By Al Ristori

March 08, 2010, 8:07PM

New York has proposed fluke regulations that would provide an extended season if the Marine Resources Advisory Council approves them on March 16. The proposed season is from May 15 to Sept. 16, with the same 21-inch minimum and two-fish limit as last year – when there was a two-week closure in July before the season ended in mid-August. That short season at least kept N.Y. from going over quota. That’s the first time in six years the Empire State hasn’t overfished. As a result, the slightly larger coastal quota along with the underage from 2009 permitted regulations that provide a 23 percent increase up to 449,000 fluke. New York will also continue their law suit against NMFS that claims faulty statistics have been disadvantaging N.Y. anglers for years.

Capt. Bobby Bogan reported a fine catch of cod on his Gambler from Point Pleasant during Sunday’s good weather.  Bogan had a pick on Saturday. including a pollock over 30 pounds, but found a boat on the wreck he wanted to fish Sunday. He then continued to run out to a 50-mile wreck that had lots of good-sized cod without too much trouble with spiny dogfish.  Nick Honachefsky of Normandy Beach was aboard to bag three cod and a 10-pound pollock. He said most of the cod were in the 5-to-14-pound class. The Gambler sails open daily at 7 a.m., but blackfish are the target Monday to Wednesday before cod take center stage Thursday through Sunday.

Honachefsky noted that Dave Miglione of Trinidad Yachts fished a 30-mile wreck Sunday with Chip Savage and P.J. Miller as they caught 24 cod to 23 pounds in two hours on Revenge. The cod averaged 5 to 14 pounds.

The Jamaica from Brielle didn’t have as big a catch of cod Sunday as was the case Saturday — as detailed in the last blog. However, the cod averaged a bit larger. Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. is even finding cod on wrecks that haven’t had them in recent years. He’s added another trip for Thursday as well as the weekend sailings. Call 732 528-5014 for information.  

By Al Ristori

March 06, 2010, 9:24PM

The Marine Fisheries Council held a groundbreaking meeting Thursday at the Toms River Township Office — the first time in memory they strayed from South Jersey, where meetings are usually held in Galloway Township. Councilman Pat Donnelly of Point Pleasant said the meeting was a great success, with over 100 members of the public showing up to watch the Council in action. Fluke regulations were the main order of business, and that’s what brought out so many anglers to the Central Jersey location.

As noted in Friday’s column, most were in favor of the option that permitted a fluke season from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, with the same 18-inch minimum and six-fish bag as last year. The Council also addressed the sea bass situation, though that’s still up in the air because NMFS still hasn’t put its stamp of approval on either the single season voted on by the ASMFC or the split season approved by the Mid-Atlantic Council. Donnelly said the Council preferred the split season, but temporarily went along with the ASMFC single season (May 22 to Sept. 12 with the same 12 1/2-inch minimum and 25-fish bag as last year) as that will apply to state waters if NMFS doesn’t make a decision as to which alternative would be most appropriate to apply to both state and federal waters. The Council can make a change at their next meeting.

The Council also adopted the one weakfish bag limit, though there was no other option since that’s required coastwise by the Weakfish Management Plan.

The RFA reports that on the issue of coastal sharks, the Council moved forward with approving measures to bring the state in compliance with the ASMFC Interstate Coastal Sharks Fishery Management Plan.  Recently found to be out of compliance with the plan, New Jersey’s anglers face a potential moratorium during the coming season.  One of the major hurdles cleared was a closure of Large Coastal Sharks (bull, hammerheads, nurse, sandbar, tiger, et. al.) during the spring “pupping” season.  New Jersey’s recreational anglers primarily target mako, thresher and blue sharks — pelagic sharks to which the “pupping” closure would not apply. New Jersey submitted a timeline for compliance to the Dept. of Commerce and expects to hear word next week whether a moratorium will be imposed on the state’s fishery for 2010. The RFA-NJ Chapter submitted a letter as part of the state’s efforts to avoid a moratorium.

By Al Ristori

March 04, 2010, 7:28PM

The Marine Fisheries Council, meeting in Toms River Thursday, approved summer flounder regulations for the upcoming season that are only slightly different than last year’s — providing the same six fluke at the identical 18-inch minimum, but during a somewhat longer season from May 29 to Sept. 6.

Other options, approved earlier by the Summer Flounder Technical Committee, would have provided more of a September season.

Surfcasting pro Paul Haertel initiated approval of those options that would have allowed fishing during the period when large fluke are most common and when beach fishermen have a legitimate shot at a keeper.

They still wouldn’t have done me any good last year, when the only large fluke I caught in the surf was a 19-incher that hit a Vision Rainfish teaser Dec. 16 at Brick Beach.

The attraction of a season including both Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends without having to increase the minimum size drew support from both southern and northern areas. It was the alternate favored by the Council’s Advisory Panel.

A slightly smaller allocation last year had made it necessary to choose between the two weekends.

The Marine Fisheries Council meets in South Jersey and public comments there were heavily in favor of a Memorial Day weekend opening as fluking starts earlier to the south. The central meeting location in Toms River Thursday balanced the scale in terms of input from northern areas.

An increase to 18 1/2 inches could have resulted in a season stretching to Sept. 26, but there was little support for increasing a minimum that’s proven so difficult to attain.

Dropping the bag limit to four would have added only six days to the beginning of the season selected.

The 33rd annual World Fishing & Outdoor Expo opened Thursday at Rockland Community College Field House in Suffern, N.Y. It continues through Sunday. The largest sportsmen’s show in our area features displays from most of the world’s top fishing tackle manufacturers. Shimano is introducing its PowerPro Ace-Hollow braided line that permits splicing, as well as the Talica conventional reels that rep Dick Kondak found to be quite capable of handling large school bluefins last summer. Shimano also has many incentives for buying their products from retailers exhibiting at the Expo. Seminars and other attractions fill the field house.

Paul Fuller, who now produces this show for the American Sportfishing Association, faced a massive snowstorm during his first year at Suffern. Hardly anyone was able to get there until the closing day, and I doubted he’d be back. Yet, Fuller stuck it out to develop a huge Expo while also having pretty good luck with the weather ever since. There’s free parking for this event that has a $12 admission price for adults, $3 for children 5-11 and no charge for those under 5. Hours are 1-9 p.m. today, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow, and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Visit sportshows.com for directions and other information.

Greg Vongas capped off a fine year at the Hi-Mar Striper Club annual Awards Dinner Sunday at The Channel Club in Monmouth Beach. His 10.2-pound doormat took the fluke category while also contributing to weigh-ins of a variety of species that earned him the Angler of the Year award.

Vongas additionally won in winter flounder with a 2.3-pound entry, and had the largest tagged striper of 39 1/2 inches on Capt. Alan Beneroff’s Net Keeper. Beneroff took boat honors for the most tagged and released stripers.

Capt. Brian Rice caught the largest striper at 40 pounds. Gene Graman led in bluefish at 12 pounds on That’s It, and Billy Rowan was tops in blackfish with a 9.89-pounder. Bob Kamienski was named Sportsperson of the Year for his many services to the club.

The U.S. will be supporting Monaco’s call for an end to international
trade in bluefin tuna at the upcoming CITES meeting in Doha, Qatar.
Domestic sales could continue in the U.S., where ICCAT conservation
regulations have been observed, and recreational tuna fishing shouldn’t
be affected.

Various sharks are also being proposed for the ban in
international trade, but the Dept. of the Interior has indicated they
will not support including spiny dogfish in that group.

The Fishermen’s Conservation Association (FCA) is working hard for a
bill (S4948) in the N.Y. Senate that would continue the prohibition on
commercial fishing for striped bass in the Hudson River. Shad
gillnetters are trying to get into that fishery since their target
species is now protected due to a crash of the stocks.

Top catches

Anglers may actually get a break in the weather that will permit comfortable offshore fishing this weekend, though water temperatures remain at mid-winter lows.

At Point Pleasant, Capt. Bobby Bogan found those temperatures were down to 36 degrees when he fished 20-mile wrecks Sunday with his Gambler from Point Pleasant. A few small cod were boated along with large ling. Jim Custer of Edison bagged 10 ling, and Steve Otkel from Garwood added four ling to his 6-pound cod. The Gambler is sailing open to those wrecks from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., except from Monday to Wednesday, when the target is blackfish.

Capt. Jeff Gutman has switched Friday night’s sailing of his Voyager from Block Island to a NE wrecks trip at the reduced fare of $200. Gutman noted that the Block Island codfishery hasn’t been consistent. He’ll also be running an open trip for $90 at 6 a.m. Sunday to 20-to-40-mile cod wrecks.

Last Sunday’s trip produced over 100 cod, of which about three-quarters were keepers. Bruce Harbac of Keansberg topped the catch with a 37-pound cod. Shawn Meyer, Dave Marshall and Joe Grabowski from Clifton combined for 15 cod up to 17 pounds. Vinny Faiella of Little Silver bagged five to 10 pounds, and Archie Stewart from Nutley had five to 8 pounds.
 
At Brielle, Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. will be sailing his Jamaica by reservation (732 528-5014) to 60-to-80-mile wrecks to the northeast for cod over the weekend, leaving at 11:30 the night before. The Jamaica didn’t get out last weekend, but sailed Tuesday to catch cod up to 15 pounds. The high hook had 10 cod, a 35-pound pollock, and some ling.
 
Capt. Ken Gallop of Big Kid is continuing to charter from Brielle Yacht Club during the winter. He put the Roman Pera party into some cod and ling on Sunday.

Jeff Merrill reports Miss Annie, owned by Barry Weshnak of Point Pleasant, has had a productive winter in Florida. Miss Annie participated in the Palm Beach Double Shot that’s actually two tournaments in one, including the Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release Tournament and the Florida Fish for Life Billfish Tournament. The events are run concurrently in late January each year out of Sailfish Marina on Singer Island in Palm Beach Shores, Florida and always attract the best boats and crews.

Miss Annie was the top boat in this event in 2009, winning both tournaments with a combined catch of 46 sailfish. The sailfish bite had been on fire along Florida’s Gold Coast leading up to the tournaments, and they continued to respond. Captain Matt Rabenstine was at the wheel, and mate Luke Hickey of Cape May handled cockpit duty as Weshnak was joined by tournament regulars Frank Napurano of Point Pleasant, Mark Donohue of West Palm Beach and Greg Bogdan of Singer Island, Florida.
 
Day One found Miss Annie heading north off Fort Pierce where the event got off to a fast start. By day’s end, the crew had released 17 sailfish including six by Donohue. On Day Two, Miss Annie returned to the same area, where the crew released 13 sailfish. Once again, Donohue was high hook with five sailfish releases. The final day saw the crew release 14 sailfish, as Bogdan had the hot hand with five sailfish releases — including the last of the tournament. Miss Annie finished just off the leader board, as sails trolled with balao received double points, but the crew’s 44 sailfish caught on live bait was the most released by any boat in the tournament!

The Miss Annie is a custom rigged 52’ Viking, that’s available for charter at Sailfish Marina through May. Night swordfishing and extended trips to the Bahamas can also be arranged. For further information or to request a brochure, contact Captain Matt Rabenstine at 561-927-7967, or by email at miss-annie@bytheshore.com — or visit on the web at www.missanniecharters.com.

By Al Ristori

March 04, 2010, 11:20AM

The N.J. Marine Fisheries Council holds a meeting today at 4 p.m. in the Toms River Township Office at 33 Washington Street. The most important item on the agenda involves setting summer flounder regulations for 2010. The appoved options have been listed in previous blogs. The Advisory Panel was generally inclined toward retaining the 18-inch minimum and six-fish bag limit while expanding the season somewhat by opening on Memorial Day weekend and continuing through Labor Day. The public will be heard at the meeting, but time is limited and complaining about the Management Plan in general will be unproductive as the Council has no control over that. Theoretically, the councilmen should vote for what’s best for the entire state, but there’s no representative from north of Manasquan Inlet — and during Council meetings in South Jersey there’s been a tendency for dates favoring the early season there to prevail. An increase in minimum length to 18 1/2 inches would considerably extend the season, but reducing the bag limit to four would only gain a couple of days. Surfcasters are pushing for a later spring opening that would permit fishing later in September. That still might not do me any good since the only large fluke I caught in the surf last year was a 19-incher on December 17 at Brick Beach. Those making comments should restrict themselves to only the approved options. The Council can only select among those approved by the Technical Committee as meeting the Management Plan’s requirements. I suspect that the Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends season will find the greatest support. Sea bass regulations will also be discussed.

I’ll be covering the opening of the World Fishing & Outdoor Expo at Rockland Community College Field House in Suffern, N.Y. today. The biggest Sportsmen’s Show in our area opens its doors at 2 p.m. and runs to 9 before continuing through Sunday. Visit sportshows.com for info.   

By Al Ristori

November 29, 2009, 7:28PM

Striper fishing was generally poor on Sunday. Capt. Jim O’Grady of the Cock Robin from Point Pleasant said they seemed to take a holiday after providing good action during the Thanksgiving morning trip. Saturday’s bass bite was poor in a  very fast drift during the gale force northwester, but they did catch bluefish. Not only did the bass take Sunday off, but so did the blues — while spiny dogfish were abundant. Indeed, Everyone was complaining about the dogfish that were attacking jigs as if they were cut bait.  Dr. George Gabuzda of Wall was fishing with me as we worked in the fleet off Asbury Park and kept hooking dogfish, though there was a brief shot of bass in the morning. Gabuzda jigged the only keeper from among four other 26-to-27 1/2-inchers.

Dave Lilly of Hazlet said bass cooperated for trollers between the channels. He trolled 25, of which five were legal. Bluefish weren’t a problem, but Lilly was surprised when a keeper-size fluke came up on an umbrella rig before being released.  Capt. Hans Kaspersetz of Weehawken was also out there, and he reported large school tuna were jumping out of the water.

Boaters fishing reefs out of Manasquan Inlet were also reporting on the VHF that they were chasing those fussy bluefins.

Nick Kolodiy of Brick said it was hard to find a parking space in Bay Head during the morning, and there was a picket line of surfcasters — though he didn’t see anything caught.

Leif Pettersen had a similar negative report from the Deal surf.

By Al Ristori

October 12, 2009, 2:26PM

Capt. Bryan Pieros of Lebanon swept the New England Division of the American Striper Association Tournament with his Daylight from Great Kills by winning Sunday’s Stratford, Ct. contest to add to two previous wins in Ct. and Ma.

The winning fish for his Michael’s Bait & Tackle Team was a 41.3-pound striper caught on an eel at Montauk. The crew consisted of Chuck Many, Matt Calabria, John Janaskie, and Paul Sleph. Look for more details in the next blog.

Allen Riley of South Plainfield hooked a 29-inch striper right in the wash at Sandy Hook this morning. That bass hit a Mann’s Super Stretch 1-Minus, and was released. Unfortunately, that was about it for the morning as a total of only one short and a couple of blues were caught among the rest of the anglers.

Eric Pettersen didn’t see anything better at Deal, though he managed to catch a fluke on a diamond jig. I took a look at Bay Head and saw a 26-inch bass released, but that was it despite an abundance of very small sand eels in the surf.

Joe Melillo of Castaway’s Tackle in Point Pleasant said he caught a single small striper in Point Pleasant Canal early in the morning.