06-03-2004, 02:58 AM
[size 2]Capt. Ed Bunting Jr., Sea Horse, Atlantic Highlands, said fluke fishing has been rewarding in his area with fish taken around the Coast Guard dock, the No. 1 Can at the Point of the Hook, and around the Bug Light.
Kerry Conklin, Fairless Hills, Pa., caught a 6-pound fluke on one trip, and Bob Samet, Huntington, L.I., caught a 4-pounder on another.
"More New York fishermen are coming to New Jersey because they want to catch more than three fish," Bunting said. "They feel it's unfair what the limit is in New York waters."
Capt. Joe Bogan, Jamaica II, Brielle, said he is fishing primarily deep water -- 60 to 70 feet -- on rough bottom, and catching fluke and sea bass.
"Much improvement in fluke catches this past week in both numbers and size," he said. "Several limits were caught over the weekend, and many fish were 3- to 4-pounders. Most anglers added five to a dozen nice sea bass to their catches."
Mike Prozor of Old Bridge had a 5-pound, 1-ounce fluke; Denny Winston of Freehold had a 5-pound, 5-ounce fluke; Eric Kramer, Point Pleasant, had a 7 1/4 pound fluke; and Pete Talevi, Trenton, had a 5-pound, 7-ounce fluke.
Ed Klumpp of Neptune fished Shark River and caught seven keepers to 3 pounds in a Fisherman's Den, Belmar, rental boat. Mike Wackett, Belmar, had five keepers to 3 1/2 pounds from a rental boat.
Anthony D'Amato, Toms River, stopped at Gates' Bait and Tackle, Point Pleasant Beach, with an 11-pound, 30-inch fluke that he speared while scuba diving in Manasquan Inlet. C. Samaritano, also of Toms River, had a 5 1/4-pounder.
Capt. Rich Thompson of the Shark Fin, Point Pleasant Beach, took a busman's holiday to fish on the Miss Jennifer, and he topped his catch of fluke with a 7 1/4-pounder while drifting off Elberon.
Larry Lee, Brooklyn, proved the size of some of the blackfish lurking around the jetties when he caught a 13-pound, 2-ounce, 26 1/4-inch tautog in the inlet, and weighed it at Gates' Bait and Tackle.
Dick Kuhn of Gates' said a lot of nice stripers are being brought into the shop. Joe Grisolia, Bristol, Pa., had a 40-inch bass on clams at Bay Head. It weighed 23 1/4 pounds.
Joe King, Point Pleasant, came in with a 38-inch bass that weighed 20 pounds, 12 ounces, and his son, Pat, had one that went 24 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 42 inches long. Both were caught on clams in the Point Pleasant Beach surf.
Mike Sullivan, Point Pleasant; Anthony Barbara, Staten Island; and Mike Limper, Brick, fished in front of Manasquan Inlet, and caught there bass -- 22, 23, and 28 pounds, respectively. Limper had an 11-pounder last week.
Capt. Fred Kern, Miss Belmar Princess, Belmar, sees the 61.5-degree water along the beach, and the abundance of fluke as reminiscent of the old days.
"There are a lot of throwbacks -- nice fat fish that we always kept in the past -- they have to go back now -- but they're there along with the keepers," he said. "Monday we had nice fishing even with the conditions -- it took 10- to 12-ounce sinkers to hold."
Joe Rapp of Toms River had four keepers to 3 pounds, and Bruce Bratt, also of Toms River, had four keepers.
Capt. Brock Dalton, Capt. Cal II, Belmar, said he is encouraged by the beginning of the fluke season, and his pool winners taken in 50 feet of water have been ranging from 5 to 7 pounds.
"Anglers are catching three to five keepers," he said. "A lot of nice fish -- 2, 3, 4 pounds -- and we're fishing the same old grounds."
Capt. Lou Grazioso, Striper Mania, Highlands, said bass fishing in Raritan Bay was excellent over the weekend with fish taken on live bunkers and chunks.
"This is one of the best seasons I've seen in years," he said. "We're limiting out up to 30 pounds every day. I had Ted Lygas (Brick) out Monday, and he limited out on big bass in nasty conditions."[/size]
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Kerry Conklin, Fairless Hills, Pa., caught a 6-pound fluke on one trip, and Bob Samet, Huntington, L.I., caught a 4-pounder on another.
"More New York fishermen are coming to New Jersey because they want to catch more than three fish," Bunting said. "They feel it's unfair what the limit is in New York waters."
Capt. Joe Bogan, Jamaica II, Brielle, said he is fishing primarily deep water -- 60 to 70 feet -- on rough bottom, and catching fluke and sea bass.
"Much improvement in fluke catches this past week in both numbers and size," he said. "Several limits were caught over the weekend, and many fish were 3- to 4-pounders. Most anglers added five to a dozen nice sea bass to their catches."
Mike Prozor of Old Bridge had a 5-pound, 1-ounce fluke; Denny Winston of Freehold had a 5-pound, 5-ounce fluke; Eric Kramer, Point Pleasant, had a 7 1/4 pound fluke; and Pete Talevi, Trenton, had a 5-pound, 7-ounce fluke.
Ed Klumpp of Neptune fished Shark River and caught seven keepers to 3 pounds in a Fisherman's Den, Belmar, rental boat. Mike Wackett, Belmar, had five keepers to 3 1/2 pounds from a rental boat.
Anthony D'Amato, Toms River, stopped at Gates' Bait and Tackle, Point Pleasant Beach, with an 11-pound, 30-inch fluke that he speared while scuba diving in Manasquan Inlet. C. Samaritano, also of Toms River, had a 5 1/4-pounder.
Capt. Rich Thompson of the Shark Fin, Point Pleasant Beach, took a busman's holiday to fish on the Miss Jennifer, and he topped his catch of fluke with a 7 1/4-pounder while drifting off Elberon.
Larry Lee, Brooklyn, proved the size of some of the blackfish lurking around the jetties when he caught a 13-pound, 2-ounce, 26 1/4-inch tautog in the inlet, and weighed it at Gates' Bait and Tackle.
Dick Kuhn of Gates' said a lot of nice stripers are being brought into the shop. Joe Grisolia, Bristol, Pa., had a 40-inch bass on clams at Bay Head. It weighed 23 1/4 pounds.
Joe King, Point Pleasant, came in with a 38-inch bass that weighed 20 pounds, 12 ounces, and his son, Pat, had one that went 24 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 42 inches long. Both were caught on clams in the Point Pleasant Beach surf.
Mike Sullivan, Point Pleasant; Anthony Barbara, Staten Island; and Mike Limper, Brick, fished in front of Manasquan Inlet, and caught there bass -- 22, 23, and 28 pounds, respectively. Limper had an 11-pounder last week.
Capt. Fred Kern, Miss Belmar Princess, Belmar, sees the 61.5-degree water along the beach, and the abundance of fluke as reminiscent of the old days.
"There are a lot of throwbacks -- nice fat fish that we always kept in the past -- they have to go back now -- but they're there along with the keepers," he said. "Monday we had nice fishing even with the conditions -- it took 10- to 12-ounce sinkers to hold."
Joe Rapp of Toms River had four keepers to 3 pounds, and Bruce Bratt, also of Toms River, had four keepers.
Capt. Brock Dalton, Capt. Cal II, Belmar, said he is encouraged by the beginning of the fluke season, and his pool winners taken in 50 feet of water have been ranging from 5 to 7 pounds.
"Anglers are catching three to five keepers," he said. "A lot of nice fish -- 2, 3, 4 pounds -- and we're fishing the same old grounds."
Capt. Lou Grazioso, Striper Mania, Highlands, said bass fishing in Raritan Bay was excellent over the weekend with fish taken on live bunkers and chunks.
"This is one of the best seasons I've seen in years," he said. "We're limiting out up to 30 pounds every day. I had Ted Lygas (Brick) out Monday, and he limited out on big bass in nasty conditions."[/size]
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