By Colin Stephenson/The Star-Ledger

April 30, 2010, 4:59AM

While the unprecedented April ocean run of striped bass isn’t as consistent as it had been, anglers are finding large quantities of big bluefish that often make it difficult to get through to the bass — and shore fishermen are now joining in the bluefish bonanza.
 
Barnegat, Manasquan and Shark River inlets have all produced plenty of blues for those casting from sea walls and jetties, while surfcasters and those casting from Raritan Bay shorelines have also enjoyed blitz fishing at times.
 
The blackfish season closes after today, and doesn’t reopen until July 16, when the limit is only one per man before the six-fish bag commences on Nov. 16.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has set a July 30 date for a New Jersey shark moratorium unless the state completes shark regulation changes before then.

Former Gov. Jon Corzine never signed off on the required changes to bring New Jersey into compliance with federal shark regulations, thus endangering the June shark tournaments.
The new administration did come into compliance with protection of spawning sandbar (brown) sharks in state waters by administrative change on March 25, and obtained an extension. All necessary changes should be in place by July 19.
 
Capt. Jack Bogan Sr. passed away at 92 on April 24 in Stuart, Fla. The former skipper of the Columbia, the American, and the Shamrock, was born in Jersey City, but moved to Point Pleasant Beach before retiring to Stuart in 1982. His grandson, Capt. Bobby Bogan, said there were actually three different Shamrocks. Surviving sons are Capt. John F. Bogan Jr., and Capt. Bob Bogan Sr. The funeral mass is this morning at 11 in St. Peter’s Church, Point Pleasant Beach.

TOP CATCHES
Bluefish up to a 15-pounder were caught from the Manasquan Inlet sea walls late Tuesday afternoon, so I decided to make a few blind casts Wednesday afternoon, and got things started with a blue of about 10 pounds that hit an A.O.K. PB-40 P-Nut metal. Nick Kolodiy of Brick, who had hooked blues the previous afternoon in the Brick surf, quickly joined me after finding nothing from the local beaches.
 
Just as was the case in the surf Tuesday, these blues weren’t showing at all.  The northwest wind was howling against incoming tide, creating a rough inlet — but that didn’t bother the choppers. I was impressed with the fact that so many blues were released by the sea wall crowd, instead of just being piled up behind them to probably go to waste. It was a different story Thursday afternoon under the same conditions, as I saw only one blue caught.

The Gambler from Point Pleasant has an open cod trip departing Saturday at 6 a.m. The boat will be out of the water for about a week starting May 3.

Capt. Russ Binns found nothing in the ocean while running south from Manasquan Inlet to Barnegat Inlet with his Mar-Lin from Toms River on Tuesday, but after returning to Barnegat Bay he encountered unlimited numbers of large bluefish from the BB Buoy north as three anglers caught over 70 on popping plugs.

Dave Lilly of Hazlet put his crew into over 30 stripers while trolling in the ocean Saturday with his center console from Angler’s Marina in Sea Bright. A 29-pounder was weighed at The Tackle Box on Hazlet.
 
Tom O’Connor of South Amboy saw Big Joe Utter of Old Bridge catching large blues by casting a diamond jig as soon as he arrived at his local beach Wednesday evening. Tom Jones of Parlin used clams to beach two stripers, one over 28 inches, but only blues hit O’Connor’s clams.

At Brielle, Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. said Saturday’s striped bass fishing on his Jamaica was poor to the north, so he went south on Sunday to find better readings even if the bass didn’t bite as well as the quantity recorded indicated they would. Paul Sperco of East Hanover won the pool with a 14-pounder.

Capt. Joe Bogan is wrapping up his blackfishing today on Jamaica II, and then switches to 5 a.m. wreck trips for ling on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tautog up to 12½ pounds were boated last week. Ray Bryant of South Orange limited to 8 pounds and added three cod, while Pete La Cour of Spring Lake Heights had a tog limit to 6 pounds.

Hoffman’s Marina weighed a 29-pound striped bass on Monday for Greg Long.
At Atlantic Highlands, Capt. Scotty Hilliard called in a report of excellent striper jigging Thursday on his Prowler as there were plenty of birds up, and many of the bass were looking large. Tankut Oksas of Elizabeth took the pool with a 25-pounder. Capt. George Bachert  did well clamming for stripers with his Angler on Saturday, but switched over to seeking the “elusive” ling  on Thursday. Check with him, as he’ll decide which species to pursue based on the last two days’ results. Bachert notes that night clamming has been producing two-to-three-dozen keeper bass per trip.

At Highlands, Capt. Pete Wagner of Hyper Striper from Twin Lights Marina reports consistent clamming for bass, with limit catches the norm. The Lee Childers party from Bay Head limited to 23 pounds Sunday afternoon; the Angus Fidullis group from Newark limited to 21 pounds Monday morning; and Artie Ascoli’s charter from Seaside Heights had a limit of 30-to-36-inchers Tuesday morning. He ran Wednesday’s trip for the Jets with Joe Occhipinti Jr. as there were nine people involved.  Assistant coach Dave Szott was aboard the Little Hawk along with Brandon Moore, Calvin Pace, Eric Smith, Brad Smith, and Ben Hartsock as a limit of bass up to 21 pounds was boated. Thursday’s trips were just as good, Ralph Delenardo of Franklin Lakes  had bass to 23 pounds in the morning, and Gary Schmitt  from Union ended up releasing 12-to-18-pound bass in the afternoon.  
Capt. Hans Kaspersetz of Sheri Berri from Baker’s Marina on the Bay has been trolling bass limits consistently by getting out along the northern Shore very early before boat traffic spooks the fish.

Phil Sciortino, at The Tackle Box in Hazlet, had weekend weigh-ins topped by a 27-pound bass caught on a bunker chunk at his local beach by Rich Swisstack of Cliffwood. Kevin Matheny of Keansburg clammed an 11 ½-pound striper at Union Beach. Sciortino noted that a group of kayakers gathered Monday morning at The Tackle Box before being guided to the Navesink River, where they had top water action with 8-to-10-pound blues plus a legal bass.
Nick Honachefsky of Normandy Beach was joined by Mickey Malchiondo of in catching 53 blues on popping plugs at Island Beach State Park at mid-day Wednesday. They also clammed two bass, a keeper and a 26-incher that was tagged. It was entirely different Thursday at the same time as schools of blues could be seen in the clear waters  moving over the outer bar, but they ignored poppers and swimmers. Honachefsky caught some by reeling a Deadly Dick slowly over the bottom, as well as on bunker chunks.
Ross Goldberg and David Sherman ran Lady J from Belmar to Shrewsbury Rocks on Saturday to troll Stretch 25 plugs for three bass up to 34 inches.

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.    

By Al Ristori

February 25, 2010, 7:52PM

The Fishermen’s Rally in Washington on Wednesday was a big success as it attracted about 4,000 fishermen plus lots of congressmen on a nice day for an outdoor event surrounded by two terrible ones — with heavy rain on Tuesday and a snowstorm Thursday. See details about it in Friday’s column.

There was such a rush by fishermen to get down there that I was almost shut out. Buses were sold out at every port, but Warren Deshay invited me to jump on the bus chartered by Vinny Spadafora for his Long Key Marina customers in Waretown. We had plenty of company soon after arriving in Washington, where I ran into old friends from other states such as famed skipper Bob Rocchetta from Long Island, and Harry Aiken from Delaware.

Weather conditions make weekend fishing problematical. Capt. Jimmy Elliott cancelled his Friday night trip for Block Island cod on Miss Belmar Princess. He won’t be going next Friday night while celebrating his 40th birthday, but expects to schedule an overnight wreck trip shortly.

Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. hopes to get weekend wreck trips in with his Jamaica from Brielle, leaving at 11:30 the night before. Call 732 528-5014 for information.

The Salt Water Sportsman seminar will be held Saturday from 9 to 3 at Monmouth Regional H.S. in Tinton Falls. Call 800 448-7360 to determine if any of the $55 tickets are available.

Capt. John Cafiero provides a free striped bass seminar at 11 a.m. Saturday at Causeway Marine in Manahawkin. There’s also free refreshments and door prizes, but please call Causeway Marine for reservations.  

By Al Ristori

December 04, 2009, 6:54PM

Striped bass fishing was generally poor today after a southeast storm that left off-color waters and lots of mussels thrown up on the beach at Brick. Capt. Jim O’Grady had his best bass fishing last fall after a similar storm, but stripers didn’t hit for anglers on the Cock Robin from Point Pleasant today. Also at that port, Capt. John Brackett reported just scrathing out five short bass and one keeper bass on his Queen Mary. He won’t be sailing Saturday due to the stormy forecast.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc of the Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands reported a poor first and last hour, but jigging in between was decent as a few anglers caught 25 to 30 that were almost all in the 24-to-27-inch class — though a few keepers were boated. Semkewyc said there was little bird action, and he had to find fish on readings.

Allen Riley of South Plainfield said there was no mini-blitz of small stripers this morning as there had been the last two days, but they were swirling. Riley caught one short on an A.O.K PB-40 P-nut bunker spoon, and John Mazzeo of South Plainfield beached the only other short on a teaser. Sand eels had been so thick that they were being snagged on lures, but that didn’t occur today.

There was a surf schoolie bite this morning at Point Pleasant, but only a few bass were released there in the evening.

Capt. Gene Quigley of Shore Catch was casting deadly Dicks at jumping bluefin tuna at Shrewsbury Rocks, and one was hooked — but lost.  

By Al Ristori

November 28, 2009, 6:05PM

The bluefish off our coast must think it’s October rather than almost December as they even moved back into the surf today. With water temperatures hanging around 54 to 55 degrees, the choppers could still be with us at Christmas.

Boaters leaving Manasquan Inlet ran into big blues right away, and they were breaking off Bay Head late in the morning. Some big blues were caught by surfcasters there, though most refused to move inshore.

There were still big blues off Bay Head during mid-afternoon when I took Joe Andreoli of Wyckoff out for a couple of hours with his young children Jeremy and Natalie, and his friend Vinny. We found blues attacking adult bunkers not far from shore, and managed to put the kids into a couple of 12-pounders on a Tsunami Deep Wave jig. I was blind jigging on sandy bottom in 25 feet when I hooked up what I assumed was a small bluefish and handed the rod to Natalie — who boated a 14-inch blackfish with the plain single hook of a Grim Reefer jig in its mouth.

With gale warnings posted for winds up to 40 mph, it wouldn’t have been possible to take youngsters out if it wasn’t for the northwest direction that flattened the ocean. It was actually quite comfortable close to the beach.

Capt. John Brackett said striper jigging in his Queen Mary from Point Pleasant wasn’t up to par in the northwester. He worked up to Deal, and only managed three keepers plus 12 shorts among abundant blues. Brackett anticipates the predicted light southwest on Sunday will improve that situation. 

There was a report that adult bunkers were found in many areas from Manasquan to Deal. In addition to bluefish under them, there were also supposedly stripers up to the 30-pound class.

After many trips to the Sea Girt surf with no results lately, Jay Russell of Brick ran ino a Bonanza in the morning as he caught 10 stripers, including four of legal size, on metal. Some big blues were also in the surf. 

That was a lot better than what I ran into at my first stop in Bay Head. The northwester had done its job of flattening the surf, and stripers were swirling and chasing sand eels — but no one got a hit while I was there. One angler said the bass would swirl behind his Needlefish, but wouldn’t hit it. I moved further south and did see some bluefish and a couple of short stripers caught from the bars.

By Al Ristori

November 25, 2009, 8:03PM

While there aren’t many anglers who could get away with spending all of Thanksgiving Day fishing, some can sneak out for a morning trip. Most party boats will be accomodating those fishermen tomorrow. Call your favorite skipper to determine when he’ll be sailing — and returning.

Blackfish should be cooperating on the reefs, and both stripers and blues are spread along most of the Shore. Don Marantz of Clarksburg fished today aboard Miss Belmar Princess, and was very happy with the results since he boated the pool winner — a bass of almost 38 inches. They found action close to Shark River Inlet, plus more after moving up to Long Branch. Marantz had one other keeper out of about 15 bass, as he caught more stripers than bluefish — plus one dogfish. Plain Ava 47 jigs did the job. Surprisingly, there wasn’t much bird action except at Long Branch.

Capt. John Luchka of Bordentown has moved his 21CC Contender to Wills Hole Marina in Point Pleasant as striper fishing in Long Island Sound wasn’t up to par. He found birds and bait from the inlet to Mantoloking this morning for Dave Cozzone, National Sales Mgr from Princeton Tec Lights. They caught eight stripers, of which three were keepers — with the largest at 33 inches! All were taken on Ronz and Hogy softbaits on 1/2 ounce jig heads. The hot colors were dark green, black and amber. They also hooked a spiny dogfish, and had a fish straighten out out a Duo-lock snap. 

Surf fishing reports weren’t as good. I tried Brick early in the morning, and only saw one striper caught in a rough surf at low tide. John Green of Brick saw fish chasing sand eels up on the outer bars at Brick, but no one could get out that far — and the bass never came in up to the time Green left at 11 a.m. West winds are predicted from Thanksgiving night on into the weekend, which should flatten the surf and greatly improve that sport.

By Al Ristori

November 23, 2009, 8:14PM

Capt. Ed Bunting of the Sea Horse at Atlantic Highlands was impressed with the blackfishing he encountered Sunday at Sandy Hook Reef. Most fares caught two to four keepers and lots of shorts, but there were some limits. Joey Vaccaro of Bayonne boated a 6-pound tog, and John Valent from Whiting had a 5-pounder. Three ling were caught Sunday, the first Bunting has seen so far at the reef. The porgies and sea bass are gone, and spiny dogfish haven’t been too much of a problem as long as anglers fish with green crabs rather than clams.

The northeast wind put a damper on fishing today, and tomorrow may be only slightly better. Capt. Jim O’Grady isn’t sailing his Cock Robin from Point Pleasant until Wednesday — when the wind forecast is much better. O’Grady ran to the south on Saturday, but had to backtrack north to get into bass and blues among lots of dogfish. He went right into the northeast wind Sunday, where the catch included two stripers over 40 inches during the last drift.

Capt. Ron Santee was running away from great bluefish jigging over the weekend to catch some short stripers and a few keepers each day on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands.

Capt. John Cafiero of Seafood Charters from Forked River counted 181 stripers jigged in two days (Friday and Saturday) three miles south of Barnegat Inlet in 30-to-35-foot depths. His parties limited with bass up to 19 pounds, six ounces. Only a dozen blues up to a 16-pounder were caught.

Bluefin tuna in the 100-pound class were spotted in areas as close as the Mile Buoy off Manasquan Inlet on Sunday. Anglers fishing at the HA Buoy were on the VHF talking about their frustrations trying to hook the tuna jumping all around them.

John Green of Brick tried casting into the wind at Brick this morning, but his metal was quickly washed back onto the beach.

By Al Ristori

November 20, 2009, 7:27PM

The normal and ideal situation after a fall northeaster is to have a cool northwester following it to quickly knock down the swell and create calm conditions for boaters and surfcasters. That hasn’t been happening very often this fall, but the table was set with today’s west winds to be followed by a bit stronger northwester tonight. Saturday sounds like a perfect day with lighter northwest winds. The surf was still rough, due to a big swell, but it should be ideal by dawn. Surfcasters should do well in many areas along the Shore as it will be easy to spot swirling bass, and possible to cast plugs and other light lures. After a dead period since last week’s bad northeaster, there was a pick of bass in some areas along the northern Ocean County surf. I met a surfboarder in Mantoloking who saw stripers chasing sand eels in the rough surf.

Allen Riley of South Plainfield once again found the Sandy Hook surf to be rough and unproductive early this morning, but he saw lots of bird action offshore of the Highlands Bridge.

Capt. John Brackett of the Queen Mary from Point Pleasant reported an early striper bite before the bass turned off the rest of the trip. His anglers jigged 37 linesiders, of which 13 were keepers.

Capt. Hans Kaspersetz trolled between the channels at mid-morning with Sheri Berri from Baker’s Marina on the Bay in Highlands where he found his two keeper bass from among six caught on umbrella rigs. Surprisingly, there were no bluefish.

That wasn’t the case for Capt. Rob Semkewyc on the Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands. He couldn’t get away from big blues, but his anglers only had a few keeper bass and a few dozen shorts.   

By Al Ristori

November 17, 2009, 8:09PM

It was a red letter day for boaters from at least Shark River Inlet to Manasquan Inlet as legal stripers were routine among lots of shorts and big bluefish — all spewing up sand eels. Capt. Jimmy Elliott said he had about 50 keeper bass up to a pool-winning 18-pounder on Miss Belmar Princess. He did note there were more larger bass on Monday when the big fish weighed 20 pounds and almost everyone limited. All but a few had limits today as Elliott ran into them right away off Shark River Inlet. Plain jigs worked best.

At Point Pleasant, Capt. Jim O’Grady reported early in the morning about the hot jigging off Spring Lake on his Cock Robin, and Capt. John Brackett ended up with 162 bass on his Queen Mary — of which 33 were keepers.

Joe Reap fished his Reaper out of Manasquan for solid action off Spring Lake before following the bass and blues further off later in the morning. His crew had bass up to 32 inches, and he noted the blues were 10-to-15-pounders.

Capt. Russ Binns started out looking for bluefin tuna on his Mar-Lin from Toms River, and he found some at the Axel Carlsen Reef. However, the 50-to-70-pounders were individual jumpers in a rough northeast sea. Binns gave up on them early to head inshore for stripers. His crew ended up catching 34 bass up to a 12-pounder among six keepers — plus about 15 blues.

Capt. Stan Zagleski didn’t get out today with his Elaine B. from Highlands, but opened the blackfish season successfully on Monday. The big swell from the storm had those fish turned off early, but they started biting at 11:45. There was a decent pick after that, and Mike Naipawer of Bloomingdale was delighted with his pool-winning 11 1/2-pounder.

Allen Riley of South Plainfield fished a rough surf at Sandy Hook in the morning, but said there was no action there — nor any working birds offshore of the Highlands Bridge. I didn’t see any action along the shore from Bay Head to Brick, but tried casting into a slough at Brick for awhile with no hits.