Tag: NJ Saltwater fishing

Bass Pro’s Grand Opening Atlantic City Store 4-15-2015

by kensdock • April 14, 2015 • 0 Comments

I released this tide runner weakfish during the summer of 2014. Hoping to find him this spring.

How refreshing and exciting to have a Bass Pro Shop in our region. Bass Pro is the world’s top fishing/outdoor outfitter, hands down. The store is a destination point in itself, with many attractions, like a 11,000 plus gallon fish aquarium. Tomorrow’s Grand opening will be attended by many people of interest, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Celebrities scheduled to appear and sign autographs from approximately 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. include:

• Brian Westbrook, former Philadelphia NFL running back.
• Tony Stewart, driver of Stewart-Haas Racing’s 2015 No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet SS.
• Martin Truex, Jr., driver of the No. 78 Sprint Cup Series Furniture Row Chevrolet SS.
• Kevin VanDam, four-time Bassmaster Classic Champion, seven-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year.
• George Poveromo, host of “George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing” television show on NBC Sports.
• TJ Ott, as seen on “Wicked Tuna” television show.
• Captain Bill “Hollywood” Muniz, as seen on “Wicked Tuna” television show.
• Walter Parrott, RedHead pro hunting team member and champion turkey caller.
• Bryan Anderson, Army veteran and purple heart recipient; national spokesperson for USA Cares.
• Cierra Kaler-Jones, Miss New Jersey 2014.

If you attend, stop by and say hello.
I will be talking fishing and hunting all day. I would be glad to answer any question about my recent articles including: the return of the weakfish, back bay summer flounder, striped bass, Jersey red drum and speckled trout. I will be located at the NJOA area, near the entrance. Hope to see you there.

A Jersey speckled trout.
One of Cape May’s best kept secrets.

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New Jersey 2015 summer flounder by zone

by kensdock • January 26, 2015 • 0 Comments

The ASMFC is considering a proposal to create 2 summer flounder rules sets for New Jersey. This is an excellent idea. The region/zone approach will make it possible to fine tune the summer flounder size and bag limits. The marine habitat of the Delaware Bay for example, attracts and holds a smaller average size summer flounder, than the waters found in North Jersey. This is due to the documented fact, that as summer flounder mature they migrate north. This creates a hopeless situation for New Jersey fishermen fishing the Delaware Bay and other Cape May County waters. Regardless of the increases in the summer flounder stock,the average size flounder has not increased in these areas, and never will. New Jersey’s summer flounder can not be managed effectively without area specific regulations (zones). If this proposal is approved the the minimum size summer flounder for the Delaware Bay will be between 16 and 17″, if not, it could jump from the current 18.5″ to 19″ this season. Summer flounder fishing is not about catch and release, it is about harvesting fish for the table.
However, the 18.5″ minimum size in this area, has pretty much turned the summer flounder season into a catch and release situation.

Here are a couple of options they are considering:

Regional Option 3-Split New Jersey Option 3A This alternative proposes the State of New Jersey be split in half, establishing north and south portions. The northern portion of New Jersey would be included with the current Northern Region of New York and Connecticut while the southern portion would be included with the Southern Region of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The line of demarcation would occur around Little Egg Inlet with Great Bay included in the Southern Region keeping New Jersey counties intact.
Table 6. Regional Option 3A with example management measure
Example Size Limit
Example Possession Limit
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY*
19″
5
128
SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY*
17″
4
365

Regional Option 4-Delaware Bay included in the Southern Region Option 4A This alternative includes Delaware Bay in the southern region of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
Table 8. Regional Option 4A with example management measures
Example Size Limit
Example Possession Limit
Example Season (in number of days)

NEW JERSEY*
18.5″
5
145
DELAWARE BAY*#
16″
4
365

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Beach and Boat saltwater fishing tournament awards

by kensdock • December 10, 2014 • 0 Comments

All first place winners, in the State wide, season long tournament.

Invest little, gain a lot”, this gambler’s mantra rings true with the Beach and Boat fishing tournament. It runs for just about the entire NJ fishing season. Giving everyone more than enough time to fish. Thousands of dollars in cash and prizes for the top 10 heaviest inshore Jersey fish. The tournament had 750 fishermen involved in 2013,this year (2014) there was over 8000. This tournament will continue to increase in both participants and value. There was talk of adding a Calcutta next year, this would make the tournament pay out the largest of any inshore tournament in New Jersey,I am sure. The awards banquet was held at the River Rock restaurant and marina. The food was excellent, the staff was fantastic and the place was beautiful. If you fish in New Jersey at all, do yourself a favor sign up. I forgot to mention, it is free at the moment!

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November cold snap kills mantis shrimp and peanut bunker

by kensdock • November 21, 2014 • 0 Comments

A couple of mantis shrimp that were killed by sudden drop in water temperature.

A couple of mantis shrimp that were killed by the sudden drop in water temperature.

Today CJ polhamus was driving the Stone Harbor NJ beach hunting for striped bass when he noticed hundreds of mantis shrimp in the surf line. He got out of his beach buggy van for a close look and found half of the shrimp alive.They were very lethargic and more than likely not going to make it.
Hundreds of laughing gulls were seen feeding on peanut bunker in the same conditions, off of Matt’s landing road in the Delaware bay. Tomorrow’s low tide could give us a better look at the damage. Hopefully the kill is not to extensive.

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Autumn Weakfish

by kensdock • September 25, 2014 • 0 Comments

A 25″ weakfish and a crisp fall sunset. 9-23-2014

I had planned on pushing hard for speckled trout and red drum this week, but the conditions are not in place yet. However, targeting and catching weakfish this time of year is just as rewarding. The NE wind that is blowing today could jump start the weakfish east south migration, ending the season in the back waters. The water temperature is 68 degrees and the water clarity is excellent. This was a beautiful day to be saltwater fishing.

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Keeper size striped bass on Labor day weekend

by kensdock • August 30, 2014 • 0 Comments

The bluefish finished off almost all of my favorite rubber baits before I found the stripers. There was very little fishing pressure, but the wave runners and water sport boats were all over. It is hard enough to find keeper stripers during the day in August without the traffic. These guys are up and down small creeks and skinny water, so it took some effort to find undisturbed water . They are enjoying the water just like me, so it is all good. Just about every cast produced a fish, once I found them. It was a beautiful day to be on the water.

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Stripers in the dark

by kensdock • August 28, 2014 • 0 Comments

The new moon night is usually the darkest, but it was pretty dark last night. The stripers could be heard, not seen, popping along with bait fish splashing. The bite really slows after days of north east wind, like we had recently. The spot I was fishing is an excellent summer weakfish spot. I was hoping even with the bad condition I would still catch one, I didn’t. However, the striped bass picked up the slack.

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August weakfish bite in Cape May,NJ

by kensdock • August 10, 2014 • 0 Comments

26″ August 2014 weakfish

I fish hard and often, but a Saturday night fishing trip is usually off-limits for me, saved for entertaining. However, this Saturday night I was able to fish. Ed had been flounder fishing with me earlier in the day, and invited me to fish a weakfish spot that has been red-hot. Ed Teise has earned a reputation as one of New Jersey’s top weakfish specialist. Knowing the night tides of August hold quality weakfish, coupled with Ed’s reputation, I was gearing up early. As we cautiously worked our way across a slew , that runs through a sand flat, pods of bait fish could be seen moving over the flat. The weakfish and stripers could be heard popping, each having a signature sound. It was a cool ” August night, that proved to be well worth the loss of sleep.

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Summer weakfish bite 2014

by kensdock • July 28, 2014 • 0 Comments

Finding the time to target summer weakfish, between the best flounder bite in years and striped bass fishing, is the hard part for me. When I have targeted weakfish, I have been successful most of the time. The tip of the day is the summer weakfish are here for sure. The summer weakfish are smaller than the spring and fall run weakfish. However, there is always a couple of big weakies around in the summer. Ed Teise actually hooked a tide runner weakfish last Friday. Ed has zeroed in on the summer weakfish and is running up his catch numbers. Traditionally the weakfish will begin to feed at night during mid to late summer, it is about that time.

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