Tight Lines

Though yesterday’s northeaster probably sent the ocean stripers anglers had been working on fleeing to the south. there should be many more to come throughout the month.

Vinny D’Anton was surprised to find fishable conditions in the Monmouth County surf even though the wind was southwest rather than the expected northwest. The surf wasn’t discolored by the strong winds, but just a bit tea colored. On the other hand, it was very cold and there was no sign of the bunkers which had been holding the bass. Sand eels seemed to be the current attraction as some anglers snagged them. Vinny started with a Tsunami popper and was rewarded with a 27-incher before adding another bass on an Ava jig. Other anglers also picked a few smaller bass, and it’s likely that flurries will have developed in other areas during the day.

The expected switch to gusty northwest winds should further reduce the waves. Vinny only saw one small boat in still-rough waters beyond the bar, but that should change tomorrow. Capt. Ron Santee Jr. is definitely going to sail with his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands.

NYC Capt. John McMurray got a day off great striper fishing due to the northeaster, but had a big surprise the day before as noted:”Well, that was damn near 6 weeks of fishing pretty much every day…topped off by getting bit by a BIG bluefin in 30’ of water on bass gear yesterday. We fought it for a little over an hour before it broke off, but I was basically just chasing it with the boat. Didn’t ever really budge. Not a chance in hell. WOW, what a striper run we’ve had tho. Quantity AND quality! Truly extraordinary, and it’s still going! But yeah, felt pretty damn good to sleep in today. “

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Anglers in NY/NJ Bight have been generally getting a break with recent weather conditions, but that changed today in a roaring northeaster. Fortunately, the morning northeast gale switched to a hard northwest before noon and will start knocking down the 6-foot seas pounding the beaches. Hopefully, the quick change will result in the surf not becoming too discolored to clear up in a day or so.

However, too much northwest may keep boats in tomorrow. Check with your favorite skipper to determine if he’ll be sailing.

The big ocean striper schools probably continued their migration to the south, but there are plenty more behind them.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. had a great Wednesday trip with his Fishermen out of Atlantic Highlands as follows: “Great Bass fishing today from start to finish. Took the ride once again and we were blessed with a day most dream of!  Had tremendous readings for over a mile on the machine and at times we had 8-10 fish on with 20 fish drifts most of the day. Some Big babies in the mix once again. Shads & NLBN’s were the ticket.“

That’s a snook to dream of even if it’s actually a potential IGFA World Record 51-pound 5 ounce white snook from the Pacific. It was caught by Wesley Blough at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico casting a Savage Gear Mackstick.

The Wiz did it again today as his hunch about the back of Raritan Bay being the place to be for stripers paid off as he ran Dr. Wally’s boat from Oceanport to an area with no surface signs but plenty of marks in the deeper waters. Lilly also put together a rig which proved so attractive that the troll hardly started before constant hook-ups.

Almost all the bass were keeper-size, with just one short and a few overs. Though the bass obviously were in a feeding mode, attempts with a popper and a diamond jig brought no response.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported a slow start with stripers before they took a ride which got them into both keepers and some overs up to a 43-incher. They will not be sailing tomorrow due to the weather forecast, and are chartered Friday.

A small craft advisory is up into Friday morning. A northeaster blows in Thursday with 25-30 knot winds before dropping to 10-15 in the afternoon.

Jersey Shore surfcasters didn’t have to look around for a blitz today as Seaside Park came through again. Vinny D’Anton said he was able to score with a popper before bunkers became too thick and would be snagged on every cast. A switch to the legal circle hook snagging rig he devised then did the job before he became too tired to catch another bass. A change to southeast winds tomorrow could change things.

They are all sizes at Seaside as Grumpy’s Tackle sent this shot of Dom Talarico with a hefty bass released yesterday.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported as follows: “It was a good day of angling and we ended up with a nice catch of KEEPER BASS with all anglers going home with fish. We had a nice pick with shots on most drifts, some better than others. STRIPERS were up on top busting in the bunkers at times.

Shads worked best today. The BASS were also caught on tailed 4oz. Run Off jigs.

There were plenty of throwbacks along with tagged fish on board.

Come join us tomorrow for another fun day.

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands had a similar report with a good early start followed by a long move out of traffic to be sure everyone went home with fish. Catskill John released a 45-pounder. Shads proved to be most effective today. Try to get out tomorrow, as Thursday may be weather problem.

You never know what you may find during any day of saltwater fishing. Capt. Monty Hawkins of Morning Star from Ocean City, Md. counted 80 boats trolling for tuna a couple of days ago and had a tuna line out yesterday as he was on his way to drop materials on a reef site before sea bass fishing. Sure enough, a 40-inch, 47-pound tuna hit that line. The sea bass fishing was poor, but a switch to fluking produced another prize — a 30-inch doormat.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported as follows: “There were a few drifts in the morning where we picked away at the STRIPED BASS and then it slowed down until midday.

The BASS came up on top in the bait at the end of the day. We picked a couple per drift and had action at times but they were hard to catch.“

The weather looks good tomorrow, and they’ll be out for the early bite

.The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands got into mostly smaller stripers as everyone went home with fish. A switch to using shads helped today.

Vinny D’Anton got into a brief showing of stripers in the Lavallette surf that produced one on a lure before he had to switch to his circle hook snag rig to get another before the bass moved back over the bar where peanut bunkers were thick.

This 91-pound cod was caught recently in Norway.

Mike Monte found himself in an unusual situation this morning as he was fishing the Spring Lake surf. School stripers in the 22-25-inch class were feeding on sand eels, but he was losing more than he was catching as many seemed to just be grabbing the tail end of the reliable Tsunami Sand Eel and not getting hooked.

Vinny D’Anton and his crew moved to northern Ocean County where they found stripers feeding on peanut bunkers, but refusing most lures. Vinny had the solution to that problem with the circle hook snagging rig he’s devised. Stripers have been pretty consistent on that rig when peanuts are thick enough to snag with that legal circle hook rig.

Vinny D’Anton and his crew ended up in northern Ocean County where bass on peanut bunkers also largely refused lures. However, Vinny has devised a legal circle hook snagging rig which put them into action with those bass.

Though there were lots of boats off the Jersey Shore this morning, Capt. Ron Santee Jr. of the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands reported the bite wasn’t up to the recent par anywhere he went.

Vinny D’Anton reported a good turnout on Monmouth County beaches this morning as there were blitzes at this time the last two years. However, a continuing rough surf resulted in only a pick as stripers were reluctant to come over the bar.

On the other hand, boaters had no such problem as noted by Capt. Ron Santee Jr. on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands : ” Had the IBEW local 456 crew out with us for their annual fishing trip today.

Despite the wind & strong current once we got the guys acclimated it was game on! Several area’s of life once again after the change of tide, heavier jigs worked best today.”

A small craft advisory is up to late tonight.

Sunday starts with northwest winds at 10-15 knots and seas down to 2-4 feet.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. likes to fish for fall stripers in rough waters as they usually bite best under those conditions. However, it wasn’t necessary to take a beating today as per the following report from his Fishermen out of Atlantic Highlands;

“Another top 10 day today, Weather, Calm Ocean and the Bass were Hungry once again!

Headed off to a new area all by ourselves, no bird life, No traffic had to do it old school with the fish finder!

Found the Mother load and went to work. Every drift was amazing with some better than others and the bite never died. Fish stayed in the same area and didn’t move. Awesome day to be a Party boat Captain! 

WE ARE NOT AVAILABLE Saturday,”

Mike Monte found the Monmouth County surf to be fishable this morning, but there were no bass hitting in the 4-foot waves. He did see a couple of 22-25-inch stripers jump clear of the water over the bar, which was an indication that the smaller bass which hang around into December may be starting to arrive. They remained out of his casting range, but there was also a good sign inshore with loons diving on sand eels which should fuel the big schools of smaller bass as they arrive.

N.J. surfcasters had to fight 6-7-foot breakers this morning which resulted in generally poor striper fishing. Mike Monte said the surf conditions were actually dangerous. and he didn’t spend much time fighting that situation in Monmouth County. He did hear of some action to the south, but it was only on heavy Ava jigs cast as far as possible.

Vinny D’Anton only got one good report which came from Sandy Hook. He took the morning off as it was also cold and nasty.

On the other hand, the Golden Eagle from Belmar got into stripers right away and had plenty of surface action as every angler had a keeper.

Capt. Frank Masseria reported “insane” bass action on his Vitamin Sea from Keyport that led to an early return.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. of the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands reported as follows :” Fish were a little skidish this morning, saw & read plenty but only could pick at them. Ocean got nasty as the tide ran hard.

Looked over the bay, caught a couple on readings then decided to go back out to the snot!

Glad we did, the bite was on as soon as we got there. Had two 40-minute drifts with non-stop action. Awesome day with some sore arms! Back at it in the morning.”

If anglers are up to the beating, rough waters usually produce feeding migratory stripers along the N.J. Shore at this time of year.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. put his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands into that action today as “fishing in the snot” produced plenty of bass in many areas.

Betty& Nick’s Fishing Club in Seaside Park had a morning surf report of “Pure insanity for 3 hours. NNE winds pushed them literally to our feet.”

Vinny D’Anton said surfcasting to the north has been more of a pick between blitzes in the Monmouth County surf. Stripers are spotted chasing peanut bunkers on the other side of the bar before driving then inshore at times — when they also may be fussy about lures. In yesterday’s N-NW and today’s northeaster, Ava jigs were the best bet. Vinny said those bass were in the 15-20-pound class, and there’s been no sign of the usual smaller schoolies.