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Hooking Up Anglers Since 2011.
Not only is the canyon fishing season coming to an end, but the action out there has never been better this year. Albacore have often been encountered in such quantity that boats leave them, and yellowfin tuna have been hitting chunks at night along with some swordfish. At Point Pleasant, Adam La Rosa says canyon fishing has been the best...
Not only is the canyon fishing season coming to an end, but the action out there has never been better this year. Albacore have often been encountered in such quantity that boats leave them, and yellowfin tuna have been hitting chunks at night along with some swordfish.
At Point Pleasant, Adam La Rosa says canyon fishing has been the best in four years. The two Canyon Runner boats in seven trips caught over 400 tuna chunking and trolling plus 12 swordfish and a 211-pound bigeye. The last open boat reservation is available for Oct. 9-10, before they end their canyon season on Oct. 11. Call (732) 272-4445.
Capt. Jeff Gutman has been catching yellowfins up to 80 pounds, albacore to 65 pounds and swords to 200 pounds plus dolphin averaging 5 to 10 pounds on his Voyager. An extraordinary party boat catch (if he fought it unassisted) was the 285-pound bigeye tuna boated by Bob Goliash of Hampton. Fred Cosentino from Staten Island beat a 125-pound swordfish; Ed Palmer boated a 50-pound wahoo; and Barry Kaplan from Brooklyn fought a 70-pound white marlin. The Voyager has some reservations available during the last two weeks of October.
Capt. Bobby Bogan said the hottest bites from his Gambler have been just before dawn, though tuna continue biting into daylight at this time of year. The albacore average 30 to 50 pounds, and the yellowfins 30 to 70 pounds. Swordfish are mostly in the 75- to 100-pound class, and more are being caught by anglers fishing for tuna than by those targeting swords with bigger baits. Anglers dropping to bottom are also catching a few tilefish.
At Brielle, Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. reported last week’s Thursday to Friday trip on his Jamaica produced over 240 dolphin up to 24 pounds plus yellowfins to 80 pounds at night and albacore to 45 pounds at dawn. A 35-pound wahoo was fooled by a Mike Jung—Peace Token Tackle bucktail cast by Efrem Bautista from Queens. The Friday night trip was interrupted by a front that passed through around 3 a.m. Yet, some fares managed yellowfin limits plus longfins. The Saturday night trip was slower getting started, but yellowfins were picked through the night before albacore hit before dawn. They then loaded up with dolphin and added two 70-pound yellowfins. Kevin Cole of Andover limited with three yellowfins in addition to an albacore and dolphin. The skipper came down from the wheelhouse to jig his yellowfin limit plus an albacore on an 8-ounce silver hammered jig. The Jamaica has openings on 21-hour trips leaving at 5 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday.
TOP CATCHES
Capt. Joe Bogan had a good cod special with Jamaica II as over 200 keepers, mostly in the 6-to-10-pound class, were boated. The pool winner was a 16-pounder. Dale Isaacs of Manchester was high hook with 21 cod. Upcoming cod specials by reservation depart at 2 a.m. Oct. 12, 19 and 22.
Captains Jimmy Gahm and Sean Carton ran the Jenny Lee from Manasquan to Hudson Canyon on Saturday with Chris Seery of Florham Park and his son Christopher with his buddy Jackson from Bucknell University, but only managed two yellowfins to 70 pounds and released two swordfish before the Voyager called them in on a hot bite that added nine yellowfins up to 80 pounds.
At Atlantic Highlands, Capt. Ron Santee had a hot clamming bite that produced many keepers Tuesday on his Fishermen.
Capt. Rob Semkewyc of the Sea Hunter reported good clamming for stripers Wednesday, but that didn’t work for him Thursday. He moved south to jig and got into lots of big blues — but also found two large bass among them. Ray Delsontro of Blairstown boated a 31-pounder, and Brendon Mullin from Jefferson had a 32-pounder.
Capt. Pete Wagner has been catching limits, or near limits, of stripers since Tuesday on his Hyper Striper from Twin Lights Marina in Highlands by clamming, jigging and eeling. All he needed yesterday was the clams for a limit up to a 25-pounder for the Jeff Schwietzer party.
Sunday’s Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament at Island Beach State Park was a big success in good weather. Michael Nightingale of East Windsor won the Governor’s Cup and two rod and reel combos for the longest fish, a 33 3/8-inch striped bass. Patrick Mickles of Maple Shade was second with a 32 1/4-incher. Kingfish up to a 15-incher by Abel Parnoski of Elizabeth were landed, and blues ranged up to a 23 1/2-incher by Joe Csenteri of Columbus. Russ Knapp of Middlesex led in tautog at 20 inches. Many prizes were distributed in various age categories. Over $130,000 has been raised over the years by this contest for Island Beach conservation and improved beach access. See my blog at nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing for complete results as well as daily fishing reports.
The 13th Father Time Family Fishing Derby at Keansburg beach on Saturday was led by 9-year-old Dominick Salvatore of Keansburg with a 14 1/2-inch striped bass that was measured and released to win the Raritan Cup. Glenn Pittius (7) of Keansburg was second with a 12-inch released bass. David Clayton (12) and Mikey Clayton (2) of Keansburg each had an 8-inch kingfish, and Kayla Vashey (11) caught a 7 3/4-inch snapper.
Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs won yet another fishing tournament when Capt. Frank Crescitelli trailered his Fin Chaser from Staten Island out to Montauk to fish the Redbone Tournament that raises funds for fighting cystic fibrosis. He said the little tunny action was outstanding, and they also got into stripers and blues. Boggs took the celebrity angler award, and also the prize for largest little tunny. Capt. Skip Breedeen was also aboard to win the celebrity pro title. During the hottest day. Boggs released 14 tunny, seven stripers and five blues. Amazingly, they were all caught on a Guides Choice Striper Slider, a surface jerk plug, which is something you’d never expect the wary tunny would hit.
Team Jersey Shore returned from the Massachusetts Striper Fest awards ceremony with this year’s On The Water Striper Cup after beating out the favored New England teams. Chris Buchta also led for individual honors. I’ll have more about that on my blog and in next Friday’s column.
Allen Riley of South Plainfield has been hooking a few stripers in the Sandy Hook surf by casting a Mann’s Super Stretch 1-Minus plug in the dark just before dawn. Most bass were shorts, but he also beached a 34-incher.
This Fishing Report was submitted on 10/7/2011 5:37:59 AM by Seamus and last updated on 10/7/2011 5:37:59 AM.
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