One day great- Another El Sucko

[Cuz]

The difference in fishing areas right now can be a big plus or a gigantic negative.
I fished aboard the Dorothy B - AH yesterday and we pounded fish. Great captain who fishes hard, likes to move the boat around, and shows himself on the deck to help his crew. Everyone went home with fillets.

Today I took my granddaughter to PP to fish on the Gambler. The fishing was horrible. Worse day I had this year. My granddaughter, Caitlyn, who's eight managed a legal fish. The difference in 15 miles by ocean travel is like day and night. A hard bite up north. No bite for hours down south. Unbelievable. 90% of the customers got skunked. Go figure. How can there be so many fish in one area and dried up in another. It's so lopsided it's unfair.

I hope my honest reporting doesn't get taken down like the last report. I don't make up reports. I fish for them! Got it Big Boy? Sometimes the truth hurts.
Sponsor or no sponsor. It's about fishing. Not kissing up.

[Papasown]

Hey Cuz, you're right the fishing in Raritan was on fire this year with early and strong Striper bite, and many 50+ lb. fish, . Then the fluke turned on strong before the opener of the season, while out of the Manasquan Inlet we had to run to shrewsbury roocks for a striper bite. The Bass bite near Manasquan started late, and lasted a very short time, with snag and drop fishing with the huge bunker pods being less productive than other years. The fluking turned on very slow in the season opener, and was weak nearby until the water warmed up in July. Perhaps the fall fishing will be stronger, but the Raritan always seems a stonger fishery to me, year after year. Catch 'em up...............Papa

[Doug Vitale]

Originally Posted by Papasown

Hey Cuz, you're right the fishing in Raritan was on fire this year with early and strong Striper bite, and many 50+ lb. fish, . Then the fluke turned on strong before the opener of the season, while out of the Manasquan Inlet we had to run to shrewsbury roocks for a striper bite. The Bass bite near Manasquan started late, and lasted a very short time, with snag and drop fishing with the huge bunker pods being less productive than other years. The fluking turned on very slow in the season opener, and was weak nearby until the water warmed up in July. Perhaps the fall fishing will be stronger, but the Raritan always seems a stonger fishery to me, year after year. Catch 'em up...............Papa

My thoughts exactly. My personal preference is not to fish south of the mouth of the Shark River.

I hope my honest reporting doesn't get taken down like the last report.

Why would your report get deleted? All your doing is criticizing the fishing conditions, not the performance of the boat or its crew.

[MVP]

Cuz

Thanks for the honest report worked my azz of this month so was going to treat myself to a trip on Monday weather permitting. Was not sure what weather to fish north or south. Was leaning to stay north so this seals the deal for me. Will see what boats are running open and jump on one of the northern boats.

Looking forward to getting out with you in the fall looking for Mr. Whitechin

[Blackfish Doug]

Conditions means everything when your fishing the ocean Tuesday it was great. I was Sea bass fishing & got 3 quality fluke. Thursday I fished in the highlands area on a private boat & it stunk for us. I caught at least 50 shorts & no keepers. My buddy who owned the boat did just as well as me but at least he got a keeper. The party boats seemed to do well with the keepers that day but we did not. I can understand your frustrations I fished the north areas this year on 3 trips & only have 2 keepers to show for it. It's not all guaranteed the conditions were not the best on those trips.

[stevelikes2fish]

I for one believe the damage caused by Sandy did more harm to the bottom structure in Ocean and southern Monmouth Counties than most realize. Talked to a number of people since than, divers, etc. Have heard a lot of comments about certain areas being void of the structure that once was there. Could explain why a lot of fish are staying put in the northern and offshore areas. Just my two cents.

[jakesdad]

The fish are holding to the north. I have a private boat out of Shark River, made more runs to the rocks this year than the last 20. If conditions are right you catch, if no wind or to much it sucks.

I fished my boat on Tuesday, 2 keepers and 15 returned for another day. Had the beginnings of the heave so went and fished the Fishermen on Wednesday,

No heave, as long as the tide was running we caught. Spoke to a friend south of us, great seabass, but bottom churned and no fluke, pretty good heave, bottom churned

Had a extra day off on Friday, and with the report of NE in the morning opted to go out again with the Fishermen, calm in the channels, rough to our south, caught fish both sides of the tide with the movement, ended that day with 4 keepers and over 30 shorts.

Thursday night my wife asked if I was fishing on Friday, told her I had 2 choices, fish my boat and not catch and get beaten up, or fish up north and catch and be comfortable, no brainer!

[SNAPS]

Lets face it, if you catch 50 shorts between a couple of folks, then its not the bite that stinks, it is the regs. 18 inch fluke is a darn decent size fish.

[Cuz]

Originally Posted by SNAPS

Lets face it, if you catch 50 shorts between a couple of folks, then its not the bite that stinks, it is the regs. 18 inch fluke is a darn decent size fish.

There's plenty of fish. I hope they go back to 171/2". Five fish a person is plenty of fillets.