Spetember 2001

September 26, 2001

This past weekend was a nice end to the summer. The weather was pleasant and the fishing was superb.

Chumming for blues after a brief break is now decent asagain at the Srewsbury Rocks. Some nice stripers are being taken at the "Rip" the biggest a 22lbs by John Hayes on Monday morning on worms. Also on worms Rich Chevalier of Highlands had 20 + bass under the Highlands bridge on Monday Evening on the outgoing tide. He had the whole river to himself as they were mostly shorts a few looked like slot fish. He seemed to be hooked up on every drift.

KKat Charter Reports

The Dan Rubano party from NYC started the day with a Mudhole troll. After 3 hours without a hit, we decided to go bluefishing. Not encouraged by reports of slow fishing by the fleets at the usual spots, we anchored up on our own offshore of the Snake, and soon had very good fishing. One bonito spiced the catch.

The Joe DuPont party party from Highlands left the dock in search of Weakfish, but called the day short on account of high winds and steady rain.

The Mike Yaniak party had very good weakfishing with perfect condtions, a steady north-northeast wind blowing us across the Reach channel.

The Jerry Noll party from PA had excellent weakfishing, with plenty of Porgies to spice the catch.

The Hyper Striper Tuna Trip

Capt Pete Wagner came back on Friday from the Texas Tower area with 4 medium bluefin and one dusky shark.

Party Boats

The Elaine B is now sailing for Sea bass,Porgies and Blackfish. The Sea bass
and Porgy fishing has been excellent.Sea bass up to 3lbs. Jumbo Porgies,
with quite a few limits on both species. We also have been catching some
Blackfish but we are concentrating on the other 2 species. This is the best
sea bass and porgy fishing I've seen in many years.

Capt. Stan

At Atlantic Highlands, Capt. Tom Buban said patronage has been light but fishing for weakfish and porgies is very good on his Atlantic Star in Raritan Reach.

The Sea Fox had most anglers limited out on weakfish Thursday. That boat will not sail Friday's ling marathon since they'll be out in the canyon.

Capt. Ed Bunting Jr. said this was the best week of the year for weakfishing with many limits on his Sea Horse while most customers catch six to eight plus porgies. Some manage 35 to 40 porgies on worms, and a few croakers have also been caught. Michael Murphy Killagan of Hackensack boated a 7-pound weak.

Capt. Art Hilliard of the Eagle reported last Saturday produced decent weakfishing in Raritan Reach for Anglers and Hunters Association. The 56 legal weaks ran up to a 4.1-pounder by Mike Kastner of Belleville. There was fair weakfishing that evening in Ammo Pier Channel plus some porgies as Chris Chin of Tappen, N.Y. had the largest at 4.3 pounds. Raritan Reach was good Sunday for Garden State Brickface Co. until too much boat traffic developed. Stanley Koberski of Rahway boated a 4.8-pound weak. Tuesday's weakfishing in the Reach was best around Buoy 10 when pockets of fish were encountered. John Lewandowski of Toms River managed a limit, and David McCormick of Elizabeth boated a 4 1/2-pounder.

NJ Fishing News

The 10th annual Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament will be held Sunday, Oct. 7 at Island Beach State Park from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Over 1,240 anglers competed for a host of prizes ranging up to the Governor's Cup last fall. This contest has funded various projects at the park including purchase of an automatic heart defibrillator which is the first at any N.J. state park. Special arrangements are available for disabled anglers to fish from balloon tire beach wheelchairs which were also provided with tournament funds. The handicapped should contact Greg Kucharewski at 732 840-9197. Entry forms are available in the free Jersey Coast Anglers Association newsletter available in many tackle shops or by downloading the form from the JCAA web site at http://www.JCAA.org. Fluke have been the the most common species for the Governor's Tournament the last few years, but those fish will not be eligible this time because the season is closed.

The N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife will the conduct a surf fishing seminar for women on Oct. 6, the day before the tournament. For information contact the Division at 908 637-4125.

The JCAA Sportsperson of the Year Dinner will be held Sunday, Oct. 28 from 4:30-8:30 p.m. at Crystal Point Yacht Club, Rt. 70 and River Rd., Point Pleasant. Senator Jon Corzine is the featured speaker. The $60 tickets include a full dinner and door prizes plus a DJ for dancing. For tickets contact Tom Siciliano at 201 573-6363 or Al Marantz at 732 280-2643.

Happy labor Day!! Summer Ends September 23rd. Make it last!

Tuna

Bill Stavola was the first to hit the dock this weekend with Tuna. He braved the early weekend winds and did another overnighter in his 26 ft Regulator "Squid Hound". He had 9 yellowfins ion the first hour at the Canyon. (see photo)

Capt. Pete Wagner was in on that Monday night canyon bite, though it didn't get hot for the Darren Cardinal party on his Hyper Striper from Highlands until 2 a.m. After that it was solid 90-to-100-pound yellowfins as they ended up with 24 before albacore started breaking all around the boat at dawn with six being jigged and others released on baited circle hooks in the slick before Wagner started back at 6:30. Weakfishing has been excellent in the bay, with limits of seatrout up to 18 inches being routine along with a bigger fish most trips. The Scott Okal party from Brick had a 4-pounder Thursday and other limits at the end of the week were posted by parties led by Rick Davidson of Middletown, Fred Orsita, and Joe Balvano of Nutley. The rough northeast sea caused Wagner to scrub Sunday's Mud Hole trolling trip, but the Jim Finally group from Trenton caught five bonito right away at the Mud Buoy, though it was strictly blues after that and they took awhile to turn on.

Bill Demott on the "Heavy Metal" had 5 up to 100lbs. Jerry Brager on the "Georgia Peach" also had 5.

Fluke

Driving home late Saturday night as I was crossing the Sea Bright Rumson Bridge I witnessed a young guy carrying a large fish up from under the Rumson side. He was carrying along with his rod a large fish which at first I thought was a bluefish. After I slowed down I could plainly see the white side of a very large fluke. Not known to bite at night this fluke took a live snapper bait on the beginning of the outgoing tide. I was shocked but now remember it was a full moon and anything can happen.

At Atlantic Highlands, Danielle Zammitt of Belford weighed a 9.2-pound fluke Monday at Julian's Tackle after catching it on spearing and squid in Sandy Hook Channel. Gary Maimone of Asbury Park weighed a 7.46-pound fluke he caught Friday on squid in Sandy Hook Channel.

Bluefish

George on the "Pub 199" has made a few a trips to the Mud buoy for Gator size blues. He has been having a ball chumming with butterfish and bunker chum. Up to 14 pounds.
Capt. Glen Hilliard said Sunday evening bluefishing at the Mud Buoy was outstanding and a cobia in the 30-pound class was also caught on Prowler V. Recent fluke pool winners include Steve Hercdegh of Spotswood with a 7-pounder; Samantha Ingallinesi (13) of Pompton Lakes, 51/2 pounds; Bob Benson of Lake Tranquility, 51/4 pounds; John Momchin of Hazlet, 5 pounds; Nicole Morris of Newton, Pa., 6 3/8 pounds; and a 7-pounder for Norman Lanchart of New Milford. Cliff Stahl of CBS caught a 60-pound mako during a recent night trip.

Weakfish

Fishing in the Sandy Hook area is holding up very well. Weakfish in Raritan bay, fluking in the depths of Sandy Hook and Ambrose channels, and porgy fishing on the rough bottom are all producing very well. Good catches this week for the Dan Buchan, Kurt Franhien, Dave Schreckenstien, Mike Tobin, Ron Jarabek, David Lazarus, Michael Boris, Ralph Petricone, Alberto Cassis, Julio Rosas, and Clint Brooks parties.