NJ Bottom fishing and offshore reports
Folks, now is the time of year when many surfcasters cut back on the sport and tend to other interests. Families are important too. Some of us of have been neglecting them somewhat during the season, and it is now time to get back to reality. :)
For those of you who will be bottom fishing through the winter, there are quite a few capable party boats in NJ who will put you on fish. The blackfish season now allows more keepers, and there are tasty seabass, ling, and whiting available through the season.
As a thanks for those putting up NJ bottom fishing reports, I will give away one custom plug at the end of the season. The winner will be chosen via a random number program.
Remember, folks, the party and charter fleets are suffering through this bad economy as much as we all are. The days of full boats are limited to days around holidays and vacation days. Many anglers have cut back on their fishing. There is just not enough disposable income to go around.
Meanwhile, the fleets available to you, both commercial and private charters, are some of the best around. These captains and mates will work hard to put you into fish.
If you feel some of them do an exemplary job, please post a report detailing the time you had, so others can use their services as well. If you feel the trip was less than optimal, please be honest and tell us about that too. All the information is valuable to those who live far away and travel here for the fantastic (at times) bottom fishing.
Thank you to all members, new and existing, for your support and posts. :HappyWave: I wish all of you and your families a joyous Holiday season - bunkerjoe
Best cod fishing in a long time
Some of the Jersey boats are running to Montauk, This was in Ristori's column yesterday.
Best cod fishing in a long time
By Al Ristori
March 11, 2010, 9:17PM
Catches of cod by local party boats last weekend were the best since I started writing this column in 1984 — and they’re not coming from two-day trips to Block Island. Furthermore, large cod outnumbered shorts — and the volume of “cows” brought back memories of great trips many years ago to the Red Square wrecks off Long Island and on the Nantucket wrecks.
Unfortunately, after a week of beautiful conditions, stormy weather is predicted for the weekend, with gale warnings posted for Saturday. Check with captains to see if they’re sailing, and visit my blog for updates.
While not truly “local,” as was the relatively close-to-shore clam-bed cod fishing decades ago, these catches are coming from wrecks within range for daily trips on today’s fast party boats.
Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. called the Jamaica’s cod catch “the best of the century” when he returned Saturday to Brielle with about 300 cod plus a dozen pollock and some ling.
Those cod averaged 8-to-15 pounds, and ranged up to a 39-pounder boated by Dunbar Atkinson of Parlin.
It’s been a long time since a 30-pound cod wasn’t the largest aboard a Jersey party boat, but that’s what happened with the one hooked by John Petty of Piscataway.
Sunday’s trip to different wrecks didn’t produce as many cod, but those caught averaged larger at 10-to-18 pounds. James Sutter of Staten Island probably had the best individual cod catch brought into the state in recent memory when he not only won the pool with a 28-pounder, but added nine more from 15-to-24 pounds.
James Blushstein from Vineland had a bottom fisherman’s thrill of a lifetime when he boated a doubleheader of 20- and-25-pound pollock while adding six cod and some ling. Barry Young of Belmar bagged 10 cod, including six from 18-to-24 pounds. Chris Steinart totaled 10 cod, half of which were between 18 and 21 pounds.
The Jamaica has been sailing weekend trips to the NE wrecks at 11:30 p.m., the night before, but added a trip for Thursday that quickly filled up. Bogan said even wrecks that haven’t held cod in recent years are filling up with them, possibly due to the very cold ocean temperatures this winter. Call (732) 528-5014 for reservations.
Capt. Joe Bogan didn’t go as far with Jamaica II, but also had good cod action Saturday during his 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. trip. Frank Wisnowski of Old Bridge had five cod and eight ling.
Capt. Bobby Bogan had a pick of cod Saturday on his Gambler from Point Pleasant, with fares averaging about four keepers, though a pollock of over 30 pounds won the pool. On the way out Sunday he found a boat on the wreck he planned to fish, and kept going until he arrived at a 50-mile wreck that produced steady action with cod plus some pollock and big ling.
Dave Kottyra of Budd Lake won the pool with a pollock over 30 pounds. Dave Morck had cod of 10, 12 and 15 pounds plus eight ling. Bogan stayed late, and reported his mates were cleaning fish all the way back.
Nick Honachefsky of Normandy Beach was along on that trip, and reported the cod averaged 5-to-14 pounds. He caught three plus a 10-pound pollock. The Gambler sails daily at 7 a.m., with blackfish being the target from Monday to Wednesday, and cod from Thursday through Sunday.
Perhaps the best indication of the sudden infusion of cod that have been building up to the east comes from South Jersey, an area that hasn’t traditionally had any quantity of that species.
Tom Paglioroli, whose Rack & Fin radio show airs from 9 to 10 Saturday mornings on ESPN 97.3 FM, reports Capt. Al Crudele joined fellow skippers on a Sunday small boat trip out of Townsend’s Inlet to wrecks 23 and 28 miles offshore where the three anglers caught 28 cod, many of which were very small. Yet, there were 12 keepers up-to-12 pounds plus four blackfish to 6 pounds on clams.
Bruce Vitale of Piscataway, Mike Obuch from Bridgewater and Lou Truppi of Bushkill, Pa. drove up to New Bedford, Mass., for cod fishing Sunday aboard the catamaran party boat, Nice Day Too.
They were surprised when Capt. Ton Chan told them few cod would be caught before afternoon. That turned out to be the case as a big fleet in the Block Island area hardly caught a fish until the tide changed around 3 p.m.
Then there was a mob scene southwest of Cox’s Ledge as the fleet, including 11 party boats and 15 charters, made short drifts through a small area that produced lots of short cod under 22 inches, plus three or four keepers a man up to Vitale’s 12-pound pool winner. The key to catching them was a pink Sluggo tipped with clam. What attracted so many cod to such a small area was uncertain, as Vitale found nothing in the cod stomachs.
http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/fishin..._long_tim.html
Gambler has good tog catch
From Ristori's blog -
Big tog taken aboard the Gambler
By Al Ristori
April 07, 2010, 7:55PM
Capt. Boby Bogan reported the best blackfishing of the season so far on his Gambler from Point Pleasant. Many fares had their four-tog limits, and there were also quite a few cod ranging from shorts up to 24 inches. The blackfish ranged up to just over 12 pounds, but a tog an ounce under 15 pounds was boated a couple of days ago. Clams were more effective than crabs for the tog. Bogan was fishing wrecks in 130 feet, and has seen the water temperature shoot up from 42 to 50 degrees in a week. He'll be offshore codfishing Thursday, but on Monday will switch to a combination of tog and cod during daily trips.
Raritan Bay striper fishing was disappointing today, I Joined Tank Matraxia and Marty Gras from Lyndhurst on Capt. Lou Grazioso's Striper Mania from Keyport. Conditions were excellent for clamming during the morning ebb, but we never had a hit until the change of tide. Gras caught a 25-inch bass that got an ALS tag from Matraxia, and I started the season off right with a 31-inch bass.Then the SW wind started honking against the current -- and the bite was over. Capt. Pete Wagner wasn't out today with Hyper Striper from Highlands, but he said Tuesday's clamming was good.
Capt. Stan Zagleski has been picking away at winter flounder in Shrewsbury River with his Elaine B. from Highlands. He's doing best off The Quay and north of the bridge around slack tide. Two-flounder limits are common along with shorts.
Atlantic Star Golden tilefish trips Cape May
This came from another site, looks like they caught them up!:clapping:
Date postedhttp://www.noreast.com/images/blank.gifMay 10, 2010 3:06 PMhttp://www.noreast.com/images/blank.gif
Posted byhttp://www.noreast.com/images/blank.gifmikein http://www.noreast.com/images/blank.gif
Report locationhttp://www.noreast.com/images/blank.gifNew Jersey > Cape May/Delaware > Atlantic Starhttp://www.noreast.com/images/blank.gif
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Last Friday May 7th, 2010, Another good trip for Golden Tile Fish trip by Atlantic Star. The weather was very nice over 80 degrees temperature. 51 LB. beautiful golden tile fish caught by Kevin C. Feaster from P.A., won the pool. We caught about 60 Golden Tiles and about 120 nice Rose fishes.
Whole day, I tried jigging with Shimano Lucanus Jig. I think I was the first Golden Tile Fish catch by Lucanus Jig. I caught three Golden Tile fishes, 7 Blue fishes, and 10 geed sized Rose fishes all by Shimano Lucanus Jig.
A lot of people worry about using expensive jig (like Lucanus jig) that if they loose it by bed bottom? Over a year past, I used more than 20 full days using only Lucanus Jig, but I’ve never lost any by the bottom, because we use it different way.
If any one need more information use for Tile Fish and other kind fish for Lucanus Jig. Call or e-mail to me.
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Tog and triggerfish bonanza July 2010
Some people I know were out in July, hitting various reefs in the NJ/NY bight area.
They had a great day, getting blackfish of 16, 12, 11 lbs, and a mess of triggerfish and sea bass. Great fishin, they sent me these pics. Way to go, guys! :clapping: :thumbsup:
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mackeral are done until the spring
From Ristori's column
Capt. Jimmy Elliott of Miss Belmar Princess has wrapped up his winter mackerel season after having no more than a pick of small mackerel Saturday in the Mud Hole and even all the way out to the Glory Hole. He read some fish, but feels they're turned off in very cold waters -- and that's not likely to change for a long time.
Tips for optimal winter Montauk-to-Block Island Cod fishing
Friends have been making the trips regularly. Sometimes they do well, sometimes poorly. Hey, that's fishin! :fishing:
Some tips for possible better trips:
1. Weekdays are usually better. Rumors of a hot bite, even if untrue, will rail the boats on the weekends. This crowded fishing sometimes results in more problems and tangled fishing.
2. Limited trips - some Capts offer a stated limit of fares they will allow on the boat, for a slightly higher price. That my be a choice for some people on the days that tend to be most crowded.
3. Chum is key....stick with a boat known to use fresh clams, and a lot of chum. These trips ain't cheap, guys. $95-150. Choose your boat wisely.
4. Don't believe the hype - right now codfishing is good, but IMO it hasn't yet approached the legendary catches of the last 2 years since it was opened again. There are a lot of shorts caught. The big slobs aren't yet in the mix on a regular basis. Guys who are diligent and serious about it will usually get their limit. There are quite a few days even the best guys will do poorly, and only a small # of boats will be the heroes of the day.
This to me, says, that after only 2 years, there are perhaps less cod than was originally estimated.
I don't have the answers, and anyone else with a different opinion is welcome to weigh in.
5. Fish the snotty days... Some people I know feel that they have had their best days up there when the seas are at their worst, and the truly calm "bluebird days" have sucked so far in terms of a good bite. Anyone who had different experience than that, feel free to comment.
6. Go and have fun! :wheeeee: ....I'm not trying to be a downer about these trips. I just wish people would be more honest about them,, and the reality of good days vs the days that aren't that great. I understand Capts hyping the bite, they need people to come up and fish. Honestly, cod is the best game in town during the cold winter. :cool:
So, I hope people can appreciate that I'm just trying to be honest here, and want people to go out and catch em up! :HappyWave:
Anyone with any other tips to make a successful cod trip, feel free to post up. :thumbsup: :fishing:
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Stripers and Anglers cod trip to Rhode Island-
Tentative trip details -
I realize the biggest thing is coordinating to everyone's schedule. We're just gonna pick a weekend and go for it. Anyone who can't make it, that's OK, ya can catch us on the next trip.
-4th week of Feb, (Feb 26 or 27) hoping for a slightly unstable weather pattern (snotty seas)
- This week is tentative depending on the bite, but it's about time to nail something down.
- Day will be either Sat or Sun
- Those from NJ, we'll be leaving from NJ around 8pm. The drive to Rhody is about 4 hours. I think the boat leaves at 3am, so we want to get there early.
- Boat will be the Island Current, now out of Snug Harbor, RI
- Fare will be $95, I believe, plus tip for the mates.
- Needed: one conventional setup, spooled with 30-40#test, extra rigs, different sinklers, and different weight jigs
- xtra clothes, extra layers, thin fishing gloves
- coooler for cod, and food
- I have space for 2 extra guys in my car, but only one 100qt cooler.
- We'll meet up at a rest area on the Parkway for the initial staging area.
- We'll have to find some way to meet up with Mick and any guys further N, or we can all just meet at the boat. Whatever works for ya's, I'm easy. :)
Any more questions, feel free to PM or call me anytime.
