July 2001

July 29th 2001

This just in from the Hudson Canyon.

The Stavola family/friends headed out on their 4 boats Saturday afternoon for an overnight chunking trip. They chunked with butterfish and fresh peanut bunkers. Here is what they caught:

Boat: "Blue Mile" Jesse and JENN Stavola 4 Yellowfins 80lb avg

"Vista Mar" Melissa, Chris, Jason Stavola and Emidio Mellow

3 longfins - 40lbs

4 yellowfins - up to 88lbs

3 Dollfins - 10lbs

(I took their picture but it was too bright at the dock and it did't come out. Sorry Guys.)

"Squid Hound" Bill & Robert Stavola

4 yellowfins up to 77lbs

"SSA Monster" Mike Stavola, Al Grover, Dwayne Blessing

5 Yellowfins up to 70lbs

July 24th, 2001

I have been sending most fluke fisherman to the bug light near the Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook. The action is good but there are very few fluke over 151/2 inches. This is easy fishing except for unhooking the sea robins. The big fish seem to be taken in the channels where a bit of experience and skill helps. The best thing to ensure some keepers is to have your tackle box and bait box prepared. Depending on the tide and wind, many adjustments have to be made to sinker weight and leaders etc... . Usually trial and error prevails. The winner of one of this weekend's tournaments is a shining example. Anthony Dabrowski of Spotswood was fishing a snapper/squid combination bait around 2:30 p.m. Saturday near the range markers off Sandy Hook when a doormat fluke took hold, and that 10.28-pounder stood up to win the first-place $3,745 for boat owner Bill Logan of Spotswood in the 11th annual Raritan Bay Anglers Club Charity Fluke Tournament, run out of Perth Amboy Marina

George Feneise fishing with Brian Rice of Monmouth beach, found weekend bluefish action over by Rockaway Beach N.Y.. The also had a few bass.

The Hyper Striper was up river for maintenance last week and decided to worm a few weakfish. All you want is what Jimmy Morenz (the mate) said to me. There are even a few keepers over 14". They were using bucktails with white feathers.

On Sunday John Matteucci "Tooch" had his bass limit for fishing clams at the 16 buoy in sandy Hook Channel.

Capt. Phillip Sciortino drifted worms Friday from Tackle Box Sportfishing as the Brian Pollitto party limited with bass to 32 inches. The Fromkin party only wormed three stripers to 29 inches Saturday morning due to too much boat traffic, but Phil Riva of Hazlet and his brother wormed 25 after dark Saturday.

Capt. Stan Zagleski said weekend fluking was slow, but a couple of nice flatties were decked yesterday on his Elaine B. Dennis O'Brian of Bound Brook had a 7-1/16-pounder, and Charlie Kodada from Ridgefield Park added a 51/2-pound fluke.

Captain Kenny on the KKat reports to me:

"Recently, we have been fluking, trolling, or doing a little of both on our trips.

The Darren Cummings party from Houston had two bass, bluefish to 15 pounds, and 16 keeper fluke off of Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach.

The Mark Radley party from East Windsor had 17 keeper fluke, having to wade through a ton of shorts to put their catch together. The action was again off Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach.

Trolling for the Larry Jaskot Party from Hackensack was very slow off Sea Bright. A run back north to Sandy Hook bay found fast action trolling diving plugs for 2-3 pound blues, with a couple of slammers mixed in.

The Vinny Rubertone party from East Rutherford had a pick of jumbo blues off Sea Bright, till the action died with the tide. Chunking in the bay provided a ferocious Dogfish onslaught, one of the worst I've seen. A switch back to trolling plugs had a pick of smaller bluefish.

The Chris Murphy party from Summit had two decent shots of Fluke, one in the morning near the Verrazano, and another in the afternoon near Chapel Hill. 21 keepers and a ton of shorts.

The Bob DeStefano party from Montville had good bluefish trolling off of Sea Bright in very rough conditions. A switch to fluking put 10 keepers in the box near Chapel Hill.

The Fred Perkins party had excellent Bluefish trolling off Sea Bright. Ocean fluking was a pick off the Tradewinds, and a trip back to the bay found the fluking there to be very slow.

The Lee Van Gaalen party from Wyckoff had fast action on the troll with bluefish off Sea Bright. A ton of life there, and hardly anyone fishing it."

We weighed in a few yellowfin on Monday plus some real nice Mahi Mahi (dollfins). Only a few ventured out after the Northeasterly winds stirred things up. The few that went said that it was worth it and that sizes and catches are improving.

Wednesday July 18, 2001

This week's offshore report is the hot topic on the docks. Many local boats headed for the Canyon over the weekend. The weather man fooled them a bit as the sea never laid down as predicted. The tuna were spotty but most came back with something. George Sincox fished Saturday night and chunked "a few tuna" up to 50 lbs. The Stavola brothers had a 100lb plus yellowfin but not much else except a long ride home in rough seas. John Byren headed out Sunday afternoon and found better conditions but had to work for 4 yellowfins and some mahi under the boat. He said that the chunking at night produced nothing. All the tuna were taken after 9:00a.m. on the troll in the "fingers" section of the Hudson Canyon.

Charter Boats

Capt. Pete Wagner has had some decent bass fishing from his Hyper Striper. The Al Pettracco party from Nutley caught nine last Wednesday plus blues, while the Jim Canejeski group had 13 stripers Thursday. Chris Ozempco's party from Cranford limited Saturday and released a dozen. Steve Groseibl's charter from Butler caught 10 bass Sunday, and Monday produced six linesiders for Dennis Taormina before they switched to jigging small blues plus five 6-to-8-pound weakfish. Pete is still using clam bellies.

Tank Matraxia, Emil Pavalac and Eddie Rogers of Lyndhurst fished the Sandy Hook Bay Anglers Fluke Tournament over the weekend with Capt. Lou Grazioso on Striper Mania. Though they didn't place, lots of fillets went home as large fluke dominated in Ambrose Channel and Matraxia was also able to tag 20 fluke under 18 inches. Grazioso said Saturday's catch included 20 fluke from 18 to 24 inches with a 5-pounder being the largest. Sunday was somewhat slower, but they still had fluke to 41/2 pounds.

At Atlantic Highlands, Rufino Soto of Hope Lawn boated a 71/4-pound fluke Monday on the Atlantic Star. Capt. Tom Buban reported better fluking after a slow weekend, and that continued yesterday morning when Pete Pros of Iselin hooked a 6 3/4-pounder.

Capt. Scotty Hilliard anchored on the Oil Wreck during Monday evening's trip with Prowler V and picked away at blues while those who dropped to bottom loaded up with ling. Murph Kilqauor of South Hackensack won the pool with a 12-pound blues and added 57 ling. The larger blues hit right away and then 2-to-3-pounders dominated.

Capt. Art Hilliard found bluefishing slow during two of his last three trips with the Eagle. Pete Calvers of Hazlet had a 12-pounder to top the Thursday night pick by the John Furch party, but there was better action Friday afternoon for Frank Pagano's group as Rich Hajdci 11, won the pool with a 9-pounder. It was slow again Saturday afternoon for the Greg, Cambeis party which topped out with a 10-pounder by Kevin Horn. Luzerne Sportsman's Club had a good pick of fluke Saturday off Sea Bright where Tom Tarr of Cream Ridge boated a 3.4-pounder. Gerry Friedman had a 31/2-pounder Sunday though fishing down the beach and at the Knoll was poor while Chapel Hill and the Ammo Pier channels produced. Sandy Hook Channel and Flynn's Knoll produced Sunday afternoon for the Joe Cupoli party as Bill Belesky won the pool at 3.2 pounds. Though Sandy Hook Bay fluke were very small shorts Monday, the Langione party managed some action in Sandy Hook Channel where Aeli Wirta of Point Pleasant boated a 23/4-pounder.

Ron Motyka reports in again:

"Hey Jay, Still catching plenty of fatties. The "Bug Light" seems to be the most consistent drift I can find. In three weeks, There has not been a single drift without a fluke. Only about 5% were keepers, but the fast action keeps me coming back trip after trip.
I did manage to try fishing the Channel around 18 marker, outgoing on the edge of the channel in about 30ft produced the biggest fluke of the weekend 23.5" maybe 4lbs (no scale ). After that fish I had over a dozen Giant Sea Robins in a row,(probably the same one) lacking patients I called it a day.
See you Soon, Ron "

Ron McClelland Sport Desk emailed me this....
Jay,
I just received an e-mail from the owner of Arena Alta, Dar Randal.

"We were informed today of a cancellation on one of our private house rentals
for the seven days starting July 22. We would like to offer the following."
"FREE LODGING with 6 days of fishing for $3000.00 for up to 4 people. That
comes to $750 per person for the week of fishing. The last two weeks in July
is known as "Little Summer" and is a great time to visit Costa Rica. Fishing
is great."
I don't know if this price includes the other coasts such as Sansa Round trip
air from San Jose or food. But this is a very good price. If you know of
anyone that may be interested call me at 741-3467.
Thanks,
Ron McClelland RGMC2@AOL.COM

Wednesday July 11th, 2000

The Stripers have basically stopped biting. Some of this year's best charter boats have been coming home with nothing but bluefish. Sure there are a few shorts but the big bass must be on their annual summer vacation off of Martha's Vinyard. Jimmy Irvine of Rumson just got back from a week trip up there with his 27' Regulator. he said that the bass fishing was excellent! As well was the fluke. He didn't bother going offshore. He said that regular unleaded gas was $2.65 a gallon on the Vinyard. Jimmy said that most of the fish were caught on live eels, and he tried some clam bellies too but the tackle shops are not quite set up for them as we are down here.

Meanwhile back in Jersey, George Feneise an Brian Rice have been picking up early morning bass and bluefish out by Roamer Shoals, mostly trolling. A few weakfish have been picked up but most are smaller. The tide runners should appear soon.

I saw Ron Motyka's catch at the dock and this is what he had to say:
"I was able to get out both Sat and Sun. The Fluke bite was good.
Drifting a drop-off between the "Bug Light" and the CG -Station seemed to be the honey-drift.
I probably boated about 100 flatties over the weekend, however only about 20 were keepers.
The biggest was only 21inches and thin. I noticed most of them were under 12inches, A great sign for the future.
A Bahrs killie and some squid, soaked in shredder crab oil seemed to be the ticket."

Tuna

The Hyper Striper made two trips to the Hudson Canyon over the weekend and came back with 8 and 10 yellowfin. They were in the 40 lb class and were all taken on the troll.

July 2001

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