Re: All about sandeels and needlefish
Update on sandeels....
I get intel from many trusted sources.
Some of it I can't post, and that will always be the case, as sources trust me in return.
However I wanted to update my previous comments on sandeels.
Since the hurricane I have been all over NJ and met some really great people. :HappyWave:
One such group was fishing the Sandy Hook area about 2 weeks before Sandy. They were catching very big blues that were spitting up sandeels.
They happened to have lobster fishermen in their family, always a great source for what is out there offshore, and may be important to guys who fish inshore and in the surf. They agreed that the sandeel presence this year, was nothing of the magnitude it was last year.
Nonetheless, the sandeels were around Sandy Hook, in limited quantities, sometime in October.
I want to document that here for accuracy.
These storms probably chased them far offshore.
I am still slightly optimistic that we may see some, but cautiously optimistic.
Re: All about sandeels and needlefish
Just a heads up that on Sunday we were on our way blackfishing and off the SRI buoy we marked small bait about 20 feet down. In the past those formations have been sand eels. I cannot say for sure if they were because we weren't fishing for bass. We did not see them per se. But they sure looked like sand eels to me by the marks on the finder.
Re: All about sandeels and needlefish
It amazes me how different the reports are from state to state. This spring we had them in Cape Cod bay, all sizes, from 2" to massive 12" ones that were almost as thick as the american eels.
Re: All about sandeels and needlefish
I agree Charlie it changes from year to year. This year it appears they are late to show up. I find that they don't like dirty water. The slate of bi-monthly storm systems we have had this spring could have kept them offshore.