Flukin’ Awesome?

I have to admit, I am a little stunned.  Having one thing positive happen on the regulatory fishing front every six months or so, like the opening of black sea bass for January this past year, is almost more than I can handle.  Now that there has also been a change for the better on summer flounder, I’m almost speechless.

Here is the deal and you are going to like it, sort of.

New Jersey Anglers are being given an additional 11 fishing days on the back end of what was planned  for this year’s season, extending it to September 29th.  For our brothers just over the Northern border of our zone in the Empire State, the elusive 19.5-inch fluke is no longer the goal with the size limit coming down to 19 inches.

If you want to say thank you to someone, call one of your buddies in one of the East Coast states that did not overfish their quota last year (both NJ and NY overfished) as that is where the additional allocation is coming from.

Now before you start really jumping up and down, let me remind you that the original plan for this year was to rip 25 days out of our NJ season.  Last year we ran from May 5 – Sept 28 (146 days), and this year it is now May 18 – Sept. 27 (132 days) so we are still getting kicked in the aft, but just not with a steel toed work boot.  Truthfully, the back of my front is still stinging a little.

The general reasoning that is being given for the latest change is the impact Hurricane Sandy had on the area.  For being somewhat sensitive to the plight of our industry, I am grateful. I get to talk to all of the shop and charter guys each week and although I only relay fishing information to you, we always do some industry and business chat.  As you might imagine, with few exceptions, saying things are not financially good is a gross understatement. Some are hanging on by their fingernails, many fingernails have already been chewed off.

Being a Long Island boy by birth, my hereditary NY cynical streak has to remind you that both the sea bass and this summer flounder change are one shot deals.  This means the other shoe will drop in the near future and we will find out what both of these steps will cost us in the world of 2014 allocations.

Regardless, there is a little short term gratification coming, and I hope we get the weather and water we all wish for to take advantage of this… generosity?

Let’s see what our fishing spies around the State have to offer up this week.

Mark at Meltzer’s Sporting Goods is all cranked up over the flounder fishing, even though almost nobody is actually fishing for them!  Quite a few striper anglers throwing blood for linesiders are ending up with flatties for dinner instead and nobody is complaining!  Those targeting bigger bass on the bay are connecting as well with fish in the 20-pound range being brought to the scales.  These bigger fish are sporting fat bellies full of bunker that have been sighted in the bay and right out front.  Game on boys, take out the files and start touching up the hooks.

Fred up at Long Branch Bait and Tackle checks in with good news and bad news.  The good news is that there are a few keeper stripers coming in from the beachfront on fresh clams, the bad news is that the river has died.

From The Bait Shop, on the other hand, the news from Bradley Beach is all good!  Stripers on the beach are loving clams.  There have been weigh-ins of keepers on a fairly regular basis with water temps varying from 48 to 52 degrees.  No huge mamas but lots of shorts to play with and a few good dinners.  Lots of signs of life in the area with big bunker schools sighted in Raritan Bay and Gannets dive-bombing off of Bradley Beach itself this week.  Don’t know if it is bunker or herring out there since there are so few boats in the water to find out.  Thanks for the heads-up Dominick!

Things are starting to get equally as exciting with good vibes from Dave at The Reel Seat in Brielle.  Doing some jigging off of a herring school, one of Dave’s regulars  had bass up to 30 pounds south of the inlet, but there were reports of action north as well.  Let’s face it, the fish are finally on the move!  Up in northern Monmouth County, some of the usual wrecks in 60 to 70 feet of water are giving up blackfish up to 8 pounds (keep ‘em while you can, closing this month!) and some small cod.  Looks like no news on this year’s ling spawn as there have not really been any sightings yet.

Andy from Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reports that the beaches of LBI are seeing good action on short bass, mostly on fresh clam baits.  The causeway bridges are also holding small fish but in the back bloodworms seem to be the choice.  Andy has been seeing lots of bunker out front but no reports of fish of any size on them yet,  A few weakies way back by Forked River in the general vicinity of Oyster Creek but not in the the outflow.

Bumping down to Ocean City, Ed at Fin-Atics has that “I’m catchin!” lift in his voice again.  Lots of small bass being caught in the back channels of both GE and Corsons and even a few keepers off of the beach. The beach fish are taking clams which explains why there have been a few drum mixed in.  If you are not slinging bait, you need to pack yourself some of those bubblegum Zooms and small jig heads.  Ed can set you up and point you in the right direction.

Joe at Two Chums in Sea Isle (I don’t know if he is the first chum or the second), has the shop all re-done from the hurricane and it looks great.  On the info front the news is about the same that you are hearing from the rest in the region; small bass eating clams more than worms but still eating.  No news on crabs in the back yet, and there are rumors of a few weakies being caught.

I am going to come flat out and say it…. GAME ON!

Unless you are one of those anglers that waits until you have no shot of not catching, it is time to get wet.  By Monday morning you should either smell like clams, have a few little scars in your fingertips where those blood-suckin’ worms nailed you, or at least a couple braid cuts in the fleshy part of your fingers.  It really is time to fish!

Best Bet this weekend is to target some schoolie stripers and maybe hit the jackpot.  If you want to increase the odds, take a quick evening trip to the causeways or bridges at dark.  If the tide is low or just starting to move you are in even better position.  If you are floating and mid-state or north, get on some of those bunker schools and start beating them like a rented mule.

Congratulations.  You lived through another really lousy New Jersey Winter.  Let’s get out there and try and forget about it as fast as possible!

Stay Tuna-ed!