Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year

Not much to report these days but wind, snow and cold. When the boats do get out, nothing bites in the churned up ocean. Happy New Year to everyone.

Friday, December 21, 2012

What a Day

Well, the world did not end, but it sure seems like it will with Robbins Reef Light reporting SE winds at 49 knots gusting to 65! That's the same as it was during hurricane Sandy. We did not get out yesterday to go wreck fishing so it was off to the trout streams with the number one guide Mike L. It was a beautiful day in the woods and also on the ocean as I was told. And the fish bit, the best we had all season. I had two Brook   Trout ( one was a trophy, over three pounds ), two Brown Trout, and five Rainbows! Mike worked the fly rod for two Brookies, a wild Brown and three Rainbows. It was funny to see how the fish bit hard during the high pressure and then shut down when the wind turned to the East and barometer started to fall, just like the fish do in the ocean. On the way home we stopped at the farmer's country store to pick up some holiday treats. Mike got a beautiful rib eye.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Next Week

Trying to get a cod and ling trip together on the Skylarker. The weather will dictate when we could get out to the Mudhole and fill the cooler. Right now Thursday looks like the best day.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

What's all the fuss...

...about blackfish. I know they are fun to catch but they are one of the worst tasting fish in the sea. They are the only fish around these days and all the boats are sailing for them. Give me ling and cod and you can have all the blackfish. Striped bass are not around as they should be. It seems that since the storm all the bait left the area. I am glad the boat has a spot in the boat yard. There are a lot of homeless boaters looking for a spot and the yard is filling fast.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Nice Weather

Well on the land any way. I spent the day getting the boat winterized and hauled out and it was warm in the boat yard. I would have liked to have been fishing, but with the amount of debris in the water it was best to haul the boat. I have heard reports of sunken boats, pilings, and all sorts of submerged junk out in the bay. There is even a forty foot 16 x 16 dock stringer floating around the slip, banging off yachts. The boat was pretty dirty from not moving for a month and I will be busy getting her ready for the spring. We will be catching fluke before you know it.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Getting Ready for Winter

I spent the last few days prepping the boat for winter haul out. Oil change, removing all the fishing gear, clothing, boots, rain gear and a through scrubbing inside and out. Next comes winterizing the engines and haul out. The park is now open on the north end. You can enter the marina, the store is open, as are the restaurants and the ferry to NY. The rest of the park remains closed until repairs are complete.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday. Skip told me about a cool website with some video of the storm from the areas that we fish. NYharborwebcam.com  Check it out.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

All Done

Since the storm passed, I only had two people interested in fishing, so I decided to get the boat ready for the winter lay over.This is the earliest end to the season we ever had but with winter setting in fast and the damage caused by the storm, no one wants to go.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Running Out of Time

Every time I think we can start fishing again, I have to deal with more problems from the storm. I got to the boat this week to find the batteries had no charge and I could not start the engines. The next day the shore power was restored so that should no longer be a problem. All of the state parks are closed and the rangers at the gates are turning away the public, only allowing workers and boat owners to enter. Then a new advisory came out this week saying not to eat any fish from the bay because of pollution caused by the storm damage. I will check the situation today to see if anything improved.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Saturday

The park is still closed and I got to see some of the damage first hand today. It will be a while before the repairs are finished. My biggest concern about going fishing is the amount of debris in the water. The marina crew filled a dumpster with all the stuff floating around the docks and after this weeks storm another load of junk floated in. Fishing in the bay usually slows down in December as the water cools and the fish move to deeper water. I will continue to monitor the situation and keep everyone posted.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Wednesday

Not much has changed today except that it's SNOWING like mad. What's next?

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Election Day Update

As far as going fishing, there is nothing to report. The park is still technically closed, although they are allowing boat owners and commuters in after they pass a check point. As far as getting around, we went to Brooklyn today with not much of a problem. Most detours were on local streets due to repairs being made and traffic was at a stand still at times. The water in the bay did not appear too dirty, but debris was visible everywhere. Gasoline is still a pain but the lines are getting shorter. I checked out five gas stations and only found one open and had to wait fifteen minutes to the pump. A passer by shouted out to the police officers that all the stations outside the Holland Tunnel were open with no lines. He replied that he knew and didn't care and he was going to be there all day. By the way, the car in front of me on line took five dollars worth.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Monday

The park is still closed but they are letting commuters in to ride the ferry. I got to the boat and charged the batteries. The Marina crew was busy cleaning up and they are doing a great job. The boat yard is starting to look like a boat yard again. PSE&G crews were working on getting the power restored but it will be a while.  The water was full of debris and it will take time for it to be cleaned up. Getting around is improving, but there are still street closures and long gas lines. Progress is being made and I will keep everyone posted.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Three Hour Walk

We started out walking to check out the gas lines and just kept going. Police had streets closed and were detouring traffic around gas stations. There was even a four block long line to a gas station that was closed. The bakery was open so we grabbed some goods and continued on to the farmers market at Van Vorst Park. The farmer said out west, near the PA border, fuel was not an issue and they had no problems. We bought some good stuff and continued on towards the boat. The foot bridge at Jersey Ave. was totally destroyed, so we made our way east along the light rail tracks. We got to see the destruction first hand. Homes and business flooded, family's possessions piled in dumpsters, it really struck home. The height the water reached so far from the bay was incomprehensible. The marina on the North side of the canal, behind Surf City was demolished. Across the canal we could see the Pioneer in the slip and the crew cleaning up the marina. We started the long trek home through Downtown and up the hill. I will never complain about going up the hill again.

More News

NOAA has sent the survey ships that did the bottom scanning for the GPS charts to the area to make sure the channels in the harbor are clear for navigation. Limited commercial and ferry traffic have resumed, but I think it will be a while before recreational traffic is allowed. Also government officials are checking the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for damage. I will try to find out more about the park this weekend.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Update

There has been an oil spill in the Kills, the State Park is closed, most cities have dumped their sewerage into the ocean, NJ has put out an advisory not to go near the water, most aids to navigation are gone in NY harbor and over 100 containers from Newark, Howland Hook, and Red Hook are missing. While all this bad stuff is going on, the marina is making progress with the clean up. I even heard some boats are going fishing.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Thursday 7:49PM

The power just came back on and I just wanted to let everyone know that Evelyn and I, and the Pioneer are all OK. I will have more information and stories to tell over the next few days. I hope everyone is OK. God bless all that suffered losses. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Weekend Report

Fishing was pretty good the past few days and it was likely the last fishing we will do for a while. I spent the morning securing the boat. The marina is sheltered from the wind and seas but the biggest problem is the storm surge.  No one knows how high the tide will come. Material things can be replaced and we can only hope for the best. Good Luck and Stay Safe.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Sandy

The blackfish bite has been good and the stripers have been hard to find. Sandy should change every thing. The weekend looks good right now but after that is anyone's guess. I hope it doesn't fudge up my trout fishing.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Weekend Report

Saturday started off with the thickest fog in a long time. I could not see the boat from the parking lot! We got off to a late start and had to creep to the fishing grounds. The plan was to fish for bass but with the bad weather I decided blackfishing would be a better choice. The grounds were packed with weekend boaters, so crowded we had to push other boats off by hand while fishing. Some boats did well and we managed a few dinners. Sunday, I was ready for the mob scene and anchored on our spot in the dark. Turned out it wasn't as bad as the day before with only about a dozen boats on the grounds. Fishing was much better with the regulars as they had a steady pick all day on one drop. Roger was the angler of the day landing the most big ones and the pool winner. Unless we get a storm or some local striped bass (there seems to be a bunch in the ocean), I don't think the blackfish will be able to handle all the pressure.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Windy Tuesday

And windy it was, with gusts to thirty knots all day long. Wind against the tide when we arrived at the grounds made for some ugly conditions but when the tide changed things came together and the blackfish started to bite. Ken, Russ, St. Pete, Jerry, Joe N., and Don started to fill the cooler with our best catch of keeper sized fish to date, with many more released.  We had a special treat in the morning, when an American Bald Eagle soared over the boat, the first time I have ever seen this while out fishing in the waters around NYC.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Weekend Report

Friday was cool and windy, a real fall day, and we picked at blackfish all day. Saturday was a striped bass trip for "Oil Man" Chris and his crew. The fish were there, as I read them on the scope and watched other boats catching, but we had trouble connecting and came in with only a few fish. Sunday we were back on the blackfish grounds and had a nice pick for a while on fish up to seven pounds.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Wednesday

Today, Sal A. and the crew from the Bronx came out looking for striped bass. The day started cold windy rough and rainy, perfect for bass fishing. The fishing was good until 11Am when the sun came out and it got nice. All the stripers were in the twenty pound class. Plenty of bluefish were around in the afternoon.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Weekend Report

Darren and his crew were aboard Saturday looking for striped bass. The morning tide produced two 18lb. bass, one short and some missed bites. When the tide turned fishing slowed,so we tried for blackfish and found a few nice ones. Sunday we spent the first hour bass fishing and Ken landed a 21lber. before we headed to the blackfish grounds. The bite was pretty good with close to one hundred blackfish landed, only keeping a few for dinner. Nothing over five pounds yet, but plenty of good action. Go fishing now, because as Ken says "we will be shoveling snow before you know it."

Thursday, October 4, 2012

We're Baaaack...

...From our vacation in New England. The crew (and what's left of them) and some new guys had fun fishing with Capt Mark onboard the "Lady Tracy Ann" from Seabrook NH. Fishing was pretty good despite the weather. We had to deal with a strong SW wind and seas that ran from four to over eight feet at times. All had bags of cod and haddock fillets. Capt Fred and Ken K. hit the home run on Wed. aboard the "Bunny Clark" as they had the best day of the year. Evelyn and I found a lot of cool new places, and Cabela's in ME had some good sales and was sorry to see us leave. Back on the fish this weekend, stay tuned.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Saturday

Today the Sunday crew was out and they made all the difference. The morning tide only produced one short striper. If I did not have the regulars onboard,I would have left the area as we went through the slack water without a bite while waiting for the tide to change. When the current started to run around 11:30 the bite turned on. First it was 12 to 14 lb. bluefish and then some bass. Roger had his limit and started off the fall bass run in style, landing a 31lb. striped bass that ran both of us around the boat.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Saturday

With all the wind this week and no fluke to catch, I am keeping the boat at the dock. Saturdays forecast is for NE 5 to 10 with a chance of showers. Sounds like a striper day to me, any one willing to try? Give me a call , a few spots open.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Hmmmmm...

Players, coaches and fans are complaining about the replacement referees in the NFL. Simple solution, cancel all the games until the problem is resolved.      Never happen.                                                           The President is in town and Iran just shot a missile our way. He says he doesn't have time to sit down with world leaders but he did have time to talk to Whoopie Goldberg.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Windy Weekend

Saturday Evelyn and I hosted Ben and his friends and family visiting from London. What a great group of guys. We had to stay in the bay with the 20 to 25 knot SE wind but the guys caught a bunch of short fluke and topped off the catch with a five pound fluke, some keeper porgies and monster sea robins. When we returned to the marina, it seemed that everyone with a Sea Ray or sailboat was out to take advantage of the 80 degree forecast(it never did get that warm). Watching them trying to handle their boats in the stiff breeze was quite interesting. Sunday started off with wind again but from the opposite direction. The plan was to try for striped bass but the bluefish made fast work of our limited supply of eels. A try for fluke only produced a few tiny fish and no way near the amount of life as the previous day. The cool temperatures should only help as we seem to be stuck between Summer and Fall.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Transition

This is a tough time of year. The ocean is changing from the calm summer to the fall. Today the forecast is for ten knots of east wind and all the boats are trying to sail. I looked at the current buoy reports and webcams and the wind is gusting over twenty knots. I saw my buddy Capt Bob on the Sea Devil go to the inlet and turn around. All we can do is be patient and wait for nicer weather and the fall fishing to begin. It won't be long, hang in there.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Changing Weather

The storm that passed ahead of the cold front is sure to change the fishing picture. We will be out on the weekend and there are three spots available for Sunday.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

The Weekend

 The novice anglers aboard on Saturday had good action in protected waters with some keeper fluke and loads of birds. Thanks to Mike L. for helping out. Sunday I tried a spot in the deep of the channel and when I looked out upon the ocean, all I could see was waves braking over Romer Shoal. I called my old friend Capt George on the Angler and he told me the sea conditions were fine and suggested I try a spot a little further out. It took a while but when the tide changed, we started to see some fluke amongst all the sea robins. At times we drifted over two knots and still had action. We landed the most fluke in three weeks but I think the end is near as a change in weather is coming Tuesday.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Thursday

The weather was just about perfect so we took a 1 1/2 hour ride out to the offshore grounds. I tried some rock ledges, lumps, and wrecks and only scraped up enough fish for dinner. This weekend the plan is to look in a different area and to be ready for anything.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Thursday

The weather looks good for Thursday and it could be the last chance for fluke. The fish are moving far out and there are hardly any left in the bay. Ken has a crew lined up and I think there are some open spots. Call me or him if you would like to go.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Weekend Report

I am glad we stayed in port Saturday. Sunday the weather was beautiful and with the fluke just about gone from the bay, we tried striper fishing. A few hours effort produced only bluefish of mixed sizes, the largest caught by Evelyn at 17lbs. The afternoon was spent fluke fishing and the only highlight was Big Tom landing a 4 1/2lber.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Weather and Big Fluke

I am keeping the boat tied up tomorrow due to the forecast. Sunday will be fishable with NW winds. I saw on another site that a boat trolling for striped bass on the Tin Can grounds caught a 14lb. 4oz. fluke. The plan is to go there this week. Fare remains $85 for fluke until Oct. 1 when we begin fall fishing. Don't miss the last few days of summer.

Thursday

Evelyn and I hosted Ken, Joe N. and Tommy O. today in search of the elusive fluke. We tried a variety of spots, deep, channels, shallow, ledges, rocks, and did not find much. Sunday we may search some different areas and next week if the weather allows we will go long, and try some ocean spots. Check with me or Ken if you would like to go on Tuesday or Thursday.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Thursday 9/6

Sailing tomorrow to look for fluke. Couple of spots left, call me if you would like to go. 201 650 9768

First Place

For the last three seasons, the Yankees would get the lead off man on base and he would die out there. Now they are starting to realize this is a problem. How long did they think they could get away with this?

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Holiday Weekend Report

The weather was not the best which is typical of Labor Day Weekend. Sunday started out a little choppy but settled down and we were able to try some different spots. Fishing was slow but we found some keepers up to Roger's four pounder and had a pretty good bite in the channel at the change of tide. Monday, the plan was to go back to the channel but a stiff east wind stopped us by the bridge and we spent the day in the bay. It was good to fish with old friends on our annual trip. Mike, Kathy, Not So Big Anymore John, Roger and Eileen had fun despite catching few keepers. There was life in the bay but it seems the bigger fish have moved out and we will have to fish outside when the weather allows. I may spend some time next week looking for some striped bass and bluefish. Lets see what the weather brings.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Hurry Up

I have been reading glowing reports all over the internet about the best fluking of the season today. Well the fish have moved on the full moon were caught pretty far away. We caught lots of fluke ( Mike L. caught the most he ever has) but we came in with our worst catch of the season as the size wasn't there. Tried a lot of different areas and fought the strong current, even tried an anchor drop for sea bass and only caught pins. This weekend will be interesting with east wind in the forecast. Going to try some different spots and see what happens.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Tuesday

Fishing remains picky, but we are still catching some nice keepers. Not as many sea robins today and Kenny had a five pound fluke in his catch.

Hurricane Isaac

You just got to love the media, If the hurricane hits Texas it will get 30 seconds of coverage. If it hits New Orleans you will hear about it for the next four years.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Yikes!

Today, Felix and his friends did a lot of fishing and had a lot of fun. I tried the Harbor, the channel, Boop, Fluffy's,  Phil's hill, Fred"s ledge, the rip, tin can, the tounge, marty's hole, the slot and Bay Ridge Flats to eat my first donut since after last years hurricane. The hard work part was carried out by Evelyn and I. Going again tomorrow, there is still a little fuel left in the tanks.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Two Spots for Sunday

With the amount of big fluke caught this summer, I can't believe that two spots are still open. One call does it all, or else look at the pictures on Monday.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Grinding

Ken the Legend has two trips in a row with keepers. The mad dog bite is on? Fishing is tough right now but the hard work is paying off. Barker had an 8lb. today and I had a 6lb. amongst the never ending sea robins. Evelyn landed two keeper sea bass, a blue and a blowfish. Call if you are interested, I will try to get everyone onboard.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

This Week So Far

Tuesday we landed nine fish over twenty inches, (sorry Ken, after going 0 fort August, you must have been blinded with bliss). We had to fight through dog sharks and sea robins, but hard work was the key to a catch. Today we dragged a lot of bait and tried hard for only as few. Hey, St. Pete, there's a hurricane brewing, I expect to here from you soon.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Weekend Report

The new moon current and NE wind changed the fishing picture. I started in an area the held some nice fluke and porgies last week to find it over run with sea robins. Tried some new spots and found only a few fluke and more sea robins. Fishing is like baseball,"there's always tomorrow", back at it, starting off fresh.

Friday, August 17, 2012

What a Day

Had the perfect weather to make an exploratory trip out to the rocks and wrecks. Ran over an hour to the first spot and found only shorts and some small sea bass. Continued off a few more miles to some sharp snags and found the big fluke. The Barker put on a bucktail clinic, showing how it's done. We lost some tackle but the keepers ran from four to six pounds. A stop on a wreck on the way home produced some triggerfish (Evelyn had a double header) and some more fluke. The big ones are still around but they are not so easy to catch. A little innovation and hard work is paying off.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Another Doormat

I began to get frustrated after fishing in many spots today and only finding 12 to 17 inch fluke. I went to a big fish spot and found a fleet spread around the area catching shorts. After the boats left the area we started to see a few keepers and when the drift and tide got right Big Moe made the mistake of biting Evelyn's hook. He tried to back up at the net but I have seen many huge fluke since I started working on the PALACE III in 1975. On the scale 10.5 lbs. our largest fluke of the season so far. I still have a couple of spots for Thursday.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Thursday

Putting a trip together for this Thursday. I would like to try some different spots, some places we haven't fished since early June and look for some big fish. Gonna burn some $4 diesel and the fare is still only $85.

Weekend

Saturday was a pretty nice day, with an overcast to keep the sun off us and not many boats out on the bay. We had Evan N. and family and friends aboard for his birthday. The guys caught all kinds of fish in the bay and managed to cull four 23 inch fish from among loads of shorts, sea robins, sea bass, blues, weakfish and kingfish. Sunday was a lot different as it seemed that anyone who had a boat used it today. The morning tide brought lots of shorts and sea robins but over all pretty dull fishing. Roger summed up the afternoons fishing best, calling it "just like the Little Rascal's pancake."  We still had enough keepers for a few fluke dinners.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Good Bite

Fishing has been very good the past two days, with up and down fishing, two and three on at times. Some nice ones in the mix but you have to fish through the smaller ones.  The fish are spread over a wide area, and we even left biting fish to try new spots, looking for bigger ones. This fishing is typical for August and should last until a storm pushes them offshore. Don't waste time, the bite is on.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Surprised?

What's with all these other posts on other sites, that captains can't believe the way fluke are biting. Don't they read this site? Everyone can't be a PIONEER with 35 years fluke fishing experience but they try. Last two days they bit just as I said they would, mostly smaller sizes but enough for dinner. Evelyn had a 6lber. to go along with 30 plus shorts. Don't waste time, we will be shoveling snow soon.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Sunday

Classic summer conditions. SW ahead of a cold front, the worst biting conditions next to a Nor'easter. At least it didn't blow hard until the end of the day, but man did it get HOT. A few nice ones in the box but over all a very slow day. I expect to see the fish biting again as high pressure builds in this week.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Friday

The day started off with foggy conditions and a pick of short fluke. The tide changed and the sun came out and the keepers started biting. Joe N. had three in his bag with two going 5lbs. Evelyn had five with a few 4 and 5lbers. Lil' Frankie caught six shorts all by himself (good job). St. Pete managed to keep one nice one on the hook all the way to the net. All the others fell off. Mike L. finally got that weakfish he was after. The weather looks nice all next week and the fish are biting again.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

This Week

After the fishing slowed due to the current, I expect it to bounce back after the full moon. Three spots are available for this Friday. Deep water fluke $85 per head. Call if you would like to go.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Weekend Fishing

Friday, Tugboat Fred and the gang had a pretty good day with our best showing of keepers in a while. Pete Z. had the biggest at 6lbs. and Bob B. had a 5lb. in his catch. Randy had three in the box by 10 AM and caught loads of shorts the rest of the day. Saturday Tom P. and family had fun despite the strong current and caught some fish. They went home with a nice fillet bag for "fluke oreganata". Evelyn helped with a 5lber. Sunday was a grind. Lots of shorts and a strong current all day. The fish are around, we just need better conditions to make a catch.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Improving

Fishing seems to be getting better although it's not the slammer we had for the past month.  As Roger would put it "it's regular fluking". Those that fish hard and grind it out get a couple of nice fish. The keepers today were 3 to 6lbs. and we saw a few more weakfish.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Monday

Today I had the pleasure of hosting Tom Kowalik and crew from the old ST. Andrew's Bridgemen Drum and Bugle Corps of Bayonne, NJ. On hand were Larry K., Chet F., Lenny K., and Whitey D. The guys had a nice day catching a bunch of shorts, enough keepers for dinner and our first few weakfish of the year. Thanks for a great day guys, I hope to do it again soon.

Happy Times

In the early days of WW II, the German U-boats operated freely in the Atlantic sinking tons of Allied shipping. Until the invention of the Asdic scanner and the breaking of the Enigma code they were virtually unopposed, calling this the "Happy Time". Well we may have had our "happy time" as Friday's Nor'easter shut down the month long bite of big fluke. Saturday was a struggle just to get a few dinners as even the shorts didn't bite. Sunday showed signs of improvement as the short action picked up and we managed a fillet bag for everyone with the biggest at 5lbs.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Thursday's fishing

Got out today with some pretty good flukers. I didn't know what to expect after yesterdays storms and was greeted to a steady NE breeze. Not a good biting wind and the fishing was slow for the first few hours, with mostly shorts coming aboard. Around noon time the wind crapped out and we had a little bite. Randy limited, Joe N. was one short and Tommy O. landed one just shy of six pounds. I cancelled tomorrow due to the forecast, but the weekend looks OK.

Monday, July 16, 2012

What a Weekend

Friday was a beautiful day on the bay and we threw some quality fluke in the boat. Lots of fun and very relaxing. Saturday was the opposite as 70 boats from all points on the compass converged on the "pioneer banks". Weekend boaters and googans that had to run around full throttle, causing choppy seas from their wakes and refusing to move for shipping traffic even when being warned by the Coast Guard! The last word on the radio was that the USCG was looking for the organizers of the fishing tournament. I was happy to get off the boat after that flying s#*t show. Sunday was back to normal as the regulars got back to work and had another "deck dump" of 4 to 6 lbers. Very busy this week but some weekdays still available this month. Don't miss out on the best fluke run in six years.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The Best Fluke Fishing in the USA

On "em again today. Lots of shorts, but the guys were using bait. I had a five right away on a jig. Three spots for Friday, call by Thursday afternoon, they won't last.

Monday, July 9, 2012

More Big Fluke

The "Tugboat" Fred crew were back again this Friday and filled the fillet bags with fish up to 6 1/2lbs. Saturday was one of the most fun days ever. Skip, "Mittens" Mike, Joey "Bottles",Brian and Anthony "The Barker" along with Evelyn and I set out on a mission to catch Big Moe. Anthony is the most intense fluke fisherman I have ever seen and he has caught many big fluke with me over the years. The boys (and the girl) were steadily filling the box with big fish but Anthony was having a tough time. After landing a 7 3/4lb. early in the day, he went into a slump and was catching shorts and talking to himself. Joey had the hot hand and landed seven keepers, most in the 4 to 6lb. range and was hooked up most of the day. Mittens landed a 6lber. and was disappointed that it was "only a little one." Around 1PM and after a pep talk from Joey, the Barker finally got a hold of his personal best, and joined the ten pound club. The fillets from the days catch crowned a five gallon pail! Sunday the current was a little difficult and the bite was off a little. Some big fish were lost at the boat but not all of them. Ken "The Legend" landed an 8 1/4lber.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Wow!

That's all I can say about the fishing. We are catching plenty of limits and the fluke are averaging 4 to 6lbs. Friday, "Tugboat" Fred and his crew filled the cooler with big stuff. Pete had our biggest of the season so far at 9 3/4lbs. Saturdays charter filled a five gallon pail 3/4 with fillets. Sunday Anthony R. had seven from 4 to 7lbs. Evelyn also had seven up to 6 1/2lbs. Rebecca K. won the pool with an 8lber. Tons of big fluke and I still have some weekdays open. You could go to Montauk or Cape Cod and you will not find better fluke fishing then we have right now.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Windy Wednesday

Fishing started off pretty good with some keepers in the deep. Around 11AM the wind cut loose ( I needed the windshield wiper just running up on a drift) and it was hard to feel bottom the rest of the afternoon. The Bubba Brothers were fishing along side in their boat and did much better then my crew fishing with boat rods.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Weekend Fishing

Friday afternoon there was some severe weather and as I am writing this now, there is a storm raging outside. In between this was a beautiful weekend. Saturday was a tough day for St. Pete, Frankie, Jerry, John the Roaster, Ryan and Ken. I fished in the deep and it was tough with the strong current but we did land a few nice ones. It seemed that when we did get on them they would shake off half way up. Sunday was  back to normal. Not red hot fishing but a pick at quality fish. Many four to five pounders. At times we used as much as twelve ounces and other times as little as four. Everyone went home with a nice fillet bag. Evelyn had the biggest of the weekend, a six pounder. Big MO is still out there.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Fishing for Quality

We have been fishing in deep water, looking for big fish. There are other places I could fish that would have more action and would be "easier" to fish. The bites don't come fast and at times when the tide isn't just right, there are no bites at all. It's a waiting game but patience pays off. Evelyn had four fish between 4 and 6lbs. and a 9lber. our biggest of the season so far. Bigger ones are out there.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

We're On 'Em

Big fish in the deep. What more can I Say? 5 to 7lbers. every trip. Three spots for tomorrow morning. Weekday charters only $510. Weekends velvet rope... good luck.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Father's Day Weekend

Saturday was a very nice day. Ron, Don, John and Don had a great Father's day trip catching a mess of nice fluke and going home with some good fillets for dinner. Sunday we headed down to Coney Island and found some rough seas, so it was back to the bay and the gamble paid off. The drift never got too fast and we picked at some big fish. Roger had three nice ones but lost a real big one... Twice! He hooked a big fish that would not move off the bottom only to come unbuttoned. Dropping back down the fish bit again and then came off half way up. I made him throw the hook away. Skip had his limit including a couple of 5lbers. Tom K. and Keith K. came out for Father's day and had a pair of 6lbers. in their catch. Ken won the pool with a 27 inch 7lber. It's big fluke time.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Hmmm...

Did you notice how hard the media is trying to convince us that $3 per gallon gas is cheap?

Father's Day

The Sunday Crew has two open spots for this week. Call if you would like to go.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Weather

The easterly fetch and rain are unseasonable for the middle of June. Usually after the passage of a cold front the winds shift to a west to north west direction. The forecast is for east winds until next week. We are fortunate to be fluke fishing in the bay. Some Jersey coast boats will be stuck at the dock due to rough seas. We can always find a spot to fish in the bay with east wind. I have cancelled tomorrows trip due to the rain but the weekend looks great.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Fluke

We are catching some nice fluke in a variety of spots but they do not seem to be stacked up. Some drifts would see six to ten fish caught and then we would go back and catch nothing. I spent some time scouting out different areas and did not find much. The nice fluke seem to be in shallow spots and all the bigger ones were caught on Gulp. We had one drift in  twelve feet of water and could clearly see the bottom and watch the fluke attack the baits. Cool stuff!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Wednesday Mixed-Bag

The crew from Jersey City Recreation had a great day. Started out with a few nice stripers and a load of blues. Then the space shuttle passed on it's way to the Intrepid. Spent the last part of the day on the fluke grounds and I am happy to report they are biting hard. Some nice keepers and lots of action. I am already planning my strategy for the weekend.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Spring Weather

The bass and blue fishing remains strong. Saturday, Tom P. and family had a great day with some bass and slammer blues. This cool weather and east wind has slowed the fluke bite but the bass and blues are as good as last month. The winds are forecast to shift to the west and once this weather pattern breaks the fluke fishing will break wide open.

Friday, June 1, 2012

June Fishing

May was a busy month and we were on the fish most of the time. The striped bass should hang on for a week or two with the weather forecast calling for some rain and cool weather. The fluke reports from the Jersey shore are telling tales of slow fishing, but we have been finding some nice fish in traditional early season spots for the serious fisherman who grind it out. There are lots of bunkers in the bay and we are having the best showing of bluefish in a couple years. Cocktails on jigs and slammers on bait. Don't forget our June Special- book a weekday charter in June for only $510. That comes out to only $85 per person on a six man trip!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Busy Weekend

Wow, what a weekend. Friday Joe S. started off the day in the fog with a few nice striped bass until the tide changed and the bite broke open, the boys limited on 12 to 18lb. bass and some blues. Saturday, Mario and the guys from PSE&G had a slow day as it looked like a scene from "Jaws" with all the boats running around. Sunday and Monday were fun days with some nice fluke, cocktail blues and striped bass. Mike L. got his first keeper, an 18lber. Tuesday the bay was very quiet (I only saw three other boats fishing) and Mike S. from Holliston MA had his friends aboard for some great bluefish action. We played catch and release with the yellow-eyed monsters(8 to 14lbs.) before changing spots and getting two keeper bass, some shorts and a 20 inch fluke.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

June Fluke

The forecast for the holiday weekend looks good, but with the temperature approaching ninety degrees, I don't know how much longer the striped bass will hang on. The water temps should rise and this will only help the fluke bite. I have plenty of open weekdays in June for fluke fishing at a special rate of only $510. Thats weekdays only for the month of June.

Monday, May 21, 2012

A Busy Week

We spent the week looking for striped bass and only found a few. Thank God for the fluke. Friday, Sal and the guys from the Bronx went home with some nice fluke fillets after we struck out on the bass. Special thanks to guest star mate Bob Dugan for lending a hand. The weekend brought beautiful weather and the stripers started biting again, as we threw a few in the boat in a short time before switching to fluke and finding some nice ones in a variety of spots. Shaping up to be a good fluke season.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Mixed Bag

We had a pick at the bass this weekend putting four in the cooler each day, the biggest going 26lbs. A few nice fluke each day, Pete had a 24 inch 5lber., and all the two pound blues you could catch. Even some of the grumpy old men fished for the blues and claimed that they had fun. The others had fun being grumpy.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Weather

Well the weather was so nice all winter, we knew it was going to rain when the fish started biting. The wind is supposed to shift to the NW and that is good for the fluke. These gloomy days are usually good for the bass. Some bass days still open, plenty in June for fluke.

Monday, May 7, 2012

A Good Weekend Fishing

Friday afternoons bass trip was very good as Mike F. and his crew landed ten keeper bass along with some shorts, blues and five keeper-sized blackfish. Saturday the weatherman got it wrong but the hot bite continued. The morning tide produced Six nice bass and three blackfish for Bill and Lance. A try for fluke did not work out as only a couple shorts were caught in the east wind, rain and fog. Back to the bass and we picked five more on the afternoon tide. Sunday it took a while to get the bass bite started and then it was hard to get them in the boat. We landed four but pulled hooks on at least ten others. A try for fluke and we found fish in a few different areas. We had two hot drifts on the change of tide at my favorite early season spot but the bite shut down when the tide ran hard. A good weekend for everyone except the Muffin Man, he had a tough day.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Special Trip

Saturday is opening day for fluke. We will sail open boat by individual reservations for fluke and striped bass. This  saturday only 5/5, special open boat trip limited to six anglers, call me to reserve your spot. $100 includes bait, tackle and ice.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

A Slow Couple of Days

The striper fishing was tough on Sunday and Monday. The RR report has the details. This Saturday, we will sail an open boat Fluke and Striped Bass combo trip. Call to reserve a spot.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

I am having trouble posting my reports the past few days.  The striped bass fishing has been good, therefore I will run an open boat trip on Saturday 4/28. Just call me to reserve a spot. Call 201 650 9768 if you have any questions.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Fluke

The new fluke rules came out last night. May 1 to September 30     19.5 inches    4 per person

Ready to Go

We are back from our New England fishing trip and ready go for stripers. The trip up north was great, good weather and over 300 big haddock along with some other stuff (cod, pollock, cusk, wolf fish, red fish...).  A good time and now it's back to work. The bass should be ready.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Flounder Fishing

I had a spot I wanted to try on the weekend but the wind kept me from going there. We were getting rolled around enough without going out another 2 1/2 miles. We will try the flounders once more before switching to striped bass fishing. There are a few open spots for Saturday and if the wind lays down, I am going to take the ride and look for big sea flounder. Call me if you would like to go.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Easter Weekend

We made our first trips this weekend and keeping with tradition we tried for flounder. Fishing was slow due to the full moon current and strong NW wind. The fish are there and we will try again before we start striped bass fishing on 4/15.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Splashdown

The boat is back in the slip. We will be ready to sail on Easter weekend. Our tradition of starting the season flounder fishing on Easter will continue if the weather is nice. We also may see some striped bass. Sailing open boat by reservation, call if you would like to go.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Rain

It did not snow all winter and now it does not rain any more. They call for rain, but it is not enough to wet the ground. I give them another week before they are crying 'drought' and telling us not to water the lawn or wash the dishes. I worry what the pay back is going to be this spring and summer.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Thank You RR

Special thanks to the Roving Reporter for taking us out for a lovely pre-season dinner. A good time was had by all.

On Track

Things are moving along well,as I am getting caught up on all the maintenance that needs to be done before we can go fishing. Now we just have to hope the weather stays nice into the spring. It is still March, and April was always a fickle time of year. The Easter weekend looks like a good time to start fishing. Over the past few years it has become a tradition to go flounder fishing to start the season. I'm thinking of an inshore mixed trip flounders, and maybe stripers or blackfish to get started. After April 15th it's striped bass time. The fluke regs are not out yet but they look a little better then the past few seasons. That fishing should open on May 1st.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Somethings Wrong

Today, thousands of fisherman from all over the country are marching on Washington D.C. to protect our right to fish. The big storie in the news? Hillary Clinton is looking for Amelia Earhart.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Update

The weather is helping take the pressure off in the boatyard. I can catch up on more jobs than usual. Skip and  Dan have been lending a hand. Some more waxing and painting while the sun is shining.  The fluke have been biting down in Virginia and Delaware and should make an early showing this spring.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Getting There

Lots of work and lots of Advil. It's amazing how much work there is in the boatyard. We should be ready in April to try a flounder trip. I know, "only two flounders, I'm not going, wa wa wa...". So stay home. This trip will be for real fisherman, who love flounder fishing and just want to catch them. Maybe I'll bring some tags.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Sad News

I got a call this week that our old friend and Sunday crew regular Jimmy Garner passed away. He will be missed. Tight lines old buddy, Sundays just won't be the same.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Spring is Coming

A sure sign of spring is the sound of sanders and the smell of paint. It's the beginning of the busy time in the boatyard.

Friday, March 2, 2012

One More Time

We had a pretty productive week getting some chores done, so we got out again on the Angler. The ocean was very nice despite all the east wind this week. It was cold and raw without the sunshine but the wind was very lite all day. The fishing was a slow pick. A few nice big ling, some blackfish and Evelyn's lone keeper cod that won the pool. The good bite we had all winter is starting to back off, and soon the inshore grounds will come alive as spring approaches. Tons of sand eels and mackeral and who knows what else in Sandy Hook Channel on the way home. Think spring...it won't be long now.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

A Couple of Gloomy Days

We did not have snow this winter, but after all it is still winter. The weather this week is damp and raw and goes right through you. I have been catching up on paperwork and ordering parts for the spring outfitting in the boatyard. Once the winter looses it's edge all the "fun" preparing the Pioneer for the season begins.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Something to Think About

Virginia just announced the fluke regulations for 2012. They have a four fish limit at 16.5 inches. This is the most sensible regulation on the east coast and would lead to the most conservation and is best for buisness. It should be the rule for all states.

Monday, February 27, 2012

A Real Winter Day

We just got home from fishing on the Angler a little while ago, and it feels good to sit down on the couch. This winter we have been spoiled in the ocean but today we had a real end of February day. The wind started out at fifteen knots on the way out and steadily increased to twenty-five with higher gusts and the seas built to 3 to 6 feet. Fishing was tough in these conditions and only a few ling and blackfish were landed. Capt. "Tugboat" Fred won the pool with a big blackfish ( about eight pounds) that he caught while Capt. George was still anchoring the boat. George told Brian over the PA to "let out 20 feet" on the anchor, and Fred thought he said to let your lines out. You can't make this up!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Tuesday's Fishing

In the winter the best you can hope for is to get out maybe once a week. Weather systems are active and move through very quickly. This morning started with a calm ocean but by 10AM the south wind began to increase. There was a hard current into the wind making fishing very difficult. We did better then most, catching about a dozen each of big sized orange belly ling.  The wind increased into the afternoon and when we got home it was gusting to 35 knots. When they forcast 60 degrees in February you usually can expect a gale. The ocean does not look like a happy place until next week.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Presidents Day

I spent the last few days doing maintenance on all the reels that are used onboard during the season. Taking them apart, cleaning, changing broken springs and screws and lubricating all internal parts.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Weather Forecasts

This week the weathermen were having a tough time as thy changed their forecast every four hours. They were off base all week and continue to be so as the weekend approaches. Anyway we went fishing again and it was raining when we left the house. Only a few anglers turned out for what was a beautiful day. The ling bite was slower then it has been and some folks didn't catch many at all. Evelyn did well with a pink gulp. I fished for cod again and only caught one small one. A stop on the inshore grounds produced some nice blackfish up to 9 1/2lbs. Evelyn had a five pounder. Capt. George said he may try this again next week. On the way home we saw gannets diving on what looked like a school of striped bass.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

A Rainy Day

We went looking for the seals today but they were a little far offshore and hard to see. I tried blasting some "Shakira" music out the truck windows but it didn't work.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Another Nice Day

The weekend was so cold and windy that only a few boats sailed. We waited until Tuesday to go with Capt George again and the ocean was as calm as grease. The overcast sky made me comment that "this looks like a good biting day." Well the fishing started off slow and we tried different areas. I fished for cod again and caught the only one, an eight pounder to win the pool. The wind died out and George went back to New Grounds to drift and the ling bite was on. Everyone filled buckets and just before quitting time the mackeral showed up and we got to jig up a few strings of them. Dolphins out on the fishing grounds and a seal show on the way home.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

More Fishing

Friday was another spring-like day so we hopped aboard the Angler again. A good crew of regulars were out and they all had a nice day with good catches of ling all around the boat. The big ling did not bite on the rough bottom but there was plenty of small ones up on New Grounds. No cod, very few blackfish, a couple of sea bass and mackeral, and more dogfish then we have seen in the past four weeks.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

SEALS

No, not our military, the other kind that balance beach balls on their nose. OK, they are not trained but they sure are fun to look at. We see them everyday around low tide on the south end of the park. If you would like to see them bring binoculars for a close look.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

More Winter Fishing

After Sunday's great Super Bowl, I spent the day Monday doing some work on the boat. It felt nice in the sunshine so we planned another trip with Capt George on the Angler. Back out to New Grounds and 17 Fathoms after a quick try at Scotland for blacks. The ling were biting again and everyone had a nice mess of fillets. Jerry D. was aboard and caught a nice cod. I had a cod about 8lbs. to win the pool. Evelyn caught a small pollock and a big black sea bass along with plenty of ling and ocean pout. Light breezes, warm temps, a calm ocean and dolphins following us home.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Winter Visitors

After checking on the boat at the marina, we went to the south end of the park and found two SEALS sunning themselves on the jetty rocks. We are going back to look for them again. GOOOOOOO GIANTS!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Fishing with Old Friends

After a nice day Tuesday, Capt George talked us in to going again Friday. The weather was so nice all week (the daffodils in the park were in full bloom) we figured it would continue. Not so,as we were greeted by 20 to 30 knot NW winds and a winter day. There was a good turn out of fisherman aboard the Angler, and it was good to see Capt Jerry from the Pioneer II and "Duck Hunter" John. Lots of old time stories and catching up on lifes events. As for the fishing, the first drop was pretty good- Evelyn caught a mess of ling and I had a 5lb blackfish and the rest of the day was just a pick in the windy conditions. I did jig up a dozen mackeral that made for a tasty dinner. The long range weather still looks nice so we may try again.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

GULP

Check out this site for discontinued Gulp and Powerbait for half price. They even threw in a free pack.  Fisherman's Factory Outlet

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

What a Day!

It is amazing to have nice weather this time of year. The last day of January and 61 degrees! We went fishing again with Capt. George on the Angler. The forcast called for 15 to 20 with gusts but there was not enough wind in the ocean to hold the anchor line tight. Other then a four foot swell out of the south, it was like a spring day and the ling continued to bite. Plenty of fish all around and another cod that made for a fantastic dinner when we got home. The weather looks fine for the next five days. Amazing!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Cold and Damp

Woke up this morning with the intentions of going fishing. I looked out the window and the ground was wet with some sleet on the roof. I checked the weather and allthough the wind was calm, the radar showed sleet and rain. Decided to try a better day and had an early breakfast.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Another good ling trip

Yesterday looked like the last nice day for a while, so we took advantage of the weather window to get in one more trip. Evelyn and I were not dissapointed as the ocean was flat calm. We fished on the Angler with my old buddy Capt George and the ling fishing was great. Evelyn filled the tub with ling while I tried hard to catch a cod. I had a big bluefish (yes, I said bluefish) on for a while, a couple of short blackfish and one big one and finally a nice cod to win the pool. Everyone onboard had lots of ling and some nice blackfish. We saw dolphins jumping around the boat and a seal by the beach on the way in. I hope these ling stay around for the spring so we can make a special trip when we get started in April.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Check this out

Capt Tim Tower of the Bunny Clark has an interesting link on his daily fish report about factory trawlers working off the RI beach in only 40 feet of water! It's worth a look.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Windy Friday

We all knew it wouldn't last, at 2pm Robbins Reef Light reported a gust of 49.9 Knots. Thank God its not blowing fifty!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

A Day in the Boatyard

Another nice day with temperatures approaching 50 degrees again. I went to the boatyard and checked on a few things, tinkered with some others and started a list of work that needs to be completed before launch. A real change is forcast for tonight. I am glad we got to go fishing while it was nice. Ling fillets for dinner tonight.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Calm Monday

We fished aboard the Angler Monday on a beautiful flat calm ocean. Out on the 17 fathom banks it was so calm you could have fished with a four ounce sinker. Some nice blackfish were caught ( I had an eight pounder ) and a nice mess of ling along with some out of season sea bass. No cod and no dogs. With the weather as nice as it has been this winter there is no reason to open a can of tuna, go get some nice fillets.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Friday's Cod Trip

You don't get many 50 degree days in January so you have to take advantage of them. The SW wind that brought the warm temperatures also made for some sporty conditions in the morning as it gusted over twenty knots. The cod bite was slow with a few keepers boated as we had to fight through the endangered spiny dogfish and big black sea bass. The wind and seas backed off during the day and we tried deeper waters and caught a mess of ling to fill the fillet bags. Lots of fun fishing with old friends in the middle of the winter and cod fillets on the table tonight. We saw schools of striped bass as we approached the inlet in calm seas. It has been as while since we had a winter like this so try to go fishing now while it lasts. Capt Steve will be tying up the Skylarker soon but he is running the J2 this week. Capt George will try to sail the Angler until the end of the month. The Pioneer will ready for striped bass and winter flounder in April.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Friday Cod Trip

We will be heading out to the cod wrecks on the Skylarker with an all star crew. Call me if you like to go, only a few spots left.