Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!!

Canyon - We did not have any reports this past week. We do know that Capt Howard Bogan is still running offshore in search of Yellowfin and Longfin. One of his customers stopped in here on Wednesday and said his last trip about a ten days ago yielded a total of 5 Tuna. He caught 2 of the Tunas including a Bluefin around 80lbs. He also had 5 Tilefish. He picked up more circle hooks and Fluorocarbon and said he'll continue to go as long as Capt Howard continues.

Inshore Tuna - There are still plenty of Bluefin in the Mud Hole, too bad the season is closed.

Bluefish - There were much fewer Bluefish caught this past week. Could be the season is about done for this year. Even the Bass trollers using Shad rigs are seeing less Bluefish and less bite-offs. If you still want a shot at some Blues, we'd suggest hopping on one of the Party Boats such as The Gambler from Pt Pleasant or any other boat jigging Stripers along the beach.

Striped Bass - This was a pretty good week for both surf anglers and boaters along Southern Monmouth/Upper Ocean County. Surf anglers found mostly small Bass in Manasquan, Sea Girt, Bay Head, Mantoloking, Brick Beach, and south to Island Beach. The fish are hitting plugs and swimming baits such as Storm Shads, Fish Trap Shads, Tsunami Shads, and Fin S Fish. Tom Grasso had 30 Bass on Tuesday. Boaters are finding good action on some bigger Bass between Bay Head and Lavallette on Bunker Spoons, Shad Rigs, and Parachutes. Joe Nunziato trolled Bass up to 25lbs on Spoons.

Bottom - The focus is switching from Sea Bass & Porgies to Blackfish & Ling. The cooler waters are pushing the Sea Bass & Porgies further offshore. The Blackfish are hitting better in 60 -90ft of water. The Sandy Hook Reef and the Sea Girt Reef are certainly worth fishing. The Ling are being caught on the deeper wrecks and on the Mud Hole Wrecks.

11/14/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - Good reports are still coming in from the Hudson. The "Salty Rinse" from Brielle Yacht Club fished the "Notch" on Monday. They brought 7 big Bluefins to the boat. They kept owner Rob Shawger's 270lb fish and released the rest. According to mate Carlo Truzzolino, they would have stayed longer as the fish continued to bite, however they had so much action that they ran out of bait! There are still Yellowfin and Longfin way down along the West Wall between the Hudson and Tom's. Capt Dave Bender on the "Jenny Lee" got in on that action earlier this week. Thanks for the Tuna loins Dave! Things out there might change following this hard coldfront. Stay tuned.

Inshore Tuna - If you are patient and willing to wait out the Bluefish, you still can catch school Bluefin in the Mud Hole. Most of the boats are fishing Monster Ledge and the area inshore of the Ledge on the West side and the Arunda as well. There are a few boats trolling the fish on small jets, Squid spreader bars, and small Ballyhoo. The majority of the boats are chunking and fishing with Butterfish and Sardines. Jigs are working well. The fish range from around 20lbs up to over 80lbs. John Pochinski had a very good trip on Tuesday after waiting out the Bluefish. Buddy Hughes stopped by yesterday and reported good fishing on Sunday. They got out to the Hole early in the morning and dealt with Bluefish all day and did not get their first Bluefin until 2:00pm.

Bluefish - To sum it up in a few words, they are everywhere! The boaters are finding schools of Blues up and down the Monmouth & Ocean county inshore waters marauding the vast schools of Peanut Bunker & Anchovies. These are jiggable fish & you might even find some Stripers mixed in with them. And as I mentioned above, the Blues are all over the Mud Hole as well. For all the surf anglers, the Blues have been blitzing the beaches all week. Outgoing tide all the way into the last part of the incoming tide has been best. They are attacking anything thrown in their direction!

Striped Bass - There has been decent Bass fishing since last weekend. However, it doesn't appear like any amount of migrating fish have arrived yet. Trollers caught fish last weekend from the Rocks up to the Highlands Bridge on Shad Rigs, Stretch Plugs, & Bunker Spoons. Not that many Bluefish either. Trollers working south of Manasquan Inlet had some nice fish from Mantoloking south to the Seaside Piers. There was some good jigging for Bass this week off of Spring Lake. There were alot of Blues mixed in. Surf fishermen are finding scattered Bass up & down the beach. There were some near blitz conditions this week at Brick Beach and north from Long Branch up to the Hook. Tom Grasso stopped by this week and told us he has been doing very well fishing Bomber A Salts right in Manasquan Inlet. Tom has been catching keeper Bass while the Shad are busting on top.

Bottom - Finally, Blackfish season is here (as of Saturday)!! The fish have been here but as we all know, the powers to be decided to restrict the recreational fishermen while still allowing the roller gear boats and the potters to decimate the Tog. The logic escapes me. Many of theParty Boats are switching over to Blackfish. There are still plenty of Sea Bass & Porgies around. However, there are more throwbacks then keepers. The boats fishing some of the northern Monmouth county wrecks & Sandy Hook Reef and Scotland Grounds are catching some nice size Ling also.

11/7/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - The only reports we've received this week came from the Hudson. Big Bluefins continue to bite along the East Wall. These fish range from 125lbs up to 300plus. Many boats are using their 80 and 130lb class tackle while others still use their stand up gear. Adam Glantzman landed a 200lb Bluefin on a Calstar Stand Up rod and a Penn 50TW filled with 80lb Momoi. The fight lasted 30 minutes. Rob Shawger took his new "Salty Rinse" out to the Hudson and he and his crew (including Capt Drew Santoro) caught and released 6 big Bluefins and brought Rob's 210lb fish home. The last few nights have seen an increase in both Yellowfin and Longfin along the West Wall. These could be the fish that my friend Capt Greg Mercurio of the Yankee Capts was fishing on out towards Atlantis Canyon. The only worry now is weather. If you want to make one last trip, jump on one of the fine Party Boats that continue to Canyon fish. The Jamaica and the Sea Devil continue to make the run out of Manasquan Inlet.

Inshore Tuna - School size Bluefin up to 80lbs can still be found in the Mud Hole. This past week, John Neidenstein from Shark River had fish up to 80lbs. Also from Shark River, Fluke King Capt Charlie Martino had a charter party out on Monday and they caught 4 Bluefin up to 60lbs. I fished with Adam Glantzman on Tuesday and we kept one Bluefin and released 4 others ranging from 20 to 60lbs. We caught the fish on both bait (Sardines) and on jigs. The spots to try would be Monster Ledge, the Arunda, and the Lillian. There are probably fish in other areas of the Hole as well.

Striped Bass - There seems to be fish to the north of Manasquan Inlet and further south as well. However, the fishing has been anything but stellar. Veteran Bass angler "Big" Al Wutkowski feels that there should be some movement and activity following this Saturday's full moon. A drop in water temps should certainly help. There was some very good action for boat anglers this week at Flynn's Knoll. Fish were trolled and also caught on Clams and Eels. The surf remains up and down. There have been a few scattered reports of good Bass action from Bay Head thru Brick Beach for the few lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. There are Peanut Bunker along the beach, but for the most part, they continue to be unmolested. There are school size Bass in the Manasquan River. They are hitting a variety of soft plastic shads on leadheads. The same holds true for the Canal. This should be an interesting weekend as there are 3 tournaments being held for boaters.

Bluefish - Blues continue to cooperate for the boaters. The Party Boats are fishing 17 Fathoms, the West side of the Mud Hole, the Farms, and the Mud Buoy. There are Blues up and down the beach. These fish can be trolled or jigged. Blues have also been blitzing the beaches from Sea Girt to Manasquan and further south from Brick Beach thru Island Beach.

Bottom - Sea Bass and Porgies continue to be the main stay of the fishery. There seems to be no limit to the amount of fish, but many of the fish are undersized. Hopefully, cooler water temps will bring some larger Sea Bass in. Blackfish are starting to bite on the inshore pieces. This also should only get better with falling temps. Divers have told us that many of the inshore wrecks have Blackfish on them in good numbers. The same holds true for many of the jettys.

10/31/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Happy Halloween!!!

Canyon - We had mixed reports this past week, at least when the weather allowed boats to go. We heard that Fri nite into Sat was very good for Yellowfin & Bluefin. Then we heard that both Sat into Sunday and Sunday into Monday were slow. We also heard that the Hudson was pretty much barren of Yellowfin. However, we had a customer stop in late yesterday. He just returned from a trip on the Jamaica and reported 23 or 24 Yellowfin were caught in the Hudson. We have not gotten reports from any of the other Canyons.

Inshore Tuna - There is a pretty good bite on school Bluefins in the Mud Hole, specifically at Monster Ledge and the Arunda. It figures because the season on Bluefin under 73" closes today, even though the quota has not been reached. The fish being caught are on chunk baits and jigs.

Bottom - The Sea Bass and Porgy fishing continues to please anglers, with many limit catches being taken. There are alot of undersize fish and we urge all of you to be careful when releasing them. Try not to grab them with a rag as that removes the protective slime from their bodies. When you grab them, touch them as little as possible. The fishing remains steady on the inshore wrecks, rockpiles, rough bottom, and artifical reefs. Clams and squid work best. There are some Blackfish being taken as well.

Striped Bass - Boaters have been trolling some fish from Deal north to Sandy Hook, mainly on Shad Rigs. Bluefish have been tearing up shads in between the Bass hits. There are some Bass being trolled from Bay Head south thru Seaside Park also. There is plenty of bait up & down the beach, maybe we just need the ocean temps to fall a few more degrees to spark some movement of Bass down our way. The surf reports basically mirror the boat reports. If you're in the right place at the right time, you score. Late last week, Tim Finnigan stopped by to report his catch of 15 Bass taken on Poppers & Fish Trap Shads from Brick Beach. The following day, Allan Sherman fished the same area at the same part of the tide and caught Bluefish until his arms ached, but no Bass. Clam fishermen are picking Bass in both Monmouth & Ocean Counties.

Bluefish - Blues are being caught from the surf on Metal, Plugs, & Shads in both Monmouth & Ocean County with no particular tide being favored. Right place...right time. Boaters are jigging and trolling Blues along the beach also. The fish are from about 5 to 15lbs. There were still Blues being caught at 17 Fathoms, the Mud Buoy, the Farms, and the Mud Hole, on both bait and jigs.

10/16/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - The Hudson Canyon was very good before this week's blow. Fish were caught on both the West Wall and along the East Wall. The majority of the fish were chunked because the majority of the boats were chunking rather then trolling. Yellowfin made up the bulk of the catches. However Longfin, Bluefin, Big Eyes, Mahi Mahi, Swordfish, & Makos were also caught this past week. John Krohn & Al Bessemer topped their catch of Yellowfin & Mahi with a 200lb Big Eye. We had several reports this past week of White Marlin being trolled in the Hudson. There have been very large Bluefin hooked & even landed at the Tip. Some of these fish weighed in at 250lbs. We did not receive any reports from any other Canyons.

Inshore Tuna - We had a few reports of school & medium size Bluefin in the Glory Hole, the Baccardi, the Texas Tower, & the Chicken Canyon. The boats are following the Scallop boats & fishing behind them as they clean the Scallops. The fish are being taken on bait & on jigs. Closer in, there are still Little Tunny & school Bluefin in the Mud Hole. These fish are being taken both trolling & chunking. We had reports from the Ledge & the Lillian.

Striped Bass - There was some good surf action this past week. The hot spot in Monmouth County was Monmouth Beach. A mix of Bass & Bluefish attacked Tsunami Shads, Storm Shads, Fish Trap Shads, & Poppers. The Bass ranged from slot fish to the mid teens. The Blues went from 5 - 12lbs. There was a blitz on Tuesday afternoon in Lavallette. Again, it was a mix of Bass & Blues. The boaters are trolling Bass from Deal to the Highlands Bridge. Most days either Shad rigs, Bunker Spoons, or single large Tubes work. However, there were a few days when all the Bass hit were chartreuse Shad rigs. There are still plenty of Bass from 20 - 30 inches in the Manasquan River, especially around the Rt 35 Bridge. For best results use: Tsunami Shads, Storm Shads, Fish Trap Shads, or Rhino Shads.

Bluefish - The boat fishing was decent before the blow. The fish were caught at 17 Fathoms, the Mud Buoy, the Farms, & in the Mud Hole. We have not gotten any reports since the weekend. There are Blues being caught up & down the beach. It's a matter of being at the right beach when the fish show up. Look for schools of Peanut Bunker & Mullet along the beach & the Blues won't be far behind.

Bottom - The bottom fishing has been very good this week. The catches are mostly Sea Bass & Porgies. Some days the keeper to throw back ratio is even & other days it may be 10 throwbacks to 1 keeper.I know because I fished on Tuesday and that's about what the ratio was. Meanwhile, Tom Vogel stopped in here today & he had a 50/50 ratio of keepers & throwbacks. And so it goes. There are still Croakers along the beach out to about 30 feet. There are spike Weakfish mixed in with the Croakers. Just a few Blackfish are being taken.

10/09/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - The Hudson Canyon has been the place to be. There are Yellowfin on the East Wall around the Elbow . Yesterday, the troll bite was very good along the West Wall. Several Big Eyes were boated including the "Crisdel" and "Low Bid". There were also Yellowfin, Longfin, Mahi Mahi, and a few White Marlin trolled as well. We heard that Sardines have been the best bait at night. There are also a few Swordfish & Makos being taken at night as well. The action in the Lindenkohl has not been as consistent as it has been in the Hudson. There is some warm water out near Atlantis and hopefully it will work its way to us before we run out of decent weather.

Inshore Tuna - Capt Charlie "Light Tackle" Martino had 2 excellent charter trips late last week in the Mud Hole. He had John Wester and his friend Andy out fly fishing. They caught 6 Spanish Mackerel and 7 Little Tunny. He sailed the following day with the Bill Bittner party. They trolled and diamond jigged 7 Bluefin from 15 - 25lbs and caught a load of Little Tunny & Skipjack. The hot trolling lure was a Sumo Jet Spreader Bar. There are larger 100 - 200lb Bluefin around the Texas Tower. The successful boats are following the Scallop boats and fishing bait or jigging right behind them.

Striped Bass - The surf action is starting to heat up. Monmouth Beach has been good for the past week on plugs & poppers. There are Bass being caught down thru Island Beach as well. The bulk of these fish are being taken with clams, although there are Bass being taken in Sea Girt on plugs & poppers. Trollers are catching Bass on single tubes tipped with either Sandworms or Berkley Power Sandworms, shad rigs, Bunker Spoons, & Stretch plugs from Deal up past the Highlands Bridge. There are loads of small 15 - 22" Bass in the Manasquan Inlet & River. They are hitting Fish Traps, Rhinos, Tsunami Shads, Rattle Traps, Storm Shads, & Fin S Fish.

Bluefish - The boaters continue to catch Blues with bait & on jigs in various places including: 17 Fathoms, Mud Buoy, the Mud Hole, & the Farms. There are small Blues inshore on the lumps & wrecks and along the beach as well. The Blues are also providing action for the surf anglers from Monmouth Beach down thru Island Beach. These fish range from 2 - 12lbs. If you want to fish bait from the beach, try using Mullet or Bunker chunks. If you prefer artificals, plugs, poppers, & metal will bring you action.

Fluke - The "Fat Lady" has sung. There are a few Fluke being caught, but very few. It seems the Northeaster before Isabel sent the majority of the Fluke offshore.

Bottom - The action has been very good on the inshore wrecks, reefs, & rock piles. The action consists of Sea Bass, Porgies, a few Blackfish, an occasional Fluke or Triggerfish, and lots of Croakers. The other day, we fished with Adam Glantzman on his 26 Regulator. We tried several wrecks around Manasquan Inlet and caught fish on all of them. We tried a spot on the Sea Girt Reef that had clouds of bait on it. To our surprise, we caught some of the bait. They turned out to be Sardines, about 5 - 6" long.

10/03/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - When the weather allows, both trolling & chunking has been very good. Boats fishing the Hudson have been trolling on the West Wall & catching Longfin, Yellowfin, Mahi Mahi, and an occasional White & Blue Marlin. Boats are chunking at the East Elbow, catching mostly Yellowfin with some Longfin, some Mahi Mahi, and more then an occasional Mako & Swordfish. There were some good trolling catches made in the Toms & Carteret Canyons as well. The Lindenkohl was producing fish on the troll & on the chunk, but the warm water moved & the action seems to have slowed up a little.

Inshore Tuna - We did not get any reports this week. The last reports we had were school Bluefin, Skipjack, & Mahi Mahi in the Glory Hole. Also, Little Tunny, Bonito, Bluefin, & Mahi Mahi in the Mud Hole between the Ledge & the Lillian.

Fluke - Seems like the season is just about over. We talked to one of our customers who works part time on a Lobster boat and he reported a number of Fluke in the Lobster pots that are in 140ft of water. There are still some fish around inshore but the bulk of the fish seem to have migrated offshore.

Bottom - Sea Bass & Porgies are providing good action on the inshore wrecks & rock piles. There are also loads of Croakers on the inshore mussel beds and rough spots. There are some Blackfish around as well, but due to regulations, the daily limit remains one fish per person.

Striped Bass - Trolling the Shrewsbury Rocks with Shad rigs & single long ( 30-36") Tubes tipped with either Sandworms or Berkley Power Sandworms continues to provide action for the few boats doing it. There were quite a few Bass caught along the beach this week. This coincides with the arrival of Mullet & Peanut Bunker along the beach. It will only get better.

Bluefish - Boaters are chumming & jigging fish in several spots including: 17 Fathoms, the Mud Buoy, the Farms, and east & southeast of Manasquan Inlet. There have also been some blitzes along the Monmouth & Ocean county beaches this past week.

9/26/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - The Canyon fishing has been very good this past week. Both trollers & chunkers are returning with limit & near limit catches of Yellowfin along with good numbers of Longfin & Mahi Mahi. There have also been some very large White Marlin trolled and some Swordfish at night. The hot spots have been the Hudson Canyon along the west wall from the Bombs on down towards the Mouth, the Toms Canyon, & the Lindenkohl. There is no real secret to the trolling. Put out a pattern of similar Bars & lures and troll at about 6 1/2 - 7 knots and you should be fine. If you are looking for Longfin, try a pattern with Purple or Black & Purple 8 or 9 inch Squid Bars along with similar colored Jets and you should have plenty of Longfin to can for the winter. There have also been some Bigeyes mixed in with the Longfin. Try trolling a little slower for the Bigeyes. 13 inch Squid Bars and similar size Jets work well on the Bigeyes.

Inshore Tuna - We had some positive reports from several customers who trolled the Glory Hole. They all reported catching school size Bluefin, Mahi Mahi, Skipjack Tuna, & Little Tunny. The fish were trolled on a variety of lures including: Sumo Jets, Clark's Squid Spoons, Squid Spreader Bars, small Ballyhoo, Cedar Plugs, MP Albacore Plugs, and MyLure Tuna Darts. There still may be fish in both the Chicken Canyon and in the Mud Hole as well its just that we did not get any reports from either of those areas.

Fluke - The only reports we had came from the Manasquan River, and of those reports, some caught fish and others did not. With an extended season, we all hope the Fluke did not leave us for greener pastures.

Bluefish - There are plenty of Blues of mixed sizes in and around the Mud Hole. They respond to both Metal & Bait. There are Little Tunny & Bonito mixed in with the Blues. There are small Blues up & down the beach chasing Mullet & Spearing, and the Snappers are still in the rivers & lagoons.

Sea Bass - The Sea Bass & Porgies are cooperating for inshore wreck fishermen. Any of the inshore wrecks & rough bottom seem to have Sea Bass. The Porgies were up around the Shrewsbury Rocks.

Striped Bass - Good reports this week from trollers fishing the Shrewsbury Rocks. Fish from slot size to the low 20lb class were caught mostly on large single tubes tipped with SandWorms. There are plenty of undersized Bass in both the Canal and the Manasquan River. They have been hitting Fish Traps, Rhinos, Tsunamis, & Storms.

9/19/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Before I begin this report, I must let everyone know about the passing of Capt John Gulino. John ran boats out of Manasquan Inlet for more then 20 years. Among the boats he ran were: Aruba Reba, Mirage, Trophy Hunter, Margaret Diane, Torre's Glory, and as a fill-in on the Yankee Capts. John always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. He was always willing to help and ALWAYS shared fishing information. But the best thing was; he was my close friend and I feel lucky and fortunate to have known him. He most definetly enriched my life. John leaves behind his loving wife, his son & daughter, his daughter in law, his son in law, his precious grand daughter, his parents, his two sisters, and many friends. John was 49. I wish him peace and calm seas. Goodbye my friend...

Canyon - Prior to Isabel, the Hudson was a happening place, especially along the west wall. The chunking was consistent for 40 to 60lb Yellowfin along with Mahi Mahi, a few Longfin, and a few large Swordfish. There was also a troll bite for Yellowfin & Longfin as well as Mahi Mahi. John "Total Adventure" Krohn and Al Bessemer trolled last Sunday and reported several Yellowfin and large Longfin. The highlight of their trip was their battle with an estimated 400lb Blue Marlin that hit a Reel Seat Zuker Spreader Bar. The fish was eventually lost after the bill chafed thru the 250lb main leader. Several captains were already in here this morning and were planning on going out to the Hudson this weekend.

Inshore Tuna - Again prior to Isabel, we had several reports of school size Bluefin in the Mud Hole. Most of the caught fish were taken while chumming and chunking. Mixed in were Mahi Mahi, Little Tunny, and Bonito. Monster Ledge was the most frequently talked about spot. We know some of our customers are planning to try the Hole either Sunday or Monday.

Fluke - There were not too many good reports even prior to Isabel. There were Fluke being taken in both the Manasquan and Shark Rivers. Hopefully, all of the nasty weather we've had over the last 2 weeks didn't prompt a premature offshore exit. We know some diehards that will be trying as soon as conditions allow. I know I'll be one of them.

Sea Bass - The season reopened on the 16th and the fish were snapping pretty good. Looks like the fall run should be a very good one. There were also good sized Porgies on some of the rough spots.

Striped Bass - Trolling the Shrewsbury Rocks had been very good prior to Isabel. Shad rigs and large single tubes were producing Bass up to 25lbs. Here's a little tip when trolling the large single tubes...put a Sandworm on the back hook. Sounds crazy but the smell of the worm must drive the Bass nuts. They have been fishing this way for years up on Cape Cod. Several boats have been doing this here for the last couple of years but were reluctant to share the info. The surf should be starting up with the migration of the Mullet and peanut Bunker.

Bluefish - Chumming & jigging both night and day was good prior to Isabel. Fish were caught as close as 2 miles from Manasquan Inlet and out to 17 Fathoms and the Mud Hole. Snappers and small Blues continue to attack anything in front of them in the rivers and inlets.

9/05/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Hopefully, the weather will straighten out so we may all be able to fish for whatever makes us happy!

Canyon - Prior to this nasty weather, the Canyon fishing was pretty consistent. Chunking was producing mostly Yellowfin with a few BigEyes and a few Swordfish as well. Live Squid was the hot bait. The trollers did well also with catches of Longfin, Yellowfin, Mahi, and a few BigEyes & Billfish as well. The bite in the Hudson was mainly on the West Wall around the Bombs, but there were good catches taken from the Tom's & Lindenkohl. There were also some Bluefin trolled around the Texas Tower.

Inshore Tuna - Again, prior to this nasty weather, inshore Tuna trolling was producing a mixed catch of some school Bluefin, Mahi, Skipjack, Bonito, & Little Tunny. Small Sumo Jets, Cedar Plugs, Feathers, & Spoons were the preferred single lures along with Jet Spreader Bars & Tuna Dart Spreader Bars.

Fluke - Last week & last weekend was the time for JUMBO Fluke. Joe "Matador" Vezzosi stopped by with a 6 1/2 & 9 1/2 lb Doormat caught on stinger rigged 3oz Spro Bucktails. The rest of his limit catch had fish from 3 - 5lbs, all caught on bucktails in 50ft of water off Asbury Park. John "Total Adventure" Krohn stopped in with a 7 1/2lb flattie also caught on a 3oz Spro Bucktail. He fished Manasquan Ridge. Yesterday, we know the Jamaica II made it out to the Fluke grounds. Dennis Muhlenforth fished on the morning trip & bucktailed three keepers including the pool fish. Then, he stopped here to pick up a few things for his Canyon trip last night on the Jamaica. Charlie "Light Tackle" Martino called with a limit trip for his weekend charter. They had Fluke up to 7lbs.

Sea Bass - The season is closed until 9/16, thanks to the infiite wisdom of our fisheries managers.

Porgies - They are taking up the slack while the Sea Bass are shut down. I would guess that it might take a few days for this fishery to rebound from the nasty weather & big heave.

Striped Bass - Trolling the rocks last weekend produced back to back limit catches for Shimano rep Doug Rusch. Capt Chuck "Fear No Fish" Salkeld also reported limit catches on Shad Rigs & single tubes. Chuck has been catching these fish almost all summer. With the beginning of the bait migration, surf fishing will start to steadily improve. There are still plenty of 18 - 22 inch Bass in the Manasquan River.

Bluefish - The only reports we have gotten recently were big Blues up on the Rocks and small Blues in the Manasquan Inlet. The Snapper fishing is very good everywhere.

8/29/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Fluke - Fluking remains very good with quite a few jumbo doormats being taken everyday. The bigger fish are being caught around the inshore wrecks and rough spots off both Monmouth & Ocean County in 55 - 70ft of water. While traditional Fluke rigs are taking their fair share of fish, bucktails (especially the 3oz Spro) and chrome Fluke balls are producing outstanding catches. On Monday, I fished with Allan Sherman & Capt Charlie Martino (Light Tackle Sportfishing). In spite of all the wind, all three of us bucktailed our limit of Fluke up to 5 1/2lbs fishing the rock piles from Deal thru Monmouth Beach. On Tues., I fished with John Vafiadis & Adam Glantzman on Adam's 26 Regulator. We tried some wrecks to the south of Manasquan Inlet that his father-in-law Howard Bogan, Sr recommended. We bucktailed 17 keepers including a pair of 7lbers, a 6 1/2, a 5lb, and several 4lb fish. Capt Chuck Salkeld (Fear No Fish) checked in yesterday with a limit catch for his charter. They spent the morning trolling Stripers at the Rocks & finished up Fluking up there. Their limit catch included a 9 1/2lb doormat caught on a chrome Fluke ball. Dennis Muhlenforth from Delaware stopped in & reported a limit catch he bucktailed on the Jamaica II. His fish ranged from 2 - 8lbs. Howard & Ted Breitowich fished the Tire Reef outside Barnegat Inlet & kept 8 keepers in just 2 hours of fishing. Ted jigged a 7.6lb Fluke & Howard had one that weighed 5 1/2lbs. We also received reports of good Fluking in the Manasquan River from the 35 Bridge west up past Clark's Landing. There are also Fluke being caught at the Inlet.

Sea Bass - The Sea Bass remain plentiful inshore and some of the spots especially around the Shrewsbury Rocks are producing good catches of Porgies. Capt Willie on the Dauntless has been splitting his days between Sea Bass & Porgies. Lots of happy fishermen stepping off his boat.

Bluefish - There are plenty of Blues along the beach for the surf anglers. They chase the Spearing & Peanut Bunkers right up to the beach. Almost any kind of metal will get bit. As for the boats, the night fishing has been up & down and the day fishing has been about the same. You can troll Blues at the Shrewsbury Rocks, but just be careful as you might just troll up a keeper Striper as well. The day & night boats have continued to fish the 17 fathoms, the mud buoy, & the west side of Mud Hole.

Striped Bass - There are still Bass being taken in spite of the warm water temps. Big Al Wutkowski took his grandson Austin, Austin's pal Tucker, & Al's future son-law Rob out this week. They went up to the Shrewsbury Rocks with live Herring. This was Rob's intro into Salt Water fishing & his first fish was a 38lb Striper! They caught several in the 25lb class & a few in the 20's. Rick Donofrio has been catching Bass all summer up there at night on eels. And, as previously reported, the Bass are being trolled at the Rocks on Shad rigs & single large tubes.

Inshore Trolling - There are Bonito, Little Tunny, Skipjack, school Bluefin, & Mahi Mahi being trolled from about 5 miles out to the Glory Hole on small jets, Spreader Bars, feathers, & spoons. Trolling along the beach from 1 - 11/2 miles has also been productive for Bonito, Little Tunny, Spanish Mackerel, & Mahi Mahi. John Krone stopped by yesterday and reported trolling 20 Mahi Mahi up to 14lbs on small jets just about 11/2 miles off Asbury Park on Wed afternoon after that front blew thru.

Canyon - Fishing, both trolling & chunking was inconsistent this past week. There were several good catches made in the Hudson & in the Toms. James Santomauro (Two Coats) told us he caught one Yellowfin chunking & one trolling in the Hudson & trolled from the tip inshore several miles & caught a 70lb Wahoo before calling it a day. Capt Mike on the Allison Rae had a chunking trip earlier this week that produced 25 Yellowfin for his charter. Looks like bad weather will prevail for most of this weekend but fishing should improve with better weather.

8/22/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - This past week, fishing was up & down. The chunk bite was anything but consistent. Some boats never had a bite while others enjoyed some moderate success. There were several Swordfish taken during the week including a 90lb fish taken on the Jenny Lee. There were some good trolling catches this week. Capt Charlie Martino, "Light Tackle Sportfishing" ventured away from the Fluke grounds this week with the mechanics from Continental Airlines for a one day troll. They fished the tip of the Hudson and boated 4 nice 50 - 70lb Yellowfin, a 20lb Mahi, and released a White Marlin. Pretty damn good considering they stopped fishing at 1:00pm. Boats are fishing the usual spots in the Hudson; the West Wall from the Letters thru the West Elbow and the East Wall from the tip down thru the Mouth. Some of the larger Yellowfin were found to have Skipjack in their bellies. We have not received any first hand reports from any of the other Canyons.

Inshore Trolling - We heard of some good catches of Mahi, school Bluefin, & a few White Marlin trolled in the Glory Hole. The key to success continues to be small lures. The water from the a few miles off the beach out to the tip of the Hudson is absolutly spectacular. The Mud Hole has been producing Mahi, Bonito, Little Tunny, & some school Bluefin for the guys trolling.

Fluke - Another good week Fluking. I fished with Adam Glantzman this week. We fished some wrecks & rough bottom off Island Beach in 50 - 70ft of water. Spro Bucktails tipped with strip baits acoounted for a limit catch of Fluke up to 5 1/2lbs & several Sea Bass up to 2 1/2lbs. We weighed an 8 3/4lb fish taken at the Sea Girt Reef on one of our 5oz Chrome Fluke Balls tipped with a Squid strip. We had many customers that had limit or near limit catches this week while fishing on the Jamaica II, the Gambler, Capt Cal, & Big Mohawk. Many of these catches were made using Bucktails & Fluke Balls as traditional Fluke rigs.

Bluefish - We did not have any reports this past week from boats fishing for Blues. The small 1 - 2lb Blues continue to cruise in & out of Manasquan Inlet. They can be caught on almost any kind of metal or soft plastic bait. There are also larger 8 - 10lb Blues being taken from the Monmouth County surf on poppers being fished right before dusk.

Weakfish - Continue to be M.I.A. Some reports of fish being taken in Barnegat Bay around the buoys but reports from the Manasquan remain dismal.

Sea Bass - The Sea Bass continue to fill buckets for bottom fishermen. There are still a surprising amount of large 2 - 3lb fish still being taken on the inshore spots. Ling are still being taken on the Mud Hole wrecks.

8/15/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - Canyon fishing (at least in the Hudson) has finally turned on this week. Good catches of Yellowfin & Longfin were made both by trolling & by night chunking. The catches we heard about came from the West Wall, from the Bombs down thru The Elbow. There are probably fish being caught elsewhere, but we had no confirmed reports so we won't give out third & fourth hand information. Besides the Tuna, we heard of Mahi Mahi & some White Marlin being trolled. The trolled fish are being taken on both artifical lures & Ballyhoo as well.

Inshore Tuna - We didn't hear much about inshore trolling this week other then a report of several large (up to 18lbs) Mahi Mahi being trolled in the Mud Hole around the Oil Wreck. Better weather will bring out more interest, so we should have some better reports.

Sharks - There are still Sharks around to be caught. Small Makos with some Browns & Blue Sharks are cooperating for the few that continue to pursue them. The Monster Ledge & surrounding area has been most productive.

Fluke - The Fluking remains good as long as the winds are favorable. Earlier this week when the winds finally died down the fishing got better. The mornings were slower due to no wind which caused a lack of drift. Spro bucktails & Fluke balls produced very well once again this week. John Vafiadis fished with Capt Charlie Martino, "Light Tackle Sportfishing" from Shark River this past week. Jigging bucktails produced a near limit catch for both. The top two fish weighed 8lbs 6oz, & 8lbs 12oz. If you want a chance at catching a big Fluke, I'd give Capt Charlie a call at 732-988-3632. Capt Dave Bender, "Jenny Lee" had a charter out on Wed. & reported "fantastic" Fluking out on the lumps. The majority of their limit catch were in the 3 -5 pound class. The majority of their fish were caught on Fluke balls rigged with a bucktail teaser above the ball. Ted Johnson & Tom Dvorak fished a local wreck and had about 10 fish, 6 of those were from 3 - 6lbs. Fluking also remains good in the Manasquan River. Light line & bucktail jigs are the key.

Bluefish - Fishing generally remains spotty for the party & charter boats. Some days are decent & others are slow. There are some large fish around the Shrewsbury Rocks being trolled on umbrella rigs. Small Blues & Snappers are in the Manasquan Inlet chasing Spearing & small Mackerel. Snappers are also in most of the lagoons & creeks as well.

Sea Bass - The numbers are still there but some days under size fish dominate the catches & other days keeper size fish make up the majority of the catch. On some spots, Porgies have been taken in good numbers. The Mud Hole wrecks are still producing some Ling & Hake.

Striped Bass - Trolling the Shrewsbury Rocks continues to produce good catches of keeper size Bass for those who try. Capt Chuck Salkeld, "Fear No Fish" has been fishing there most of the summer and has had many impressive catches. The Manasquan River & Pt Pleasant Canal are loaded with small 18 - 22" Bass. They can be caught using your favorite soft plastic bait.

Weakfish - Still very slow. A few large fish are taken from the Manasquan Inlet but nothing consistent and not in any numbers either. We are all waiting for the small Weakies to show in the Manasquan. For a diversion, the Hickory Shad are all over the Manasquan in great numbers and they will hit any small lure.

8/08/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Fluke - Ocean fishing remains better in deeper 50 - 70ft depths as well as around the wrecks, rock piles, & rough bottom in the 40 - 50ft depths. 3oz Spro Bucktails & Chrome Fluke Balls are producing some outstanding catches. Joe Natoli had a 5 1/2lb Fluke this week on a Chrome Ball Hi Lo rig. The fishing in the Manasquan River is consistent. Glenn Sanford, Spring Lake Heights weighed in a 9lb flattie caught in the Manasquan while fishing out of a canoe. Nice job!!

Sea Bass - If the weather allows this weekend, the Sea Bass should continue to cooperate on the artifical reefs & on the inshore wrecks.

Bluefish - Looks like we hit the annual summer drought as far as the larger fish are concerned. There are still plenty of small 2 - 4 lb fish in & out of the inlets & along the beaches.Snappers are cooperating in the rivers & lagoons.

Weakfish - We've had scattered reports of fish in Barnegat Bay around BB & B1 buoys & around the mouth of Cedar Creek on Rattle Traps, Worms, Fin S Fish, & Grass Shrimp. Also some reports of fish around the Mantoloking Bridge & the northern part of Barnegat Bay. No good reports from Manasquan Inlet or the river. There are fish being taken up in the Navesink River. Ron Mazzarella reported catching them on his fly rod.

Striped Bass - There are still Bass being trolled on Shad rigs at the Shrewsbury Rocks. Capt Chuck Salkeld of Fear No Fish continues to put his charters on fish at the Rocks. There are plenty of small Bass in the Manasquan River & in the Pt Pleasant Canal. The fish are being taken on Fish Trap Shads, Rhino Shads & Twitchin Minnows, Bucktails, Plugs, & Fin S Fish. Most of these fish are 18 - 22inches with an occasional slot fish & occasional 12 - 15lb fish.

Sharks - Not much effort being directed at Sharks, but decent action for those who do. There are still Makos & Blue Sharks in the Mud Hole, especially around Monster Ledge.

Inshore Tuna - No reports this week due to the weather.

Canyon - Same here, no reports this week due to the weather. Many of our customers are in Ocean City for the White Marlin Open & we know the fishing has been tough due to rough conditions. We wish them all a safe trip back.

8/01/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - The best of the offshore Canyon fishing has been between the tip of the Hudson to the Texas Tower ruins & then to the north of the Tower & also to the south of the Tower. That entire area is loaded with very small bait. The size & quantity of the bait has made trolling somewhat difficult (at least as far as Tuna). There are Yellowfin, Bluefin of mixed sizes, Mahi Mahi, & White & Blue Marlin in the area. Capt Bill Naperski of Rob's Jewel, Brielle caught several Whites & kept 12 Mahis up to 15lbs on Wed. Doug Rusch (local Shimano Rep) went 2 for 6 with White Marlin. The Andiamo from Brielle had 2 Whites & 1 Blue Marlin release. Joe Natoli with Capt Mike Petrole on Joe's Janice from Brielle went 1 for 4 on White Marlin & then got surprised when a Sailfish attacked a Ballyhoo. It was eventually lost at the boat.Capt Dave Dawson & first mate Carlo Truzzolino took the Tunacious from Pt Pleasant out there this week & put several Bluefin up to 150lbs in the boat. Everyone keeps asking why the Canyon fishing has been so tough this year. While none of us can think like a fish, I wonder if the lack of Squid is a big part of the problem. It seems like whenever there are large numbers of Squid in the Canyons, the fish are easier to troll.

Inshore Tuna - Besides the Tower area, we had reports of Bluefin & Mahi Mahi along with an occasional Yellowfin from the Chicken Canyon & the Glory Hole. Smaller lures are proving to be the better choice. Lures from 4 - 6 inches including: Jap feathers, Zuker feathers, Tu-Nobs, Sumo Jets, MyLures, & Cedar Plugs have all accounted for fish. Roger & Kevin Lehmann from Brielle trolled the Bluefins in the Chicken Canyon on Zukers. Their fish were up to 40lbs.

Fluke - This was a very good week for Fluking. I fished with Capt Charlie Martino, Light Tackle Sportfishing, from Shark River. John & Corey Vafiadis joined me. We all caught our limit of Fluke up to 7 3/4 lbs. We had 8 fish that went from 4 - 61/2 lbs. Naturally, the big fish was caught by Capt Charlie. He took the Baron & Son Landscaping crew out this week. They consisted of Robert Baron, Carl Baron, Carl Baron 2nd, & John Heoneman. They all caught their limit of Fluke up to 9 lbs. And once again, Capt Charlie nailed the big fish. The majority of their catch was 3lbs & up. Not to be redundant but, Capt Charlie nows his Fluking! Ted Johnson from Brielle stopped in this week with an outstanding catch of Fluke including a beautiful 8 1/2lb Doormat. That fish was caught on a Blackies Flurocarbon Glow Squid rig.

Bluefish - Fishing remains good both night & day for the party boats & the charter boats. They have been fishing the Mud Hole, 17 Fathoms, & inshore as well. The fish are hitting both bait & jigs. Small Blues continue to invade the Manasquan Inlet. Snappers are starting to show in the rivers.

Striped Bass - Surf fishermen are taking some Bass up & down the beach, mostly on bait. There are still Bass being trolled at the Shrewsbury Rocks. Capt Chuck Salkeld from Fear No Fish, Brielle had 2 back to back successful trips this week trolling Shad Rigs. Lots of small Bass in the Manasquan River & Pt Pleasant Canal.

Weakfish - Finally some Weakies are being caught in upper Barnegat Bay & in the Manasquan River around the Rt 70 Bridge. Fin S Fish & Tsunami Twitch Minnows are working for these fish. Some larger fish have been taken from the north jetty of Manasquan Inlet.

Bottom - Sea Bass & porgies continue to cooperate inshore while Mud Hole wrecks are producing Ling & occasional school Cod & Pollock.

7/25/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Fluke - Fishing was pretty steady until the last couple of days. Nope, it wasn't the draggers this time, it was the ever popular southerly winds. Things should straighten out now that this latest nasty weather has gone by. Lots of keeper Fluke were reported last weekend from the Pt Pleasant Elks Tourny & the Manasquan River Marlin & Tuna Club Ladies & Juniors Tourny. Spro Bucktails & 4 -8oz Chrome Balls seem to be outproducing traditional rigs. The best fishing has been in 40 -70ft of water near or on rough bottom. There is good fishing in the Manasquan River mainly west of the 35 bridge. Light tackle is a must in the river. Again, try using bucktails tipped with a strip bait or a jig head tipped with a Killie. Capt Charlie "Light Tackle" Martino had a charter out for the Elks Tourny & while 6 1/2lbs was their largest Fluke, everyone on the charter caught their limit.

Bluefish - Prior to the nasty weather, Bluefishing was very good along the edge of the Mud Hole. That should resume as well. There are still plenty of small Blues in & out of both Manasquan Inlet & the surf. Small metal, small plugs, & soft plastics will surely get their attention.

Bottom - The inshore wrecks & rough pieces continue to produce both Sea Bass & Porgies with an occasional Blackfish. The Mud Hole wrecks are producing some Ling & occasional school size Cod & Pollock.

Weakfish - M.I.A.

Inshore Tuna - Frustrating best describes this. Anglers are reporting schools of Tuna from the Mud Hole out to the Texas Tower. However, getting them to bite is another story. There have been a few Bluefin along with Bonito trolled around the Oil Wreck & in Little Italy on small feathers, small cedar plugs, & small jets & jet spreader bars. There are larger Bluefin & Yellowfin mixed in at the Chicken Canyon & Glory Hole. Again, finding a school to hit your lures has been difficult. Adam Glantzman tried casting to them on Sunday. Using a Crippled Herring, he hooked one that very quickly swam away with all of his line. He picked up another rod with the same lure & hooked up again. This fight lasted over an hour before the line finally broke. Yup, Adam came in our shop this week for more line & more jigs. There are also plenty of Mahi Mahi around the high flyers in the Chicken Canyon.

Sharks - Have not had any reports this past week. The week before, several customers stopped by & reported catching some Makos & Blue Sharks. We had 2 different reports of a LARGE Great White swimming through a chum slick. Dean Nelson stopped in with the proof, a video showing the beast.

Canyon - Again, frustrating. The fish are there (in the Hudson) but they are tuned in to very small bait & not responding to med. to large size lures. There are Longfin & Yellowfin being trolled on small jets, jet spreader bars, MyLures & Mylure spreader bars, TuNobs & TuNob spreader bars, & small squid spreader bars. Small Ballyhoo are also working. Rob "Salty Rinse" Shawger reported a large Blue Marlin ate & swam away with his Big Daddy Teaser. There are plenty of Mahi Mahi around the high flyers in the Hudson. Some of these are in the 20 -25lb range.

7/11/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Fluke - Fishing was up & down depending on what day you fished & where you fished. The hills & lumps around Manasquan Inlet were pounded this week by sport boats & draggers. Obviously the draggers did the damage. Boats that found some of the smaller less known spots did well. Ted Johnson from Brielle fished this week & did well fishing a series of small hills north of the Essex & Sussex, his 8 keepers were up to 3 1/2lbs. Capt Charlie Martino from "Light Tackle Sportfishing" in Shark River had the Tom Coad party out on Tuesday. All four anglers caught their limit by 1:30! 6 of the Fluke were in the 5 - 5 1/2lb class. Capt Charlie knows his Fluking!!

Striped Bass - There are still Bass being taken but not in the numbers they previously were. Ricky Donofrio has been steadily catching 15 - 30lb fish almost every morning. Joe Natoli from Brielle stopped in yesterday with a 35lb Bass caught on a live Bunker. There are now a load of small schoolie size Bass in the Manasaquan River. Try using Rhino Shads & Twitch Minnows, Fish Trap Shads, or Tsunami Shads. There are also the same size Bass in the Pt Pleasant Canal.

Bluefish - There are still small Blues in the Manasquan Inlet & further up the river. They attack just about anything thrown at them. Further offshore, the bigger Blues are in the Mud Hole. This fishing remains steady, however on some days you have to work a little harder to find them.

Bluefin Tuna - There are literally acres of fish in the Mud Hole & along the 20 & 30 fathom lines. Getting them to respond is a different story. Dean Nelson stopped in yesterday to give his report. He went out to the Hole earlier in the week & got totally frustrated. He did get one Bluefin to eat a fly. There are scattered reports of fish being trolled out in the Glory Hole & Chicken Canyon, mostly on Squid Spreader Bars.

Sea Bass - There are still fish being caught in numbers however as the water warms up, the size has been going down.

Sharks - Finally, there are reports of Makos being caught. Adam Glantzman & Roger Lehmann fished earlier this week & released an approx. 125lb Mako & lost one at the boat that they estimated at 200 - 250lbs. They fished just east of the Resor. Several other customers stopped by this week and all reported they caught Sharks (Blues, Makos, & a couple of Threshers).

Canyon - There were a variety of fish caught late last week. Lud Bohler of the "Moondancer", Brielle caught several Longfin & released a Blue Marlin. Weather looks bad for this weekend. The Toms was producing better then the Hudson but as we all know, this could change in a day. There were reports of plentiful bait offshore.

7/04/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Canyon - Good things are finally starting to happen offshore. Last weekend, Joe "Janice" Natoli made 2 trips out to the deep. On Thursday he fished the Hudson & trolled 10 school Bluefin on 8" Squid Spreader Bars & on M16C Sumo Jets. He went back out on Saturday & fished the Lindenkohl. He caught 4 Yellowfin on the Squid Bars & also on Ballyhoo. He fished the Tom's on Wed & trolled 4 Longfin & a 100lb Mako. Allen Bessemer Jr stopped in yesterday and reported very rough seas but good fishing along the west side from Hudson towards Tom's. They trolled a White Marlin, several Longfin & Yellowfin, and a Wahoo. Stay tuned!

Inshore Tuna - We had confirmed reports of school Bluefin in the Mud Hole. I spoke with Capt Howard Bogan Jr last night and he saw several large pods of 30 to 40lb fish just east of Monster Ledge. He also said he heard a boat on the radio trolling south of him and that boat trolled 3 Bluefin.

Fluke - Overall, Fluking was pretty good this week. Capt Charlie "Light Tackle Charters" Martino from Shark River stopped by to tell us about his trip with the Andrew Fuller party. They had a total catch of 37 keepers highlighted by a 9.5lb, 7.5lb, & a 7.2lb Fluke. In addition, they had several fish between 4 - 5lbs. Fishing was productive on the Klondike, Manasquan Ridge, the Southeast Lump, & the small lumps & hills around the Sea Girt Reef. Some days, some lumps produced & some did not while a couple of days all the lumps produced. This will be a short lived fishery as the Commercial season opens back up on Sunday. Spro bucktails & Fluke balls are outfishing traditional Fluke rigs (conditions permitting). We did not hear much about Fluking in the Manasquan or Shark Rivers.

Sea Bass - The tasty Sea Bass are still providing good action on the wrecks & inshore rough spots. Surprisingly, quite a few large fish in the 2 -4lb class are still being caught. Some of the deeper water wrecks (120ft) are producing nice keeper size Porgies as well.

Striped Bass - The action has slowed down compared to what it was the last few weeks. The fish appear to be in their summer pattern. There are scattered fish on the Rocks & on some of the jettys. There are also still Bass in some of the Bunker schools. There have been a few Bass caught in the Canal. Denny Smalling, Pt Pleasant stopped by & reported catching a keeper on a Tsunami Slim Shad by the old Pt Pleasant Hospital.

Bluefish - There are still Blues invading the Manasquan Inlet, but not in the numbers they had been. The party boats & charter boats are finding their best action is in the Mud Hole.

6/27/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Fluke - Well, I guess maybe it was all water temp related because the fishing really picked up this week. Good catches were made this past week from Deal up to Monmouth Beach around rockpiles & rough bottom. I got to fish on Tuesday with Capt Charlie Martino of "Light Tackle" Sportfish Charters. John Vafiadis & Howie Breitowich made up the rest of the crew. John caught a 35lb Striper on a live Bunker to start the day. Charlie took us to some of his "honey holes" and the Fluke were anxious to eat. We ended up with 20 keepers including 6 that went between 3 1/2 - 5 1/2lbs. 3oz Spro bucktails were hot. Charlie went back out Wed with a charter and the Fluke cooperated again. Capt Bill Naperskie from "Rob's Jewel", Brielle checked in this week with a similar Fluke report. Their largest Fluke was 8lbs. There has been some decent activity in the Manasquan River at the top of the tide & first part of the outgoing tide. Bucktails are the ticket.

Striped Bass - The Bass fishing along northern Ocean & southern Monmouth county remains very good but not as "easy" as it has been. Could be a combination of things: warming waters, Bunker boats scooping up the Bass' food along with many Bass, & the population of Bass has been greatly reduced from 3 weeks of hard fishing. Trollers are still scoring with large Bass from Asbury Park up through the Rocks and also from the Thunderbird up through Mantoloking using Bunker spoons or Shad rigs.

Bluefish - There are still plenty of Blues along the beaches & in the inlets. These are mostly 2 - 4lbs. Just off the beach in 30-40 feet of water, there are larger fish up to 12lbs. The charter & party boats are fishing the Mud Hole & racking up some good catches on both bait & rigs.

Sea Bass - There are still plenty of Sea Bass on the inshore wrecks & rockpiles although there are more undersize fish being caught. The deeper water wrecks seem to be loaded with keeper size Porgies that are you guessed it... presently out of season.

Weakfish - We have not had many glowing reports. Everyday, there seems to be a couple of 6 -7lb fish caught at Manasquan inlet at the top of the tide, but that's it - one or two. Maybe the warmer temps will turn them on.

Sharks - With the improved weather, more effort is being put forth. There seems to be no shortage of Blue Sharks offshore & several Threshers have been caught as well. But, not many Makos. However, with good weather predicted for the weekend coupled with at least 3 Tournaments, there should be some Makos captured & some released. Most of the Sharkers we spoke to this week have been fishing from the Tower down through the Triple Wrecks.

Tuna - The first Canyon reports came in this week. Small Bluefin and a few small Yellowfin were taken in the Hudson at the 500 fathom line. The L & H also had some nice Dolphin there as well. Several of our customers are there right now, so we should have more reports next week.

6/20/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Striped Bass - The Bass fishing along southern Monmouth county remains fantastic. Find the schools of Bunker, snag one & fish it and you should hook up almost immediately. The exception being too many boats, and then just go off by yourself with your recorder on until you find some fish. Reports come in everyday of 30-40lb fish, and catches up to 25 fish per boat. The only downside to this is the number of gut hooked fish being released injured and also, quite a few boats have been observed taking every fish they catch. For those not interested in live baiting, Bass are responding to trollers using both Shad Rigs & Bunker Spoons along the outside of the Bunker schools as well as at the Shrewsbury Rocks. The only surf reports we've had this week came from anglers fishing the beaches where the schools of Bunker were pinned in by the Bass along with some big Bluefish. We also had some reports of Bass & WEakfish being taken in the Canal.

Sea Bass - Fishing is still quite good on the inshore spots such as the Sea Girt Reef as well as most of the inshore rough spots & wrecks. Some nice size Blackfish & Fluke are being taken at the same time as well.

Fluke - Fishing is starting to show some signs of improving this past week. There were some decent catches taken from the Sea Girt Reef, the Shrewsbury Rocks, & the hills & lumps off Sea Girt & Spring Lake. In addition, we heard of some good catches from the Manasquan River at the top of the tide into the outgoing tide. The fishing in Sandy Hook Bay was good this week as well.

Bluefish - Fishing along the west edge of the Mud Hole is steady. There are still plenty of small Blues along the beach and in Manasquan Inlet & River. Most of these fish are 2-4lbs but some bruisers up to 10lbs were reported this week. There are some big fish following the Bunker schools along the beach.

Weakfish - The only reports we had this week came from Manasquan Inlet. There were fish up to 8lbs taken on the Manasquan side using Fish Trap Shads & Tsunami soft baits.

Sharks - The first reports are coming in this week. Mostly Blue Sharks with a few Makos & Threshers reported. The details have been scarce, however there should be more reports after this weekend.

Tuna - We had no first hand reports this week. We had some second hand reports of activity in the Baltimore Canyon with small Yellowfin.

6/13/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Striped Bass - This has been the most incredible week of Striper fishing So. Monmouth county has ever seen. There are several schools of Bunker along the beach from Manasquan up thru Takanasse, with hungry Stripers in pursuit. These Bass are all large & xls, ranging from the high 20's up to the high 40's. Most of the fish are 30-35lbs. This is not super secret high tech fishing. Just find the Bunker, snag one, let it swim, & hold on! Some of the outstanding catches reported to us include: Al & Sharon Wutkowski released over 50 Bass with more then 10 over 40lbs, Adam Pharo weighed in a 45lb Bass & released over 20 fish up to 40lbs, Adam Glantzman kept his smallest fish on Tuesday, it weighed 36lbs, Dr Vinny Ferrara released all of his fish & several were well over 40lbs. Even the surf fishermen have been able to get in on this. Lou Rivetti beached several Bass in the 25-30lb class by snagging Bunker from the jetty & letting them swim until a Bass found them. This action is going on right now, Joe Natoli just called in from his boat "Janice" and described the action as "incredible, non-stop!" There are still Bass being taken in the Canal by anglers using leadheads with either Fish Traps, Rhinos, Fin S Fish, or the hot new baits from Tsunami. If & when the Bunkers find their way into the rivers, fishing in the Manasquan & Shark rivers could be unbelievable. For those who would rather troll, there are plenty of these big fish being trolled. Matt Muzlay trolled the "Red Church" on Wed. & had 2-3 25-40lb Bass on the shad rigs for 2 solid hours before calling it a day.

Bluefish - Blues continue to invade the inlets on a daily basis. Most of these fish are 2-3lbs with an occasional 4-5lb fish thrown in. These same fish can be caught up & down the beach as well. The charter & party boats are finding larger fish up to 12lbs along the west side of the Mud Hole. These fish are responding to both bait & jigs.

Weakfish - Some real Tiderunners were caught on the Manasquan side of the inlet this week. Not many fish but large ones up to 12lbs. These fish were caught on Fish Traps & Rhinos. There are fish being taken in Barnegat Bay around the BB & B1 Buoys.

Sea Bass - Sea Bass fishing remains red hot on the inshore wrecks & rough bottom. Limit catches of fish up to 4lbs are the norm rather then the exception.

Fluke - Fluking remains a mystery around Monmouth & Ocean counties. One day it is on & the next day or two you can't buy a fish. All of the freshwater runoff can't be helping things. There have been fish caught in 20ft of water & fish caught on the 60ft lumps as well. Even the river fishing has been hot & cold.

Sharks - We had our first report yesterday. Joe on the "Matador" fished out around the Triple Wrecks and reported no Makos but he had several Blue Sharks.

Tuna - We had an unconfirmed report of several Bluefin in the 50lb range being trolled in the Chicken Canyon. This was a third hand report so we don't how accurate it is. The offshore Canyons remain cold.

6/4/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Sea Bass - Sea Bass fishing seems to be our most consistent fishery at the moment. Limit catches of Sea Bass up to 4lbs are common. The best fishing has been off Elberon, Long Branch, the Sea Girt Reef, & most of the wrecks in 40- 60ft of water. Squid & Clams are the preferred bait. You might want to try a 3oz Spro Bucktail tipped with Squid. Larger Sea Bass really attack these jigs. There is also a smattering of Blackfish (1 fish limit) & an occasional Ling, remember when Ling were a nuisance?

Bluefish - Blues seem to be everywhere. They are in the surf, in the bays, in the inlets & rivers, & along the coast waters. They range in size from 2-12lbs. They also do not appear to be the least bit fussy.

Striped Bass - The action in Sandy Hook has slowed down although catches are still being made. Perhaps the NW winds pushed enough Bunkers out of the bay & the Bass followed them. It makes sense because the action has picked up at the Shrewsbury Rocks & Elberon as well. There have been Bunkers up & down the beaches in Ocean & Monmouth counties. There have also been Bunkers , Shad, & Herring in the Manasquan River & up into the Canal. If you're fishing Sandy Hook, Clams are still the ticket. If you find fish away from the fleet, Bunker chunks will work as well. At the Rocks & along the rough spots, trollers are scoring very well with Bunker Spoons, while live baiters are using either Herring or snagging Bunkers & fishing them live.

Fluke - Fluking is still not what it should be. There are some fish being caught almost everywhere but it takes a lot of time & patience to put a catch together. All of the freshwater runoff can't be helping the situation.

Weakfish - There were some nice fish caught in the Canal last week. Joe Spinelli released one about 8lbs that he caught in the Canal on a Rhino Twitchin Minnow. A few fish were caught in Manasquan Inlet as well. The Blues have been a problem there, you can't seem to get past them for a shot at a Weakfish. Weakfish are starting to cooperate up inside Sandy Hook Bay also. The BB & B1 buoys in Barnegat Bay are still producing Weakies.

Bluefin Tuna - We had a second hand report from a customer whose friend works on an offshore dragger. He was told that 80 miles offshore (to the SE), there is at least one school of Giant Bluefin that they've seen up behind the boat as they sort their catch. Makes sense, it is that time when they usually pass thru here.

5/30/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Striped Bass - Stripers continue to be our most consistant fishery at the moment. They are being caught on Clams & Bunker chunks from the beach, live Herring & Fish Traps, Tsunamis, Rhinos, & plugs in the Pt Pleasant Canal as well as in the rivers, trolled on Bunker Spoons at the Shrewsbury Rocks, live Eels & Herring at the Rocks at night, & Clams all day long inside Sandy Hook at Romer Shoals & the Buglight. This hot fishing should continue for several more weeks.

Bluefish - The Blues continue to please Bay, Beach, & Inlet anglers. Most of the fish are 2-4lbs with occasional larger ones up to 8lbs. There are plenty of Blues inshore especially around the Rocks & inside Sandy Hook Bay.

Fluke - The best Fluking right now remains in the rivers & bays. Outside, boats work hard to try & scrape a catch together. It is hard to believe that it is strictly water temp related because the Fluking was hot out on eastern Long Island a few weeks back when temps were in the high 40's. Also, they are starting to catch some nice Fluke in Rhode Island already. Could part of our problem be beach replenishment? I would bet nobody conducted an environmental impact study before this never ending project started. Back to the fishing, try using Spro bucktails tipped with either squid or fresh Sea Robin or Sundial or Bluefish strips.

Sea Bass - There have been some decent as well as limit catches on the 50-70ft wrecks & reefs. However, the fish are smaller then most of us expected. There are Ling & Blackfish being taken also. The Blackfish season for all intents is over on 5/31 (before it ever got into full swing). However, if you are fishing in Sandy Hooh Bay, watch out for the Blackfish gear from the commercial fishermen ( I'm back on my soapbox).

Weakfish - Barnegat Bay around the BB & B1 buoys are providing anglers with some decent Weakfishing using Worms, Grass Shrimp, & artificals. We heard of some action at the Mantoloking Bridge as well. They should be starting at the Manasquan Inlet at any time. We will keep you posted.

5/23/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Striped Bass - Overall, Bass fishing especially from the Rocks to Raritan Bay is as close to "can't miss" as possible. The boats are trolling Bunker Spoons & Shad Rigs or fishing with bait such as: live Herring & Bunker as well as Clams. Most of the fish are over 28", slot fish are hard to come by. Elsewhere, Bass continue to be taken in the Pt Pleasant Canal on live Herring, plugs, & Fish Trap Shads & Rhino Shads. Bass are being caught in the surf on Clams & plugs. There was a good shot of fish this week in Spring Lake & Bayhead. On a serious note, I fished for Fluke this past week in Sandy Hook Bay & was shocked at the number of floating dead & dying Bass, a result of catch & release. Please be careful, this a valuable resource we are wasting.

Bluefish - Small Blues continue to bite along the beach, in all of the rivers & inlets, & in the Canal & Barnegat Bay. They are not being fussy either. Try metal, plugs, jigs, bucktails, or bait. Most of the fish are 2-4lbs with some larger 8-10lb thrown in as well.

Fluke - Water temps are really hampering the fishing. The fish are here but not active at all. The exception being the bays & rivers. Some nice size fish have been taken from the backwaters on bucktails tipped with Squid. Unfortunately, the gillnetters continue to take large numbers of big Fluke while pursuing other fish. The same goes for the Monkfish fleet. And, they can all take 500lbs of Fluke per day as by-catch that doesn't go against the commercial quota. I'll get off my soapbox now.

Bottom - Sea Bass dominate the bottomfishing. Blackfishing is just getting started but wait, the season practically ends on May 31 (oops, back on my soapbox) with the limit going from 4 fish to 1 fish. Try the wrecks & rough spots in 50-70ft for the Sea Bass & Blackfish. There are also a number of Ling being taken as well. If you can find a spot, stop on the Sea Girt Artifical Reef as well as the Sandy Hook Reef.

Weakfish - We have only received a small number of reports. There were some nice sized Weaks taken in the Canal this past week by Bass fishermen. Also, the BB & B1 buoys in Barnegat Bay. There are fish being taken in both the Shrewsbury & Navesink rivers. This fishery should also improve over the next couple of weeks.

5/16/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Bluefish - The Bluefish action remains steady. There are plenty of fish along the Ocean & Monmouth county beaches, inside Barnegat Bay, the Canal, Manasquan Inlet & River, Shark River, & inside Sandy Hook including the Bay, Shrewsbury, & Navesink Rivers. These fish are eating everything in sight. There are no secret baits or lures. The only secret is to go fish. Use bait such as cut Bunker or Mackerel, artificals such as Poppers, Jigs, Spoons, Swimming Plugs, & Soft Plastics on leadheads. For those seemingly rare times when the inshore Blues are finicky, try a 3/4 to 1 ounce trolling weight with about 20" of leader & either a #0 or #1 Clarks Squid Spoon.

Striped Bass - Clam fishing along the beaches continues to produce good numbers of Bass. This should really turn on with this Nor'easter & the down side of this full moon. Bass are being caught in the Canal, Manasquan River, Shark River, Shrewsbury, & Navesink River on live Herring & live Bunker. The only 2 downsides are bait availability & hungry Bluefish. The Bluefish have also been a problem for livebaiters at the Shrewsbury Rocks, although some good catches of Bass are being taken there at night. Fishing the rivers, Canal, & back bays with Fish Traps, Tsunamis, & Wildeye Shads have also accounted for a fair number of Bass this past week.

Fluke - The best of the Fluke fishing remains in the bays & rivers because of the warmer water temps. The ocean fishing will pick up as the temps begin to rise.

Weakfish - There are Weakies being taken inside Sandy Hook on worms as well as artificals. We heard of some also being caught along the beach on plugs. There was a good showing of 14-18" Weaks in the Manasquan Inlet one night about 8 days ago.

Bottom - Sea bass are showing up on the 50-60ft wrecks & rough bottom along with some Ling & Blackfish. The sizes range from throwbacks to 4lb Humpbacks.

5/9/03
Dave Arbeitman Reports:

Bluefish - There are Blues almost everywhere. 5-7lb Blues were caught all week inside Barnegat Inlet. There are smaller 2-3lb fish in Manasquan Inlet. These fish come in with the incoming tide & make their way upriver & into the Pt Pleasant Canal. The fish do not seem to be particular, eating every thing thrown at them from metal to plugs to soft body plastic lures. Along the beach, most anglers are using metal or cut bait such as Mackerel or Bunker. The party boats are jigging fish as well as using cut bait. The Blues are up inside Sandy Hook & have been caught in both the Navesink & Shrewsbury Rivers using the same methods.

Fluke - There have been Fluke caught in all of the coastal rivers as well as Barnegat Bay & inside the Hook. We received a report this morning that the Norma K caught Fluke at Manasquan Ridge yesterday.

Sea Bass/Blackfish - The Sea Bass have been biting better then the Blackfish. The Blackfish are just starting to move around as the water starts to warm up. Try your favorite rough bottom from 30-50ft. With cooler temps, try clams for the Blackfish but bring crabs as well. Squid & Clams for the Sea Bass.

Striped Bass - Fishing is very good inside of Sandy Hook. The fish are being caught on Clams, Bunker, Herring, & Worms. Several boats trolled with Bunker spoons & Shad rigs with good results. There are a load of fish in the Pt Pleasant Canal. Live Herring is the ticket, however the Blues are devastating the Herring. There are Bass in the Shrewsbury & Navesink Rivers & Barnegat Bay as well. Again, using the same methods.

Weakfish - The Weakfish have been caught in Barnegat Bay along the sod banks using Fish Traps, Rhinos, & Fin S. We have not had a Weakfish report the Manasquan yet. We did hear of some from both the Shrewsbury & Navesink as well as in Sandy Hook Bay.

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