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Hooking Up Anglers Since 2011.
With the current legislative session nearing its end, anglers will have to work hard to make their voices heard in the Assembly so the state’s artificial reefs can be saved for the sportfishing public that paid for their construction with donations in addition to federal Sport Fish Restoration funds derived from an excise tax on the fishing tackle we buy....
With the current legislative session nearing its end, anglers will have to work hard to make their voices heard in the Assembly so the state’s artificial reefs can be saved for the sportfishing public that paid for their construction with donations in addition to federal Sport Fish Restoration funds derived from an excise tax on the fishing tackle we buy.
In the last session it was then-Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden) who wouldn’t let the bill come up for a vote after it had sailed through the Senate.
This year’s obstacle is Assemblyman Nelson Albano (D-Cape May), who is chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Once again, the companion bill to A1152 long ago passed in the Senate — but Albano has refused to schedule a hearing in his committee.
The N.J. Outdoor Alliance (NJOA) has gathered a bipartisan majority of the Assembly as co-sponsors, so the bill should be quickly passed and sent to Gov. Chris Christie if it’s allowed to come to a vote.
Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R-Monmouth) wrote to Albano requesting that he schedule a hearing: “These artificial reefs were created for recreational anglers only. The reefs are paid for by a tax on recreational fishing gear. The Federal Sport Fish Restoration Act states that the reefs are meant for hook and line and spear fishing only. It is time for New Jersey to join with neighboring states and take action to protect these reefs.”
Pete Grimbilas of Reef Rescue notes that the artificial reef program is basically dead in the water as the federal funds were stopped since the DEP hasn’t been meeting its responsibility to maintain the sportfishing purpose the funds were supplied for. That could be quickly corrected if Albano can be moved.
Anthony Mauro, chairman of the NJOA, said, “I’m glad to see the overwhelming support that Bill A1152 is receiving from the majority of our state legislators. Assemblywoman Casagrande is one of 50 co-sponsors of Bill A1152. This is the most co-sponsors of any outdoors related legislation in recent memory. It means that if the Bill A1152 is allowed to be heard, it would pass and go to the governor for his signature. It is in the best interest of recreational fishermen and women that Bill A1152 be heard in the next few weeks, before the current legislative session ends.”
Mauro continued, “It is up to recreational anglers to contact Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (973) 395-1166, and Assemblyman, Nelson Albano, Chairman, A&NRC, (609) 465-0700, and ask that Bill A1152 have a hearing and a vote. Let them know that you expect the State of New Jersey comply with the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Act and that you want federal funding restored to New Jersey’s Reef Program.”
Mauro will be discussing this subject tomorrow morning during Tom Paglioroli’s Rack n’ Fin Radio show from 8 to 9 a.m. on ESPN 97.3 FM.
The show can also be accessed on the internet at http://www.973espn.com/pages/9616316.php?.
TOP CATCHES
The Hi-Mar Striper Club Fall Tournament will be run out of Bahrs Landing in Highlands from after the 7 p.m. captains meeting at the restaurant next Friday through noon Sunday. Boat entries are $80. For information, call Bob Kamienski at (732) 495-9210.
The 71st annual dinner of the Metropolitan Outdoor Press Association will be held next Friday night at Casa Mia Manor in Blauvelt, N.Y. The public is invited to dine with the area’s outdoor writers while enjoying an open bar and great food before raffles for fine fishing and hunting prizes. For information and reservations call Jeff Merrill at (908) 451-1110.
Striper anglers are hoping that Wednesday’s northeast wind will spur some activity, though water temperatures in the 60s remain much too warm for the fall migratory run. Keep up with developments on my daily blog at nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing.
There was some decent trolling for stripers last week at Shrewsbury Rocks. Captain Frank Criscola of Bedminster enjoyed a hot trolling bite during the northwest wind that produced over 30 bass, but it was a lot slower Friday when I joined him on his custom 60-foot Titan, Crisdel, from Brielle Yacht Club along with captain Chris De Stefano of Wall and Steve Moss from Branchburg. Captain Paul Dalek powered Crisdel through a northeast sea to the Rocks for early trolling action on shad rigs that declined as boat traffic and bluefish interference increased. Mate George Steller Jr. kept busy releasing shorts and choppers, but we still managed six keeper bass. Though we had been marking bait, those bass had nothing in them — just as had been the case earlier in the week.
Gene Graman of Middletown and I fished Ambrose Channel on Tuesday before the east wind up against the ebb tide created such rough seas that we couldn’t stand up even in his heavy 26-foot Olsen wooden skiff, That’s It from Twin Lights Marina in Highlands. Four stripers in the 30-to-32-inch class were hooked on live eels, and I also released an 18-pounder plus three big blues. With the wind against tide, we were holding bottom in 80 feet during the full moon with a 4-ounce sinker for some time before moving up to 8 ounces. Graman went out yesterday morning with Freddie Fessel of Middletown and limited again with bass up to 36 1/2 inches. Capt. Pete Wagner has been doing very well clamming bass from his Hyper Striper out of Twin Lights. The John Hylan party had bass up to 24 pounds Tuesday, and even Wednesday’s easterly didn’t prevent the Bob Williams party from limiting. The Hudson River Fishermen’s Association group had a hot bite yesterday morning of mostly keepers, including an unusually large, for clamming, 33-pounder.
Capt. Rob Semkewyc reported poor striper fishing over the beautiful weekend, but bass turned on to clams for a good catch Tuesday on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands.
At Point Pleasant, Capt. Dave Riback ran a tuna special with Queen Mary from Point Pleasant to the Mud Hole on Tuesday, and had it to himself in the east wind as his fares caught a half-dozen bluefins plus little tunny. Pete Ziemba of Jackson caught three up to 35 pounds on jigs, and Jason Brooks got a 35-pounder on a Swedish Pimple jig fished on 20-pound spin, plus five little tunny. Bluefishing on other days has been good for 6-to-12-pounders with pool fish around 15 pounds. Catches run up to over 10 a man. Little tunny are available one day, and not the next. Riback notes that “They’re hard to catch even for the good fishermen”. Another tuna trip, limited to 20 fares, will be run on Tuesday. Call (732) 899-3766.
Capt. Jim O’Grady postponed his Wednesday tuna trip on the Cock Robin to this Wednesday due to the wind. He reported hot bluefishing Tuesday.
After writing about the hot canyon tuna fishing last Friday, that fishing dropped off from Hudson to Toms canyons. However, most of those who followed the good water to Spencer Canyon loaded up with yellowfins. Capt. Arthur Stokes was only marking fish in Berkeley Canyon when he got a call to make the move Saturday night with his Fintastic from Clarks Landing. They didn’t start fishing after the long run south until 4 a.m., but the large group charter limited with 30 yellowfins, mostly in the 30-pound class, that were jigged while drifting in the deep. Capt. Chris De Stefano, who assisted Stokes, said trolling was poor, and he didn’t hear of a single albacore being caught in the fleet after the previous week’s hot albacore trolling.
Capt. Bobby Bogan said boat traffic was a problem Monday night from Spencer to Wilmington canyons, but he good waters there held yellowfins up to 60 pounds that provided a good catch on his Gambler. Bogan said it looks like he’ll be canyon fishing into November.
On The Water magazine celebrated the end to its 5-month-long Striper Cup fishing tournament at StriperFest on Oct. 1 at Marine Park on Falmouth Harbor, Massachusetts. While fishermen from New Jersey to Maine participated in the competition, it was a New Jersey-based team of surfcasters who claimed the Striper Cup trophy. Perennial runners-up Team Jersey Shore finally took the Striper Cup home to the Garden State with a cumulative score of 522.36. The score is a total weight of the 10 heaviest bass a team catches over the duration of the season, with a multiplier of 1.18 applied to shore-caught fish. Several fishing clubs based in New Jersey, all loaded with fishing talent, joined forces in 2007 to create Team Jersey Shore, in an effort to take the silver cup out of New England. Jerry van de Sande, president of the Spring Lake Liveliners at the time, orchestrated the alliance between his club and several other surfcasting clubs, including the Asbury Park Fishing Club and the Shark River Surf Anglers, to form the all-star Team Jersey Shore specifically to compete for the Striper Cup. “New Jersey is a forgotten fishery, to some degree,” said van de Sande. “We would like to let it be known that we know what to do when it comes to striped bass fishing, and let the rest of the Northeast know that there is a substantial fishery down here.”
However the main reason for creating Team Jersey Shore, said van de Sande, was not to show off. “We are doing it for fun. The New Jersey clubs compete in inter-club tournaments throughout the season. There’s some rivalry between the clubs, but there’s friendship among the rivals. By joining up to fish as Team Jersey Shore, we’re creating inter-club camaraderie.”
Team member Chris Buchta of Toms River, New Jersey claimed the title “Angler of the Year” in the shore division with a 3-fish total weight of 129.82 pounds. Buchta was rewarded with a mount of his largest 45.8-pound striper made by Fish Unlimited Taxidermy.
The one fish that stood out above all others was Greg Myerson’s pending IGFA World Record, an 81.88-pound bass from Westport, Ct. that helped him lock up Striper of the Year and Boat Angler of the Year, with a three fish total weight of 199.98 pounds!
The Hi-Mar Striper Club Fall Tournament will run from 7 p.m. next Friday to At Brielle, Capt. Howard Bogan Jr. bounced back from a few tough canyon trips with the Jamaica for a good Sunday night catch. Bob Knemoller of Toms River boated a 150-pound swordfish, and added two yellowfins. The tuna turned on at 6 a.m., and fishing was wild. The catch of the week was a 280-pound bigeye by John Zappella of Woodside, N.Y. Space may be available on 5 p.m. canyon departures today through Sunday. Call (732) 528-5014.
Capt. Joe Bogan had good Mud Hole ling fishing plus a few cod last Friday on Jamaica II, though Saturday was slower due to strong currents. Catches ran up to 51 ling. Dennis Stock had 38 ling plus two cod. Porgy fishing Sunday was picky but the Mud Hole was good again Columbus Day. Mike Kane of Pennsauken had two cod up to the pool-winning 21 pounds plus 21 ling. Ed Raimes from Trenton bagged 40 ling and two cod.
At Manasquan, Captains Kevin Gerrity and Dave Bender got a slow start Friday with the Keith Iannozzi party from Ewing, but ended up in the Spencer for a limit of 24 yellowfins on Jenny Lee. Captains Jimmy Gahm and Sean Carton ran right to the Spencer Sunday with Bill Dumchus from Watchung to catch a large wahoo and a 70-pound swordfish plus 15 yellowfins to 60 pounds. The Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic is underway. Gary Taylor of Mt. Holly got off to a great start last Saturday with a 41.56-pound striper that hit bunker at Barnegat Light. Jeffrey Schlicher ofSurfCity used an eel for his 30.31-pounder at Ship Bottom, and a kingfish head produced a 24.69-pounder at the same location for Richard Sellnow from Yardville. Only two blues were entered last weekend, and Francis Pons of Surf City leads with 10.81-pounder on bunker at Loveladies.
This Fishing Report was submitted on 10/14/2011 6:17:54 AM by Seamus and last updated on 10/14/2011 6:17:54 AM.
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