New Jersey Fishing Report 1-9-2014

This is our first week back after a little Holiday vacation so a Happy and Healthy New Year to all of you from Mike Shipton and I. We will be alternating weeks for the balance of the winter to gather as much information as is around to keep you dialed in on what is going on, on the water.

Personally, I have been working on a whole new file folder full of “It’s so cold…” jokes, but even I am tired of listening to them after this week. By the way, the next person that calls me from Florida, Costa Rica, or Mexico and says “cold enough for you” might just get clocked the minute they come back home.

Just before the bottom fell out early this week I finally ran the FmTuna over to get pulled out of the water. Some of the last blackfish trips were solid with decent numbers and size coming over the rail, but on an open boat in these conditions, the end was not such a bad idea.

It is good to know that there are still options available for the truly hardcore. Several of our network of headboats are still working the bottom and making their fares very happy in the cooler department, however, there is a big hole in the effort with black sea bass being closed as of the end of the year. My fingers are twitching on my keyboard to go on a rage about this. Anyone that took a run for sea bass in December knows that are a bazillion of them out there on the deepwater rocks and wrecks and having it shut down, is a tough pill to swallow this time of year. We had a few extra weeks in the beginning of 2013 and it really made a difference for our tackle shop owners and the guys that keep the big boats in the water. There was lots of chatter last year about how keeping it open was a great idea in the immediate Post-Sandy economy to help get by, but do any of those people really believe that it wouldn’t be just as helpful 12 months later? Are any small fishing businesses in NJ really recovered from what happened a year ago? We may be open, but recovered we are not. I suppose if there is no “Press” in it for the politicos, then it is not worth doing.

Gears have shifted on the salt side to chase pollock, cod, porgies, blackfish and mackerel as the remaining striper population moves to their winter grounds further south. Getting your layers together is the smart way to prep for this kind of outdoor exposure even though many of our network of Head boats offer some relief from the elements.

The sea conditions are building after a pretty calm Thursday and Friday so before making plans you might want to keep an eye on the every changing forecast.

With a nice, heated cabin, the 90-foot Gambler out of Point Pleasant is running for macks when the conditions allow. The Captains, Bob and Mike Bogan, will run whenever the conditions allow through the month, but please be sure to ring before you run over. 732-295-7569 or shoot Tara an email at tara@gamblerfishing.net.

Capt. Chris on the Big Mohawk is hanging tough with high expectations to get out later this week once the wind dies down. Bottom fishing was not great when they could get out last week due to the churned up, cloudy water, but it has been settling down. 732-974-9606 or hit their Facebook page for the latest pics and reports.Facebook.com/BigMohawkPartyBoat

The Miss Belmar Princess has mackerel on the schedule for Friday and the weekend. These are 7AM-2:30P trips. Capt. Alan Shinn at the helm. As with any winter time adventure, a phone call ahead always makes sense. 732-681-6866 or shoot an email to missbelmar@aol.com. Anybody not on Facebook these days? Facebook.com/MissBelmarPrincess

If you can’t bring yourself to jump aboard this weekend, or it actually does blow up to uncomfortable seas, it does not mean that you cannot hop in the truck and check out the first of many off season outdoor extravaganzas. The Garden State Outdoor Sport Show kicks off Thursday, January 9th at the NJ Convention and Expo Center in Edison. The show runs through Sunday and has both hunting and fishing on the agenda. Lots of demos and seminars on the schedule to help you figure out how to nail that big buck, big bass, or big new gear purchase. The Garden State Deer Classic is always a part of this Expo if you want to see some of the really big whitetails that were taken last year and talk to the hunters that got them.

If you want to bend a rod this weekend, the best bet just might be going ultralight and taking a shot at what seems to be a pretty darn good start at winter perching. This past week’s freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw has screwed things up just enough for ice fisherman to take extra care in pulling your sled out but those tasty little swimming fried fish fillets are still chewing. Gulp Grubs are not a bad idea with so many places taking the week off due to the cold weather.

Personally, I’ll be trying to reduce the overhead pile of stuff I pulled off the boat that is sitting in the middle of the garage that my wife keeps whining about. Normally I’d let it go until I get truly motivated but she is my wife and hey… it’s cold outside.

Stay Tuna-ed!