Friday, June 30, 2017

Blues

The last couple of days were spent looking for blues with Amish people from PA.  We found a few off Mount Loretto and Keyport. Gaffers too. On the ride home yesterday, the wind piped up from the south at twenty-five knots, with gusts, and one of the farmers declared "Tad bit uneven out there."

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

A Day at the Beach

Got up early this morning (just like every day) grabbed some spinning rods, and headed to the beach. The water was very clear and warm, and there was enough clouds to keep the sun off. We even had a little shower, but not enough to get wet. Four hours of casting and walking the beach and we did not have as much as even a sniff. About a dozen trucks riding around and the reports were all the same. We saw some osprey, oyster catchers, and dolphin just offshore and quit fishing in time to be home for lunch.

Monday, June 26, 2017

Fluke Trip

I would like to thank all my old friends from the Pioneer for traveling down the Jersey shore to hunt fluke aboard the Skylarker. It was a fun day, with lots of good stories and laughs. The fishing left a lot to be desiered as the bite was off and we did as well or better then all the other boats in the fleet. If we were able to keep sea bass, it would have been a good trip. Everyone caught keeper sized bass and threw some real nice ones back because of the punitive regulations. Eugene Sr. had a fun day catching and told me at the end of the trip, he caught eight fluke and thirteen sea bass and had nothing to go home with. Young Michael P. did a good job landing two keeper fluke and some real nice sea bass. Our old friend John Carrier won the big pool with a four pound fluke after loosing seven rigs. I will keep an eye on the flukes, but our next trip may be ling fishing.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Bizzaro World

We moved to the Jersey Shore to be near the fishing, but the fishing stinks here. On Wednesday, we were invited to fish with Mark "Big Bubba" and JR aboard their private boat, so the all Ocean County crew made the drive north to fish out of Jersey City. We made the "Pioneer Loop" around the bay and found a few fish. There is not much short life, but the fluke we found were all nice sized, the smallest in the cooler taped out at 19 1/2 inches. Mark had a limit, Evelyn landed four and JR and I each boxed one. Three bags of fillets in the fridge. Like they say in the TV commercial, "We got da' meats!" The weather is looking good for Sunday, it should be fun.

Monday, June 19, 2017

Sea Bass Season-Part One

The spring sea bass season has come to a close, but it was very productive. We had some excellent catches and there is no lack of fish. The bite slowed a little around the full moon, but I think it was because they were on the spawn. The last few trips, they turned on again and fishing was great with plenty of big ones. Sunday, we had military personnel from the Joint Base aboard and they did very well despite the less then ideal conditions. Fog and a building south wind made for an early return, but we had full bags and some jumbos too. The season opens again for the summer, as a by catch to other fisheries, with a two per person limit. It's not so bad as you can take a couple jumbos to go with your fluke or ling. That will remain in effect through August and then close until October. Now it's time to look for fluke, and some west wind and calm seas should get them biting for our fluke trip next Sunday.

Friday, June 16, 2017

Pioneers Rule

A nice picture of John Carrier on Fishingunited.com. with a fluke bigger then he is!

Warming Waters

Last weeks heat wave has caused the surface temperatures to rise rapidly. It seems the few whiting we were catching are gone as well as the dogfish (good riddin's). The sea bass are moving to deeper waters and the persistant east wind is causing them to bite better, but not making human beings happy to be on a boat. Ralph, if your out there, some flatlanders are calling you. Last trip produced 174 sea bass, 40 ling and 2 winter flounder to fill the bags. Sea Bass ends this weekend until July when we will be able to keep two per person along with our fluke.

Monday, June 12, 2017

Sea Bass and Sand Eels

Sea bass fishing has been very good. They are feeding on sand eels, and diamond jigs have been catching the lunkers. We even see a few whiting every day. In years past, sand eels were the prime bait fish and everything from blues to fluke depended on them. Lets hope the fluke find them for our trip on the 25th.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Fluke Trip 6/25

Open boat fluke trip...Sunday June 25. searching for Pioneer-sized fluke on the Skylarker. 6am to 2pm. Give me a call.

Friday, June 2, 2017

Sea Bass Time

It has been a very busy week as sea bass season has opened. It was good to see some old friends aboard the Skylarker. The fishing has been very good with mixed sized bass from tiny pins to true offshore sized jumbos. We also catch some ling, blackfish, porgies, winter flounder, bluefish and fluke. Andy and the guys from Jersey City public works went home with full bags. Charlie and the crew from West Milford Elks had a great day filling the fish box. The "Barker" caught a bunch of nice sea bass and ling on a bucktail and the "Legend" heard about it all the way home. Good fun and I hope to see everyone soon now that the summer weather is here.