Weakfish turning on in Barnegat Bay

by Al Ristori

Saturday August 29, 2009, 7:25 PM

Weakfish under birds in Barnegat Bay
Capt. Dave DeGennaro of Hi-Flier from Barnegat reports weakfish and kingfish have finally invaded Barnegat Bay. The last couple of days he found them schooled up under birds gorging on peanut bunker on the west side of Barnegat Bay behind Waretown. DeGennaro says this is similar to coastal migration fishing in the ocean as small lures, such as Fin-S jigs, are cast under the birds. Anglers let the jig sink through the bluefish, then slow retrieve it back until a 2-to-5-pound weakie inhales it. That is the early morning shot. After that, he anchors up to fish shedder crab or grass shrimp for the mixed bag with ultra-lite 6-pound spinning outfits. The kingfish are large 14-to-18-inchers that are tough fighters. DeGennaro said the Scalea family from Cranford (Anthony, Anthony Jr., and Brendon) was aboard Friday to catch11 species including weakfish, kingfish, bluefish, fluke, sea robin, sea bass, blackfish(don't ask me what he was doing in the back bay), sand shark, blowfish, porcupine puffer (burrfish), and a porgy.
Individual reservations are accepted as well as full charters. Call DeGennaro at 732 330-5674.

Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. of the Jamaica from Brielle reports bluefishing was very good today. The weather looks even better for tomorrow with lighter northwest winds that should gradually lower the swell from the far offshore storm.

The Sea Devil from Point Pleasant will not be sailing for bluefish on Sunday, and is also chartered on Tuesday.

Stripers start -- then back off

By Al J. Ristori

September 20, 2009, 8:04PM

Gene Graman of Middletown got into what appeared to be the start of the fall striper run Saturday in Sandy Hook Channel, but returned Saturday to find very little in the same spots.

Graman and I limited Saturday on eels from his That's It out of Twin Lights Marina in Highlands, and released a few more bass in the low teens (up to 33 inches), but only a couple of bass were hooked this morning with two other anglers -- and those hit sandworms instead of eels.

The Saturday blog couldn't be posted as the system was changed and there were many problems.

Leif Pettersen used his fly rod at Deal that morning to catch a 26.5-inch striper before landing a 29-incher. He said there were also some small blues and fluke in the wash.

Earl Smith of North Caldwell cast a Tsunami popper this morning at Monmouth Beach to catch a 32-inch, 12-pound bluefish. He also saw another surfcaster catch a little tunny on a metal lure.

Capt. John Brackett said Sunday was his slowest day in some time on his Queen Mary from Point Pleasant as they only picked at blues during the day. He'll be trying another area Monday.

Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. reports night bluefishing was very good over the weekend. The pool winner was Helay Vargas from Stewartsville with a 15-pounder. A special trip for bonito and little tunny is being run at 6:30 Monday morning. Bogan reports his first canyon trip was Friday night.

"At 2:30 a.m. the yellowfin schooled under the boat and we hooked three in a short period of time but lost them all until we finally boated one around 3 a.m. After that we landed a 100-lb swordfish followed by another sword but only a couple more tuna bites. After sunrise we headed inshore landed a bluefin and lots of albacore. Our next canyon trip is a Tuna – Tilefish – Mahi Special sailing 7 a.m. Tuesday. There is still space available on that trip. We also have a trip sailing Wednesday night at 5 p.m. and many more trips. For further information call 732-528-5014. The big Jamaica will sail for bluefin tuna leaving 3 a.m. Sept. 25."

Blues & little tunny hitting jigs

By Al J. Ristori

September 18, 2009, 7:17PM

Jigging for blues and little tunny

There was a mix of bluefish and little tunny hitting jigs today along the northern Shore. Capt. John Brackett said he had steady jigging during the day from his Queen Mary out of Point Pleasant. He has some spots open on limited (by reservation) bonito/little tunny trips on Tuesday and Thursday.
Tank Matraxia of Lyndhurst had a family trip on Fins on Feathers from Leonardo that ended up jigging blues inshore of Sandy Hook Reef. Capt. Jerry Ciriello started clamming short stripers on Flynn's Knoll before catching some sea bass at the Mud Dump and porgies at the reef. A couple of bonito were also jigged with the blues that were feeding deep and spitting up sand eels.

Leif Pettersen tried casting from a Deal jetty early in the morning and released a 27-inch striper on a 3-ounce diamond jig with a green tail before landing a 3-pound blue and a 29-inch striper.

Bluefins still hitting

By Al J. Ristori

September 16, 2009, 6:15PM

Bluefins hit in northeaster
Capt. Jimmy Elliott was able to get in his weekly Wednesday tuna trip with Miss Belmar Princess, and it worked out fine as the boat took the one bluefin under 47 inches and one over 47 inches that's allowed while over 20 more tuna were released. The anglers also caught lots of little tunny plus a few skipjacks east of the Atlantic Princess. The northeaster didn't start coming up hard until 12:30. Of course, the precise location of the tuna after the latest northeaster is anyone's guess at this time, but it does look to be fishable on the weekend.

Capt. Jim O'Grady reported good action Tuesday with little tunny, bonito and Spanish mackerel from his Cock Robin out of Point Pleasant, but today's weather conditions made fishing difficult -- though those who could work jigs managed some little tunny and bluefish. He''ll be seeking tunny and bonito again next Wednesday at 6:30 a.m.

Little tunny hit jigs

By Al J. Ristori

September 15, 2009, 6:20PM

Little tunny hitting jigs
Capt. Jimmy Elliott had great jigging for big blues Monday off Sea Bright from Miss Belmar Princess, but when Capt. Al Shinn ran that party boat up there today there were relatively few blues while little tunny (false albacore) readily hit the jigs. Elliott said Monday's early jigging action for blues didn't last long inshore, and a move to 17 Fathoms (where night fishing had been excellent Sunday) wasn't productive -- but blues turned on to jigs back inshore that day and were exceptionally large, ranging up to the upper teens. Capt. Jimmy Hull also noted the exceptional size of those blues as one caught Sunday on his Suzie Girl was weighed officially at 19 pounds, 6 ounces.

Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. has another little tunny/bonito trip coming up Wednesday on his Jamaica from Brielle, and will be fishing inshore after Monday's trip was disappointing on the offshore lumps where he'd done well last week.

The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant had a slow start to this morning's little tunny trip as Capt. Dave Riback anchored. After putting the boat on the drift, there was plenty of action with little tunny.

Allen Riley of South Plainfield is still hoping those tunny will move in to the Sandy Hook surf, but there was no sign of them this morning. Some bait was present, and there were quite a few anglers present though nothing was caught.

Capt. Joe Bogan reports his Monday Mud Hole ling trip was very good, while sea bass and porgies have been hitting during daily, except Monday, 3/4-day trips.

Gene Graman of Middletown worked hard for stripers Monday night with his That's It from Twin Lights Marina in Highlands, but there was no action after dark. I was aboard as sea bass, fluke and sea robins ate up our sandworms as fast as we got them to bottom at every area tried before dark -- after which we couldn't give them away.

Nick Honachefsky of Normany Beach said Monday night ling fishing at Shark River Reef was slow, as the swell seemed to bea problem. He managed six ling, but the highlight occured when both he and his buddy reeled up lobsters at the same time as those shellfish clamped on to to Gulp baits.

Lumps producing bonito & little tunny

By Al J. Ristori

September 14, 2009, 3:42PM

Bonito & little tunny on inshore lumps
Party boats are taking advantage of an influx of little tunny and bonito on the inshore lumps that used to provide steady action for those species at this time of year over a decade ago. Initial trips by party boats have been successful, and more are being scheduled. The Queen Mary and Gambler from Point Pleasant are both making such trips Tuesday morning. Capt. Bobby Bogan is sailing with his Gambler at the usual 7:30 departure time. He also has openings on canyon trips coming up Friday and Saturday nights.

Allen Riley of South Plainfield checked the Sandy Hook surf this morning and managed a 24-inch striper on a metal lure, while his brother, Ed of Edison, released a short fluke that also hit a metal. However, there was no surface indications of fish nor any bait showing with which to lure in the long-awaited little tunny.

Bluefish jigging holds up

By Al J. Ristori

September 13, 2009, 6:38PM

Blues on jigs
Big blues cooperated again when Capt. John Brackett ran his Queen Mary north from Point Pleasant toward Shrewsbury Rocks. Those 10-to-16-pounders hit jigs, and there were lots of them. The Queen Mary has a bonito and little tunny trip coming up Tuesday. The Jamaica from Brielle has one sailing tomorrow.
For Capt. Hans Kaspersetz, bluefish weren't welcome when he overnighted at the Atlantic Princess. He had to stop chunking in order to get a shot at a couple of bluefin tuna in the morning. He caught one of about 70 pounds on bait, and his crew on Sheri Berri from Baker's Marina on the Bay in Hghlands also hooked a few little tunny and skipjacks.

Boating schools coming up

By Al J. Ristori

September 12, 2009, 12:57PM

Coast Boating School courses leading to the required state boating certificate
Call 1-877-BOAT SAFE unless otherwise noted:

Sept. 16 & 17 - West Marine, Toms River 6-9 p.m.
- Little Silver Fire Dept. 7-10 p.m.

Sept. 23 & 24 - Lake Hopatcong Elks Club, Mt. Arlington 7-10 p.m.

Sept. 24 & 25 - Danforth Marine, Ogdensburg 6-9 p.m. -- Call 973 827-5456

Sept. 26 & 27 - Campisano Marine, Brick 9a.m. to noon