captnemo
06-29-2008, 09:06 AM
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Fishing for blues is best it has been in decades
June 29, 2008
Party boat captains who target bluefish are claiming that the action this week was comparable to the best of the fishing in the 1970s and 1980s.
The fish average from 6 to 12 pounds, will hit bait or jigs, and are only a few miles from Manasquan and Shark River inlets.
Capt. Bob Pennington, whose Sea Devil docks in Point Pleasant Beach, said there are no signs of the excellent fishing diminishing or moving.
"Bluefishing couldn't be any better," he said. "It's tremendous fishing. Even beginners have no trouble catching the limit."
Pennington said the blues are feeding on anchovies, and they move a little south or a little north every day, but are easy to locate.
Cindy Pennington was in on the action, and caught and released far more than her limit.
"Super fishing," was the way Capt. Len Forsyth of the Miss Belmar Princess, Belmar, described the action.
"It's right outside our inlet," he added. "And there are bass mixed with the bluefish. Michael Keating, 15, of Howell was out, and he won the pool with a 30-pound striped bass."
Capt. Howard Bogan Jr., Jamaica, Brielle, said the great fishing for blues can be found days and nights.
"There were massive schools of bluefish just a short distance from the inlet that were feeding on anchovies and bunker," he said. "Jigging was the best method, and limit catches were made by many aboard."
Bogan said he got into striped bass up to 34 pounds on one trip, and they were all caught on jigs. Bob Watts had two bass to 30 pounds and 15 bluefish.
Bogan said the night fishing has been good 13 to 16 miles ESE of Manasquan Inlet with the fish weighing from 6 to 12 pounds. Bob Kuntz, Manchester, had a 34-pound bass, and Billy Grant, Cherry Hill, had a 13-pound bluefish.
Capt. Carmine Monaco, Lucky Carm II, Keyport, said he had the Conte family out, and Nicholas Conte, 6, landed a 10-pound bluefish. Patricia Conte caught a couple of keeper fluke.
Capt. Tom Buban, Atlantic Star, Atlantic Highlands, said he continues to pick some keeper fluke over a wide area. Larry Clark, Hazlet, had an 8-pound, 7-ounce fluke on one of Thursday's trips.
Capt. John Draper, P.C. Queen, Morgan, said he has been fishing the Raritan Reach walls and Sandy Hook Channel on the change of tide.
The drift died on one trip, and he was forced to power-drift to add some movement.
"The drift was so slow that people onboard were using half-ounce Spros and hooking up," he said. "Those fishing Spros on the bottom with a teaser above with spearing did better than single-hook rigs," he added.
Draper said he will make special "take a kid fishing trips" Sundays beginning July 6.
Frank Petillo, Middletown, weighed a pair of stripers — 41.12 and 32 pounds — at Julian's Bait and Tackle, Atlantic Highlands. The fish were caught in the surf on poppers.
Art Maihack, Brick, weighed a 12-pound, 13-ounce striper at T & A Tackle & Huntin', Middletown. The fish was caught on a bunker at Romer Shoal. Jerry Hewlitt, 6, Lumberton, fished with his father off Keansburg, and caught a 12-pound, 10-ounce bluefish.
Frank LaValie and party, Hoboken, caught over 75 ling and sea bass while fishing on Capt. Richard Van Reed's Judith Anne out of Morgan. Teddy Polichak, Hoboken, was high hook with 20 ling and sea bass.
Bryan Haenik, Brick, caught a 14-pound striped bass on clams in the Mantoloking surf, and weighed in at Pell's Fish and Sport, Brick. Tommy Kilgannon of Pell's said Bobby Lasale, Brick, came in with a pair of 5-pound fluke.
Tim Dwyer, Brick, stopped at Pell's with a 45 1/2-pound striper he caught on a bunker spoon while aboard Capt. John Mullen's Left Hook. Mike Viglove, Brick, caught a 37-pound bass on a bunker spoon, and Brian Wnorowski, Brick, came in with a 27-pound bass he caught off Normandy Beach.
Jeff Lunn and Andrew Ragatti, both of Brick, hit the bass on bunkers, and the former landed a 49-pound bass. Steve West, Brick, had a 35-pounder off Seaside.
Tom Holland and John Bow, both of New York, N.Y., caught 18 keeper sea bass and 20 ling on Capt. Francis Bogan's Paramount out of Bogan's Basin, Brielle.
Fishing for blues is best it has been in decades
June 29, 2008
Party boat captains who target bluefish are claiming that the action this week was comparable to the best of the fishing in the 1970s and 1980s.
The fish average from 6 to 12 pounds, will hit bait or jigs, and are only a few miles from Manasquan and Shark River inlets.
Capt. Bob Pennington, whose Sea Devil docks in Point Pleasant Beach, said there are no signs of the excellent fishing diminishing or moving.
"Bluefishing couldn't be any better," he said. "It's tremendous fishing. Even beginners have no trouble catching the limit."
Pennington said the blues are feeding on anchovies, and they move a little south or a little north every day, but are easy to locate.
Cindy Pennington was in on the action, and caught and released far more than her limit.
"Super fishing," was the way Capt. Len Forsyth of the Miss Belmar Princess, Belmar, described the action.
"It's right outside our inlet," he added. "And there are bass mixed with the bluefish. Michael Keating, 15, of Howell was out, and he won the pool with a 30-pound striped bass."
Capt. Howard Bogan Jr., Jamaica, Brielle, said the great fishing for blues can be found days and nights.
"There were massive schools of bluefish just a short distance from the inlet that were feeding on anchovies and bunker," he said. "Jigging was the best method, and limit catches were made by many aboard."
Bogan said he got into striped bass up to 34 pounds on one trip, and they were all caught on jigs. Bob Watts had two bass to 30 pounds and 15 bluefish.
Bogan said the night fishing has been good 13 to 16 miles ESE of Manasquan Inlet with the fish weighing from 6 to 12 pounds. Bob Kuntz, Manchester, had a 34-pound bass, and Billy Grant, Cherry Hill, had a 13-pound bluefish.
Capt. Carmine Monaco, Lucky Carm II, Keyport, said he had the Conte family out, and Nicholas Conte, 6, landed a 10-pound bluefish. Patricia Conte caught a couple of keeper fluke.
Capt. Tom Buban, Atlantic Star, Atlantic Highlands, said he continues to pick some keeper fluke over a wide area. Larry Clark, Hazlet, had an 8-pound, 7-ounce fluke on one of Thursday's trips.
Capt. John Draper, P.C. Queen, Morgan, said he has been fishing the Raritan Reach walls and Sandy Hook Channel on the change of tide.
The drift died on one trip, and he was forced to power-drift to add some movement.
"The drift was so slow that people onboard were using half-ounce Spros and hooking up," he said. "Those fishing Spros on the bottom with a teaser above with spearing did better than single-hook rigs," he added.
Draper said he will make special "take a kid fishing trips" Sundays beginning July 6.
Frank Petillo, Middletown, weighed a pair of stripers — 41.12 and 32 pounds — at Julian's Bait and Tackle, Atlantic Highlands. The fish were caught in the surf on poppers.
Art Maihack, Brick, weighed a 12-pound, 13-ounce striper at T & A Tackle & Huntin', Middletown. The fish was caught on a bunker at Romer Shoal. Jerry Hewlitt, 6, Lumberton, fished with his father off Keansburg, and caught a 12-pound, 10-ounce bluefish.
Frank LaValie and party, Hoboken, caught over 75 ling and sea bass while fishing on Capt. Richard Van Reed's Judith Anne out of Morgan. Teddy Polichak, Hoboken, was high hook with 20 ling and sea bass.
Bryan Haenik, Brick, caught a 14-pound striped bass on clams in the Mantoloking surf, and weighed in at Pell's Fish and Sport, Brick. Tommy Kilgannon of Pell's said Bobby Lasale, Brick, came in with a pair of 5-pound fluke.
Tim Dwyer, Brick, stopped at Pell's with a 45 1/2-pound striper he caught on a bunker spoon while aboard Capt. John Mullen's Left Hook. Mike Viglove, Brick, caught a 37-pound bass on a bunker spoon, and Brian Wnorowski, Brick, came in with a 27-pound bass he caught off Normandy Beach.
Jeff Lunn and Andrew Ragatti, both of Brick, hit the bass on bunkers, and the former landed a 49-pound bass. Steve West, Brick, had a 35-pounder off Seaside.
Tom Holland and John Bow, both of New York, N.Y., caught 18 keeper sea bass and 20 ling on Capt. Francis Bogan's Paramount out of Bogan's Basin, Brielle.