Merry Christmas

Wishing all my fishing friends a Merry Christmas!

Christmas in the Country

It was so nice on Friday we took a ride in the country. On our way to the trout streams and the country side, farms and mountains were all covered with snow. There was much more snow in Hunterdon county then we had at the coast. It was like a live Christmas card. The mild temperatures brought out many anglers and many of the popular spots were taken and you could not park along the stream due to the high snow banks. Some spots had lots of ice along the shore line and you had to be careful climbing down to the river in the snow. I got to fish in my favorite spot of the fall season and the fish were very active as I caught four out of about ten bites. I tried to get to some other spots later in the day but they were either inaccessible or occupied. Evelyn took some nice pictures of the winter wonderland and we headed home early.

Hmmmm...

Downtown Jersey City gets more like Hoboken every day. Even the water mains are breaking.

Thursday

A break in the weather allowed us to get out of the house. We took a ride down to see Capt. George on the Angler. All the regulars were aboard and down to Sea Bright we went. I was hoping for some ling for Christmas (or a cod, you know I tried) but all that bit were blackfish. At times it was OK and everyone had a nice bag. On the last drop I hooked into something big and was battling it off the bottom. I was thinking maybe I had a cod as it was backing up my sidewinder. About half the way up I felt it come off and when I got to the surface, there was a keeper blackfish on the hook! What ever was on the line had that tog in his mouth but it didn't have a nick on him. I am thinking it was a big monkfish or a striped bass. Oh well, as Capt. George said "It's just another mystery of the sea." Now it's off to the trout streams, we will try the ocean next week.

Brrrr...

It's been a while since we had a winter like this. The ocean has been very rough, and I can't even go trout fishing because the rod and reel ices up. Some boats fished over the weekend but there were reports of ten foot seas. The forecast shows the temperatures up in the forties towards the weekend, so maybe we will catch a break.

Kenny Was Right!

You know what he says.....Before you know it!

The Big Question

Will Jay-Z now stop wearing a Yankee's cap and start wearing a Mariner's hat?

Done for the Season

We had a very busy week getting the boat ready for the winter and it is now hauled out in the boat yard. When I crawled out from under the hull yesterday afternoon, I thought to myself, "your getting too old for this stuff." Oh well, at least its tucked away as it appears bad weather is approaching. I talked to Capt. Steve and he has some days the week before Christmas open for our Holiday trip  and the weekend after that also. We will have to watch the weather but I will try to put together a crew.

Winter

It came fast this year. The below freezing temps that came in the last two weeks of November put the fish on the move. I was going to sail last Sunday with the nice forecast but the combination of falling water temperatures and an extreme new moon tide made me think otherwise. Turns out it was a good move as I spoke to one of the top fishermen in the bay and he told me he spent four hours on the grounds without a bite. Even the striped bass fishing in the ocean backed off (they are only catching shorts now) and the blackfishing seems to be succumbing to all the pressure. Better days are coming.

Happy Thanksgiving

To all my friends, all the best on this special day. Happy Thanksgiving.

Beware the Turkey!

Wow, it did not rain since September and now it all came at once. My favorite trout stream has picked up three feet of water and is flowing at record levels. Well,  that should spread them out!  The temperature at 5AM was 59 degrees and by time I got to the boat this morning it had already dropped ten degrees as the wind shifted to the NW. I am still thinking about trying one more time but with the rapid drop in temperature this week and all the run off, I don't know if it will be worth our efforts. Oh by the way, when shopping for our holiday meal, we could not find a fresh turkey without a "basting solution" added that contained salt, sugar, and other additives. We just wanted a plain, fresh turkey like the past fifty years. After a spirited discussion with the butcher and the store manager we finally got a bird from a small local farm that came in it's own box. It's a changing world out there. Be safe and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

A Fine Winter Day

We left the dock in a stiff NW wind that gusted to 35 knots at times. Everyone was dressed like arctic explorers and the forecast was for the breeze to diminish so off we went. We set up on the grounds and did not have a bite for the first forty minutes but when the tide changed the bite started. Shots of fish all day long, most of them making the fifteen inch mark and we sent those "Jersey Shore" keepers back and kept a bushel basket of Pioneer sized keepers 4 to 8 lbs. I made the comment that it was the first day on the bay that felt like winter. The temperature never rose during the day and there was only one other boat on the grounds (that highliner and our part time mate, Dan C.). Back at the dock we sent everyone home with fillets and were treated to a beautiful sunset as we cleaned the boat. If the weather looks nice we may try one more time.

SUNDAY'S TRIP SWITCHED TO SATURDAY

Due to the weather we will adjust our trip to fish on the best day.

It's Getting Late

Back in October, I thought it would never get cold. The month began with temperatures near ninety degrees. Now it looks like the winter cold weather forecast for this weekend will stay for a while. If anyone wants a last chance at the blackfish, Friday is the day to go.

A Nice Day in the Woods

The NW winds gusted to thirty knots on the ocean and I heard it was pretty nasty for the few boats out there. It was nice and calm at the trout streams. A nice sunny day, not too cold and two good sized rainbows and two wild brown trout to make the day even better. The weather changes fast this time of year and Friday looks nice for us to sail. Sunday is questionable right now, and I will take another look as the weekend approaches.

Full Moon Fishing

Typical full moon bite the past few days. You had to wait a long time between bites and tease the fish to the hook. Constantly changing the bait and working your sinker over the bottom paid off. Lazy fisherman didn't do as well. We are seeing some bigger fish now and less of the smaller ones. Sunday we had a basket of keepers up to eight pounds and sent everyone home with fillets.

Wind

We have been having plenty of it lately, and it seems like there's more to come this week. We picked at some bigger togs on Sunday before retreating to the dock in a full gale. When we passed Robbins Reef light on the way home the wind was west at 33 knots gusting to 42 and it was down right nasty.

Painfully Slow

That's the only way to sum things up. Weather and tides always effect the bite, but this is shaping up to be the worst fall season we have ever had. All we can do is keep trying.

Tough Fishing

The blackfishing was starting to get interesting on the nice day we had Wednesday. Sunday we arrived on the grounds and it was cold, windy and nasty. When we finally got set up on a spot, the fish bit on the change of tide but it was hard to feel the bites with all the wind. Once the current started running hard the fish shut off and we threw in the towel, coming home early with only a few in the cooler.

Fall Fishing

It has been chilly and windy on the grounds the past few days. The fishing remains a pick at best, with just a few keepers being boated. I don't know if is going to get any better with all the pressure. There are no striped bass around other then the jigging out in the ocean and there were fifteen boats on the blackfish grounds Sunday.

Changing Weather

I am hoping this cold snap will get the fish biting. Tuesday was another slow day as we tried for striped bass and only found a few shorts mixed in with the sea bass, sea robins and fluke! A try for blackfish at the end of the day saw the same picky bite with a few going into the cooler.

Slow Fishing

Typical full moon bite. The fish are very finicky and it's a long time between bites. Things should get better as the water cools down.

Pickin' Away

I was surprised to see ten boats out on the grounds Sunday. The relentless NE winds of last week were still blowing a steady fifteen knots and it wasn't all that nice. A few shorts and some nice ones but it still seems to be too warm. Monday all the spots were covered again and it was like a summer day out there, warm and calm. Fishing remained a slow pick. I don't expect it to get any better until after the full moon and the water temps drop a little.

Nor'easter

The first storm of the fall is upon us and we knew the nice weather had to come to an end. No one wanted to fish yesterday (I guess they were worried about the storm), so we packed up the truck and headed to the country. Five solid rainbows, a nice brookie and two wild browns made for a very nice day. A stop at the farm stand provided all the fixin's for the pot of kale soup simmering on the stove. It should hit the spot on a night like this.

Changing Weather

It looks like NE winds and crappy weather all week. Right now Wednesday looks like the best day. If any one would like to try for blackfish, give me a call.

Aug-tober

Some hot weather the past few days (it reached 89 degrees at Newark airport on Friday.) We fished the NY blackfish opener on Saturday and it is still a little to warm to put a catch together.  The weather is forecast to change this week, and a little chill may do us good. I am looking at this Wednesday and if bait is available, we may sneak out.

Fluke Finally

We went right back to the fishing grounds and did not find the life like the past few trips. The bait was there but the fish were gone. Mike M. threw a keeper in the boat but then it was only a few sea robins and shorts. The east wind against the ebb tide made the drift a little snappy, so I headed to sheltered waters. We found a mix of shorts, some sea bass and a couple of keepers as the fluke season ended with a whimper.

A Screeching Halt

It's amazing once the weather gets a little cold, no one want's to go fishing. Well at least I got the oil changed this week. The word on the street is that Al Ristori caught and released a twelve pound fluke on Wednesday, right where we have been fishing! Oh well, I wasn't going to sit around on a nice day so it was off to the woods. The first three fish were small mouth bass and I finished the morning with three nice rainbow trout. Stocking starts in two weeks, I can't wait!

The end of summer...

Saturday was the last day of summer and Tom K., Keith, Larry, Paul, Maz, and "Staten Island" Tony had a fun day on the fluke grounds. I stopped in the bay where we have been fishing and found it devoid of life.  The forecast was for winds gusting to 25 knots and I was reluctant to run outside but we did and were greeted with working birds over schools of bait. The guys had fun catching blues and a few nice fluke and we got the day in before the wind came around noon time. Sunday was the first day of fall and it felt like it. I ran out to the ledge with the intentions of staying there until the NW wind forced us into sheltered waters. Loads of life and not another boat in sight. We caught blues, weaks, hickory shad, sea robins of the biggest size and FLUKE. Mike M. had a limit of nice fluke, Ken the legend had a couple up to five pounds and Big Tom also had a couple along with all the other stuff. We left the grounds at 1:40 with a cooler full of fish.

A Nice Late Summer Day

When we arrived at the park before 6am, it was still dark and the temp was 49 degrees. It was a taste of fall, both the weather and the fishing. We found some nice fluke and some bluefish, striped bass and weakfish to spice up the catch. Jack had a six pound fluke to narrowly beat Ken the Legend for the pool. Other highlights included Big Tom being hi-hook with three large fluke, five blues and a just short striped bass. Evelyn caught us a nice fluke for dinner that I can't wait to make with some of the fresh  produce we bought at the farmer's market. Joe N. had a good fluke and the largest weakfish, about five pounds. Roger had a big fluke that came unbuttoned half way up. Rebecca did not loose any rigs today, a first for the season. It was warm and sunny back at the dock, a fine end to the summer.

Hot Wednesday

It wasn't bad on the bay, but back at the dock was ugly, as hot as last July. The fluke are moving out and it requires a lot of searching to make a catch. Capt. Marty on the CJ found them in the afternoon and we were able to send everyone home with fish. We should get at least another week out of them. I am keeping the boat in for Friday due to the breezy forecast. The wind will cut down our mobility  searching different areas. Sold out for the weekend, looking good for next week.

Still Some Around

The strange season continues. Deep water spots and the channels are a waste of time. We are finding our best fishing in shallow spots. Sunday we had a bunch of blues, some short bass and quality fluke on the local grounds. As long as the weather holds out, we should have some fluke until the season ends.

I'm Back

Skip and I went fishing out in the canyon aboard the Voyager. Lots of mahi- mahi on the pots. Skip lost a white marlin and the only tuna. Now that I got that out of my system, it's back to work, searching for the elusive fluke.

Holiday Weekend

Friday's fishing was pretty good. Frankie and St. Pete each had a limit including Pete's six pound pool winner. Saturday saw Robert N. and his crew from Jersey City have a fun day and everyone took home fillets. Sunday's fishing was slower as the fish stopped biting in a southerly swell. Ken the Legend had the pool with a fish just shy of six pounds and Evelyn had a couple more big fish for us to put in the freezer. (Sometimes I think that Roving Reporter guy fishes on a different boat.) Monday was an interesting day as Evelyn and I hosted Roger's annual trip. The weather was a little foggy and there was some rain in the area. I decided to fish locally and it was a good move as we had lots of fun catching sea bass, sea robins, striped bass, bluefish, weakfish and the target species, big fluke. Big John had three up to five pounds and Mike M. had two that went around seven pounds each. We came in with the bottom of the cooler covered in fish just before the thunder and rain.

Winding Down

The weather is still very summer-like but the fluke seem to be moving out. The fishing the past few days has been very slow. When you do get a hold of a fluke, it is usually a four or five pounder, but there is plenty of time between bites. The big schools of rays are still on the fishing grounds and we occasionally hook into one. What a fight! More interesting were the bluefish that were following the rays. The rays feed on clams, rooting them out of the bottom and crushing them with their powerful jaws. The blues are taking advantage of the busted clams and we caught a basketful on our fluke rigs.

Cow Nosed Rays

We have been seeing schools of them on the fluke grounds and have had occasional hook ups but on Sunday they invaded the fishing grounds. You could see them swimming on the surface in groups all around the boat and we hooked up on our fluke rigs. They take off like a tuna on the initial run and averaged 20 to 30 pounds with some larger ones. Ken the legend battled a fifty pounder and exclaimed "Now I know how the Yankees feel, getting beat up by the Rays." A few hundred yards from the boat a large dark shadow slashed the surface and everyone asked if it was a  dolphin or whale, but appeared to me as a large predator feeding on the rays. Yikes! Oh, as far as the fluking, another nice day with some limits and healthy fillet bags. Ken won the pool with a five plus pounder.

Report

Wednesday's trip worked out well with some limit catches of four to five pounders. Evelyn had one a few ounces shy of seven pounds. Friday, Evelyn and I hosted St. Pete, Frankie, Joe, "Pop-pop" Jerry, Sean and Uncle Kenny. Fishing was a pick in breezy conditions but when wind and tide got right the fish bit pretty good.  Eleven year old Sean won the big pool money with a 5lb. 4oz. fluke.

Open Boat Wednesday 8/21

I have a few spots left for Wednesday 8/21. Fluke fishing is hot and summer is winding down. Let's get a few for the freezer, you know the saying "We will be shoveling snow before you know it!" Call and leave a message or E-mail if you would like to cash in on this rare opportunity.

Conditions

It means everything with fishing. Having the right tide and drift makes for a good catch. Too much wind, strong currents and high seas mess things up. Like I have been saying all season, it's the luck of the draw, you just have to be out on the right day when it all comes together. Friday was typical summer fluking, Jack had five nice fish and, other good anglers had none at all. Saturday Tom K. and friends and family had a fun day in the sun but the catch was dominated by shorts and sea robins. "Staten Island Tony" from Brooklyn was the star of the day catching the four pound pool winner and a twenty pound cow nosed ray. Sunday I returned to the exact same spot and we had the second best day of the season as far as the number of keepers in the box. The cooler was half full of three to five pounders. I would like to get back out there and will sail an open boat trip Wednesday. I think the conditions will be right.

Windy Wednesday

The  passage of the cold front shut down the fluke bite. We tried a variety of different areas but had  to battle the strong NW wind that gusted to over twenty-five knots. Fast drifts and heavy sinkers made for some uncomfortable fluke fishing and Ken the Legend said "IT's like the Bering Sea out here" when we were coming up the bay. The forecast is for nice weather the next few days and we will try to get on 'em  again.

Nice Sunday

The good fluke fishing continues. It's a little strange because we are not finding many shorts. When you do get a hold of a fish it is usually in the three to five pound range. They don't bite all the time and you have to wait for the tide to get right. Roger was the star of the day landing six of those big fluke. Nice fillet bags for plenty of fish dinners.

A Lost Season

Everyone must be wondering why I have not commented about the Yankees recently. All I can say is they are still in the hunt for the wild card. Right behind Cleveland and Kansas City.

Wednesday

We were greeted with a stiff south wind on the fishing grounds and the slow bite that comes with it. A strange day, as it was a very long time between bites, but when you did get one it was a fish about four pounds! Nice fillet bags for a slow day.

Nice Weather, Nice Fishing

The last few days were very nice, and the fishing matched. Frankie had three nice keepers, Evelyn had five, Skip also had five. Ken "The Legend" won the last two pools with a fish a few ounces either side of five pounds. Now is the time to go fluking because we will be shoveling snow before you know it.

Hey it's August!

And time for Big Moe to make his annual visit. Fish are starting to show on traditional spots and everyone is catching some nice keepers. Remember "keepers" on the Pioneer are what other boats call "quality fish" or "pool winners".  Wednesdays "keepers" averaged 23 inches. Now's the time!

Slow Week but a Good Weekend

Most of the week was a struggle but Jack nailed three over 4lbs. on Friday. Lenny and his dad and friends and family had a fun day on Saturday. Everyone had a few nice fish up to 5lbs. but one particular angler seemed to know exactly how to catch the big ones and landed six big fluke with four of them over 5lbs. It was a true display of angling excellence. Sunday was dreary with an east wind and some light rain but the fish bit and Cathy had a limit up to 5lb.14oz. and Big Tom topped of his catch with a 6lb.10oz.

Nice Fluking

Sunday was just a nice day all around. We had light breezes, cool temps and steady fishing. I barely had enough time to eat lunch as I was constantly netting fish or taking them off the hooks. Plenty of keepers and a few weakfish to spice up the catch. No big Moes but with the amount of fish around, I think they may show up soon.

Settling in to Summer

Out on the bay there is usually a nice breeze to keep you cool and it feels better then being on the land. Not this week, it was HOT. Lots of water, even if you are not thirsty, is the trick to beating the heat. We are starting to see more shorts in traditional spots with enough keepers to make things interesting. The highlights of the week were a 22 inch sea bass that weighed in at just under 5lbs. and Scott's  five foot plus sturgeon we estimated in the fifty pound range. Joe N. had the biggest fluke at just over 5lbs. I am hoping to see the big stuff make their annual showing around next weeks full moon.

Strange Days

Friday was the best day of the season. Saturday was one of the worst. Capt. Fred had a limit plus with6lb 9oz being his largest. Joe N. had a plus limit also to 6lb 1oz. Evelyn limited to 5lb 12oz. and Ken "the legend" lead the way with a limit and our second largest of the year at 9lb 11oz. The next day the fish did not bite at all. Sunday the regulars picked away at a nice mess of keepers and a bunch of shorts and some weakfish. Roger had the biggest fluke at 7lb 1oz. Today the regulars came out looking for a repeat of Friday and the fish had lock jaw. Only a few keepers boated. The highlite of the day was a green sea turtle that came along side the boat for a visit. It makes no sense, you just have to be a little lucky to pick the right day.

Hot Summer Fluking

And hot it was. Some times I had to move the boat just to make a breeze! After a painfully slow day Wednesday, I went back to the same spots on the 4th and had good fishing. Ken the Legend topped off his limit with a 7lb.2oz. and Evelyn had a 5lb.14oz. and her limit. SAT. the all-star fluke crew was aboard with Anthony "The Barker", Damien, Skip, Mike "Mittens", Lenny and Joey the top deckhand on the CJ. Fluke flew over the rails all day and when the smoke cleared, Skip came out on top with a 5lb. just beating many fish almost the same size. Not the big Moe they were looking for but the hunt will continue! Sunday we were back at it with the regulars  and filled the cooler with fish up to 5lbs. Nice fishing in shallow water with lots of action. It seems like some bait moved into the area (I could read it on the scope) and the water cleared up after all the rain. This could be the start of something big.

Weekend Report

Saturday turned out to be a nice summer day for Tom K. and his son Keith and crew. We fished an outside spot and had a nice mix of shorts and keepers. I tried to repeat with the Sunday crew, but the ground swell from all the south wind seemed to shut down the bite. I moved to a different area and was surprised to find the current running harder then it did last week during the super moon. About this time the fog rolled in thick and we retreated to the inside spots and found some nice keepers to end the day. There are some fish around in a lot of different spots, we just have to have the right conditions to catch them.

Wednesday

There are fluke on the outside spots but they are not moving into the bay yet. The lack of bait on the inshore grounds seems to be the problem all along the coast. We need the squid to show up and the big fluke will follow. I tried some of the best deep water spots and fished them hard to make sure we did not miss anything but the fish are not there. A move to shallow water produced a 5lb. for Evelyn along with some other keepers, shorts, blues and striped bass.

Super Moon Weekend

We tried a different area due to the strong current this weekend and had very nice fishing. Shallow water and lite sinkers made for pleasant fishing in perfect weather. The shorts bit pretty good and we had enough keepers for a few dinners. It was a nice weekend to be out on the water.

Friday

The weather is finally getting nice and it is time to find the herds of fluke. I put some extra fuel in the boat and if anyone is interested in going Friday, give me a call.

Grinding it Out

No way to sugar coat it, fishing is slow. The regulars fishing hard with jigs and gulp have been rewarded with some nice fish. Ken the Legend has set the mark with his 10lber. Evelyn had a 8lb 2oz, St. Pete 7lb 8oz, Roger 7lb, Capt Fred 6lb 11oz, Joe N 6lb. 3oz, Bob Baines 6lb 1oz. A few nice sized weakfish showed the past few days but we spend a lot of time drifting and dreaming(of better days ahead). This fishing is not for bait draggers, beer drinkers, or sun seekers.

Weather

The weather is messing up the fishing. We don't usually miss many days in June but the past week has been terrible. The only day we fished this week was Wednesday and the wind gusted to thirty knots! Some nice fluke were caught in the rough waters, along with our first weakfish of the spring and the striped bass bite was insane. It was a fish every cast for over an hour but they were all 22 to 27 inches. It looks like a nice weekend and we will try to find some more big fluke.

Bass and Fluke

Fishing has been changing like the weather. Some stripers up to thirty pounds this week. Ken K. from PA , and his buddy Capt Fred had a great day Friday with Bass to 25lbs. and loads of blues and a few keeper fluke. There were so many blues around the party boats from Belmar and Brielle were fishing at Coney Island. Saturday was a bump in the road for St. Pete as the fluke bite shut down, but thanks to Jerry and Frankie , we ended up with six bass and some blues in the box. Sunday was rough and raining and I thought the bass would bite but that turned out to be a slow pick. The surprise was the fluke turned on and it was nice to see the bottom of the cooler covered in slabs. Thanks Ken H. for donating a nice fluke to us for dinner.

Hot and Cold

Just like the weather, the fishing changes with each tide. Some real nice ones around now, twenty to twenty-five pound class.

Weekend Report

The hot fishing during the week backed off a little this weekend. We had to deal with cold east and south winds everyday and it was quite chilly out on the bay. Still a bunch of small fish around but enough 12 to 15lbers. to make for some fillets. The main body of fish should pass through the bay in the next two weeks. We tried for fluke in less then ideal conditions and I could not fish where I wanted due to the wind, but we saw about twenty shorts on a few drifts.

Striped Bass

They are here! Limit catches and plenty of action.

First Report of the Season

Fished the last three days and found lots of striped bass but most were 16 to 26 inches. Enough big ones to make a few nice dinners. Mike L. had the biggest of the weekend at 16lbs. Nice weather and lots of action, it should only get better.

We're Baaack...

...in the slip and just in time for the beautiful weather. It was damp, dreary and cold as winter. I am tired of listening to the oil burner run, lets go fishing.

Spring Bass Fishing

With the questionable weather for this weekend and the spotty reports, I have decided not to rush things in the yard and launch on Monday or Tuesday. I have been getting a few calls about striped bass fishing. As with other types of fishing, it comes down to the luck of the draw, there are no sure things. Weather, tides and other factors effect the bite and you just have to be there when it happens. Things are looking good on the fluke also and the season should open soon. Some have been caught already and I can't wait for a fresh fluke dinner.

Boat Yard Report

Good progress being made, but with spring weather things take time. Just when you schedule painting and other outdoor jobs, the rain comes. We are hoping to be in the water early next week.

New England

We just returned from our spring fishing trip aboard the "Lady Tracy Ann" out of Eastman's dock in NH. It was a great trip with perfect weather and lots of fun with old friends. Fishing was fair with the morning bite being slow and some good drops in the afternoon.  A nice mix of cod, haddock, pollock,wolf fish,cusk and red fish. Fresh baked haddock is one of the best things on earth. Now its back to the boatyard and I will report later on the progress and make a determination for Sundays trip later. It looks like the storms out west will bring us rain Friday and Saturday. Stay tuned.

Boatyard Report

I am making progress getting things ready for the season. Spring weather is always tricky, but as long as there are a few nice days you can get things done. The best striped bass fishing of the season occurs during May, so now is the time to start planning.

Opening Day

We have a lot of different opening days. The Yankees and Mets have one on Monday. Trout fishing has one next Saturday even though the best fishing was during the fall and winter. Striped Bass opens in the bay on April 15 and the boat should be back in the water around that time. I quess all these openings give us hope with the start of a new season. Get your gear ready, it won't be long now.

Spring

I went to the boat the other day to make arrangements for water and power and all other things needed to get ready for launch. It was so cold you could not work without gloves and all the puddles in the yard were ice. We need a few days of temperatures above freezing in the morning to get started on the work that needs to be done. Striped Bass season opens April 15 and we should be ready by then.

Redneck Vacation

We took a run out to Cabela's and had a good time. Lots of cool stuff to look at and a great way to spend a winters day. Some of the stuff is over priced but if you look around you can find bargains on quality gear. If you go, plan on spending the whole day just to look at all the fish and animal displays.

Baseball

Has anyone been watching the spring training games? I know the Yankees are trying to evaluate talent and have not been playing the regulars, but they look like the Keystone Kops on the field! Now with all the injuries if it wasn't for the bull pen they would not even have a chance. I think we are in for a long season.

Penn Reels

When buying a new reel one must consider service. I sent three well worn International baitcasters, with about seven or eight years on them back to the factory for service. For a reasonable fee, they came back in two weeks like brand new reels. I own quite a few Penns and can't see myself buying an over priced reel from over seas without the peace of mind.

Reality Shows

Some of them are good and some are terrible. "Duck Dynasty", "Swamp People" and "Wild West Alaska" are the best shows on television. "Reef Wranglers" was a waste of time. Imagine the show they could have made with the crew of the old Pioneer II. Popsey, Brett, Dennis, Harvey, Phil, Fluffy, John C., and the rest of the gang. We would have been the number one show on TV.



























 

Left Field

The Yankees have 83 players in uniform at spring training camp. None of them can play left field?

A Winter Fishing Trip

The weather let up for a day and allowed us to make a trip on the J II. It was good to see a bunch of old friends. On board were mates Ken and Jimmy, Capt Steve, Paul A.,Paul from the White Star,Nick from the Sea Pigeon, and Tim D. an old Pioneer II regular. Lots of fun and laughs and old stories. A little choppy in the AM and then a nice calm day with dolphins around the boat. About thirty cod came aboard along with a dozen nice pollock, the biggest over twenty pounds. Not many ling but they were big old fashion kind. Evelyn and I will be enjoying our cod dinners this weekend. Mike L. went home with a nice bag of ling and many lessons learned about offshore fishing in the winter.

Regulations

From what has been posted on other sites, it looks like there will be little change in the rules this season. There hasn't been much talk about fluke and the limits should be similar to last year. The guys in New England are happy as the regs will be similar to last year. The only big hit will be sea bass but we did not fish on them much since they changed the seasons the past few years. I hope them jumbo fluke come back like last summer, I can't wait!

Friday

It was a good day to get out of the house and Mike L. and I hit the trout streams. Sunny and warm, it felt like spring and we found a few good fish. Mike (the former fly fisherman) landed his best trout ever, a bright rainbow over five pounds that looked like a steelhead. Silver with a purple- pink band, it was the best looking trout I have ever seen. Capt. Steve has been catching a few fish on the wrecks and I hope to make a trip with him if the weather gets nice. Think spring, the fluke are coming.

Middle of Winter

Not much going on this time of year. We are having a normal winter and the fishing is typical for this time of year. Don't pay much attention to the internet reports. I have been talking to a few skippers and there are some fish to catch but not like you would think according to some reports. It seems like people are bored and all the fishing sites are full of nonsense these days. The seals have been keeping us entertained at the park. One has been venturing close to shore and has been in the same spot the last few days. Hoping to get fishing again before its time to work in the boatyard. We will be catching fluke before you know it!

Snow Storm

Well it snowed, and contrary to the media warnings, the world didn't end. We did get lucky as we missed some of the worst accumulations by less then 100 miles. I feel sorry for the poor folks up in New England, they will be digging out for days. Today was a pretty nice day. The bright sunshine made it feel warmer then the actual temperature and we took a ride down to the park to check on things. We found three seals hauled out on the rocks also enjoying the sunshine. Look for them down the south end of the park at low tide.

Liberty Park is Open

Most of the park opened and we went to see the progress being made. The bridges on the walkway are still closed as are all buildings while repairs are being made.  The roadways, the boat ramp and most walking trails are open. The most striking change is the number of trees that are gone. They did a great job of cleaning up, although there is much more to do.

A-Rod

Interesting how the Yankees can steal the headlines, even on Super Bowl week. Hank and Hal are business men and are not as emotional as their Dad. They may have found out how to get out of $114 million owed to an injured and aging player that can not catch up to a fastball anymore. They didn't over pay the $12 million for Youk to play a half season. A-Rod may well have played his last game in pinstripes.

Tuesday

We took advantage of a weather window and jumped onboard with Capt Steve on the Skylarker. The day was flat calm and warm, making me comment that it wasn't even this warm in the house last week. The ling fishing was a pick, with about a ten fish average. Mike L. did a little better then that bouncing gulp. A green gulp was the ticket today. We went searching for some cod and only found three, but the wrecks were covered in blackfish of all sizes. One spot was drop and reel fishing and Randy brought along some crabs and did very well. We finished the day back on the ling grounds and topped off the bags with some tasty fillets for the Super Bowl. Some people eat wings, but I eat LINGS!

Cold

This week has been the coldest in two years but we may get a break next week. Let's keep an eye on the wind, maybe we can get a trip in between the systems blowing through. A few fresh fish dinners is all we can ask for this winter.

Winter

Well so much for the weather. Winter is setting in and now we will have to pick our days to go fishing. The few boats that sailed have found fishing to be typical for this time of year, a few ling and an odd cod or blackfish. I wanted to get the crew together for a trip this weekend but gale warnings are posted. Next week looks very cold and I can't even get out trout fishing because the guides freeze solid and the line can't run through them. Last year we were spoiled and I always make the point to go fishing when you can in winter or else you will be eating hot dogs instead of fresh seafood. Be ready for the next nice day and keep your fingers crossed that it comes before April.

Some Thoughts on Winter Fishing

We had a good trip last week and I wanted to get out again with the nice weather. I felt like I was coming down with a cold and with the flu going around, I decided to stay home. This gave me a chance to look at some fishing websites and all the buzz is about sea bass fishing. It seems that everything floating is running 50 or more miles offshore to make fantastic catches. I can see the party boats making the run, but 25 to 30 foot center consoles? In January? For 15 sea bass? Hopefully the weather and the fishing will hold on for the next few weeks.

The Media

They continue to sink to new lows. I was watching the coverage of the terrible ferry accident at Pier 11, a place where I spent eight years in the ferry business. I worked in every application of transporting passengers, from operating the vessels to engineering. As in all transportation and accidents, many things can go wrong. One TV channel had someone on the telephone claiming to be an "accident reconstruction expert" explaining what happened before the boat was even evacuated and first aid was being issued. Ferry boats have many complex systems, including AIS (similar to an aviation black box) that broadcasts the vessels location and speed. Also computers that monitor the engines. The way the media jumped to conclusions was ridiculous. Once again they showed that they will never let the facts get in the way of a good story. But that was yesterdays news, today they told me about some guy that made his dog look like a lion and the neighbors called 911. You can't make this up.

A Good Trip

We finally got to go fishing and we had a great day. The weather started out a little breezy but got nicer as the day went on. Capt. Steve took us out to the rocks and the ling and blackfish were biting. We filled the big cooler with nice ling and had sixteen big blackfish and a handfull of sea bass to top off the catch. It was good to see everyone again and was just a fun day on the water. Lots of good fillets for the weeks ahead.

A Break in the Weather

When the temps get above freezing and the wind is under 20 knots in January thats about as nice as it's going to get. Tuesday we are planning a seafood seeking trip aboard the Skylarker and I already have a good group of old friends signed up.

Winter Fishing

I am still trying to put a trip together for some wreck fishing, maybe next week. It was a nice day yesterday, so we headed to the trout streams. I was having trouble casting because of the ice forming in the guides and with the temperature at 25 degrees, I did not expect to catch much. Mike L. landed the first rainbow of the new year on a fly, and then lost his focus. I caught a small brown, and had a rainbow chase the lure right to the bank but that was all until we tried on more spot before calling it a day. After making about ten casts into a popular pool, we were ready to go home when I saw a fish rise. I kept working the area and was rewarded with a trophy brook trout around three pounds and two rainbows. A pretty good day for winter.