Safety First, then catch fish.
There was an accident this week. It cost the life of one local angler. An on-water collision between a small boat, anchored up, and a large center console that was running. Those are really the only details that have been released so far, but for our purpose, it is enough. For all of those involved, clearly a personal tragedy. For the rest of us, maybe a wake-up call that will stick.
Particularly this time of year, when there are so few on the water, exercising a little extra caution makes all the sense in the world. Remove the summertime gridlock boat traffic that normally keeps your eagle eyes focused and stir in a little mind-chilling cold and you have scripted a recipe that requires an even higher level of focus.
Take navigation out of the picture for a second, just to let in all of our beach guys, jetty jocks, back-bay bums and sod-bank stompers, and spin the wheel on one of the sneakiest potential robber of your common sense; mild hypothermia.
Spending extended time in the cold and not being properly insulated can drop your body temperature down to the 95-degree magic number and then the fun begins. Chills, impaired judgement, tingling in extremities, stiff feet, tense muscles, and in many cases an adamant denial that there is anything wrong with you. Get a little wet, have a beer or two, the onset accelerates at an exponential pace. Think it can’t happen to you? Odds are that if you do prolonged outdoor activity in the wintertime, you have already been close, or had a moderate dose.
Anybody remember Sargent Phil Esterhaus from Hill Street Blues? Hey…. let’s be careful out there.
Let’s go fishing!
It looks like we are going to actually get two weekends back-to-back where if you left your boat in, or have a buddy that did, you are going On The Water! I’d also suggest that if you are looking to jump on a Head boat anywhere that you stop reading this report immediately, snap over to our sponsors page, and make your reservation ASAP. It’s going to nice, and there are more fisherman than slots on the good boats. Temps in the low 50s, 2- to 3-foot seas, and the stripers and blackfish are both chewing.
Need confirmation? Just dial up Capt. Chris on the new Big Mohawk out of Belmar. Fishing was great on Wednesday (they leave the dock at 7 am) with an 11-pound Blackfish coming over the rail. Just in case you want to stack the deck, Chris usually has white-leggers on board for purchase. Call at 732-974-9606.
Our other Chris, from Harrys Army Navy in Robbinsville tells us his guys are crushing them right now. The boats are doing bigger stripers than the guys on the beach, but fish are being caught in Deal, Bradley Beach, Manasquan… you name it. Trolling from the boats in deeper water is the ticket while the sand-stompers and jetty jumpers are plugging up their fish. The back of the Manasquan jetty has produced. Access is an issue in many places but there are more and more locations going to a 6 am to 6 pm curfew as opposed to the lock-out we were dealing with.
Dominick at The Bait Shop is trying to keep a smile on but it is getting tougher every day. He has been weighing in some bass from his crew from the Bradley Beach Surfcasters like the two from Jim Adam and Joe O’Brian, but access in his area is a real problem. Dom’s got what you need from a bait and tackle standpoint and he will hook you up wit the latest info. Buzz him at 732-361-8500 and then go buy something. It really will make a difference.
HOT, HOT, HOT news from Dave at the Reel Seat in Brielle. Hot Tuna. Big Bluefin. A 73-, 80- and 85-inch fish were taken out by the Hudson, and anglers are headed back this weekend to lock up with some giants. Add into the equation that Dave is a junkie when it comes to tile fishing, and you understand why being dialed in with him is a real good idea if offshore is part of your deal. Be sure to check out his brand new line of dedicated custom tilefish rods when you go in. Also in the Reel Seat “new” department is a big shipment of those hot new Diawa SP Minnows in the new colors everyone is searching for. Blackfishing this weekend? Live green crabs in stock.
Hello Red Bank! Max and the boys at Pride Bait and Tackle are are kickin’ bass and takin’ names. On the beach fish in the small to moderate range are jumping teasers. If you go, you need to tie one on before you throw. Trolling in deeper water is yielding bigger bass and there are some areas you can carpet bomb with jigs, they are just tough to nail down. Max did a little blackfishing himself this week and there were big fish coming over the rail. Pool winner was a 12-pounder with lots of 5- and 6-pounders mixed in. For beaches open in the area, give him a buzz at 732-383-8198, and be sure to check out the shop’s charity event.
Hey, let’s throw in a little sidebar here. No matter how enthusiastic they are about the fishing in their areas, ALL of our guys are still jammed up in the wake of Sandy. This especially applies to the ones right down by the water’s edge that got hammered in their businesses and homes as well. You can have all the best intentions in the world. Maybe you texted in a $10 donation for the 12-12-12 Concert Thursday night or dropped off some canned goods at the Food Bank. But if you really want to make an impact on someone that really has your back for your lifelong sport, get in your truck and go do a little Holiday Shopping at your favorite tackle shop. Seriously guys, our team needs the business right now and your help is about the only real help they are going to get. Pony up, grab the charge card, visit the shops.
Best bet for this weekend, and wow, there are options!
Inshore boaters should gear up for both blackfish and stripers and make a mixed day out of it. If you are bringing crabs along, buy an extra dozen as there are lots of shorts mixed in and it is tough to get a bait delivery when you already tied up to the wreck. If you have an offshore ride, this might just be your last chance to see a canyon tuna or tile, so you may want to pull the trigger and run those big girls one last time before thinking about bubblers and shrink wrap. Beachin’ it? Throw teasers, catch fish.
I’m running a Blackfish/Striper combo trip on Saturday down south out of Margate just to make sure there is meat in the boat. If the seas stay calm, it looks like a Monday shot for tiles and tuna out at the canyons
It’s a “go” weekend! Go fishing, go shopping at our guys stores, and..
Stay Tuna-ed!