Wish all you want but there’s just not a lot happening on the fishing front. Thursday’s snowstorm did little to help the situation.
Only a few boats continue to sail and, while they continue to find fish, the bite is a pick at best.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said it’s very quiet there with only a few customers coming in during the last week.
The only party boat still sailing out of Atlantic Highlands is the Prowler 5 and Capt. Scott Hilliard said his last trip out was on Sunday.
They fished a wreck in about 110 feet of water and he said the fishing wasn’t great. A keeper cod took the pool and there were a load of near-keeper tog caught as well. Eels were the only plentiful species.
Capt. Bobby Quinn on the Ocean Explorer out of Belmar sails all year long and he reported Tuesday’s trip was made on calm waters with some tog coming aboard. High hook had three keepers.
The Big Jamaica sailed offshore on Saturday out of Bogan’s Basin in Brielle and Capt. Howard Bogan reported some good fishing for jumbo porgies.
A few anglers came close to their limit and some ling were caught as well.
Brian Stensland at Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said there was nothing going on there fishing-wise, but he’s been busy with new inventory and getting ready for the upcoming outdoor shows and the spring.
Capt. Matt Sosnowski on the Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach sailed over the weekend and found the fishing tough both days.
A couple of keeper tog came aboard on Saturday and there were some short fish taken, but overall it was disappointing. Sunday wasn’t any better as Capt. Sosnowski reported it was a struggle all day with not a lot of bites. He’s not ready to throw in the towel just yet as blackfish season is open until the end of the month and he’ll be sailing next weekend.
John Bushell at Betty and Nick’s in Seaside Park said it’s all quiet at the shop with just a few customers popping in. He did say he was getting ready for Surf Day, hosted by the Jersey Shore Surfcasters, that will take place at Brookdale Community College on Saturday, Feb. 18.
Not much has changed on the freshwater side since last week either.
Jeff at Fins & Furs in Newfoundland said no ice means no fishermen. One customer, who was ice fishing weeks ago, came into the shop for shiners and was now heading out on his boat.
Right now, most of the real action is taking place off the water as the battle to save New Jersey’s fluke season is underway.
Despite impassioned pleas from NJ DEP Commissioner Bob Martin to maintain the status quo for New Jersey’s fluke regulations for the upcoming season, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted in favor of Option 5 at last week’s meeting in Alexandria, Va.
The approved option calls for a one-inch size increase nearly coastwide with a reduction in the bag limit to four fish or less. For New Jersey, it means a size limit of 19 inches with a bag limit of three fish and a 128-day season.
Oddly enough, that drastic cut may not be enough to satisfy the 41 percent reduction set by NOAA fisheries and might fall short of the standards set by the ASMFC Technical Committee.
If those standards aren’t met, there is a default option floating around that would impose a 20-inch size limit with a two-fish limit and a season that starts on July 1 and ends on Aug. 31.
We can only pray it doesn’t come to that.
At a rally held in late January in Point Pleasant Beach, Commissioner Martin, New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone and organizations like the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund, the RFA and the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance pledged they will continue to work to ensure there is a fluke season that keeps the charter and party boats in business, bait and tackle shops open and marinas operating.
At this point, it’s a tall order
One avenue of relief might be the new administration. Since President Trump has put a hold on any new regulations until they can be reviewed by his appointees – in the this case the new Secretary of Commerce – the proposed changes may not go into effect.
There are also rumblings that New Jersey will go out of compliance rather than fish under a plan that will most certainly hurt the 2017 fluke season.
Stay tuned. It looks like it’s going to be a bumpy ride until opening day.
Fishing Forecast for New Jersey
Temperatures are headed close to 50 degrees for the weekend, so an offshore trip for tog, porgies, cod or ling is an option. There will still be some snow around so staying indoors is another. The Hi-Mar Striper Club will be holding its annual Flea Market and Seminar Series this Saturday at VFW Post 2179 in Port Monmouth on Route 36. Doors open at 8 a.m. and admission is $5. The Palmyra Fire Dept. will also be holding its annual flea market on Sunday at the Charles Street School, 100 Charles St., in Palmyra. Admission is $4 and doors open at 9 a.m. Early admission is $10 and doors open at 8 a.m.
If there is a problem with fluke size and numbers why would you want to hide your head in the sand and ignore it? Your fishing (business/income) will only get worse. Maybe its time to work together instead of constant denial.
I can only imagine that all of this is coming down to the salt water licence deal ,just like the commercial guys pay for it so they can keep much more smaller fish and stay in business, I f the salt water licence is past will the quota change as well?