Sea Bass 10/26

[bulletbob]

Went out of Belmar with bouyant hopes for a good catch of sea bass... not to be however.. The catching was not bad, but the keeping was pretty poor.. Just not enough keeper size fish out there it seems.. Tons of life all day, but SO many small ones ! I caught a keeper in the first 2 seconds of the first drop, and was hopeful for a good day,, however, it was almost 6 hours until my second and last keeper..
I was at the stern, but it seemed the fishing was not as good as the sides today. Probably should have set up at the bow, as I often do.
A few guys got skunked, catching all shorts, but some caught 5 or 6 keepers, so some guys were more locked in than others . A few Porgies were caught as well, but it looks like they might be thinning out, starting to head offshore.. Also heard of a big Trigger caught, but didn't see it.
I started to figure it wasn't going to be a great day for me when I caught an eel, a skate and a dog in 3 consecutive drops! Also caught what I am pretty sure was a Pinfish, so the water must still be pretty warm. I used it as strip bait, but the sea bass weren't interested.


The dogs were there, but they weren't as fierce as they will be in a few more weeks..
The 13 in size limit is a killer. LOTS of 12 1/2 to 12 7/8 inch fish went back in.. I suppose I could be wrong but it seems the "powers that be" time the fall "re opening" of sea bass fishing for a time when most of the larger fish are heading offshore. Probably wait for blackfish to open before bottom fishing again.. Might trailer my own boat down to the Hook for bass/blues next week, if the wind ever stops blowing... bob

[reason162]

Was anyone jigging?

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by reason162

Was anyone jigging?

Funny you should ask.. Yes,I started with a bucktail with squid strip, and a smaller bucktail on a dropper loop above with a strip as well.. it was hit instantly, and caught a keeper on the teaser.. That was the end of that. Pretty much, the rest of the day, it was clams or nothing.. I had squid I brought from home, and that was hit as quickly as clam, and stayed on better through the bergalls and tiny pin sea bass. I tried an AVA jig as well for a while .. fished plain it drew no hits.. Dressed with a strip of bait, it was a skate magnet, believe it or not.. Tried fishing both jigs and bait up off the bottom a few turns and again, never drew a hit.. just not a good day for me ..

I am NO expert of course, but I think the majority of the sea bass are heading offshore, and until tog "season" opens, the head boats will be picking at ever decreasing numbers of short sea bass.. I hope I am proven wrong... bob

[Harpoon]

"the head boats will be picking at ever decreasing numbers of short sea bass.."

Or maybe when the wind dies down after a crazy week here the boats can get a little further offshore to some more prime grounds.

[Jigman13]

Out east the big fish are in 125+' of water already...

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Jigman13

Out east the big fish are in 125+' of water already...

Yep.. doesn't take them long once they decide to start moving... bob