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Home > Local Sports Fishing > Jay's Weekly Fish Report > Report Archives > 2000 > October 2000

October 2000

October 26, 2000

Striped Bass

John Hanemann won the weekend 40-hour Hi-Mar Striper Club Striped Bass Tournament with a total weight of 46.7 pounds for two fish trolled with Driftwood plugs off Monmouth Beach on his Compromise II, which also took the largest bass award with Jim Stonaker's 25.6-pounder.

Capt. Phillip Sciortino of Tackle Box Sportfishing from Highlands was second in the 59-boat contest with bass of 21.3 and 22.4 pounds for a 43.7-pound total, caught by Felipe Benedit of Monmouth Beach and Mike Deusch of Fair Haven livelining bunkers south of the Rocks with spotting assistance from Big Al Wutkowski of Point Pleasant, who helped them find the bunker schools. Rich Newallis Jr. took third on Just-One-More at 35.2 pounds, with Mike Scideri fourth on Surf & Turf at 32.7 pounds, and Robert Bielitz fifth on Fisher Price with 32 pounds. Tournament chairman Bob Kamienski said Friday night was a dud, with all the winning fish being caught Saturday. Since small-craft warnings were posted at 6:15 a.m. Sunday, the last morning of the contest was suspended.

Trolling Spoons and rubber shad rigs produce some big bass and bluefish for Dennis Nalepa of Red Bank. He weighed in 24.6 lb Bass and a 14.4 bluefish. The shrewsbury Rocks have been the most productive but in between the channels has been gaad as well. The Highlands bridge is still getting its ealy mrning bass blitz usually at the end of the incoming tide. I have seen some nice fish being taken on plugs from boats, bthe shore and off of the sidewalks (illegal).

Blackfish
Captain Stan on the "Elaine B 2" reports. "Blackfishing getting better every trip. Weekend fishing good with
some limits. Tom Hollywood Staten Island 5lb pool winner and had limit. Mon.
Fishing the best so far. Ocean was quite nasty but the Blackfish did bite.
One drop all day, half the people had their limit, pool winner John Stigg
from Bound Brook with a 6lb. blackfish and had limit. Most of the others had
7-9 keepers.
John Matteucci had 15 keepers last wwek on the Sandy Hook Reef.

Tuna
I forgot to mention that George Sincox from Rumson, aboard the "Sinner" had 4 yellowfin up to 80 lbs and 4 long fin at the east wall of the canyon October 14th-15th.
Canyon fishing seems to be heating up again as the weather is cooperating. Check Out this tuna caught by Pete Cherasia in Nantucket, as reported in last week Pete cherasia Rumson Giant Tuna

October 18, 2000

Indian Summer is bonus for area fishermen.

The combination of a full moon and summer weather conditions, created fishing nirvana for area anglers. The stripers have been schooling up in thick pods between the channels off of Sandy Hook. The sea bass have been plentiful in the same spot. Bluefish have been cruising the beaches and blackfish season opened with promising catches. And the tuna in the canyon was red hot before and during the full moon but a little slow on the waning moon. Out of my window looking and the Highlands Bridge, I have been seeing big fish (bass & blues) being taken every day this during the a.m. hours. It is a regular morning blitz between 6;00 and 8:00 a.m..

Striped Bass

Capt. Brian Orio on the "T/T we are N.D." worming the Highlands Bridge last Thursday had some nice fish on sand worms. He had Joe and Duane D'Agustino on board and had bass up to 19 lbs. Steve Chiule reported a huge school of bass on Friday morning off of Sandy Hook Rip. He was using eels to catch his limit. Phillup Sciorentino on the "Tackle Box" fished on Saturday and had limits reached in 1/2 and hour using eels and worms.

Tuna

Captain Pete Wagner on the "Hyper Striper" fished the full moon on Thursday night with great results. His charter returned on friday to cover the docks with yellowfin tuna up to 76 pounds. Fishing with him was Captain Bill Hoblitzel who had some fun using his fly rod. He fought a 68 pounder for 45 minutes which he caught on a home made silver feathered goggle eyed lure.

BILL HOBLITZEL ON HIS FLY ROD 65LB YELLOWFIN

Pete Cherasia of Rumson returned from Nantucket on his "Shark Byte V" reporting 2 Giant Bluefin Tuna 360 lbs and 425 lbs and a third one lost at the boat. He said that the fishing up there had been slow and that he was very happy to go up there and raise fish while the Nantucket locals were struggling. After returning he and Chris Woods of Rumson headed back out on Sunday, this time to the Hudson Canyon. They came back with 3 yellowfins and a couple of longfins. It seemed that the waning moon or the change from nice weather turned of The bite. "the fish were there but they would not bite.

Blackfish

Captain Stan on the Elaine B reports "Hi Jay, bottom fishing over the weekend was very good. Seabass action on the reef was outstanding. Blackfishing has not yet gotten into high gear although we did have a couple of limits both days with fish to 5lbs. We will see what happens after this easterly weather."

John Matteucci, Middletown had a nice catch of blackfish on Sunday, fishing the Sandy Hook Reef with green crabs.

October 11, 2000

The Monmouth Beach Car Toppers Fishing Club concluded another successful Striped Bass Tourney this past weekend. The annual boat tournament attracts some of the premiere striper fisherman in the state. This years tournament lacked the larger 20 lb. plus fish but the bite was still productive. Friday Night and Saturday morning proved to be the best fishing with most fish being taken down by the Shrewsbury Rocks. Trolling rubber shad rigs was the bait of choice. Some fish were taken under the bridges and in the rip on live eels.

The top place fish were taken by those who ran from Highlands around the Hook down to Shrewsbury Rocks for an early Saturday morning bass blitz on trolled shad rigs before boat traffic pretty much killed that fishery the rest of the weekend. Club president, Capt. Fletcher Chayes said 27 boats entered the contest, but many couldn't fish in northwest winds that were 20 to 25 knots throughout most of the weekend. Very few bass were recorded at Bahr's Marina in Highlands after that early Saturday morning surge as worms and eels fished in all the usual hot spots failed to produce in the northwester.

Tournament Winners 10/15/00:

1st place Pete Wagner & Brian Morris "Hyper Striper" Red Bank

combined weight of 18.4, 13.0, 12.4, 11.8 = 55.6

2nd Place Steven Chulie Sea Bright

Dennis Nalepa Red Bank

D.J. Nalepa Red Bank

Combined weight 16.6, 15.8, 11.4, 10.4 = 54.2

3rd Place Brian Rice Fair Haven

Steven Foster, Oceanport

Mike Brickle Fair Haven

Combined weight 10.6, 11.0, 10.0, 8.2 = 39.8

Tuna

Chunking for Yellowfins still hot!

Armen Hovnanian, fishing on his "Emotional Rescue" Made a quick trip to the Canyon last Thursday. He chunked for tunas and landed 3 big fish at around 4 a.m. . The largest tipping the scales at 80lb plus.

Fluke

The Fluke are Gone.

Captain Stan on the "Elaine B" reports that the fluke are 99% gone. The northeaster last Tue. pushed them
offshore toward their winter home. This weekend we will start bottom fishing
for seabass. Tues.the 10th we will start fishing for Blackfish everyday @
7:00 AM.

Sea Bass
Blackfish Limits increases to 10 per angler
At Atlantic Highlands, the Sea Fox has switched to bottom fishing and Don Hager reported decent sea bass action inshore over the weekend followed by a shot of good ling fishing on Mud Hole wrecks in 160 to 180 feet. They stayed inshore Monday due to the strong wind, and anglers caught 10 to 25 sea bass while those using crabs were able to catch their single legal blackfish the day before that limit rose to 10 per person which will now permit the Sea Fox to concentrate on them during weekday trips. Friday's Mud Hole Marathon was very successful though only 18 anglers were aboard to catch 40 to 70 ling due to the forecast of strong northeast winds though they ended up on a calm sea.

October 4th, 2000

Kayak fishing in the Navesink

Have you heard about Kayak fishing in the Navesink? It seems it can be an exciting way to commune with nature! Last weekend at the break of dawn, Dave Cosgrove spotted some decent bird action at the mouth of the Navesink. He ventured out on his ocean going kayak with his spinning rod and metal Hopkins lure. It was a crisp fall morning and the river was like a mirror. When he arrived on the seen, the seagulls were following a very large school of 5-7lb blues. The blues were chasing small "peanut bunker" and had them trapped in a cove along Hatshorne Woods. They must have been starving as they turned the serene cove into a raging boil of chopped up bunkers, flipping bluefish, and diving seagulls. The peanut bunker were stranding themselves on the beach where the local raccoon's and red fox were joining in on the action. Dave in his stealthy craft was able to move right into the thick of it all. He said that he was shocked at the noise and eventually became a little concerned as they were leaping out of the water across the bow of his kayak, chopping their razor sharp teeth all of the way. He was able to catch and release 5 blues before he lost his lure, which he said was o.k. because he really thought that a bluefish might land on his lap and since he is set to get married, that would not have been a good way to catch a blue.

Striped Bass
Local Anglers Gear up for Bass Tournaments
At Highlands, Capt. Phillip Sciortino limited out the Mike Delvecio party from Rutherford with 13 bass up to 15 pounds on worms and eels Friday night.
Capt. Pete Wagner made his first fall striper trolling trip last Monday as the Dennis Taormina party from Essex caught 14 keepers, including eight over 28 inches and up to 21 pounds from Hyper Striper. A dozen shorts were released and they went weakfishing to add 16 up to 6 pounds to the catch.

Fluke

The Season Continues

Although some of the Atlantic Highlands party boats are switching to Sea Bass & Porgies. Captain Stan on the "Elaine B 2" is still finding some flukies in the ocean. Some nice fluke have been taken from the surf as well. Live killies and squid are always the best bet.

Bluefish

Spinning Rod...Never leave home without it!

Pat Guba reported that he was driving over the Rumson bridge during the week and pulled over on the Middletown side when he saw some "boiling" water. He pulled out of the back of his pickup, his trusty spinning rod and quickly filled the bucket of a guy who was crabbing there at the time. The crabber was happy to have a pail full of 5lb blues to go along with his blue crabs.

OffShore

Richard Quirk of the "Juggler" reported a successful trip aboard the "Brothers In Lure" on Friday night. Chunking and trolling in the Glory Hole and Monster Ledge areas he landed 3 Mako's in the 125lb class, 1 Thresher 240 lbs, 8 Alacore Tuna, and 6 "football" bluefins.

October 2000

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