots.
Many a day I’ve been the last boat still fishing. With this afternoon’s gale warnings I took my whoopin & left that distinction to others. Though glad to be in before seas matured into their wind driven heights, I truly wish I’d sent my one last minute client home with dinner. Didn’t charge him for a skunk anyway. He can sure have a feast with his fare!
Pretty sure these tuna ain’t over yet. Hope Not!
There will soon be time enough for toggin.. (If I can break ice to get out! She’s gonna freeze hard.. Shaping into a long winter!)
Cheers,
Monty
All reactions:
169169
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with today’s massive recreational pressure on swordfish, Marron’s giant remains the only IGFA record for this species over 1,000 pounds. “This record may well be unbeatable even with modern-day tackle, ”says former IGFA president Mike Leech.
Weight: 1,182 pounds Line Class: M-130 / All Tackle Angler: Louis Marron**** Location: Iquiqui, Chile Date: May 7, 1953 Fight Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Lure/Bait: Bonito Tackle: Cortland line; Fin-Nor 12/0 reel; Black Palm rod Courtesy IGFA / igfa,org
#fishing#fishingrecord#WorldRecords#swordfish
All reactions:
4444with today’s massive recreational pressure on swordfish, Marron’s giant remains the only IGFA record for this species over 1,000 pounds. “This record may well be unbeatable even with modern-day tackle, ”says former IGFA president Mike Leech.
Weight: 1,182 pounds Line Class: M-130 / All Tackle Angler: Louis Marron**** Location: Iquiqui, Chile Date: May 7, 1953 Fight Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Lure/Bait: Bonito Tackle: Cortland line; Fin-Nor 12/0 reel; Black Palm rod Courtesy IGFA / igfa,org
#fishing#fishingrecord#WorldRecords#swordfish
All reactions:
4444with today’s massive recreational pressure on swordfish, Marron’s giant remains the only IGFA record for this species over 1,000 pounds. “This record may well be unbeatable even with modern-day tackle, ”says former IGFA president Mike Leech.
Weight: 1,182 pounds Line Class: M-130 / All Tackle Angler: Louis Marron**** Location: Iquiqui, Chile Date: May 7, 1953 Fight Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Lure/Bait: Bonito Tackle: Cortland line; Fin-Nor 12/0 reel; Black Palm rod Courtesy IGFA / igfa,org
#fishing#fishingrecord#WorldRecords#swordfish
All reactions:
4444with today’s massive recreational pressure on swordfish, Marron’s giant remains the only IGFA record for this species over 1,000 pounds. “This record may well be unbeatable even with modern-day tackle, ”says former IGFA president Mike Leech.
Weight: 1,182 pounds Line Class: M-130 / All Tackle Angler: Louis Marron**** Location: Iquiqui, Chile Date: May 7, 1953 Fight Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Lure/Bait: Bonito Tackle: Cortland line; Fin-Nor 12/0 reel; Black Palm rod Courtesy IGFA / igfa,org
#fishing#fishingrecord#WorldRecords#swordfish
All reactions:
4444with today’s massive recreational pressure on swordfish, Marron’s giant remains the only IGFA record for this species over 1,000 pounds. “This record may well be unbeatable even with modern-day tackle, ”says former IGFA president Mike Leech.
Weight: 1,182 pounds Line Class: M-130 / All Tackle Angler: Louis Marron**** Location: Iquiqui, Chile Date: May 7, 1953 Fight Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Lure/Bait: Bonito Tackle: Cortland line; Fin-Nor 12/0 reel; Black Palm rod Courtesy IGFA / igfa,org
#fishing#fishingrecord#WorldRecords#swordfish
All reactions:
with today’s massive recreational pressure on swordfish, Marron’s giant remains the only IGFA record for this species over 1,000 pounds. “This record may well be unbeatable even with modern-day tackle, ”says former IGFA president Mike Leech.
Weight: 1,182 pounds Line Class: M-130 / All Tackle Angler: Louis Marron**** Location: Iquiqui, Chile Date: May 7, 1953 Fight Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Lure/Bait: Bonito Tackle: Cortland line; Fin-Nor 12/0 reel; Black Palm rod Courtesy IGFA / igfa,org
#fishing#fishingrecord#WorldRecords#swordfish
All reactions:
with today’s massive recreational pressure on swordfish, Marron’s giant remains the only IGFA record for this species over 1,000 pounds. “This record may well be unbeatable even with modern-day tackle, ”says former IGFA president Mike Leech.
Weight: 1,182 pounds Line Class: M-130 / All Tackle Angler: Louis Marron**** Location: Iquiqui, Chile Date: May 7, 1953 Fight Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Lure/Bait: Bonito Tackle: Cortland line; Fin-Nor 12/0 reel; Black Palm rod Courtesy IGFA / igfa,org
#fishing#fishingrecord#WorldRecords#swordfish
A gale watch is up in NY/NJ Bight from this morning to Wednesday afternoon.
The bad weather building up along the east coast may finally end the longest-lasting bluefin tuna season I ever remember. If so, it will still be one for the books with even party boats being able to get into large tuna on a regular basis.
Friday’s blackfishing on the Ocean Explorer from Belmar was lively, as noted in their following report, but keepers are a different story.
“Nice day today with good fishing Caught loads of blackfish,high hook had a limit of keepers plus 50 shorts..Good chew just not alot of keeper ratio..Good day out with light crowd..No fishing Saturday Wind is gusting to 40 knots so wait till Sunday See ya Sunday.”
A small craft advisory is up through Sunday evening in NY/NJ Bight. The morning forecast is for west winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 30. However, Monday is looking to be calm.
George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing starts its 25th season Sunday at 8 a.m. on Discovery Channel.
Nick Honachefsky’s Saltwater Underground starts its programing Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on Discovery and Thursday at 3 p.m. on Sportsman Channel.
Tight Lines 