By Al Ristori

May 01, 2010, 8:27PM

Despite heavy boat traffic, striped bass cooperated for most boaters during a beautiful day. That was as true in Ratitan Bay as in the ocean. Gary Caputi of Brick and I fished with Capt. Lou Grazioso on Striper Mania from Keyport, and were into action immediately after leaving the harbor as large bluefish were blasting into bait and hitting everything thrown at them. I raised 6-t0-8-pound blues on every cast with a pencil popper, and Caputi scored with a fly. We then moved out in the bay, where Grazioso marked bass — and we picked away on live bunkers despite a lack of drift. About 10 bass fron the mid-teens to about 20 pounds were released in a couple of hours. Chuck Many of Annandale was inshore of us with Canadian visitors on his Tyman from Highlands, and did even better. It was nothing like the red hot action of the previous evening for Grazioso and Many, but good steady sport. Joe Massa came out later with his My Three Sons from Morgan, and had similar action with both live and dead bunkers.Dave Lilly of Hazlet trolled a three-man limit in the bay early in the morning before releasing a few more from his center console out of Angler’s Marine in Sea Bright.

Capt. Sal Cursi ran down the beach with his Cathy Sea from Sewaren, and had a good catch of stripers by jigging Storm Shads. The Jamaica from Brielle had many bass limits, and a 25-pound pool winner. That boat will be fishing for stripers on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 a.m.

By Al Ristori

April 23, 2010, 8:56PM

Striped bass fishing hasn’t been quite as automatic as it was last weekend, but some anglers will almost surely do well this weekend.

The key to success may well be a willingness to look around, as there has been little consistency as to where te bass may be day to day — and bluefish create another problem.  The Jamaica from Brielle has had some very good trips, but Capt. Howard Bogan Jr.said Wednesday was slow. Friday started out the same way, though a large school of bass was located during the afternoon.

Unfortunately, they didn’t bite as well as usual — with lots of follows of hooked fish to prove they were there. Bogan said every angler had at least one keeper. The Jamaica sails for stripers at 7:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
 
Capt. Hans Kaspersetz trolled and jigged a few bass very early at Shrewsbury Rocks from Sheri Berri out of Baker’s Marina on the Bay in Highlands.
 
Capt. Bruce Mickelson of Hi-Mar Striper Club hosted fellow club member Capt. Robbie Barradale with his friend Joe and daughter Gina in Raritan Bay on Wednesday. He said there was no sign of bass or bait in the far west end of the bay, but they ended up doing well on Sailordog from Morgan further to the east by casting plugs and shad jigs. Fly fishing wasn’t effective since the fish were close to the bottom.
 
Capt. Bobby Bogan of the Gambler from Point Pleasant has been catching big blackfish,but Thursday was a bit slow for that species — possibly due to a cold south current. In addition to the daily blackfish trips, the Gambler will run one more open cod trip on May 6 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.   

Allen Riley of South Plainfield didn’t score with stripers in the Sandy Hook surf, but he watched Duke Matero of Piscataway land a 30-inch striper on clam. Riley said it was cold in the morning northwester. Water temperatures remain right about 50 degrees. 

By Al Ristori

April 14, 2010, 5:59PM

Striped bass are attacking bunkers along the northern Shore, and soon may be expanding their territory. Confirmed reports o0f bass being taken on live bunkers came from offshore of Sandy Hook, while others caught stripers in the ocean on jigs and clams.

Dave Lilly of Hazlet trolled off the Highlands Bridge in the morning to limit out on bass while experimenting with Stretch plugs with, and without, an ESCA light attached. He said the plug with the light far outfished the other run alongside it. Before they were finished, Lilly put Al Tumolo of Piscataway and Joe White from Dunellen into about 40 bass that were mostly keepers. Lilly said other bass were following hooked fish to the surface — and he caught one by casting a Rapala plug on the surface. Another boater managed to snag bunkers that produced other bass plus a seasonal first — a 13-pound weakfish.  

Tank Matraxia and Marty Gras from Lyndhurst fished with Capt. Lou Grazioso on Striper Mania out of Keyport to catch 10 bass in that area on clams and Stretch plugs. One bass was an 18-pounder. 

The Sea Hawk from Perth Amboy has been limiting on stripers the last couple of days by clamming down the beach. Lou Pruppi from Nazareth, Pa. boated a 25-pounder.  

Capt. Bobby Bogan has had good blackfishing this week while working wrecks in 100 to 120 feet to the south from his Gambler out of Point Pleasant. Everyone limited on Monday and Tuesday, Tony Rygiel of Harrison boated a trophy 14-pound, 6-ounce tog, and added a cod. Pete Santino of Old Bridge had a 10-pound blackfish.

The Jamaica from Brielle has cancelled the weekend offshore trip, and will start 7:30 a.m. striper fishing Saturday and Sunday.

Allen Riley of South Plainfield said it was another beautiful morning on the Sandy Hook surf, but, as usual, that wasn’t good for the fishing as only one short bass was caught along the beach.

By Al Ristori

April 12, 2010, 7:50PM

The N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife has proposed a change in striped bass regulations from the two at a minimum of 28 inches that applies all along the coast to a conservation equivalency of one at 24 inches or geater plus another of 32 inches or more. The Technical committee has approved that change which is calculated to actually improve the spawning stock biomass (SSB). The concept was accepted today during a conference call of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Striped Bass Advisory Panel. Ex-state Senator Lou Bassano and I are the N.J. members of that panel, and we both supported the proposal. Some other members had reservations, but the vote ended in favor by 8 to 2.

The next step will be consideration at the ASMFC Spring Meeting. If approved there, the Division will have to consider setting up punlic hearings as this proposal was developed by the Marine Fisheries Council in conjunction with the state’s marine scientists — and the general public hasn’t had much of a chance to weigh in the change. Furthermore, changes in striped bass regulations must be approved by the state legislature. The change could come this year, though I suspect 2011 is more likely.

Allen Riley of South Plainfield had the only report today. He said the weather was too nice at Sandy Hook, as fishing is rarely good under those circumstances. A couple of Riley’s friends reported having caught bass of 34 and 29 inches on bait Sunday afternoon, but this morning was dead. Surprisingly, the water temperature had dropped off considerably to 48.9 degrees.

Riley noted that Divison law enforcement personal were checking anglers over the weekend for their Registry cards. Those without them got a warning – and info on how to register.

The Jamaica from Brielle will sail to 50-to-90-mile wrecks for cod and pollock at 11:30 p.m. Friday for Saturday fishing. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations. Striped bass fishing begins Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.    

Capt.Ken Gallup reports his last trip on Big Kid from Brielle Yacht Club produced ling, cod, and blackfish up to a 12.8-pounder.

Hoffman’s Marina in Brielle reports it’s only been a pick of flounder in the river, and anglers fishing wrecks over the weekend just picked at blackfish.

The Coast Guard Aux., Flotilla 7-12, has a safe boating class leading to the required boating certificate from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Ocean Club in Manahawkin. Call Joe Lupa at 609 597-4878 or Joe Giunti at 609 597-1295,

By Al Ristori

April 03, 2010, 9:18PM

Capt. Stan Zagleski started his season with Elaine B. from Highlands in Shrewsbury River on Friday, and enjoyed a decent pick of winter flounder during the change of tide. He had started in the bay, but found very dirty waters and no hits before returning to the river. About 50 flounder were caught, including a dozen keepers. Elaine B. sails daily at 7:30 a.m. for 3/4-day fishing, but the Easter Sunday trip returns by 11:30.

Capt. Lou Grazioso called Saturday morning to report a pick of stripers up to 30 inches while clamming in the back of Raritan Bay from his Striper Mania out of Keyport.

Capt. John Kolias ran his first trip on Friday with friends on Reel Fun from Sea Bright. Though the waters were clear in the river, they were still dirty in the back of the bay where they broke the ice during a short trip with a short striper and a legal flounder.

The Jamaica from Brielle has scheduled a tilefish/wreckfish trip for Thursday, May 13 at 11 p.m. The cost is $260 with a limit of 26 anglers. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations.