Tight Lines

Dave Lilly took advantage of two straight nice days this week to run his crews over to N.Y. Harbor where they released about 20 big bass to over 40 inches without finding any small enough to even bother measuring to meet the 28-31-inch keeper size.

The first day it took 17 ounces to hold bottom while drifting live eels, and there was a problem with 6-pound blues. The next day the current was lighter and there were no blues.

Lily remarked about the lack of boats on the water which he feels may be due to the gas at $4.95 in Keyport plus $30 for a dozen eels. That makes for an expensive trip especially when it’s unlikely even one striper will be legal.

Betty & Nick’s in Seaside Park noted that the wind has finally dropped out and the mullet are still there to attract migrating stripers and blues. There’s a great weather report for the weekend, with northwest winds at 5-10 knots and 2-3-foot seas on Saturday.

Betty & Nick’s Tackle in Seaside Park reports as follows:

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Betty & Nick’s Tackle in Seaside Park reports:”

Every year at the Barrier Island Beach Brawl surf fishing tourney we donate over 60 pounds of fresh fish fillets to feed the homeless and hungry and raise thousands of dollars for St. Jude’s to help children in need. We hope to donate even more this year this October 11/12. Of course the fishing and $35,000 of free gear is fun, but if we can pursue our passion to fish, we can also help those in need. Only 9 days left to sign up! Come join us this year, register at BETTY AND … Nick’s.

I’ve got a problem with my computer, and haven’t been able to bring up a weather forecast or reports except for Facebook. Hopefully, the calm weekend forecast noted yesterday continues.

Weather i NY/NJ Bight has been so bad for so long that it’s hard to believe the forecast of light winds over the weekend — including some west.

A small craft advisory is up until 8 p.m. Thursday’s forecast is for east winds at 5-10 knots before going southeast in the afternoon.

Sea bass fishing opened in N.J. on Tuesday, and the forecast looks perfect for that. That’s even more true for tuna fishing which has been generally very good whenever boats can get offshore.

Mike Monte left a great run of bonito at Nantucket a few weeks ago in hope of getting into the fall mullet run in northern N.J. which normally provides some hot surfcasting for stripers — but all he got was endless east winds for two weeks before returning to Nantucket..

Monte said he was never able to find any mullet in the very rough and dangerous surf which was almost unfishable. He thinks the lack of stripers is due to the mild weather with a lack of low overnight temperatures. Once it gets down to the mid-fifties at night , stripers should start moving in.

Monte also is hoping to find some little tunny back in Nantucket where they have been missing this fall.

A small craft advisory is posted through late tonight in NY/NJ Bight. Tomorrow’s morning forecast is for east winds at 10-15 knots with 4-6-foot seas. A hopeful sign is the prediction of light west winds on Saturday!

The N.J. sea bass season reopens Tuesday and runs through October with a 12.5-inch minimum and a 10-fish bag.

Some party boats are running opening day extended trips by reservation. Be sure to check with your favorite boat about their sailing time so you don’t arrive to find an empty slip.

The weather looks fishable, but not great as east winds continue at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 with 4-6-foot seas.

Capt. Mark DeBlasio of the Blue Runner from Point Pleasant managed to get in an overnighter during the week which produced yellowfin and bigeye tuna among lots of short hits.

Vinny D’Anton keeps hoping to see a shift to west winds that would calm and clear northern N.J. surf waters, but there’s no sign of a change so far.

A small craft advisory is up until 8 p.m. The forecast for Monday is east at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25 and more large swells which make for a dangerous and discolored surf. Vinny did get an afternoon shot this week when he found mullet in a jetty pocket, but the only bass that hit his Chug Bug were only 22-inchers. That mullet school built up to a point where he couldn’t get a lure through them — and there were no more hits on a wide variety of lures.

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Chuck Tyman Manny3h  · Visiting my mom in Naples for a couple days and got out fishing for a few hours. Awesome fishing with crazy variety.

CNYC Capt. John McMurry is really frustrated with the weather which is making it so difficult to get to a super bluefin bite. He reports those tuna are big and plentiful — and he’ll do anything possible to get anglers who want to cast lures to them out there.

Nick Honachefsky reports on his upcoming Barrier Island Beach Brawl as follows: ” Surf fishing tourney Oct 11/12 Save your spot now. 15 eligible species win prizes, catch photo release stripers, and a free $50 grab bag of goodies/tees just for entering! Let’s goooo! Click https://www.saltwaterunderground.com/…/barrier-island..

A small craft advisory is up through Sunday afternoon. The forecast is for east winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25 along with 3-6-foot seas and possible showers.

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Hurricane Helene was a lady as she passed by my section of Ft. Myers, Florida. “Fort Ristori” is on high ground and far from the Gulf of Mexico. So far we’ve never had an insurance claim here, and it’s so quiet in the house that I slept right through it. This time there wasn’t even a loss of power. Unfortunately, Ft. Myers Beach took another beating from the storm surge — and I feel so sorry for those in the Big Bend area of Florida with the flooding where the hurricane came to shore.

As the storm moves north, there will be fishing interruptions including big swells.

Saturday’s forecast in Ny/NJ Bight is for east winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25 and 3-5-foot seas and possible showers.

There is probably no other saltwater fly tier better known than New Jersey’s Bob Popovics, and he’s presently in critical condition after being hit by a car Monday morning in Seaside Heights. Also the owner of Shady Rest restaurant, Popovics has designed several of the most popular saltwater flies and has taught thousands of anglers how to tie them — and get into saltwater flyfishing. Additionally, he’s a legendary fly angler and good guy. Hopefully Bob will be back on the beach for the upcoming fall run.

A small craft advisory is up until 6 p.m. The forecast for tomorrow is back to northeast, though at only at 5-10 knots before going east in the afternoon.

Anthony Gillespie reports from the Capt. Lou Fleet in Freeport “LONG RANGE OCEAN WRECK FLUKE 9/27 FRIDAY!! 5am to 5pm RESERVATIONS A MUST!

We have only 15 people for this trip and we are sailing!! Join us by calling 516 623 5823

Saturday OCEAN WRECK SEABASS 6am to 12 noon plenty of room. Call 516 623 5823 or book at www.captloufleet.com

A small craft advisory is up to 6:30 p.m.

Captain Lou Fleet

The N.J. fluke season closed today, though it’s been almost a lost cause for several days due to the nasty sea. The N.J. sea bass season reopens on Tuesday, Oct. Oct. 1.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported big blues Tuesday as they picked at first before later getting shots of action later from the 3-8-pounders with limits around the boat. The best bet was a tailed 4-ounce Run-Off jig.

New York is open for sea bass through Dec. 31 with six sea bass at a 16.5-inch minimum.

Northeast is finally out of the forecast. Thursday starts with south winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20. Five-foot seas prevail, and showers are possible.