Merry Christmas

Wishing all the best this Holiday Season. Merry Christmas

Winter Fishing

I like to try to keep fishing during the winter if weather allows. This year we have been out a few times during December and fishing stinks. There are no ling and cod yet and all that seems to be available are blackfish and they seem to be succumbing to all the pressure and cold water temperatures. Usually this time of year the ocean is full of life with herring and mackerel attracting whales, dolphins and all sorts of birds. The past few trips the ocean looks like the dead sea, and seems barren. I feel like it is due to "pop" any day now and the fish to start biting. I hope I'm right.

A Week of "One's"

We were invited on a mudhole wreck trip early in the week and enjoyed the warm weather and flat calm seas, but the spots were full of eels and dogfish and we managed only one ling and one blackfish for the cooler. I thought maybe I would do a little better trout fishing and walked almost five miles trying different holes along the stream but only caught one brown trout. So yesterday we figured inshore blackfishing would be better but it was cold and windy and we only caught one keeper sized blackfish. Better days are coming.

Nor'easter

We have been having some rough winter weather and another storm is on its way. The ocean buoy reports are showing seas at 8 to 10 feet. Yesterday was nice and sunny so Evelyn and I took a ride to the Lake Mohawk German Christmas Market. It was very nice with about fifty different vendors selling all types of goods and treats from huts on the boardwalk around the lake. One room in the club house was full of imported cookies and candies, with all proceeds going to charity. We made a nice donation. A little over an hour was all that was needed to see everything and we left as it started to get very crowded. Now it's time to start a pot of fish chowder and get ready for the storm.

Haul Out

We spent the week in the cold and rain getting the boat ready for winter storage and hauled out. With that completed yesterday afternoon, I ventured out to the trout streams. The water was very cold and I could not buy a bite with the lures that have been producing all fall. A change to winter tactics made the difference with two browns and two rainbows, the biggest a thick bodied Kamloops rainbow over twenty inches.

December

The hard cold weather that we had the past few weeks dropped the water temperature in the bay and ended our season early. I wanted to sail on the holiday weekend but the fish stopped biting in the bay due to the cold. Some boats made the long run down to the Sandy Hook Reef and did well. While I was changing the oil and preparing the boat for winter storage yesterday, I saw Mark (AKA Big Bubba ) return with a nice catch of blackfish.  The boys had some eight and nine pound fish on the dock. They told me the big ones bit on white crabs that the tackle shops are selling for about $10 per dozen.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

A Walk in the Woods

I figured Tuesday to be a good day to try trout fishing before the impending storm and it seemed like everyone else did too. I tried to get to the spots that have been producing since late September, but found anglers all over the stream. I ventured off to some other areas but found the water running a little too much to my liking and it was the color of root beer. This would turn out to be the first shut-out since the winter before last. At least we saw some cool birds ( Pileated Woodpecker, Hooded Merganser...) and had a close up of some Pheasants. The reports from the ocean were a pick at the blackfish and a poor striper bite.

Last Day of the Season Report

I did not like the way the fish acted last Sunday. The bite was very lite and I could tell the water was getting cold. The hard freeze we had during the week came about a week earlier then normal, and it did not help. All that being said, we left the dock on a beautiful day, the first morning with temperatures above freezing in a week. I did not expect much, but was happy to get a few scratchy bites and catch a couple of shorts and one lone keeper. We waited for the tide change hoping for an improvement but the bite died completely and we headed in early. The fish have moved off to the deep and now it's time to fish on the big boats before the winter sets in. Thanks to everyone that fished with us this year.

COLD

Too cold, too fast. The hard cold weather has come a week earlier then last year. Friday looks like a thirty-thirty day, Knots and degrees. The weekend shows moderating temperatures, but will there be any biting fish left or have they moved into the deep?

Brisk

Both the weather and the bite were brisk on Friday. Randy, Rick, Paul, Ken and Mark had a steady pick in bouncy wind against tide conditions. The wind blew 15 to 25 knots all day and the temperature never got much above 40 degrees ( you needed gloves ) but the crew managed to land a mess of four to five pounders and many 15 inch shorts. Sunday started off cold and calm and stayed that way all day. The bite was lite as it seemed the fish had cold shock like the trout in the streams did the other day. We picked all day and managed enough keepers for a few dinners. Around 1 PM, Roger asked "The Legend" if he was cold, as he had turned a bright shade of raspberry, and we blew three and headed for the barn. On a special note, congratulations to Mike L. for his huge eight point buck on Saturday.

A Nice Weekend

Saturday we had frost on the boat in the morning and it was a chilly day on the bay. The bite was picky and the fish never really took hold as we only managed a few keeper size blackfish. Sunday was flat calm in the morning, something we haven't seen for a while. We sat and waited for the bite to start and slowly began to pick at some bigger fish. A steady bite all day and the keepers were all around five pounds.

Weather

We have to pick our days this time of year. The weekend looks good but Friday's forecast has been showing winds from 10 to 40 knots. That's a pretty big spread and all it tells me is that they don't know. Tonight is the full moon and tomorrow will be the maximum current so I decided to keep the boat on the wooden anchors.

A Couple Nice Days

Tuesday was almost summer like on the bay except for the gusty breeze and fishing was just a pick, which is typical on a full moon. The "Rev" landed the biggest of the day at 7 1/2lbs. and everyone had fun with good sized tog. "Tugboat" Fred and the crew from West Milford had a better bite today before the current became too strong. Fred was the star of the day, landing several large tog, including a brute at just over 9lbs., the biggest of the season. The wind blew much harder than the forecast both days and Friday's trip is questionable right now.

Trick or Treat

For some today, it was a dirty rotten trick. Others had a treat as Randy landed five tog over 5lbs. and the 6lb. pool winner. Ken "The Legend" had a huge fish peel drag into the tide and bust the line. November is the time for big fish. All trips cancelled this weekend due to weather.

Update

Sunday was very windy and we picked at some nice sized blackfish. Upon returning to the dock, I did not have any propulsion on the port side and it was all I could do to make a safe landing. What looked like a major problem turned out to be a fairly easy repair and we are ready for the weekend, with a careful eye on the weather. Friday looks fine but Saturday's forecast is not good. Stay tuned as it is the time of year when we have to pick our days.

Windy Days

It seems like the blackfish bite well on calm days, and get very finicky on windy days.

A Stormy Day

I had to cancel todays trip with all the rain and wind. We are going to fish on Friday as the wind is forecast to turn NW and the fish should bite. If anyone cares to join us we have a few open spots, just give me a call. As Capt. Tim Tower says, "Be there or be...you know the rest."

Fall Fishing

Friday was another summer like day on the bay and the togs were chewing. Ken "The Legend", "Tugboat" Fred, Randy and Jiggin' Jack had action all day on fish up to five pounds. Sunday was a different story as the fish were very finicky in a stiff 20 to 25 knot wind and chilly temperatures. Anthony "The Barker" landed the biggest of the day at 7 lbs.

Sunday

It was a beautiful day to spend fishing with good friends out on the bay. I told most of the anglers a month ago that there still was a lot of summer left and today was one of the ten best. The blackfish bite remains strong but no jumbos yet. Plenty of action all day long even during the slack tide.

Blackfish Opener

The guys picked a beautiful day to start the tog season. Fishing was very good for this time of year as we had constant bites all day. The only problem was the fish were on the small size and keepers were hard to come by. It should get better as the water cools.

FALL SPECIAL

Blackfish season is rapidly approaching and we will start looking for tog the end of next week. The price for blackfish trips will be $600 7AM to 2PM.

Sunday Report

We headed out to the ocean in perfect weather and found loads of big porgies eager to bite. The crew caught all the jumbo 12 to 14 inch scup they wanted. Lots of fun on light tackle. Another great day on the water and a cooler full of fish.

Fall Fishing

Evelyn and I hosted my old friend Sal and the crew from the Bronx. We tried to catch striped bass with live eels and fresh bunkers ( caught that morning by Capt. Vinnie of Katfish Charters) and did not have a bite all day. That being said, we will try for ocean bottom fish until the blackfish season opens in the bay on October 5. It was good to see the guys (they have been fishing with me for over ten years) and we had fun despite the fact the storm put the bass off the bite.

The End of Seasons... Summer and Fluke

Some of my regular flukers that supported the "Pioneer III" this season came out for the last chance to keep a fluke, as it will be seven months until the season opens again! Friday we had to deal with a stiff NE wind that kept us pinned in the bay and fishing was slow. Saturday, Lenny treated Tom K. and the old crew from Bayonne to a fishing trip and the wind blew even harder. All we could manage was a few blues and some shorts. Sunday, we finally got out to the ocean and it was still a little messed up from all the wind. There was life in all the spots and it felt good to catch a few fluke again. Everyone caught shorts (Evelyn had eighteen) and Anthony "The Barker" once again put on a show, landing three keepers including a 4lb and 6lber. Thanks to all for a fun fluke season filled with quality fish and one of the nicest summers in years. We will try for striped bass or bottom fishing next week and then concentrate on blackfish for the fall season.

Sunday Report

Another slow day and adverse conditions, a stiff north wind up against the incoming tide. The wind cut down our mobility today and I could not fish some of the spots I wanted to try. There were plenty of pee-wee blues around but we were searching for fluke. It was a dismal, slow day for anyone aboard who was not named Ken. "The Legend" landed 3lb. and 5lb. keeper fluke and also had a 23 inch weakfish. The fluke season is winding down as it closes next week and we will try to get out to the ocean this week if the weather allows. One last chance, available this Friday, Saturday is sold out and Sunday, the last day of fluke 2014 has some spots open.

Friday Report

The day started with a brisk north wind that made for tough conditions. I tried a lot of different places and made the "loop" around the bay, but could not find any keepers. Shorts were caught in all spots, and some of them were tiny. Around 11AM, we retreated to calm waters, and the fish police stopped by, and told us they could not find a boat with fish onboard! In the afternoon the wind let up, so we headed back outside and started to get more bites. Jigging Jack connected with a 4lb. at 1:20PM to land the only keeper of the day. I think the fluke will get back to their biting ways on the weekend if we have better conditions.

Open Boat Availability This Weekend

I have two open spots for Saturday and one for Sunday. Call or e-mail. Only two weeks left in fluke season.

Sunday Report

Full moon current and the wind in the same direction made for some tough conditions and we had to fish in different areas so we could hold bottom. Anthony "The Barker" started off with three keepers (including the 6 1/2lb. pool winner) early in the day and then lost his lucky jig on a snag. We had to fish through the shorts and fast current to catch almost everyone a few three to four pounders. Evelyn had three keepers to 5 lbs. and donated two to our friend Felix who is still on the disabled list. As for Roger, he declared after last weeks hot fishing that his freezer was full and he is not taking any more fish home this season and he was right. He hasn't caught any since. The "Legend" is another story. He and Derek Jeter have a lot in common. They both may be going into the Hall of Fame and right now they both stink.

Still Biting

You have to fish through the shorts (drop and reel at times) but some nice ones are still around. Joe N. had four keepers and the five pound pool winner and everyone had fillets to go home with. Only two weeks left in the season and the hot bite will continue until the next Nor'easter. Don't miss out.

Labor Day Doormat

Monday, Evelyn and I hosted Ken "The Legend", Big Tom, brothers Skip and "Mittens" Mike, and Kevin and Jerry Keller from Keller Electric ,Hoboken, NJ. The weather was beautiful, flat calm with no wind or rain, maybe just a little too hot, but it is still summer. We started in the bay and quickly threw a half dozen keepers in the boat before heading to the outside grounds for "action". Anyone that fishes with me knows that the big fish do not bite all the time and that the shorts are much more aggressive and jump on the baits, while the keeper size fish are more selective. The crew picked some quality fish among the shorts and then we had a drift when the big ones turned on. Jerry hooked into a fish he thought was the bottom, and landed our first doormat of the season at just over 10lbs. Skip hooked into his personal best a few moments later to land an 8lb. to go with the 6lber. he landed earlier. Skip and Mike had eight keepers in their bag and everyone went home with fillets. Congratulations to Jerry for a job well done. There are three more weeks left in the fluke season and they are biting now. Take advantage of this great summer weather because as Ken says "you will be shoveling snow before you know it." 

Holiday Weekend Fluke

Friday was a beautiful day on the water and the fishing matched. Vinnie A. had a pair of 6lbers. in his bag and Joe N. topped off his catch with a 7 1/2lber. Evelyn also added a 6lber. Ken "The Legend" added a limit. Saturday was Freezer Filler day, as Evelyn and I hosted Roger, Eileen, Mike, Cathy, and Big John for their annual holiday trip. Some limits were achieved and Eileen was the star of the day, landing three fluke over six pounds. Mission accomplished with a full five gallon pail of fillets at the end of the day! Sunday we set out with hopes of a repeat only to be greeted with a stiff wind and rough seas. We got back to the grounds and could only find shorts. Lots of them. It was not hard to catch thirty to forty fluke a person this weekend. At the end of the day the keepers turned on and Evelyn landed a 6lber. on what turned out to be the hottest day of the entire summer.

Grinding Out the Weekend

The east wind hurt the bite in many places but we found some fish to work over. We never had hot fishing but we picked at some pretty nice fish. Friday Joe N. landed four including a 6lb. and an 8lb. Jigging Jack had his limit to 6lb. and "The Legend" threw three in the box. Saturday, Skip brought out a crew of Lenny, along with his Dad and Uncle and also Pav and Joe from the Chicago PD. Once again a strong east wind but the crew put 15 nice keepers in the box to go along with all the good food and laughs. Sunday, I started the day in a different area and only saw some short fluke and striped bass. When the tide got right we had to fight some tough conditions but once again picked at some beauties. Roger had four up to 7lbs., and just beat out Evelyn's 7lber. for the pool.

Wednesday Report

It was a nice day on the bay and the boys put some good size fluke in the box. The fish police stopped by to check our catch and they were very impressed to say the least. Tommy R. from Jersey City had the pool winner at 6 1/2lbs. and everyone went home with plenty of dinners.

Weekend Report

Saturday, Evelyn and I hosted Tom K., "Staten Island" Tony, Bayonne Bob, Keith, Scott and Ashton. It turned out to be a great day with nice weather and big fluke biting. We also had a bonus of bluefish and big Cow Nosed Rays. The boys had fun landing some rays in the thirty pound class and the fluke averaged four to six pounds. The crew ended the day with 3/4 of a five gallon pail of fluke fillets! I tried to repeat the trip on Sunday, but the wind machine was turned on and we had to battle adverse conditions, but managed to put a few dinners in the boat. Roger was the star of the day with a thirty pound Tampa Bay ray and a six pound fluke to go with his other keepers and the pool winnings.

Friday

Back out again after the blow this week and the fishing suffered from all the wind and rain. The fluke looked like they wanted to bite early on, but around 11 AM the wind piped up to about 20 knots and we only caught shorts the rest of the day. Conditions are the key to making a catch. Better days are coming.

Sunday

The Sunday crew picked, plucked, and scraped together a nice catch despite the supermoon currents. Special guest star today was Anthony "The Barker" and once again, he brought along tasty treats from the Polish butcher shop. Once Ken "The Legend" ate his fill, he seemed to forget Anthony was aboard and also how to fish. How else could I explain that at the end of the day, I pulled 20 keeper fluke out of the cooler and sent almost everyone home with a big bag of fillets?

Another Super Moon

Friday we had to deal with strong currents and it limited the time the fluke would bite. "Tugboat" Fred had three, Big Tom had four, Joe N. also had four, and Ken "the legend" left the boat with three. Some others didn't do as well. Looking forward to better conditions this week.

Wednesday

"Reliable" Jim had the family out on a great summer day. The fishing was good but the keeping was poor. We had a bad case of the shorts. The boys had fun and managed a few dinners. Tuesday, one of our deckhands, Mark, aka "Big Bubba" fished on his private boat and landed a 12lb. fluke.

Sunday

Started off in the rain, but it turned into a nice summer day. We went back to some familiar haunts and were over run by shorts. At times it was drop and reel fishing but nothing was going in the box like previous trips. I dedicated the last two hours of the day to look for some to take home, and everyone did. Roger was hi-hook with four, along with the six pound pool winner.

Baseball

 Gene Michaels and Buck Showalter built Yankee teams that became a dynasty for years. Today if the Yankees had Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, they would all still be in AAA.

Another Great Day

Friday, Evelyn and I hosted a crew including Anthony "The Barker", Randy "The Bowler", Felix (fresh off the DL), George (first time aboard) and Ken "The Legend". Lots of good food and lots of fluke. Anthony's 6lber. narrowly edged out everyone else for the pool. Randy took hi-hook honors and the Barkers fillet bag weighed ten pounds. It was good to have Felix back out again, we missed him.

Wednesday

We had to deal with a slow drift all day so the catch was not as good as yesterday. Scott had a limit to 5lbs. Jim had a 6 1/2lber. Pete had a 5 1/2 lber. and Jack once again limited out with a jig and also had the 7 lb. pool winner. Going Friday and I still have some spots. Catch them now, we have been waiting all season for this.

Tuesday Fluke Report

We came in early.

OPEN BOAT Tuesday7/29

Only a few spots left for tomorrows trip. Call if you would like to go.

A Busy Week

Thursday's fishing was good for Tom T. and family but keeping was poor. Close to a hundred fluke were landed but we only kept a few. Friday we took a long ride and fished in a fleet of  a hundred boats. "Tugboat" Fred and the crew from West Milford had a nice day, with Steve taking the pool and hi- hook. Saturday we took the ride again, only to find more boats and a lot of shorts. I left the area and fished some rocks and wrecks to pick some keepers and stopped on the traditional fishing grounds on the way home to make a catch. Everyone had some nice fish, "The Barker" bagged four and our old friend Tommy O. had a 5lb. to take the pool. Sunday started with a poor forecast and the early boats reported a rough ocean. We stayed on the local grounds and had it all to ourselves. Action all day with shorts and enough nice keepers to fill the bags. Jack's 6lb. was the biggest of his four keepers and took the pool. The best news is we caught our first few keepers of the year on the "Pioneer Banks". It looks like the new herd has moved in, now is the time to get out there and catch some fluke!

Wednesday

The fluke started biting again now that the super moon has past. Big Tom was back from the DL and had three nice keepers. Joe N. topped off his catch with the 8lb. pool winner. Evelyn had one just shy of seven pounds. Tons of shorts everywhere we went.

A Stinker

A storm passed off the coast, and gave us a stiff east wind that increased as the day went on. We had four foot swells on the fishing grounds and a strong current. Despite the conditions, we found fluke every where we went. The problem was that almost all of them were undersized. We had action all day but came in with our poorest number of keepers in the box for this season. Back at it this week with better weather coming.

Wooden Anchors

It's hard to give a report when we're tied to the dock. Some big fluke are around. Where is everybody?

Super Moon

I will be glad to see it go, due to the strong currents preventing us from fishing in the deep spots. On the other hand it did seem to get the bait and fish moving. Sunday was forecast to be windy from the south (again) and I did not feel like things were in our favor. I tried to stay local but did not find any bites and headed outside. We worked some structure and picked some nice fish. When the tide got right and the fish started biting, on came the wind. By the end of the drift we were rocking and rolling and cries of "Watch the Gulp!" were heard over the breeze. Back to calm sheltered waters, and Rebecca landed an 8 1/2lber. to add to the three others in her catch. We ended with fifteen keepers despite the conditions. Monday was a much nicer day. There was no wind and calm seas. On board were Tom K., Bob, Tony, Joe N., Randy, and the "Legend". The story of the day was all the big fish that came unbuttoned on the way up. Everyone had their chances but Tom made his count landing the 7 1/4lb. pool winner. Randy lost a huge fish in the morning and was talking to himself all day. "Staten Island" Tony also had a monster come off half way up. We ended up with enough for everyone to take some home and a pod of dolphins  came around the boat at the end of the day to wish us a nice ride home. On a side note, all pool winnings were paid at the end of the trip.

Things are Getting Tough Out There

Friday was a beautiful day on the bay and onboard was "Tugboat" Fred and our friends from PA, Ken K., Cory K., and young Cory K. out for his first fishing trip. Ken the "Legend" came along to manage things and help fill the cooler as well as retired Bergen county detective Rich E. The fishing has become a struggle again after being pretty good earlier in the week. Capt Fred redeemed himself after recent poor showings and had two fish in the box by 9 AM, a 5lb and 7lb. Ken K. had a 6lb. as his largest and lost a much bigger fish in the afternoon that could have been Big Moe. Rich missed a few bites on the bucktail but did much better with a conventional rig and antique reel to go home with a solid 4lb. Cory and young Cory, fished hard and had fun but only managed shorts. They did a good job. Grumpy threw in and landed a 7lb. beauty on 12lb. test line in 11 feet of water. The fish took off down drift like a gamefish, what a fight. The "Legend" only had shorts and when we got back to the dock, took off like a shot. Maybe he had to get a parking spot or pick up the kids from school. What ever the reason when it came time to pay "Tug boat" the pool money for his big fish, we found that Ken ran away with all the loot. Rich E. immediately issued an APB and an arrest warrant, and hopefully the perp is now in custody. Stay tuned to this developing story.

Hot Summer Fluking

The fluke are settling into their summer patterns, and more shorts are arriving daily, to go with the bigger fish. Twenty years of fisheries management has produced less fluke in the population, but the average size is bigger then anything seen in our lifetime. Capt. Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star based in O.C.,MD has some interesting observations on his website about the effects of management on the sea bass stocks. I believe this holds true to the fluke also. There have been numerous fluke over ten pounds caught this week, including a 14 1/2lber. on the Elaine B II. The average keeper we see now doesn't even go on the ruler, as it is 20 inches or better. Five pounders are seen as common, and seven and eight pounders are daily pool winners around the fleet. Yesterday I caught two fluke over five pounds and took home a fillet bag that would have required at least twelve "keepers" to equal the amount of meat twenty years ago. If you have never caught a big fluke or enjoy the opportunity to feel that solid bite and big head shakes of a "Pioneer" fluke, this is now the time to go fishing. Plenty of weekdays are available.

Holiday Weekend Report

Hurricane Arthur passed 150 miles off our coast, but did not effect us at all.  The weather was about as nice as you could ask for, cool and calm. Saturday, I tried a variety of fishing areas and some were barren and some produced keepers. Anthony "The Barker" fished hard as he always does, and came up one shy of his limit but did have the 6lb. pool winner. Alan P. had two fluke over five pounds in his bag, and everyone had at least one nice keeper, except for the only angler to put BAIT on his hook all weekend. He shall remain nameless. (Hint- He used to drive a tugboat).  Sunday started with a strong tide and as the norm for this season, we could not catch fish in the same spots we did the day before. A ride out to some spots that produced in the past paid off. We followed the tide up the bay and found plenty of hungry fluke. Jack put on a clinic fishing with a tiny jig-head on ten pound line, landing his limit as he was hooked up all afternoon. He also had a sea bass close to five pounds. Late in the day we had fast up and down fishing with no one around. About the time Ken the "aughh" Legend said to me that they were all shorts Roger landed his third keeper, the six pound pool winner. Once again, everyone went home with fish.

Wednesday

Today was one of the slowest days we have had in a long time. I covered a lot of ground and tried different spots but could not produce much. The fish just would not bite as we had the worst condition you could have fluke fishing, a warm front ahead of a cold front. When this happens there is usually a strong southerly to south-west wind pumping moisture to fuel the thunderstorms ahead of the high pressure moving in. This is an observation learned from over forty years of fluke fishing, but on a high note, they usually start to bite again as the high pressure builds. Back at it again this weekend with all the good anglers aboard.

Weekend Report

The fishing has been fair the past few days, the keeping part has been tough, with lots of shorts. On the bright side, when you do get a keeper it is jumbo-size. Saturday was a perfect weather day and Tom K. was aboard, along with Keith, Eric, Doug, and father and son team, Steve and James. The guys picked at fish all day long, with Keith being hi-hook fishing with a jig and teaser. On the last drift of the day, Doug nailed a six pounder and James reeled in one over six pounds just as the three whistles blew. Sunday started with nice weather but a strong southerly wind developed. We only had a couple of keepers as I could only find shorts in a lot of different places.  The afternoon became choppy and I ran back into the bay and found the first jumbo's of the year on the Pioneer Banks. Ken landed a seven pounder, Rebecca also had a seven pounder and Roger took the pool with our largest of the season so far, an 8 1/2lber., his second fish over eight pounds this year. It's time to look for Big Moe.      

Wednesday

The fishing was good, but the keeping was poor. We fished thru the shorts like we did on the weekend but all we found was more shorts. I tried a lot of spots and most were barren of life. We did manage a few nice ones, with Ken's 5 1/4lb. just beating Joe's 5lb. for the pool.

OPEN BOAT FRIDAY 6/27

The weather is forecast to be beautiful and the fluke are big and biting. You can't beat that. Just give me a call or send an e-mail to hold a spot. $115 gets it done. Fish now, we will be shoveling snow before you know it!

First Day of Summer

The east wind was stronger then forecast and sweatshirts were in fashion today. The fishing started off on the dull side and I was thinking about moving to a new area. I had all good anglers aboard and when the tide changed it all came together. Plenty of shorts and nice quality keepers. Ken had the hot rod and landed his limit of three to five pound fluke and also landed a double-header. Cathy caught and released a four plus pound sea bass. Even Grumpy caught four big fluke. All the fish were caught on Gulp. Not a single piece of bait was used today due to the hungry smooth dogfish on the grounds.  Heavy fillet bags to end the day.

Good Fluke Fishing

The fluke fishing has been good with fish in many different areas. We have been seeing lots of action with shorts and the keepers are averaging three to four pounds.

Father's Day

It felt good to be fishing again after all the bad weather. The breeze in the morning cut down our options of fishing areas and we had a slow start. I took a chance and made a run to the ocean and when the tide changed we started nailing keepers. Nice three to four pound fluke and a nice way to end the day.

Is It Ever Going To Get Nice Around Here

It looks like we are settling into our summer weather pattern. Two nice days and five bad days. Well at least the nice days have been on the weekend.

Big Fluke Sunday

It's a special day when everyone onboard gets at least one five pounder. Today was such a day. Ken " the Legend' had two six pounders and a five. Jack had a limit. Roger had an eight pounder to win the pool and a six, five and four to go with it. His fillet bag weighed in at ten pounds! Fluke fillets retail at the Point Pleasant co-op for $15 per pound. John C. and Rebecca also went home with a nice catch. On a side note, we ran thru five miles of bunker schools on the way out and gave a little try at snag and drop. We had some bluefish bites and I lost a 30lb. plus striped bass at the side of the boat.

Slow Bass, Nice Fluke

Thursday, Nick C. from Florida fished hard in the rain and was rewarded with a seventeen pound striped bass. Friday brought better weather and fishing. Onboard were Ken "The Legend", Tom K., Mark S., Andy G., And George G. Sr. and Jr. A try for stripers only produced a handful of bluefish, so we tried for fluke. The persistent NW breeze limited our mobility but made for a nice drift and we picked away at the fluke. Ken's 6lb. just beat Mark's fish by a few ounces to take the pool. All the other keepers were 3 to 4lb. fish. A nice fun day on the water.

A Special Day

If not for the "Greatest Generation" 70 years ago today, you would be living in a much different world. God Bless America.

A Bump in the Road

That's what my friends in New England say when the fish don't bite. I looked over some of the places we have been fishing and tried some other spots for the first time this season and found some fluke in all spots. The fish are there but they just would not bite. You could feel them grab the bait, shake it and let go. Very strange. My thinking is this is due to colder then normal water temps. Things should only get better, we will see what happens this week with west winds and warmer temps forecast.

Some Bass, No Fluke

Jim M. and family were aboard today for some striped bass fishing. The morning bite was OK and we put a few in the box and released the others. A try for fluke in the afternoon was a total bust. I went back to were we had good fishing the past few trips and only found a handful of shorts. The water remains cold and the persistent east wind is not helping. The guys did a good job and had lots of fun on a nice day.

Holiday Weekend

Friday started with a slow pick at the striped bass and a try for fluke produced some nice ones with "Tugboat" Fred landing three keepers. Tom I. and the crew from NYC had a better striped bass bite on Saturday. The Sunday crew caught a couple of stripers before we switched to fluke. I tried many different spots but a cold water condition slowed the bite. Monday, the plan was to get on the striped bass early but we only caught a few. I had good flukers onboard, so we tried some different areas and found some nice fluke. Evelyn had a 5 1/2lber, Grumpy had a 5lb, "Mittens" Mike had a 5lb, the biggest of his three keepers and Ken "The Legend" lead the way with 6 1/2lb as the biggest of his three keepers. Things are looking up and the fluke fishing should only get better.

Attention Fluke Anglers

Some "Pioneer-Sized" fluke hit the deck this week and it looks like it will break open any day.

The Striped Bass are Here

Fishing was up and down in gloomy weather this week. Sal A. and the crew from the Bronx had fun despite the wind rain and fog on a day that was forecast to be sunny and 75 degrees. "Tugboat" Fred and the boys from West Milford were greeted with a 25 knot se wind but it wasn't all that bad on the fishing grounds. Ken the Legend had his limit as did Bob Baines. Pete and Don had action with shorts and keepers and Charlie won the pool with an eighteen pounder.

Fluke, Flounder, Blackfish and STRIPED BASS

Happy Mothers Day to all and what a difference a day makes. Today was a "ten best" weather day and the fish turned on. Evelyn's 24lb. bass beat Rogers 22lb. for the pool. Mixed in with the bass were flounders, keeper sized fluke and a bunch of blackfish up to 18 inches that were released for the fall.

Thick Fog

We tried to sail this morning but the fog was so thick you could not see the other side of the canal. We made it out to the red buoy at the end of the canal and I could not see the green buoy! After 10:30 we gave up and decided to try another day.

First Trip of the Season

We tried for striped bass and found some shorts in every spot. The strong west winds gusting to thirty knots did not help. The fishing was more like April and should improve as water temperatures rise. Only a couple of weeks till fluke.

Splashdown

We are back in the water and ready to go. Sunday is our first charter and we will look for striped bass.

More Spring Weather

The winter does not want to go away. It has been cold damp and raw the past few days, and right now the coastal reports are showing 30 knots of NE wind with rain and 9 foot seas. We just returned from our spring trip to New England and were very lucky with the weather and fishing. Other then chilly temperatures, the ocean was calm, the sun came out and warmed it up a bit and the fishing was great. We sat on the first drop for five hours and had non-stop fishing. Lots of cod and haddock and lots of fun. Now it's back to work, we will be getting ready for our first trip on Sunday.

Striped Bass

The stripers are just starting to bite in the back of the Raritan bay. The bite in the harbor usually starts about a week later, so we will start fishing the first weekend in May. The spring run is the best fishing of the year and fluke also opens towards the middle of May and we can catch bass and fluke on the same trip. Now is the time to book a trip for the spring striper run.

Soon

The striped bass fishing should start once the water temperature comes up about five more degrees. The boats that are trying now are not catching. There could be some flounders around but no one really tries anymore. Fluke are being caught in VA and I have heard reports of early bluefish. With the lack of fish, I am doing some extra work in the boatyard and fishing should start the end of the month or the first weekend in May.

Late Spring

If we get a few nice days ( above freezing, without rain ) I can make some progress in the boat yard. Yesterday we gave trout fishing a try and the temperature was 27 degrees. After four casts my rod had a big ball of ice on the tip. Later in the day it warmed up to about 50 and we found a few nice fish.

Why is it....

...that when you need a paint brush and go to Lowes or Home Depot, you end up spending $150?

Spring Weather

We just had about four inches of rain in the past three days but the forecast is for normal temperatures this week and everyone is excited. Tomorrow is the first day of April, and right now, Monday morning, 7am it is snowing.

Things are Looking Up

A big storm is brewing but it looks like it will pass offshore and only give us a dusting of snow. Mike L. and I gave the pre-season trout a try Sunday. There still is some ice and snow on the ground in the country but the 37 degree temperature did not feel so bad. Mike caught one right away about sixteen inches, and I hooked up a few seconds later with a 20 inch hold over rainbow that made the day. As the day wore on the stream became crowded with anglers and we headed home.

ST. Patrick's Day

Years back, today was the "unofficial" opening day of flounder season. This winter it seems like spring is still way off as the Jersey shore is covered in snow and it is only 25 degrees. This winter will be remembered as one of the longest. It started in November with snow and very cold temperatures and shows no sign of letting up in the long term forecast. The Snowy owls are still around and we got a close up view of one yesterday. They may never leave.

Spring

It's 25 degrees and the idiot on TV is telling me it's nice outside.

Blast From the Past

I saw an old friend the other day...John Mullins. He was one of the "Bow Kings" of the old Pioneer II.  John looked good and says hello to all his old buddies. He now has his own charter boat down in Mantoloking.

Spring Fever

A big storm that could have dumped a load of snow has just passed to our south. With the temperature getting up to 35, I felt it was time to give the trout streams a look. It is still winter out in the country with everything covered in snow. The river was running low and clear and it seemed just right, but parking was hard to find due to all the snow. I fished a few holes that I could get to and never had a bite. Well at least we saw some good birds and got some fresh air. Better days are coming, we just have to wait a little more.

Still Winter

Well, it's March and we are awaiting yet another snow storm. The Snowy Owls have not been seen all week but all the other wintering bird were around. There was also a seal around today. The first red-winged blackbirds have arrived, about two weeks late. I think that's the type of season we are going to have this year. The Yankees look like they are going to be fun to watch this year, with all the new players. I saw something in the game the other day that I haven't seen in years. The second baseman actually dived after a ground ball.

Olympics

The games were fun to watch. I enjoyed the hockey even though it was an NHL all-star exhibition. The women's hockey was even better, with all the best college players on the teams. I always liked  the traditional events and really got in to the curling, with all the strategy and skill involved. I wasn't too interested in the new games, the ones with the daredevil tricks on a skateboard.

Grundens

Go2marine has more Grundens stuff on sale.

More Snow

A few months ago there was a lot of media attention over two wall safes that the new mayor of Jersey City discovered in his office. We now know what was inside - Frank Hague's snow removal plans.

Olympics

The games have been exciting and I will comment more when I am done shoveling snow. Did anyone see the show "Access Hollywood" between the events on Wednesday night? The host took former US figure skater Johnny Weir fishing in the Black Sea. This just might be the funniest thing you ever saw, just google "Johnny Weir Fishing" and be ready to laugh your #%$@ off!

Relentless

I am getting ready to battle yet another snow storm. This winter will be remembered in years to come. Some folks have said it is just a normal winter and it is not that bad. While there has been a lot of snow, most of it has been manageable. The real problem (as anyone paying for heat will tell) has been the never ending below freezing temperatures. The Great Lakes are 80% frozen over and the Chesapeake  Bay has the most ice in ten years and maybe the most since 1977. This winter will be recorded as one of the ten coldest in over one hundred years.

Fluke Regulations

Everyone has been waiting to hear from me about the new regs. I have been getting calls from Jersey shore skippers and it seems everyone is bent out of shape and there is a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth. My view of it is simple. No one cared about us for over twenty years. Not the SSFF, RFA, no one. I think the rules are great and I can't wait to catch some fluke.

How Did They Do It?

Last week we had snow and single digit temperatures, some of the worst weather in this relentless winter that began way back before Thanksgiving. This week we are being pounded by more snow and cold. In between all this was a football game and it was the nicest day in months with 55 degree temps. The NFL and NJ Transit could have had a perfect day if they didn't screw up transportation to and from the game.

National Geographic Day

The temperatures have been brutal all week and we have been resigned to watching what ever wildlife we can find from the truck. The seals have been reliable, showing themselves everyday down around the rocks across from the jetties. There has also been some Goldeneye, Canvassbacks, and horned grebe along with the other wintering water fowl. Today it got up to 32 degrees and we took a walk back behind the golf course. The whole area from the jetty back to the boat ramp is frozen over. Two crows were harassing a Red Tailed Hawk right over our heads, and were joined by a Northen Raven. While this commotion was going on I spotted the prize we have been searching for since November. Perched out on a big piece of ice in the marsh was the Snowy Owl. We got to get fairly close to him by staying hidden behind some brush and got a really good look and some pictures too.

Polar Vortex, Ice and the Super Bowl

We are in the midst of an old fashioned winter. All the bays and the harbor are full of ice and with no end in sight, fishing is over until spring. The other day a huge helicopter was flying around the area just over the roof tops. It came over the house three times in one hour, rattling the pictures on the wall. The news reported it was looking for sources of radiation in case some one was to attack the Super Bowl. As the late Bob Grant used to say on the radio, "I gotta get out of this place!"

Cold and Slow Winter Fishing

Hit the trout streams with Mike L. on Sunday. When we arrived the temperature was 18 degrees and it was snowing. I scraped out two browns and a  rainbow and Mike caught a real nice wild brown on a cold winter day. Went back out Monday with Capt George and had to fight the strong current and over abundant dogfish to grab a half dozen ling. It looks like there will be no fishing for at least a week and with the water offshore at 39 degrees who knows what will be out there.

Winter Fishing

All you can hope for is a nice day to take a ride on the ocean and maybe catch enough for dinner. Wednesday the fog was so thick only a few boats sailed and fishing was poor. We waited until Friday for a better forecast to take a trip with Capt. George on the Angler. It turned out to be a nice warm day and we even had a few bites. Evelyn had three nice blackfish along with some shorts and a ling and I caught two ling and some short blackfish and fought through the dogfish to find a seven pound COD. The water in the ocean is very cold and we can only hope to get out one or two more times before the bite shuts down.

A Break in the Weather

Needless to say, this has been a tough winter. With the temps getting above freezing we took a ride to the country, to check out the trout streams.  The water was high and running hard due to the rain and ice melting and I did not have a bite all morning. After lunch, I checked out two more spots before going home and was surprised with four brown trout, the first fish of the new year. Now if we could only get some ling.

A Sad Day

Last night we lost a member of our fishing family, Pete G. It came as a shock to all of us. Pete was an excellent angler. He loved catching fluke and blackfish. We will miss his good nature and sense of humor. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Frankie and Antoinette and the rest of the family. Calm seas and tight lines old friend.

Happy New Year

We went fishing yesterday with Capt. George, looking to get some holiday treats. It was a nice calm winter day out on the ocean. The bite was slow with mostly short blackfish inshore and some keepers and ling offshore. We got some ling to add to todays special sea food chowder. Happy New Year.