REPORTS OF RIVER, BAY AND OCEAN FISHING

Striper fishing is steady w/ clams and trolling. Blackfish is condition sensitive but nobody is getting skunked. The "Elaine B 2" had a great day yesterday as the conditions were perfect. Most limited out.

Biggest Striped Bass Of The Season

Louis Feniger of Long Branch took a solid lead in the Giglio's Tackle yearly striped-bass-from-the-beach contest yesterday when he brought a 38-pounder to that Sea Bright shop after hooking it on a clam at Sandy Hook.

Ernie Giglio said that bass, which also is by far the largest reported from the state so far this year, pushed back a 24-pounder plugged in the surf Tuesday by Duane Mirro of Old Bridge.

Capt. Pete Wagner has been working the bay stripers harder than anyone with his Hyper Striper from Highlands, but can't seem to get two good days in a row. However, he got lucky Sunday when the flounder fishing at Romer Shoal was so poor that the Mike Salum party from Sayreville agreed to try clamming bass on the late morning ebb. Not only did they pick 11 keepers, but one was by far Wagner's largest so far -- a 37.56-pounder boated by Steve Gazeko and weighed at Julian's Tackle in Atlantic Highlands along with another of 19½ pounds.

However, that same area produced only a single bass on the flood yesterday morning. Jimmy Morenz, who's mating for Wagner, said they picked 10 more bass during the afternoon ebb.

Bahrs.com reports:

Anglers:            STEVEN SIMON
_Bait:               BUNKER CHUNKS
_Date:               04-12-2002
_Depth:              10FT.
_Size:               19LBS 12OZ
_Water:              47
_bname:             
_email:              SANDSPIKE5@COMCAST.NET
_location:           RARITAN BAY
_meth:               BAIT
_species:            Striped Bass

Atlantic Highlands Reports:
The Sea Fox switched to daily striper fishing yesterday, but will not be sailing tomorrow due to Coast Guard inspection. Capt. Mike Yuro Sr. will be running magic hours striper trips from Friday through Sunday from 3:30 to 9 p.m. -- and then Wednesdays through Sundays starting next week. He'll be assisted by his son, Capt. Mike Yuro Jr. Bottom fishing over the weekend was decent despite the swell, with blacks up to 10 pounds plus ling and even up to a dozen whiting from spikes to mediums per man.

Capt. Scotty Hilliard had good bottom fishing Thursday with his Prowler V at both Scotland for blackfish and further off for ling. Murph Kilgallon of South Hackensack took the pool with an 8 ¼-pound black. The weekend also produced good catches, though yesterday was slower due to a heave. Hilliard said he's been finding bigger tautog out in 125 feet along with ling, whiting and lots of mackerel, though a last drop yesterday on a favorite piece at 17 Fathoms resulted in only two short tog. Prowler V begins magic hours striper trips Friday through Sunday from 3:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Capt. George Bachert said Saturday's swell slowed ling action at Scotland and he had to run out to deeper waters at New Grounds and 17 Fathoms for ling plus some mackerel on the Fishermen. Jimmy Boyle of Garwood won the pool with a 9-pound cod.

Capt. Tom Buban has been picking at flounders during half-day trips of his Atlantic Star. Many of the flounders caught in the bay are large, and catches Saturday ranged up to seven as he worked the Ammo Pier and the west side of Romer Shoal where only a few shorts were mixed in.

May 1st 2002

 

This past week saw cooler than normal temps. The charter boat captains were getting a little worried with the warm weather last week and the negative effect it usually has on the striper fishery. The stripers cooperated for John Matteucci, Greg Snack, and Tom Johnson early last week. They Limited out on stripers the two biggest were 29 lbs and 30.5lbs

Bluefish are back both in the rivers and Bays!