Sunday, May 27, 2018

Fluke Opener

We fished our favorite beach spot on Wednesday, and did not catch any of the little stripers that were biting all spring. We took a walk to look over a few holes in advance of fluke season, and landed some nice ones along with some blues. Friday morning we were up at 3 am and headed back to where we found those fluke and set up for the sunrise bite. It didn't take long for Evelyn to put an 18 inch and 19.5 inch fish in the cooler. I had a good one come unbuttoned and we added a few more shorts before the beach began to fill with anglers, and left with our bounty at about 9 30 am to beat the holiday traffic. It appears to be shaping up for a good fluke season.

Monday, May 21, 2018

What A Day!

We left the dock Sunday with a very light crew, not knowing what to expect after the week of rainy weather. The ocean was not bad, just a left over heave and the winds were light. A moderate current was running up into the wind and it took a little extra time to anchor. The bite was sluggish, with the current, but the anglers that figured out how to tease the fish to the baits started catching. It took a little fishing to get dialed in, but then it was game on, with many double headers and some nice, big, blue, green and purple knuckleheads. The box started to fill and soon it was time to head in with full fillet bags, back to the dock at 1 pm, and home in time to watch the Yankee game. Sea bass dinners, sandwiches, maybe a pot of chowder and some for the freezer. Nothing like a fresh fish dinner after the winter we had.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Spring, Fishing and Weather

I can agree with some bag and size limits, but I can't stand some of the "seasons", when the government tells you that you can't fish. There are plenty of fluke around now but you can't keep them. New York fluke season is open and the boats are catching. They let the commercial boats fish for fluke now, and they put a hurting on them before our season opens next week. There is no harm in keeping one or two now when they are here, but they extended the fluke season into late September this year, and everyone knows that if just one hurricane passes offshore, it's just a waste of time. The sea bass season opened yesterday and there are plenty around, but it was hard to get them to bite in a building south wind. That should get better after the new moon and a change in the weather. Speaking of weather, most of the state got pounded by strong storms yesterday. As the squall line approached the coast, I prepared for the worst. We actually observed rotation in the clouds over head, but as usual for this time of year, the cold waters of the ocean and Barnegat bay sucked the energy out of the system and just ate it up. All we had here was heavy rain, just like ringing out a wet towel. I am expecting a good catch this weekend when the winds return to a westerly direction.

Monday, May 14, 2018

Spring Has Sprung

It is finally looking like spring, everything is turning green with all the east wind and rain. Bass fishing was good for schoolies from the beach. Bluefish made an appearance last Wednesday, but have been hiding since the wind has turned to an easterly direction the past five days. Shark River is loaded with fluke, I saw some landed from shore yesterday. Don't forget, I will be running a sea bass trip for all my old Pioneer friends this Sunday 5/20.

Monday, May 7, 2018

Open Boat Sea Bass 5/20

Come on board and cash in on the hottest ticket in town. We have an open boat sea bass trip on Sunday, 5/20.

Fishing Report

We headed out Sunday with a light crew on a flat calm ocean. The water temperature was up to 50 degrees and there was life on every drop. The ling fishing was only a pick, we caught more blackfish then anything as well as some sea bass. Damien and Evelyn had keeper cod and Roger had a big, fat orange-belly ling that he declared was nothing good. What was he expecting, a Haddock? All went home with dinner, and the next open trip is for sea bass on 5/20.