Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Hot summer days keep fishing a little on the cool side
The dog days of August are definitely here and with this comes a little tougher fishing than the norm. Unfortunately, slow tides during the beginning of the week will probably make fishing tough. But as the tides turn around on Thursday, the fishing should make big improvements.
Only time will tell how Tropical Storm Fay will affect our area as the weekend draws near. Numerous thunderstorms and heavy winds could have a negative impact on the local fishing. Although the rains are desperately needed, we can do without anything that has tropical in it's' name.
The bay area surrounding Orange Beach has been a little rocky. Poor weather and inconsistent tides have made loading the box tougher over the past week. Big baits are still the key to daytime fishing for trout and redfish. A mixture of live croakers, LYs, and shrimp should get the job done. Throwing the occasional MirrOlure can help locate fish when fishing a broad area of water. Try the classic 52m with a green or black back. Top water fishermen are having a little luck as the sun begins to break the horizon early in the morning. Zara spooks and Top Dogs have been working well over grass and in pot holes throughout the area at daybreak. Live bait fishermen have still been picking some legal black snapper and flounder while bouncing from dock to dock in search of trout and reds.
Perdido Pass has contributed to the mix as well. The outgoing tides last week produced some decent redfish action around the bridge pilings. The bridge has mainly been holding tons of bluefish and ladyfish but the occasional redfish bite will take place. You just have to be at the right place at the right time. Most of the redfish were caught using either live bait fish or shrimp.
The incoming tide has produced some nice black snappers along the rock jetties. The occasional flounder has been caught around high tide as well. Early morning trolling with Clark spoons and straw rigs have been landing a few Spanish mackerel along with the occasional king. Trolling the interior of the west jetty and around both tips of the east and west jetty has been the place to be to entice a mackerel bite. Flounder fishing throughout the pass should be more effective in the next few days with the neap tides.
The August heat forces many of us to hit the lights once the burning hot sun has gone down. There has been good reason to night fish lately. Most lights are teaming with small LYs and glass minnows making a bait buffet for trout and reds. The biggest problem lately has been getting the larger pickier fish to participate. Heavy pressure throughout the summer months will have most fish a little timid to eat foreign baits. Try sight fishing to feeding trout with a Yo-Zuri pins minnow or a Zoom Super Fluke. Placing a bait in front of an already feeding speckled trout can result in a reaction strike instantly sometimes. Finally, cover water and fish as many lights as possible. Many lights will only produce one or two fish before they wise up and shut down. Once the fish are aware of your presence, try throwing a couple of artificial baits. Be sure to work the edges and dark water surrounding the light. If nothing else happens, time to move on to the next light.
Only time will tell how Tropical Storm Fay will affect our area as the weekend draws near. Numerous thunderstorms and heavy winds could have a negative impact on the local fishing. Although the rains are desperately needed, we can do without anything that has tropical in it's' name.
The bay area surrounding Orange Beach has been a little rocky. Poor weather and inconsistent tides have made loading the box tougher over the past week. Big baits are still the key to daytime fishing for trout and redfish. A mixture of live croakers, LYs, and shrimp should get the job done. Throwing the occasional MirrOlure can help locate fish when fishing a broad area of water. Try the classic 52m with a green or black back. Top water fishermen are having a little luck as the sun begins to break the horizon early in the morning. Zara spooks and Top Dogs have been working well over grass and in pot holes throughout the area at daybreak. Live bait fishermen have still been picking some legal black snapper and flounder while bouncing from dock to dock in search of trout and reds.
Perdido Pass has contributed to the mix as well. The outgoing tides last week produced some decent redfish action around the bridge pilings. The bridge has mainly been holding tons of bluefish and ladyfish but the occasional redfish bite will take place. You just have to be at the right place at the right time. Most of the redfish were caught using either live bait fish or shrimp.
The incoming tide has produced some nice black snappers along the rock jetties. The occasional flounder has been caught around high tide as well. Early morning trolling with Clark spoons and straw rigs have been landing a few Spanish mackerel along with the occasional king. Trolling the interior of the west jetty and around both tips of the east and west jetty has been the place to be to entice a mackerel bite. Flounder fishing throughout the pass should be more effective in the next few days with the neap tides.
The August heat forces many of us to hit the lights once the burning hot sun has gone down. There has been good reason to night fish lately. Most lights are teaming with small LYs and glass minnows making a bait buffet for trout and reds. The biggest problem lately has been getting the larger pickier fish to participate. Heavy pressure throughout the summer months will have most fish a little timid to eat foreign baits. Try sight fishing to feeding trout with a Yo-Zuri pins minnow or a Zoom Super Fluke. Placing a bait in front of an already feeding speckled trout can result in a reaction strike instantly sometimes. Finally, cover water and fish as many lights as possible. Many lights will only produce one or two fish before they wise up and shut down. Once the fish are aware of your presence, try throwing a couple of artificial baits. Be sure to work the edges and dark water surrounding the light. If nothing else happens, time to move on to the next light.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Anglers fishing for higher limit
The summer flounder stock is on the rise and, if the federal government gives a nod to the plan spawned by independent fisheries, an expert scientist and both the commercial and recreational fishermen who know our waters, the flounder quota for next year could be increased modestly.
That may end what has been a frustrating and unnecessarily costly three-year ordeal for Jersey Shore anglers.
The quandary experienced by fishermen who saw more and more fluke, another name for summer flounder, yet had their hands tied by increasingly restrictive fishing regulations has been troublesome since 2005, the last year catch limits were increased.
Meanwhile, forced cutbacks seriously hurt the industry at the Shore, with both commercial fishermen and party charter boats experiencing drastic losses. Many of those involved wondered if all the restrictions that threatened to doom a once-thriving industry were for naught — a mere numbers game being played by those who weren't in a position to see what anglers were seeing.
Now the National Marine Fisheries Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce will be asked to approve a modest 2.68 million pound catch increase, taking it to a reasonable total for 2009 of 18.45 million pounds. Details, including the length of the 2009 fishing season and the allowable minimum fish size, won't be known until actual catch numbers from 2008 are reported at year's end.
But if the national fisheries service sees what many others are seeing — that stocks are closer to being restored and that the population is a solid 72 percent rebuilt of the desired 132 million pounds — they should approve that catch plan.
"This is only the first part of the equation. But it's good news," says Tony Bogan, a party and charter boat captain in Brielle and one of the organizers of the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund. He and other Shore fishermen, both commercial and recreational, have every right to feel validated: Indeed, many have been saying privately that they've not seen such a bounty of summer flounder since the 1960s.
If all goes as hoped and the national fisheries service approves the catch increase for 2009, not only might consumers see more fluke at better prices on the market, but also a fishing industry that rebounds as quickly as the summer flounder.
That may end what has been a frustrating and unnecessarily costly three-year ordeal for Jersey Shore anglers.
The quandary experienced by fishermen who saw more and more fluke, another name for summer flounder, yet had their hands tied by increasingly restrictive fishing regulations has been troublesome since 2005, the last year catch limits were increased.
Meanwhile, forced cutbacks seriously hurt the industry at the Shore, with both commercial fishermen and party charter boats experiencing drastic losses. Many of those involved wondered if all the restrictions that threatened to doom a once-thriving industry were for naught — a mere numbers game being played by those who weren't in a position to see what anglers were seeing.
Now the National Marine Fisheries Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce will be asked to approve a modest 2.68 million pound catch increase, taking it to a reasonable total for 2009 of 18.45 million pounds. Details, including the length of the 2009 fishing season and the allowable minimum fish size, won't be known until actual catch numbers from 2008 are reported at year's end.
But if the national fisheries service sees what many others are seeing — that stocks are closer to being restored and that the population is a solid 72 percent rebuilt of the desired 132 million pounds — they should approve that catch plan.
"This is only the first part of the equation. But it's good news," says Tony Bogan, a party and charter boat captain in Brielle and one of the organizers of the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund. He and other Shore fishermen, both commercial and recreational, have every right to feel validated: Indeed, many have been saying privately that they've not seen such a bounty of summer flounder since the 1960s.
If all goes as hoped and the national fisheries service approves the catch increase for 2009, not only might consumers see more fluke at better prices on the market, but also a fishing industry that rebounds as quickly as the summer flounder.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Bottom Fishing Will Be Top Notch in the Surf Catch of the Week
Summertime weather and warm inshore water should provide a variety of small bottom fish to keep surfcasters busy along the northern beaches this week.
Small croaker will be abundant almost anywhere along the beaches. They should be easily taken, using almost any type of bait on small hooks. Fair numbers of small spot also should be caught fairly regularly on bloodworms. There is no size or creel limit on small bottom fish such as spot, croaker and sea mullet, but anglers should keep only what they intend to use.
The best time for fishing for these small bottom fish will likely be on the incoming or high tide. If the weather is hot and skies are cloudless, early morning and late afternoon anglers should have the best luck.
A few flounder and an occasional pompano also should be landed by bottom-fishing surfcasters.
Fair numbers of small bluefish should be taken regularly on metal lures if the water is clear, and on fresh cut bait if the water is dirty. Steel leaders are a must for successful bluefish catches, as these aggressive fish have very sharp teeth that can make quick work of most monofilament.
Northern beach pier anglers should deck plenty of small croaker, some small spot, pigfish, sand perch and scattered sea mullet when the water is somewhat murky.
Bluefish action should be good with 1/2- to 2-pound tailor blues caught from the ends of ocean piers when the water is clear. Fishing should be most productive early mornings and at sunset.
When light onshore winds push clear, warm Gulf Stream water in close to the beach, pier jockeys should land some spadefish, triggerfish and filefish around pier pilings. These fish congregate around inshore structures when the water is clear, feeding on small crustaceans and worms.
Lots of small flounder should be hooked and released, and a few nice-sized flounder will be decked. Most of the keeper flounder will be taken on live minnows fished inshore close to the pier pilings. Anglers can keep eight flounder, 15 1/2 inches or larger in total length per person per day. Total length is measured from the tip of the snout with the mouth closed to the top of the compressed tail.
Live-bait anglers should catch an occasional king mackerel, jack crevalle or cobia during periods of light onshore winds when water temperatures are high.
Anglers trying their luck from the Melvin Daniels Jr. Bridge on the Nags Head/Roanoke Island causeway should land a few speckled trout and flounder just about every morning at first light. Scattered small bottom fish and black drum should be taken during the day. Action should be best when winds are from the northeast.
Oregon Inlet area
Anglers fishing from the catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge across Oregon Inlet should catch some nice sheepshead and a few black drum around bridge pilings. Some small bottom fish, bluefish and a few flounder also will be landed from the catwalk.
A few trout and small bottom fish should be reeled in from the Off Island Channel behind the Bodie Island Lighthouse, but fishing has been slow in the area recently because of grass.
Pea Island to Buxton
Pinhead croaker, small spot, sand perch and pigfish should keep surfcasters busy in this area. Bloodworms and fresh shrimp on No. 4 to 6 hooks should provide the best results.
Scattered mixed-sized flounder and a few pompano also should be beached by bottom-fishing anglers. Sand fleas, also called mole crabs, usually prove to be the most effective bait for pompano. These small crustaceans, which burrow in the high energy surf zone amid the breaking waves, are the favorite food of not only pompano, but also of sea mullet.
Small bluefish should be fairly abundant along the beach in this area with action particularly good when the water is clear. Some Spanish mackerel also should appear in catches. Most of the bluefish and Spanish mackerel should be taken on Stingsilver lures. Anglers can keep 15 bluefish per person per day, with no more than five greater than 24 inches. There is no minimum size limit on bluefish.
Pier anglers along the northern beaches of Hatteras Island should deck lots of pesky pinhead croaker along with small spot, pigfish, sand perch and sea mullet when the water is slightly stirred up. A few gray trout and speckled trout, keeper flounder, sheepshead and spadefish also should appear in catches. Lots of small flounder should be released.
Quite a few bluefish and some nice-sized Spanish mackerel should be caught on Gotchas from the ends of piers when the water is clear. Action should be best at sunrise and sunset, but sometimes it will continue off and on all day. Anglers can keep 15 Spanish mackerel 12 inches or larger in fork length per person per day. Fork length is measured from the tip of the snout to the middle of the fork in the tail.
A king mackerel, big jack, cobia or barracuda could be landed at any time by a live-bait angler when winds are light and the water is clear and warm.
Small croaker will be abundant almost anywhere along the beaches. They should be easily taken, using almost any type of bait on small hooks. Fair numbers of small spot also should be caught fairly regularly on bloodworms. There is no size or creel limit on small bottom fish such as spot, croaker and sea mullet, but anglers should keep only what they intend to use.
The best time for fishing for these small bottom fish will likely be on the incoming or high tide. If the weather is hot and skies are cloudless, early morning and late afternoon anglers should have the best luck.
A few flounder and an occasional pompano also should be landed by bottom-fishing surfcasters.
Fair numbers of small bluefish should be taken regularly on metal lures if the water is clear, and on fresh cut bait if the water is dirty. Steel leaders are a must for successful bluefish catches, as these aggressive fish have very sharp teeth that can make quick work of most monofilament.
Northern beach pier anglers should deck plenty of small croaker, some small spot, pigfish, sand perch and scattered sea mullet when the water is somewhat murky.
Bluefish action should be good with 1/2- to 2-pound tailor blues caught from the ends of ocean piers when the water is clear. Fishing should be most productive early mornings and at sunset.
When light onshore winds push clear, warm Gulf Stream water in close to the beach, pier jockeys should land some spadefish, triggerfish and filefish around pier pilings. These fish congregate around inshore structures when the water is clear, feeding on small crustaceans and worms.
Lots of small flounder should be hooked and released, and a few nice-sized flounder will be decked. Most of the keeper flounder will be taken on live minnows fished inshore close to the pier pilings. Anglers can keep eight flounder, 15 1/2 inches or larger in total length per person per day. Total length is measured from the tip of the snout with the mouth closed to the top of the compressed tail.
Live-bait anglers should catch an occasional king mackerel, jack crevalle or cobia during periods of light onshore winds when water temperatures are high.
Anglers trying their luck from the Melvin Daniels Jr. Bridge on the Nags Head/Roanoke Island causeway should land a few speckled trout and flounder just about every morning at first light. Scattered small bottom fish and black drum should be taken during the day. Action should be best when winds are from the northeast.
Oregon Inlet area
Anglers fishing from the catwalk on the south end of the Bonner Bridge across Oregon Inlet should catch some nice sheepshead and a few black drum around bridge pilings. Some small bottom fish, bluefish and a few flounder also will be landed from the catwalk.
A few trout and small bottom fish should be reeled in from the Off Island Channel behind the Bodie Island Lighthouse, but fishing has been slow in the area recently because of grass.
Pea Island to Buxton
Pinhead croaker, small spot, sand perch and pigfish should keep surfcasters busy in this area. Bloodworms and fresh shrimp on No. 4 to 6 hooks should provide the best results.
Scattered mixed-sized flounder and a few pompano also should be beached by bottom-fishing anglers. Sand fleas, also called mole crabs, usually prove to be the most effective bait for pompano. These small crustaceans, which burrow in the high energy surf zone amid the breaking waves, are the favorite food of not only pompano, but also of sea mullet.
Small bluefish should be fairly abundant along the beach in this area with action particularly good when the water is clear. Some Spanish mackerel also should appear in catches. Most of the bluefish and Spanish mackerel should be taken on Stingsilver lures. Anglers can keep 15 bluefish per person per day, with no more than five greater than 24 inches. There is no minimum size limit on bluefish.
Pier anglers along the northern beaches of Hatteras Island should deck lots of pesky pinhead croaker along with small spot, pigfish, sand perch and sea mullet when the water is slightly stirred up. A few gray trout and speckled trout, keeper flounder, sheepshead and spadefish also should appear in catches. Lots of small flounder should be released.
Quite a few bluefish and some nice-sized Spanish mackerel should be caught on Gotchas from the ends of piers when the water is clear. Action should be best at sunrise and sunset, but sometimes it will continue off and on all day. Anglers can keep 15 Spanish mackerel 12 inches or larger in fork length per person per day. Fork length is measured from the tip of the snout to the middle of the fork in the tail.
A king mackerel, big jack, cobia or barracuda could be landed at any time by a live-bait angler when winds are light and the water is clear and warm.
Anglers hope bait will switch
There is a great deal of chatter about the huge amount of bait out on Stellwagen Bank and east of Chatham, as anglers are trying to predict how it will affect the late-summer fishing.
There is some hope that a northeast blow will push the sand eels and the remainder of the pogies in from the offshore waters and the stripers will follow, but that may be wishful thinking. Right now, the big bass seem quite happy to be swimming with the tuna, and they could remain in federal waters and follow a southerly migration pattern later on that takes them well outside any waters that can be legally fished. At the very least, the near future should be interesting.
North Shore
Cooler water this week has improved the fishing, reported Derek Spingler at First Light Anglers. There are still some good schools of mackerel around because the bluefish haven’t arrived to scatter them, and anglers who are catching the macks with Sabiki rigs and then live-lining them are catching larger bass around Baker’s Island out to the first green can and at Halibut Point.
Black or black-and-purple flies as well as darker-colored soft-plastic baits are good choices when the swell is big along the rocks and ledges, and now that the weed has cleared, the islands from Marblehead to Gloucester are fishing well. Tinker’s Island, the Inner and Outer Breakers (a rocky area outside of Baker’s Island), and Newcomb Ledge have been particularly good spots on fish from 20 inches up to just-legal size.
There has been fair to good schoolie striper activity in the Essex and Ipswich rivers, while in the Merrimack River, pogies and shad have kept some larger fish around.
The Joppa Flats are strictly a nighttime spot right now, but many anglers are surmising that the stripers have moved to deeper, cooler water. Any action has been in a short window on each tide.
Flounder fishing remains good on the front side of Plum Island, as well as at the jetties at the mouth of the Merrimack.
Greater Boston
Anglers who are taking the time to snag or net pogies inside Quincy Bay are having some success this week either live-lining or slow-trolling them in deeper water around Point Allerton and the Outer Brewsters. Overall, the water has been a little cooler this week, sparking a bit more activity. There are also some tinker mackerel around with no bluefish to scatter them, said Russ Eastman at Monahan’s Marine.
Pete Santini from Fishing Finatics reported a 50-plus-pound bass that was caught during the Wharf Striper Tournament last weekend on a live pogy fished around the harbor islands.
Spectacle Island is a good spot, but Deer Island and George’s Island are also worth checking out with slowly trolled pogies taking some 35-40-pound bass this week. The real thing is generally outfishing tube-and worm rigs at the moment, probably due to all of the bait that is available.
More anglers are focusing on bass fishing, leaving the flounder angling to those dedicated to winter flatties. That doesn’t mean the fishing has slowed for flounder; there are good numbers in front of Deer Island between the 8 and 10 cans as well as the channel around George’s Island and the deeper humps at Point Allerton.
South Shore
Mackerel are plentiful, and they are nice ones, emphasized Pete Belsan at Belsan Bait and Tackle, but the bass are not cooperating. Some stripers in the 16- to 20-pound range have been caught from in front of Scituate, around Minot Light, and in front of the North River.
Bluefish are definitely late to show up around Scituate and Marshfield, but they are now in force in Duxbury and Plymouth, and the bait up north should bring them in soon. The fog this week around Duxbury and Kingston produced spring-like, early-morning striper blitzes. Small plastic shads worked very well on these fish.
Flounder fishing remains steady around Green Harbor, but the fish are moving into deeper water around the channels.
There is some hope that a northeast blow will push the sand eels and the remainder of the pogies in from the offshore waters and the stripers will follow, but that may be wishful thinking. Right now, the big bass seem quite happy to be swimming with the tuna, and they could remain in federal waters and follow a southerly migration pattern later on that takes them well outside any waters that can be legally fished. At the very least, the near future should be interesting.
North Shore
Cooler water this week has improved the fishing, reported Derek Spingler at First Light Anglers. There are still some good schools of mackerel around because the bluefish haven’t arrived to scatter them, and anglers who are catching the macks with Sabiki rigs and then live-lining them are catching larger bass around Baker’s Island out to the first green can and at Halibut Point.
Black or black-and-purple flies as well as darker-colored soft-plastic baits are good choices when the swell is big along the rocks and ledges, and now that the weed has cleared, the islands from Marblehead to Gloucester are fishing well. Tinker’s Island, the Inner and Outer Breakers (a rocky area outside of Baker’s Island), and Newcomb Ledge have been particularly good spots on fish from 20 inches up to just-legal size.
There has been fair to good schoolie striper activity in the Essex and Ipswich rivers, while in the Merrimack River, pogies and shad have kept some larger fish around.
The Joppa Flats are strictly a nighttime spot right now, but many anglers are surmising that the stripers have moved to deeper, cooler water. Any action has been in a short window on each tide.
Flounder fishing remains good on the front side of Plum Island, as well as at the jetties at the mouth of the Merrimack.
Greater Boston
Anglers who are taking the time to snag or net pogies inside Quincy Bay are having some success this week either live-lining or slow-trolling them in deeper water around Point Allerton and the Outer Brewsters. Overall, the water has been a little cooler this week, sparking a bit more activity. There are also some tinker mackerel around with no bluefish to scatter them, said Russ Eastman at Monahan’s Marine.
Pete Santini from Fishing Finatics reported a 50-plus-pound bass that was caught during the Wharf Striper Tournament last weekend on a live pogy fished around the harbor islands.
Spectacle Island is a good spot, but Deer Island and George’s Island are also worth checking out with slowly trolled pogies taking some 35-40-pound bass this week. The real thing is generally outfishing tube-and worm rigs at the moment, probably due to all of the bait that is available.
More anglers are focusing on bass fishing, leaving the flounder angling to those dedicated to winter flatties. That doesn’t mean the fishing has slowed for flounder; there are good numbers in front of Deer Island between the 8 and 10 cans as well as the channel around George’s Island and the deeper humps at Point Allerton.
South Shore
Mackerel are plentiful, and they are nice ones, emphasized Pete Belsan at Belsan Bait and Tackle, but the bass are not cooperating. Some stripers in the 16- to 20-pound range have been caught from in front of Scituate, around Minot Light, and in front of the North River.
Bluefish are definitely late to show up around Scituate and Marshfield, but they are now in force in Duxbury and Plymouth, and the bait up north should bring them in soon. The fog this week around Duxbury and Kingston produced spring-like, early-morning striper blitzes. Small plastic shads worked very well on these fish.
Flounder fishing remains steady around Green Harbor, but the fish are moving into deeper water around the channels.
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