I hear ya. NJ is ridiculous. It feels like they want to kill the industry completely some years. Look no further than seabass regs. An absurd shuffle. I like the Dauntless. She isn't he biggest or fastest, no galley. It's just a real chill atmosphere to fish in.
They're trying to get NY and NJ in line on the bag limits. They're seeing too many NY boats fishing shrewsbury rocks and the mudhole ducking the NY regs in the process. DE has less stringent bag limits too but its just too far for Belmar boats. The Dauntless is a pretty good boat. We did quite well on it this year. Once the OE went Fluke, we went Dauntless and just racked up Seabass,Cod, Ling and I think 1 Pollock. I just like the variety. That restaurant on the other side of the parking lot is pretty good too for a quick meal after being on the water all day.
I did, but Mother Nature intervened with Small Craft Advisories and 4-6ft seas. Looking at tomorrow but if we can't hold bottom, no use in going. Shame is, the blackfish quota drops to 4 I think after the new year.
Yeah, having gone out in 4-6 footers this year, I'd put it off too . Tomorrow isn't looking too hot either, 18mph out of the NNE. Sounds a little bumpy. Well, I guess we couldn't be blessed with good weather all winter.
The Gods have spoken...... they have expressed displeasure in choosing to not watch the JETS-Pats game btw, we've had record high temps, sun and warm water...... xmas even morn, I caught a 24" redfish in skinny water, then went surfing in the afternoon...... then Santa gave me a new St. Croix rod
Nice ! Loves me some St. Croix! My custom bluefish rod was made from a St. Croix Muskie Blank. Its supposed to be cold tomorrow so I'm looking at wave height now for either a go or a no go. l'm setting up for the game today so the gods have spoken and I would be foolish not to listen. Besides, this will be wifey's first blackfish trip and it certainly would be good for her not to be skunked because of rolling waves.
Well fellahs, there is one thing I'm doing today that should bring me joy no matter what happens with the Jets.. That is, I'm cashing in my change can that I've been filling up for the last 2 years! Tomorrow being my 60th BDay, so far I'm $250 up on gift cards already. I'm hoping the can yields another $250!
Hot off the wire... the OE cancelled today and tomorrow's fishing due to wild weather offshore. Looks like I dodged a bullet on this one!
Sounds like it for sure. Nothing fun about a boat full of pukers hahaha. You going to take a shot for this weekend? Looks good so far, west winds @13. Didnt see the marine yet though.
Weather on the Eastern Seaboard has just phased into winter soooo, looks like I'm done until I can get a decent weekend day. Perhaps February will be better. Its not the temps, its the wave heights. Kinda a shame too as I'm all loaded up for Tog. Good thing the rigs for Tog and straight bottomfishing are almost identical. Single hook rigs are mostly what I use and they can easily be used for Cod, Black SeaBass, Ling, etc.... Heard the recreational limits for Fluke will be even more stringent. Not sure how the Fluke boats out of Belmar will fare this year but they'd better follow the Pt. Pleasant model and just bottom fish. Mostly empty boats don't make for good profits.
Yeah, I'm done as well I think. I'll keep an eye out for a day I can steal, but most of the stuff is put up for the winter. Also, nooooooooo Belmar fluke boats running bottom all summer please, I'd rather there be fish for us to catch!
Weather looks good for tomorrow KS. I'm making the trip and hopefully, wifey will be coming along. I think she'll be a natural at this since the woman certainly can bottom fish with the best of them. I got her some new gear to use as well as her Penn Rod/Reel combo gave up the ghost last season. I have a feeling its gonna be crowded tomorrow too so I'll be getting to the OE earlier than usual trying to get set up in the back of the boat. I know the front is where the action is but there's no way I can get there before 6am! I'm just gonna avoid fishing amidships. That works for SeaBassin but not for Tog. I guess its all how they set up on the wreck. Bringing along some heavier Floro leader too. Going 30# but if it gets sticky, I'll up it to 50#. I will be picking up some whiteleggers from the bait shop too. Oh, and I spoiled my self with yet another rig.. LOL Used up a bunch of gift cards I got for Christmas.. Daiwa Lexa400HS-P / Shimano Teramar Northeast 7ft. MH, Medium action, 1-4oz cast / 20-50# line rating.
KS, it was really f'n cold out there.. It snowed near the end of the trip. I don't think I've ever fished in the snow before!! I can tell you I won't do it again. The Weathermen f'd up the forecast. Sunny and west winds became cloudy and snowy with a hard NE blow. Fish had lockjaw too. Only upside is that my cold weather gear worked. Wifey's Goretex worked as well and she caught one of the very few keepers. Not sure if I'll ever fish past Dec. again though. Just not worth it.
Cold as hell with a hard NE? Oh yeah, time to hang it up for the year. I'm glad your gear held up, I had the unfortunate experience of freezing my wet ass off on a night striper trip on November once. Never again, now it's all Grundens all the time. Unless it's unseasonably warm again next year, I won't go past Dec either. I think I'm past those days now.
OK... I just finished booking my 2016 combo cruise and Ft. Lauderdale vacation! Yessir, 3 days in Ft. Lauderdale, 3 Days in the Bahamas and 3 more days in Ft. Lauderdale. While I'm down there, I'm gonna knock one more item off the old bucket list. I want to do a charter. I've notice there are many options and the pricing seems to be all over the place. I did see one: The Lady Helen that was priced reasonably $650 for 8hrs, 6 ppl. I called and talked with the Capt. and he said they fish for Mahi Mahi, Kingfish and Swordfish. That sounds like a lot of trolling to me but fun nonetheless. Yo Stinky? Is this anywhere near your territory? If so, do you know of any good charter boats near Ft. Lauderdale?
Aloha Nah man, that's the other end of the state (although I did live there as a kid) I know you like bottom fishing, but I think Trolling is your best bet down there (bottom fishing up here) as everything is very close (and near reefs can be overfished) + the Gulf Stream is like 10 miles off the beach down there......but me personally, I prefer trolling anyway. I love a chineese fire drill when four lines get knocked down all at once. Save your bottom fishing for da Bahamas mon. What time of year are you going? that can make a big difference in the pelagics too. Wintertime you can whack the sailfish with sight of the beach! I do know someone who used to mate down there a long time ago. I can see if I can find suggestions..... but that's a really good price. I'm assuming it's a center console.
