Jumbo bass a better target than smaller ones
In the normal course of striped bass fishing, it’s a lot harder to catch a trophy striper than small ones, but that hasn’t been the case lately.
The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands has found volume fishing with shads, flutter spoons and even topwaters has been so inconsistent that Capt. Ron Santee Jr. has given it up. He’ll resume fishing Friday from 7:30 to 2:30 when the sea bass season in New Jersey opens. After two weeks of that, Santee will switch to fluke.
Yet, Chuck Many has had no problem catching big bass on live eels from his Tyman out of Highlands in NY/NJ Bight.
Paul Castelli had the following report from Atlantic City today. “
This morning my 94 year-old Dad got up at 2:00am, jumped in with some neighbors and rode 2 hours to meet my son Michael and I at a boat ramp before sunrise. It was 40 degrees, colder with wind chill, but Dad hung tough and managed to winch in a 50”striper! As usual his was the biggest fish of the day!
John Santos caught one almost as big. Tim Chelius, Michael and I struck out, but it was a stellar morning on the ocean nonetheless. Sun rising, birds wheeling, porpoises jumping, whales spouting all shared with some of my favorite people on earth!
The first strike was also the big one for Eric Kerber this morning as it was a 47-inch. 40-pound release from On A Mission out of Belmar.
The Golden Eagle from Belmar got out for stripers on Saturday, and found both bait and bass — but the stripers wouldn’t hit.
The forecast is for south winds at 10-15 knots before increasing to 15-20 in the afternoon with seas to five feet plus showers.