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.
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