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Blackfish bite starting in ocean

It wasn’t anything great, but at least the Big Mohawk from Belmar got out today in the northwest wind and found an “ok” bite in some spots but nothing in others. That’s about what could be expected after a cold winter, and they hope to do better at 7 a.m.  Monday when the forecast of light winds should provide better conditions.

Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park reported school stripers being caught on paddletail jjgs both in the bay — and in the surf

There’s finally warmer weather in the forecast for later in the week, and it’s looking good so far for my fishing tackle garage sale next Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1552 Osprey Ct., Manasquan Park, NJ 08736.

 

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N.Y. saltwater regs have changed

DEC Announces Changes to 2018 Tautog, Summer Flounder, and Scup Fishing Regulations

New Amendment to Tautog Fishery Management Plan

A new Amendment to the Interstate Fisheries Management Plan for Tautog was adopted in October 2017 by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). This amendment was adopted in response to the 2016 tautog stock assessment update. This update showed that the Long Island Sound and New York Bight tautog populations are overfished, and overfishing is occurring. The amendment applies more restrictive fishing rules for both recreational and commercial fishers specific to each area.

DEC has adopted rules consistent with this new amendment that will help maintain the long term sustainability of the tautog fishery, while remaining in compliance with the ASMFC.

Effective April 1, 2018 in New York State, the commercial and recreational tautog fisheries will be split into two management regions with separate seasons and possession limits:

Long Island Sound Management Region: includes all marine and coastal district waters lying east of the Throgs Neck Bridge and west of a line that runs from Orient Pt, NY to Watch Hill, RI.

NY Bight Management Region: includes all marine and coastal district waters lying outside of the Long Island Sound Management Region.

Commercial Tautog Season Changes:

  • Long Island Sound Management Region (Marine and coastal district waters lying east of the Throgs Neck Bridge and west of a line that runs from Orient Pt, NY to Watch Hill, RI): May 7 – July 31 and September 1 – November 23
  • NY Bight Management Region (Marine and coastal district waters lying outside of the Long Island Sound Region): April 16 – Jan 25
  • There is no change to the commercial possession limit or minimum size, which is 15 inches total length and 25 fish per vessel (except, 10 fish per vessel when fishing lobster pot gear and more than six lobsters are in possession).

Recreational Tautog Season and Possession Limit Changes:

  • Long Island Sound Management Region (Marine and coastal district waters lying east of the Throgs Neck Bridge and west of a line that runs from Orient Pt, NY to Watch Hill, RI): April 1 – 30 (2 fish) and October 11 – December 9 (3 fish)
  • NY Bight Management Region (Marine and coastal district waters lying outside of the Long Island Sound Region) April 1 – 30 (2 fish) and October 15 – December 22 (4 fish)
  • There is no change to the recreational minimum size, which is 16 inches total length.

Less Restrictive Recreational Scup and Summer Flounder Rules

DEC has liberalized rules for recreational summer flounder and scup fishing for 2018. This relaxing of the rules is in response to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council increasing the recreational harvest limits for scup and summer flounder.

New York’s 2018 recreational summer flounder and scup fisheries will have the following changes:

  • Scup: 9 inch minimum size limit. No change to possession limits or seasons
  • Summer Flounder: Open Season is May 4 – September 30 with 4 fish possession limit. No change to the minimum size limit.

Marine recreational anglers 16 years or older are reminded that they must register each year in New York’s free Recreational Marine Fishing Registry online or by calling 1-866-933-2257.

For more information on Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations, visit DEC’s website.

Though the weather turned out better than expected, there were no reports when this was written. Both the Ocean Explorer and the Big Mohawk from Belmar may be fishing for blackfish on Sunday. The weather looks much better Monday through Wednesday.

Bob Matthews, at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina, says both the Belmar and Atlantic Highlands stores are now open. With continuing cold water, the winter flounder bite off the docks at Belmar has been slow — just as has the offshore fishing been.

Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park continues to get reports of small stripers from the bay on worms and small lures, but nothing from the surf so far. Betty & Nick’s video showed clear, whitewater surf that should be producing bass by now .

 

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NJ fluke & sea bass regs set

The NJ Marine Fisheries Council agreed yesterday on a 2018 fluke season starting 5/25 and running to 9/22 with the same regulations as last year — a three-fish limit at a minimum of 18 inches.  Paul Haertel of the JCAA said there were about 70 people at the meeting, with South Jersey back bay anglers seeking an earlier opening while those from the north wanted more days in September. Yet Cape May party boats also favored the later opening as they can’t fish the shallow back bay waters and the ocean is too cold for fluking this spring.

The sea bass rules were set, but here could be a change since New York and the states north of them have filed an appeal with the ASMFC against their regulations and that could end up reducing the N.J. quota. As it is, the N.J. season opens on 5/15 and runs to 6/22 with a bag of 10 at a 12 1/2-inch minimum. The summer by-catch opportunity for fluke fishermen runs from 7/1 to 8/31 with two at 12 1/2 inches.  The fall season from !0/8 to 10/31 provides 10 sea bass at the same minimum, and the year finishes with 15 at a 13-inch minimum from 11/1 to 12/31.

The brutal spring weather continued today, and the weekend doesn’t look much better. New York cancelled its fishing festival at Belmont Lake State Park.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar cancelled Saturday fishing due to the weather, and also Sunday based on the wind prediction. However, they claim to have heard of some striper life and will start fishing daily for them on Monday. If the bass can’t be found, they’ll fish wrecks for cod and ling.

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Ty Man catches first “20” in Raritan Bay

Chuck Many of Annandale, N.J. isn’t easily discouraged, even by a forecast of gale force winds, so he and Bob Bowden went down to his Ty Man in Gateway Marina, Highlands at dawn and found the only problem was fog covering a flat calm Raritan Bay. They had been catching lots of small stripers while clamming off Keyport, but this trip was completely different before the front blew them off the water. There were only a few hits, but Bowden caught the first 20-pound bass reported from the bay so far this spring. They also released a 30-incher and a bass only about 18 inches.  Many said the water temperature was in the narrow range of 44 to 45 degrees from the river to the bay. No bunkers were spotted in the bay, but gannets were diving in the ocean.

first 20

Capt. Chris De Stefano of Wall said he got a report of a big bluefish being caught in the Navesink River.

Bob Matthews, at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina, said the weather has made for tough fishing, but he finally saw six winter flounder caught from the docks on Sunday.  The Atlantic Highlands store isn’t open yet, but anglers fishing from shore in Raritan Bay have been catching school stripers.

Fly rod pro, Joe Blaze of Brielle, holder of IGFA fly rod world records for bigeye trevally, turned his attention to bonefish from March 13-18, 2018. He reports “Fished Grand Bahama Island East End Lodge and Little Abaco for bonefish and mutton snapper as a guest of Joe Jefferson Club members including Henry Matri, Peter Marron, Sean Davis, Bob LaViano, Bob Hekemian and Rich Pellizzi.  Weather and water was cool [65-75F], but significantly improving after the prior week of rain and overcast.  Fishing and catching was excellent with each member landing many bonefish each day.  A few permit spotted and one landed.  Several mutton snapper landed too.  Flies were the usual types including Crazy Charlie, Gotcha, Clouser minnows. ” 

I’ll be holding a fishing tackle garage sale with loads of new and used gear at 1552 Osprey Ct., Manasquan Park, NJ 08736 on April 14-15. More information will follow as the event gets closer.

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Exotics in Florida

I joined Bruce Hrobek of Billy Bones Tackle in Port St. Lucie and Stuart  this week to fish Miami-area canals for some real exotic fish — Midas cichlids.  That invasive species from Central America is well-established in the clear water canals, and can be spotted before being baited. Though they feed on both plant and aquatic life, the most effective bait is a piece of white bread formed into a ball on a small hook. The strong south wind made it tough to present the virtually weightless bait, but I hooked one of the beautiful fish on my first attempt. It was 11-inches long and weighed 1 1/2 pounds — and I later caught another of the same size.

Midas1This was the first Midas, and the second looked like a copy. Both were males with the forehead lump.

Tanner midas

Tanner Hrobek with another big Midas. Tanner also caught a convict cichlid, which has the coloring of a sheepshead with black bars on the sides when it’s a juvenile.

Dr. Johnathon Levy of North London, England, was also with us as some peacock bass were added to the catch with live shiners.   Thanks to Hai Truing, the guide who directed us to these fish. He can be reached at wwwhaitruingfishing.com.

Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park reported the first small stripers being caught on bloodworms in the still cold local surf. Small bass are also hitting worms and small lures in the back bay — and Barnegat Bay is already loaded with bunkers — setting the stage for the spring run of big bluefish.