April 2001

April 25, 2001

The striped bass are here in a BIG way! The flounder fishing is best in the bay as the water seems to be heating up nicely. The past couple of days saw summer like conditions and those that had their gear ready had some nice catches.

FLOUNDER

Capt. Tom Buban of the Atlantic Star has been running his half-day trips down the beach and enjoying good action with flounders up to 181/2 inches while also releasing two fluke. Both of those fluke would have been keepers in a few weeks under the new 16-inch minimum as they were 16 1/2 and 19 inches long.
Some boats get into a hot flounder bite off the Cedars while others struggle on that sand bottom.
Capt. Pete Wagner of Hyper Striper from Highlands could do no wrong there earlier in the week, but was only able to scratch out 19 flounders Thursday. Capt. George Bachert will start seeking ling Wednesday with the Fishermen, but was very pleased with Friday's flounder bite at the Cedars. He had catches up to the upper teens, and Ray Mees of Mahwah won the pool with a 23/4-ponder

Kenny on the "KKAT" reports

We have been flounder fishing and striped bass fishing. The flounder fishing has been up and down, some days better than others. The same with the bass. The Sat., April 21 charter for the Dave Dyson party from Clifton yielded 3 keeper bass and 4 slot bass on deep diving plugs in Raritan bay. The Sunday, April 22 charter for the Chris Murphy party from Summit found super ling fishing in 80 feet of water. 3 on at a time for about an hour and a half. A drop in 50 feet found no life at all, and a drop in 110 feet yielded only conger eels and a few bergalls. Still awaiting the influx of big bass that will take bunker spoons into Raritan bay. That fishing should break open any day now.

STRIPED BASS

That day has come!

John Matteucci of Middletown, fishing on his newly teak decked Uniflite "Tooch", landed a 28lb Striper on Monday. He was trolling spoons and plugs. He had 14 fish all together.

On Friday Capt. Pete Wagner had started further west in the bay and was shut out until arriving at a hot spot further East. After that, his party on Hyper Striper from Highlands caught seven from 28 to 31 inches, plus 15 slot bass on plugs. Wagner said they caught only four during the beginning of the incoming tide.

LING

At Atlantic Highlands, Don Hager reported continued hot ling fishing from the Sea Fox at Scotland.
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Tuesday April 17, 2001

I was away last week and I guess that's what it takes to get the fishing straightened out around here. The beaches and party boats are filled with anglers catching flounder. The stripers are in as there are large schools of bunker in the rivers and the bay.

Flounder Report

Captain Pete Wagner and his new mate Capt. Jimmy Morenz have been hammering the flounder. Sandworms and lots of clam chum seem to be the ticket for filling the coolers on board the "Hyper Striper". Although Pete's charters are looking forward to the oncoming bass action they do not mind bringing home some of the tastiest fish found anywhere. The Hyper Striper has mostly been hitting his favorite spots in the Bay. Others however have been finding them in the rivers. The Navesink River on both sides of the Oceanic seemed very productive.

Captain Stan on the Elaine B Reported while I was away.

"Hi Jay,Flounder fishing greatly improved, very good fishing the last 5 days.
We fished the river Fri. Sat. Sun With excellent results, Mon and today we
fished the mouth of the river and caught them very well a good indication
that they are starting to move to the bay.
Jay if you would like to ad this to today's report we had 136 keeper
flounder today." April 10th

Clean Ocean Action Flounder Tournament Results Are In.

The grand prize winner was Bob Madej of Iselin. 3.08 ponds at weigh-in.

First place in the 12 & under male catagory was Cody Kouyoumjian of
Denville. 2.15 pounds.

We did not have a female entry this year.

Stripers Appear Later Than Last Year

Now thaat the weather seems to be breaking so are the bunkers and striped bass. Sean Furman of Rumson reported 4 bass on worms in the Raritan Reach on sand worms. Jamie Lindeman has been pulling keeper bass off the beaches of Union Beach and north chsing the birds and bunkers. The bunker pods are thick for this time of year so get your bunker snags sharpened!

April 2001

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