Tight Lines

Vinny D’Anton continues to catch bluefish in the Monmouth County surf, but was more encouraged this morning by seeing mullet in the . Stripers shouldn’t be far behind!

The bluefishing has been holding up though they aren’t showing. Vinny caught seven one morning this week while working his Chug Bug popper — and they were in the 5-6-pound class.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had a charter on Tuesday when jigging produced bonito and little tunny before small blues took over at mid-morning.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. reported his biggest fluke of the season on the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands on Tuesday. It wasn’t as good as Labor Day in a cranky northeast wind, but Pete got things going with a 5-pounder and ended up with a limit.

“Highlight of the day was Chief Kelly doing what he does at least once a year, he sticks a beautiful Fluke at 9-pounds 2-ounces for our largest of the season so far!! 2 years ago he had one 13 and change! Awesome stuff Chief, made for a great picture.

A small craft advisory is up from Thursday evening to late night.

Foll0wing are some results posted by the Manasquan River Marlin & Tuna Club’s Offshore Open Tournament — though they are completely different from those previously posted — which may have been from a previous contest.

These are listed as for the 2024 event.

In either case there was a major showing of bigeye tuna — many of which were chunked at night during the single overnighter allowed for those not taking two day trips.

Low Bid was first in tuna at 205.4 pounds, followed by Irish Twin at 197, and Gumad at 191.6. The Experience weighed a 190.6-pounder, while Crisdel had a 160.2-pounder, and No Limit a 157.6-pounder and added the top dolphin of 14.6. and 15.6 pounds.

Internal Fixation ran away with swordfish at 162.9 pounds. while Silver Lining had a 65.8-pounder. Polarizer had six white marlin releases as no other boat recorded more than one. Big Boy boated the largest albacore at 63.4 pounds.

The forecast is for east winds at 5-10 knots.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. reported a good Labor Day fluke trip on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands with plenty of action and keepers for those fishing with rods stiff enough to handle heavy sinkers.

Atlantic bonito are great small game fish which are usually most abundant in NY/NJ Bight at this time of year. Their abundance varies greatly from year to year, but there are no better fighters among small game fish. Best of all, they’re very good eating. Don’t be confused by the fish that southerners call bonito or bonita — which are actually little tunny.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported that it was bonito which got them started on Sunday’s bluefish trip before the choppers turned on later. Run-Off jigs, both plain and tubed, did the job.

A small craft advisory goes up at 6 p. m. through Tuesday morning. when the forecast is for northeast winds at 15-20 knots before diminishing to 5-10 in the afternoon.

There seem to be more reports of larger fluke in NY/NJ Bight as those fish start heading to their offshore spawning grounds.

Dennis Muhlenforth 4h  · My Jersey jumbo at 5+ won me some big $$$ yesterday on the BIG Mohawk, Belmar N.J. Awesome crew just like the crew on Jamaica II.”

Capt. Ralph Leyrer was happy with the opening of the N.J. porgy season today as his party on Last Lady from Belmar loaded up on “giant” scup and big triggerfish.

The forecast is for north winds at 10-15 knots.

Thanks to Johnny Calamari for the reminder that the N.J. scup season reopens Sunday with a limit of 30 at a 10-inch minimum. This is a prime time for delicious porgies.

On your own boat in the NY/NJ Bight area, keep in mind the fact that regs are different on the N.Y. side, where the minimum is 11 inches. with a 40-fish bag as of tomorrow. The forecast is for southwest winds at 10 knots with a slight chance of showers.

The weekend looks to be a good one for NJ/NY Bight anglers as it starts with southeast winds at just 5-10 knots on Saturday.

Fluke should be building up for their migration out to offshore spawning grounds, and small blues have been pretty consistent in the bight and along the beach for north Jersey jiggers. Bonito have also been more abundant than usual. Little tunny are just starting to show.

As noted in yesterday’s blog, large yellowfin tuna are providing great offshore sport.

Bigeye tuna catches continue to be weighed at the Manasquan River Marlin & Tuna Club’s Offshore Open at Brielle. The Experience took back its initial lead in the contest that allows either two day trips or one overnighter as they weighed a 256.8- pounder. Canyon Runner moved into second at 218.2 pounds – and Blue Runner took over third at 215.9. Sixteen tuna over 100 pounds have been weighed so far along with lots of yellowfins.

Other categories started filling in as Flying Tiger released a blue marlin, and Blue Runner had two white marlin releases.

The long-missing big dolphin finally showed as Uncorked boated a 47.3-pounder and Done Deal had two of 35.9 and 30.6 pounds.

Small swordfish were entered as Done Deal had a 93.2-pounder to lead Pepper at 85.9 and Lucky Strike 1 at 54.6 pounds. Done Deal also leads in wahoo at 50 pounds.

The largest albacore is a 54.2-pounder on Following Seas.

Capt. Gene Quigley reported : “Panama sized yellowfins right here in New Jersey. It’s been nothing short of amazing catching these 100 lb plus yellowfins with our clients on poppers, jigs and bait….these are some of the biggest YF’s we have seen in our local waters that are being “consistently” caught day in and day out over the last two weeks. Been some heart breakers with pulled hooks, broken leaders and broken hearts at the boat…..but there has also been some glorious victories as well. We live for this.”

After bigeye tuna practically disappeared during the MidAtlantic, they’ve put on a show for some of the 78 boats fishing the Manasquan River Marlin & Tuna Club’s Offshore Open. That contest runs from Aug. from Aug. 24-31 with entrants having the choice of two days or one overnighter.

Gumad boated a 191.6-pounder that barely edges a 190.6-pound bigeye on The Experience – which is also third at 171.4 Gumad is next at 144.1, followed by Broad C’s at 139.4 as nine bigeyes have been weighed so far. Most other categories are wide open.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. sent a good Tuesday fluke report from his Fishermen out of Atlantic Highlands as follows: ” Had nice fishing for the first couple drifts this morning….

Lost the current and barely had a drift, picked at shorts and Sea Bass with an occasional keeper until Noon when we finally start to move.

Bigger fish started to chew, Jigger Joey landed a double limit including the Pool fish with a beauty at 6 pounds 14 ounces, Pat had one 6 pounds  Bill V. landed a nice 5.6 pounder with another 5 pound fish caught by Brett L.  Big Tom Chipped in with his 4 keepers also.

Bigger Sea Bass in the mix with one going 5 pounds, largest we have caught inshore in a long time.

Lots of action once things got right….Back at it in the AM.Had nice fishing for the first couple drifts this morning….

Lost the current and barely had a drift, picked at shorts and Sea Bass with an occasional keeper until Noon when we finally start to move.

Bigger fish started to chew, Jigger Joey landed a double limit including the Pool fish with a beauty at 6 pounds 14 ounces, Pat had one 6 pounds  Bill V. landed a nice 5.6 pounder with another 5 pound fish caught by Brett L.  Big Tom Chipped in with his 4 keepers also.“

The Golden Eagle from Belmar jigged lots of small blues Monday along with some sea bass, keeper fluke and triggerfish.

The forecast is for east winds at 15 knots plus gusts to 20.

Lots of action once things got right….Back at it in the AM.

White marlin trolling was decent during last week’s MidAtlantic tournament, but nothing like the action Billfisher from Ocean City, N.J. experienced yesterday when they returned with 40 release flags flying!

The Manasquan River Marlin & Tuna Club’s Offshore Open is running from Aug. 24-31. That contest allows entrants to fish two days or one overnighter. I haven’t been able to work through previous year’s catches to find those that are current so far.

Wednesday’s forecast is for southwest winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20.

Vinny D’Anton has been picking a few stripers mostly, around 24 inches, in the Monmouth County surf — though bluefish are much more abundant Most of the choppers are small even though Vinny hooked a 6-pounder this morning. Surprisingly, a small bucktail jig has been most effective.

Capt. Ron Santee, Jr. had good all day fluke action on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands on Sunday when several 3-4-pounders came aboard while a 6 13/16-pounder took the pool.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had to work a bit harder for small blues on Sunday while adding bonito, chub mackerel. and sea bass. The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant has been into large quantities of small blues most days while adding sea bass, some Spanish mackerel and the first little tunny. some small cobia have been released as good weather continues to prevail.

Kil Song had an unusual report from Virginia Beach as he fished for ribbonfish (actually cutlassfish).