Tight Lines

Jim Hutchinson Sr. reports for the Beach Haven Charter Boat Association as follows:

“
On the bottom fishing front the daily limit for black sea bass has increased to 15 fish while the tautog daily limit increases to 5-fish on November 16.

Captain Ray Lopez of the “Miss Liane” reports that he and Captain George are taking trip reservations for inshore bluefin tuna, stripers, and wreck fishing. Their past several trips have been “very productive.”

Captain Brett Taylor of “Reel Reaction Sportfishing” says his anglers of been enjoying the great fishing and weather. On one trip “in the shadows of Old Barney” he released over 55 short and keeper tautog while keeping their 5-man limit to 17 inches. He has also been doing well on bass in the inlet and nearby waters and also taking trips to nearby wrecks

Captain Dave Wittenborn has been finding nice bluefin tuna fishing aboard the “Benita J.” He reports finding an “amazing fishery only a few miles outside our inlet.” He will soon be targeting striped bass but hopes to get one or two more tuna trips in. A recent trip saw a bass measuring out at 51-inches, a new “Benita J” record.

Captain Jonathon Kelly reports an “awesome day” on the “Outcast” with a beautiful 66-inch bluefin very close to shore. His most recent trip saw 4 fish hooked up just as they started fishing with a 68-incher in the boat by 7am. “

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. found stripers everywhere he looked today, but his anglers had to work for them before bass of all sizes came to the surface around 1:30 and provided a wild bite on both plain and tailed jigs aboard his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands.

The Fishermen is chartered on Saturday, but will fish tomorrow as Ron usually does well in rough seas.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar reports ” Tuesday’s Early Departure Striper Trip, 11/12, has been canceled because of the forecasted high winds.

We will be back out STRIPER fishing Wednesday. Today’s Veteran’s Day trip produced decent striper action with some keepers.

The Golden Eagle further reports “We still have” some FREE TRIPS FOR VETERANS that did not get used.The first 6 Veterans that are at the boat starting Wednesday will get their trip for free. If there are not 6 Veterans at the boat Wed., we will continue Thurs. etc. until the free trips have been given out. Must be a Veteran of the U. S. Armed Forces and bring a Veteran ID or DD-214. “

They’re in & they are out. Surfcasters working the Jersey Shore have been going from feast to famine. In yesterday’s blog, I noted the lack of bass in the Monmouth County surf where they provided great action the previous morning — but mentioned that at this time of year of year they can turn on at any time. That’s what happened yesterday as a late morning showing of bass on bunkers developed to the south around Seaside.

Vinny D’Anton got in on that bite which he said consisted entirely of stripers from 35 inches up! Unfortunately, Vinny said there was no life reported from any of his contacts . Bunkers weren’t showing. and party boats were fishing a mile or more offshore. Vinny was encouraged by hearing of some sand eels being snagged yesterday even though the bass seemed to be feeding only on bunkers. He also thought that the south wind might have been the problem this morning.

My computer has been giving me problems today, and I haven’t been able to open any messages or reports. Don’t hesitate to call me at 732 757-5531 if you have better news.

After watching boaters catching big bass working on bunkers beyond the outer bar for weeks, northern N.J. surfcasters got their shot yesterday morning.

Vinny D’Anton said the bass ranged up to 40 pounds, and were on medium–sized bunkers. He used the Lil Doc surface plug for steady action until the bass started working on somewhat smaller bunkers and wouldn’t hit artificials in the Monmouth County surf.

It was necessary to switch to live baits, but it’s now illegal to use treble hooks in the old snag and drop technique. Vinny rigged up a circle hook snagging rig that did the job as long as he could cast into very thick bunker schools.

When the fishing was at its peak, Vinny watched an angler with a very light rod fight a 48-inch bass for about a half-hour before the release. That action ranged up into Sandy Hook — and was duplicated in some South Jersey areas.

Unfortunately, it was a different story this morning as no one in Vinny’s group of contacts weas able to locate those bass early in the day. However, at this time of year, it’s just as likely for them to show at any time of day if the bait suddenly appears.

As noted in yesterday’s blog, the Golden Eagle from Belmar will be providing the first 15 veterans to show up on Nov. 11 with a free trip. Proof of veteran status will be required. That boat had another great day of striper fishing yesterday, including whitewater surface action as everyone caught a keeper.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar is offering vets a very special reward on Nov. 11 — a free trip to the first 15 showing up before the 6:30 A.M. sailing time! Additional vets will be offered a discounted rate. Proof is required. Be sure to bring your Certificate of Service Card or other proof. I’m in Ft. Myers, but will be hoping all my fellow vets will be successful on their special day.

The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant had to put in over 75 miles of running in order to get on stripers during their Striper Marathon trip before finding a great bite which included releases of two bass over 50 inches plus one that was a true 50+-pounder.

Queen Mary striper readings

The Jamaica from Brielle reports canyon tuna trips have been successful, and they are adding additional dates. There is room on Monday and Thursday night departures at 8:30 p.m. by reservation.

A viewing for Bob Popovics will be held on Nov, 11 from 3-7 P.M. at the Timothey Ryan Home for Funerals in Toms River.

Betty & Nick’s Fishing Club reminds anglers that snagging bunkers and fishing them on a treble hook is in violation of the law which requires the use of only circle hooks in bait.

Betty & Nick’s Tackle in Seaside Park reported this morning that there were adult bunkers everywhere from South Seaside to Gillikin’s this morning. One of the regulars released a 45-inch striper on a switch bait/glider and others were hooked up on the big baits.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. said EVERYTHING went well Wednesday on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands as follows: “

Great group of Happy people on the boat today. Fishing was very good, we have a new President and the Stock Market took off! Doesn’t get any better than that. First boat out payed off again as we were on the fish for an hour before all the Traffic. Bite slowed way down at the end of the tide, took a ride and found another shot of life to end the day.

Not as big a spread of fish like yesterday and we never got the ferocious bite like yesterday afternoon. Still a great day. Back at it in the a.m.”

Chuck Many had another great day with big bass on his Tyman from Highlands as he and Cesar Carranza fought through dogfish to release stripers.

The forecast is for west winds from 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25.

Every day is different, but what Capt. Ron Santee Jr. found Tuesday with his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands hasn’t been unusual in NY/NJ Bight this fall: “Started out the morning in the Fog, fished a new area with NO traffic and caught our Slots & Bonus fish.

Lost the bite when the tide changed so we took a little ride waiting for some current. Found life but it was a one, two pic. Once the current came through, the ocean erupted with life for a couple of miles. Fish busting in the Bunker, topwater, shads & jigs all worked. Big Fish, Little fish and keepers. Everyone went home with dinner.

If seeing & being a part of a blitz like that doesn’t make your heart race, you can’t be a fisherman!! Excellent day on the Meat”

A small craft advisory is up until 6 p.m.

The forecast is for west winds at 5 knots before going northwest at 10-15 plus gusts to 20 in the afternoon.

New Jersey saltwater fly fishing legend Bob Popovics passed away Nov. 1 after being unable to recover from a hit-and-run accident as he crossed a road recently near the Shady Rest Restaurant in Bayville which he operated for almost 60 years.

Popovics (75) was truly a pioneer in N,J, saltwater flyfishing, and was noted as much for his willingness to ensure the success of others in the sport as for his Popeyes creations that have become a standard.

One of the many remembrances of Bob on Facebook was the following from Capt. Gene Quigley:

“Words alone cannot describe how incredible Bob Popovics was. Innovator, fleye tyer, angler, sportsman, Marine, chef, father, husband but most important just an incredibly kind and gentle human. Bob, you taught me so much about fly fishing and about life….but most important you taught me to be humble, to be a sportsman, and to share the stoke of fly fishing and teach others. My mentor, my hero, my dear friend. “Shore Catch” does not exist without the support and guidance you provided.”

A funeral mass for Popovics will be held at St, Patrick’s in Seaside Park at 10 a.m. on Nov. 12.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. says his birthday usually provides good striped bass fishing, and that was the case yesterday on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands, as everyone went home with fish.

The weather continues to look good, with a forecast for tomorrow of west winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20.

Up to this point, boaters have had by far the best of the fall striped bass fishery in NY/NJ Bight but that’s bound to change in short order.

There have been a few shots of the bigger bass in the Seaside Park to IBSP area. Grumpy’s Tackle sent a shot of Mike Kindall with a fine bass on a plug before release. (see below)

Vinny D’Anton said it’s still slow going in the Monmouth County surf, with just a bass here or there though big bait can be seen out of range where boaters are into large stripers.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported a slower start yesterday before stripers turned on later in the day. Most were overs, but some keepers were included.

Through the wind is going southeast tomorrow, anglers will enjoy temperatures up to almost 80 degrees.

Chuck Many specializes in catching big stripers from his Tyman out of Highlands, but even he often finds it hard to catch a 50 from among many 30-and-40-pounders. However, he finally added another to the Tyman’s substantial score from this fall’s NY/NJ Bight run on Tuesday with a 51-pounder.weight

Many has a 60-pound certified scale, and tags all of the boat’s stripers after recording length, girth and weight.

Fifty-pounders have always been hard to come by, and many great anglers have gone to their graves without ever catching one. In the old days, every 50 was weighed-in, and releasing them only started in recent years before new conservation laws required that anglers release all large bass.

The standard for determining striper weight has been a long-established formula — length in inches to fork of tail times girth in inches — divided by 800.

Unfortunately, many anglers use length to the tip of the tail in their calculations, which turn bass in the upper forties into fifties. The formula was developed when fork length was the standard measurement before a change to the tip of the tail when striper conservation started just a few decades ago. Anglers can correct that measurement by taking about four inches off their overall measurement.

One more on an eel for the Tyman

Monday’s forecast is for southeast winds at 10 knots.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported boat traffic made striper fishing tough on yesterday’s early departure trip. but they got a good shot in the afternoon on overs.