Stripers!

[privateeyes]

The Hook is free from Labor Day until Memorial Day. To fish at night you have to pick up the night fishing pass available at the ranger station and it costs $50 for the year (although is supposedly going up next year)

I remember a few of us going in for night fishing and checking in the ranger booth before trying for weakfish using sandworms early June.. this was probably over twenty five seasons ago! lol .. we did a few trips for a few seasons until we got tired of it.. we never scored much but skates and very few and far between schoolie..yes back in the day, it was tough off the surf..we found the nightclubs to be more productive Anyway, if I lived closer, I'd buy a season pass. glta

[fishgalore]

Striper tournament on the Big D the end of March. Go here for info. & registration forms:-
 http://www.thebassbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278515

I'd like to attend it but so far I have no takers to join me. I'm no Captain but I do have a 16' Starcraft with a small Evinrude outboard that I think will get us there. It won't compete with others who will get there quick but what the hey.

If you are interested pm me.

[loustru]

  :DSome very reliable source informs me the bite is on in Raritan bay. You have to be there to catch them. Lou

[dmntd169]

:DSome very reliable source informs me the bite is on in Raritan bay. You have to be there to catch them. Lou

I got a very similar report...gotta wait till next weekend though....this weekend is head quite a few hours south to speed jig for pelagics 

[fish4life]

Been out myself hit the bay on Sunday nite. Got there around 10-  230am . Me and my buddy got a 12 between us. The biggest was 34 and mine was 30 the rest shorts all on clams . So you have  to be there to gettem ? Good luck to all who go.

[dmntd169]

nothing shuts down the bite in the back bay like me coming out for the weekend     hit the same area 3 times over the past 3 days and the only good bump I got was as soon as I got there on Saturday evening

only thing I can think of is the cold snap pushed the bunker off the beaches and out into the channels/ into the bay and the bass followed     no one else was doing anything either, saw 1 landed yesterday, late morning and that was all I saw between 10+ guys


oh well, one of the boats is going in this week and next weekend is the shake down for the season so hopefully I'll end up with a few in the box then 

[loustru]

My friends were out there sat. in a boat. Killed em.

[loustru]

 .We did our annual spring Striped bass charter sat. 4/28 out of Atlantic Highlands on the Littlehawk. We had 13 keepers for 13 guys and about 7 shorts in addition to approx. 6 to 10 bluefish. Rough ,windy and cold conditions. Pool fish was 38.5 inches. Great boat  + staff. 

[The Reel Deal]

Great fish everyone!!

[dmntd169]

hopped around the bay on Sunday looking for some fluke and I can honestly say I've NEVER seen so many bunker in the bay before...I stopped counting at 140 pods...the only pod we found with any fish under it was the 1st 1 and they were all blues...

Saw 3 dolphin feeding on different pods in the Raritan Reach southeast of rockpile 20 and then watched another pod all go airborne at once, 100+ bunker all jumping at the same time, only thing I can think of that would spook an entire pod like that would be a thresher


ended up taking 2 dozen bunker which are in the freezer for a combo shark/ tuna trip in a few weeks 

[fishgalore]

hopped around the bay on Sunday looking for some fluke and I can honestly say I've NEVER seen so many bunker in the bay before...I stopped counting at 140 pods...the only pod we found with any fish under it was the 1st 1 and they were all blues...

Saw 3 dolphin feeding on different pods in the Raritan Reach southeast of rockpile 20 and then watched another pod all go airborne at once, 100+ bunker all jumping at the same time, only thing I can think of that would spook an entire pod like that would be a thresher


ended up taking 2 dozen bunker which are in the freezer for a combo shark/ tuna trip in a few weeks 

Nice report! They are starting to run the Tuna trips now.

[dmntd169]

Nice report! They are starting to run the Tuna trips now.

Capt Joe Baumle put a 268# mako in the boat and I'm sure will be switching to tuna shortly 




maybe I'll convince him to run a gas trip so I can still work but also get to fish 

[fishgalore]

Capt Joe Baumle put a 268# mako in the boat and I'm sure will be switching to tuna shortly 




maybe I'll convince him to run a gas trip so I can still work but also get to fish 

Some buds got a small one (Mako) last Saturday only 125 lbs. 5' 10". Last year they got one over 200 lbs.