I have been On The Water for the last 10 days straight, but not in our neighborhood – in the Mediterranean for the Admiral’s birthday on a really cool cruise ship. But unfortunately after running the phone lines ragged for the last couple hours to get together our Intel for this week’s report, it looks like I did not miss too much.
We do have a couple of hot items to keep you in the loop on this week. After being sidelined for almost two months, the wreck-rockers are gearing up for their hottest time of the year. The sea bass season reopens on November 1st with a 25 per man limit, followed closely on the 16th of the month with the long-awaited bump up on the blackfish bag limit to a reasonable 4 per man.
If blackfish (or tog, depending on which side of LBI you live) is your primary goal, a little phone work in advance is a wise suggestion. There has been a shortage of green crabs in shops up and down the coast with bait supply houses promising many and delivering few. With the bump up just two weeks off, stockpiling a pen full can make a big difference for everyone on board your boat. I can tell you that those that have been fishing Tog the last couple weeks have been hammering them… there is no shortage, so get your stash together.
Up and down the coast of the Garden State everyone is playing the waiting game on the Fall striper run – it simply has not kicked into gear yet. Yes, there are a few nice bass being taken on eels at night, and the resident fish in many areas are taking a pounding as fishermen and women are chomping at the bit for the action to begin. Let’s face it, the water temperature is just not in the zone yet, just too darn warm. There have been some major bluefish blitzes blasting the plentiful bait that has been very cooperative, laying just off the beaches, but “Game On” it is not. There have been some bass caught in with the blues on the bait schools, according to Dave at The Reel Seat in Brielle, but we are not there yet. In fact, the guys up at Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom are still sending guys out with bloodworms to hammer the kingfish! Somebody needs to publish a calendar that fish can read.
In Brigantine, Capt. Andy at Riptide Bait & Tackle is ready for the stripers with great deals on eels if you are willing to buy more than a day’s worth. The Kingfish are still on the menu and there have been smaller bluefish in the surf, but everyone knows that is now just a matter of days or a slight wind shift that will trigger the action we have all been waiting for.
Team Tackle Direct made another excursion out to the canyons when the weather window opened this past week and although the tuna bite was slow, the tilefish were not being shy for those that were willing to crank hard for their dinner. Weighed in a day after being caught, a 42-pound golden tile hit the dock that probably weighed a couple more when actually caught. Now there is some fine eating that was just a few pounds off a state record. Tackle Direct’s new World Headquarters/Superstore is going to opening before the holiday season so keep an eye right here for the date and festivities planned… the place is as big as a car dealership!
There have been some promising reports of stripers starting to get the feedbag on bunker chunks down in the Delaware Bay. Several of the local charter guys have started hanging in their usual secret shoals (that can been seen from just about anywhere) and putting a catch together. Touch base with Rusty or Chuck at Off the Hook in Cape May.
Best bet for this weekend is going to be a little iffy to say the least. 25 to 30 knot. winds and 4- to 7-foot seas might keep your boat in the slip unless you can find a protected spot in the back to go togging. The good news for surf guys is that the wind is going to be north-northwest, so that’s where I will be, hoping to be able to get that extra 20 feet on my cast to reach the boiling water that makes my Van Staal sing!
Stay Tuna-ed!