Ed caught one keeper today behind Stone Harbor George had two keepers not bad fishing for August in the back Bay. The bugs are at an all time high if you go fishing or whatever outside do not forget the spray. Water Temperature was 69 degrees.
Tag: Stone Harbor fishing
8-4-09 Kensdock fishing report
Tim this is a very tough time of the season to catch keeper flounder in the back bay after about July 15 in our area the bite slows. The only area that has produced keeper flounder in the last couple of days is in and around Hereferds and Townsends Inlet. I would try fishing between Wildwood Blv. bridge and the toll bridge on nummy island or between the Yacht club and the toll bridge over Townsends inlet. The number one thing to have aboard is patients this time of the year. The rig I would use is a 1oz bucktail white with a trail hook st back about 18″. I would use white Gulp swimming minnow on both the bucktail and the trail hook.Check out the picture. As for crabbing invest in a commercial crab pot. Set the commercial pot before you start crabbing with the traps or hand lines. I would pick a spot off of what is called the foot ball field away from the main channel and current. Near the top of the tide move back to the stakes off the foot ball field. The football field is the stretch of channel markers that border the Great sound. I was out yesterday and caught and released one keeper flounder. The water temperature was 66.6 degrees. The water visibility was 6ft. the water had a green tint apposed to the blue tint that has been present all season. Dr. Gary and ED fished yesterday in the back bay and caugnht 5 keeper flounder to 22″. This is an excellent catch for back bay flounder fishing in August.
Kensdock fishing report 8-2-09 Help the weakfish
I have been called over the top, crazy, and more by many people that do not share the passion for salt water fishing that I possess for it and other activates in life. Here are a few examples: I was called crazy last December for taking my skiff for a 5 mile ride at 2:00 am in a 30 kt. NW wind,10 degree wind chill and no compass. Crazy was replaced with wow when I returned to my dock with a cooler full of speckled trout. I was called nuts for talking a friend into flying me to Florida in his jet for fresh ballyhoo hours before the mid Atlantic. When Governor Florio tried to dismantle the fish and game council I use the same over the top, crazy whatever attitude to start a grass roots letter writing campaign that started in Cape May County and spread through the State of New Jersey all the way to High point in Sussex County, NJ. The thousands of individually written letters helped I am sure to change the Governors mind. I used the same crazy. Nuts, attitude to personally call over a thousand people to urge them to attend the federal fish and wildlife meeting in Cape May county co… So many of our people showed they over flowed into the parking lot. The meeting went our way to say the lest. I also started a grass roots letter writing campaign to keep the land open to hunting and salt water fishing. When the manager made the decision to keep the land open to hunting he reported that 98% of the letters he received were in favor of keeping the land open to hunting, this was reported in the Atlantic City press. When the Cape May county park purchased hundreds of acres of traditional hunting land and decided to post no trespassing signs on the land. I used the same attitude to start up the grass roots machine to urge all cape may co. hunters to attend the Cape May co. Freeholders meeting. When Ruth fisher took the podium she asked if there was a sale on flannel shirts! The meeting turned out a record crowd that I think still stands today. The freeholders reopened the traditional land to hunting.
Being over the top, crazy, nuts about a cause or activity is synonymous with being passionate. Being passionate about what you are involved in brings success.
The kind of push that it is required to bring the weakfish back has not been applied! The kind of campaign were every salt water angler on the east coast makes a phone call,writes a letter, sends a comment via email to a Congressman, Senator, Assemblymen, Governor and the ASMFC. We need letters in every News paper on the entire east coast to let all the people know about the poor condition of the weakfish. Only with this kind effort will the weakfish return to your favorite spot .
Make it happen,
I received an email from Nichola Meserve fisheries management plan coordinator for ASMFC. She will continue to accept comments for the August 19 weakfish meeting. The comments will be printed and hand delivered from this time forward.
Send your comment today. Remember there will be people at the meeting urging the ASMFC to continue to allow commercial and recreational fishing regardless of the fact that the weakfish are inches away from the endangered species list.
Send your comment to :
nmeserve@asmfc.org>
Today was filled with rain,thunder storms and downed trees. The water temperature was 67 degrees. I spoke with Bruce today, he said he has limited out on flounder in all but one trip. Bruce is an oldgrounds, Reef, ocean flounder sharp. He has made five trips so far this year. He likes to fish tight to the structure and expects to loose 8 to 10 rigs a trip. If you are planning a flounder trip in the back bay plan on not catching any fish to bring home.
7-31-09 Kensdock fishing report
Today I hit a couple of spots in the back bay that can produce some big flounder this time of the year. Unfortunately I caught the skunk for the first time this season. The water visibility was good about 6ft.. The water temperature was 67.3. Today pretty much raps up my flounder season. I may take a trip to the cape may reef before the end of flounder season. This is the time of the year I start anticipating some great off shore big game trips. I know of at lest one crew from Stone Harbor that hooked into some real big blue fin. They did not have the gear to get the job done. The sure had some fish stories. They did not want their names put out on the internet. Do yourself a big favor do not go offshore without a Roffers report. The guy is the best on the planet. Check out the list of tournament winners that have used his expertise.7-31-09 Kensdock report RFA/ASMFC weakfish meeting August 19
Open letter to Hutch Jr (RFA),
I can assure you if the RFA policy was to put the natural resoures first on their agenda, the weakfish stock would not be so dangerously low today. The RFA should have led a campaign to rebuild the weakfish stock five years ago!
At this point, I ask you, the RFA to join us in urging the ASMFC to implement a closure of commercial and recreation fishing of weakfish for two years. If you choose not to help with this campaign, I politely ask you sir, to step to the side!
Nichola at the ASMFC office has been working at a record pace answering comments and phone calls concerning the August 19 ASMFC meeting… Most of us are angry with the condition of the weakfish. WE are also hopeful that the August19 ASMFC meeting in Virginia becomes historic and the weakfish in time join the striped bass and sea scallops on the list of success stories.
nmeserve@asmfc.org Send your comment time is short
7-28-09 Kensdock Weakfish meeting/ answers RFA and Charter ass. President Tony Bogan
I have been bashed by JHutchinson of the RFA and Tony Bogon of the Charter boat ass. for urging people and their members to speak for them self’s by sending comments to the ASMFC asking for a closure of commercial fishing for weakfish and a closure of recreational fishing during the spawn. Here is my response:
JHutchinson,
The reason I urge fishermen to make comments directly to the ASMFC on the weakfish population and not to depend on the RFA to speak for them is right in “your mission statement”. The weakfish population would be last on the RFA mission list to be considered before you take a position on the regulations. Not only did I read your mission statement, I have witness it with fishing regulations and other issues” over the years. I am an avid reader of the NJ angler , NJ Fishermen and other national fishing magazines I have not seen your plan for saving the weakfish. There is two days left to comment if you would like your comment heard at the August 19, ASMFC meeting. I follow Capt. Tony and your mind set: We can not have Charter boats or tackle manufactures loose money” by pushing a closure to save the weakfish! ASMFC said they are all going to die anyway!! I will not stand behind that mind set!! To reiterate for the umpteen time. The first step is a complete closure of commercial fishing and recreational fishing in the spawning areas. The ASMFC is quick to respond to comments. Unfortunlitly the condition of the weakfish seems to be worse than they expected.
No hard feellings Tony and Hutchinson that is the way it is,
Best,
Ken
nmeserve@asmfc.org Send your comment time is short.
Capt.TB
If you took the time to read ASMFC site on weakfish you would find they only have “theories” on the decline of the weakfish.You can bet the farm that if the ASMFC allowed the entire commercial fishing fleet loose without a limit on the amount of fish to be killed on any species of fish you would find them in the same state of devastation. Maybe you are not familiar with the proficiency of modern commercial fishing operations. Here is an example: A good friend and a big player in the commercial fishing industry told me he caught in one set 1,000,000 individual weakfish. The estimate was made by an onboard observer. Most of the fish were released. Capt. TB, do you seriously buy into the ASMFC theory that a mysterious natural killer slaughtered the weakfish off? Capt. TB, do you still represent the Charter Boat Association? Does your family member represent the RFA? Do you have family or friends on the ASMFC council? I am wondering why you are so upset that I am encouraging people to make comments directly to the ASMFC ?
If you took the time to read ASMFC site on weakfish you would find they only have “theories” on the decline of the weakfish.You can bet the farm that if the ASMFC allowed the entire commercial fishing fleet loose without a limit on the amount of fish to be killed on any species of fish you would find them in the same state of devastation. Maybe you are not familiar with the proficiency of modern commercial fishing operations. Here is an example: A good friend and a big player in the commercial fishing industry told me he caught in one set 1,000,000 individual weakfish. The estimate was made by an onboard observer. Most of the fish were released. Capt. TB, do you seriously buy into the ASMFC theory that a mysterious natural killer slaughtered the weakfish off? Capt. TB, do you still represent the Charter Boat Association? Does your family member represent the RFA? Do you have family or friends on the ASMFC council? I am wondering why you are so upset that I am encouraging people to make comments directly to the ASMFC ?
I said, The “obvious first step” would be a complete closure to all commercial fishing for two years and a closure to recreational fishing during the spawn. If the ASMFC would do at least this, we will see a spike increase in the weakfish population. I will bet the farm on it!
The flounder bite has been slow the ast couple of days in the back bay. The offshore flounder bite has been slow due to ocean conditions. I will poke around tomorrow in the back bay for flounder and the inlet and right outside the inlet. The flounder should be hiding in that area some where. I just spoke with a commercial fishermen that was fishing off of Cape May NJ the last seven days at a place called the elegant trunk.They did not see a tuna the entire time. The water was blue with 50ft. of visibility. Usually this time of the year they have a school oftuna behind the boat all day. If you are thinking of making a tuna run you may want to wait a few weeks.
|
|
7-26-09 Kensdock fishing report 5:33 pm
I was out flounder fishing today in the backbay of Stone Harbor, NJ I managed to catch two keeper flounder on the top of the tide. To get a way from the boat traffic I fished holes along the flats way in the back. The water quality was excellent with 10ft visibility. I have fished around the planet and I have not seen the amount of marine life that we have in our back bays anywhere else.
Mr. Plumer was flounder fishing out of Fortescue,NJ and limited out with flounder to 24″. Fortescue was know as the weakfish capital of the world at one time. This year they have an excellent run of big flounder. Nice fishing also with a relatively short run to the fish. The old grounds has been a wash due to a large swell that makes fishing that area a waste of time and fuel.
Due to economic reasons a lot of off shore fishermen are waiting for prime season before they start to seriously fish the cannons. The last two weeks in August and the first two weeks in September are usually prime time. 
7–24-09 Kensdock fishing report update 7-26-09
I am heading out flounder fishing in the back bay it is 11: 00 am when I return I will post a report.
Best
Ken
The flounder bite remains red hot on the reef and the old grounds any time the condtions are good. The back bay bite is best when we have the turn of the tide at first light. The rest of the day is pretty much a waste of time as far as keeper flounder are concerned. The back bay water quality is excellent with visablity around 12ft..
As many of you know the weakfish population is at an all time low. The weakfish need a chance to rebuild! The best way and the fastest way is to close commercial fishing for weakfish for two years and close recreational fishing during the spawning season. For years commercial fishing was allowed without a limit on the amount of weakfish that could be killed. Commercial and recreational fishing is still allowed in the spawning area of the entire east coast. The winter yard of the weakfish is still open to commercial fishing, Can you believe the ASMFC has the audacity to claim it is not their fault that the weakfish is heading for the endangered list! The ASMFC will meet on August 19, 2009 to find a way to rebuild the weakfish. All comments must be received 3 weeks before the meeting or they will not be heard. Do not expect any fishing group like the RFA to make a case for you or me. This group was started by marine manufactures and that is were their allegiance lies. Please let them know the condition of the weakfish as you see it. Send your comment nmeserve@asmfc.org <nmeserve@asmfc.org>
Best,
Ken
7-22-09 Kensdock report
I fished a couple of Back Bay flounder spots at dusk today. The water temperature was 72.2 on the top of the tide. The water clarity was excellent with visibility about 12ft. Flounder fishing now requires a lot more effort and time. If you want to catch a few keepers in the back bays of Cape May co. NJ at this time it is going to take ten times the effort that it does in June. The ocean hot spots like the old grounds and reef 11off of Cape May co. NJ are holding large numbers of flounder and most likely will continue to do so through the reminder of flounder season. To fish the ocean locations it requires the better part of a day as far as time. You also must have the correct conditions or it is a waste of time as far as catching fish. I shake my head when I see a party boat or charter captain taking people on a twenty mile rough ride knowing that the fishing is going to be terrible and someone on board is going to get sea sick. There is always someone that is fishing for the first time on these boats and when their first trip is on a rough day with no fish caught they may never fish again. If someone goes fishing for the first time and the ocean is calm and the fish are biting he or she will go fishing again and some will become avid fishermen. When I read Sheps column in the Atlantic City press recently he reported that limits of Weakfish are being caught. He has no names of the fishermen that are catching the weakfish and not one picture of a limit catch of weakfish. Sorry Shep, I do not believe that limit catches of weakfish are being caught. Here in Cape May co. NJ and all along the east coast the weakfish population is at an all time low. The few weakfish that are left need a chance to rebuild! They do not need pressure from news papers trying to sell advertisements!! The ASMFC will meet on August 19, 2009 to discuses ways to rebuild the weakfish population. The best way and the fastest way to rebuild the weakfish stock is a complete closer of commercial fishing for two years and a recreational closer during the spawning season. Please take the time to make a comment on the ASMFC web site on the best way to save the weakfish. Best,Ken
7-17-09 Kensdock fishing report 7-18-09 6:30 pm update
MID ATLANTIC TUNA TOURNAMENT WEIGH IN RESULTS : 
The over the top crew finishes a great day on the water. They are in the hunt with a 159 blue fin they caught today.
The crew of the Liquidity is all smiles after weighing in a 163 pound blue fin.
The crew from the South Jersey Marina does an world class job of running the weigh in. They have a nationally renowned marine scientist that is present through out the weigh in process.
| OVERALL TOURNAMENT PRIZE | $10,000 |
| BIG FISH CALCUTTA ($300) | $10,260 |
| DAILY CALCUTTA ($600) | $18,810 |
| SUPER STRINGER ($1000) | $31,350 |
| YELLOWFIN KAHUNA TUNA ($2000) | $43,700 |
| BLUEFIN KAHUNA TUNA ($2000) | $47,500 |
| TOTAL PURSE | $161,620 |
| Miss Edna Jane | Bubba Remster | Gary Bechtel | Yellowfin | 49 lbs | |
| 6:57 | Trust Me | Jim Foulke | Bob Ogden | Yellowfin | 68 lbs |
| 6:53 | Slabjack | Brian Dwyer | Michael Dwyer | Yellowfin | 16 lbs & 45 lbs |
| 6:47 | Sea Splendour | Ron Levy | Eric McDougal | Yellowfin | 49 lbs |
| 6:44 | Runaway | Mike Tyson | Steve Scorzo | Yellowfin | 42 lbs |
| 6:41 | Top Gun | Carl Kephart | Scott Chambers, Brad Pavlik | Yellowfin | 46 lbs & 45 lbs |
| 6:26 | Reel Estate | Reno Cosenza | Fred Howard, Matt Cruz | Yellowfin | 48 lbs & 49 lbs |
| 6:23 | Josh Ruskey | Ed Kramer | Burt Geiges | Bluefin | 142 lbs |
| 6:20 | Sea Mistress | John Raimondo | John Raimondo | Bluefin | 137 lbs |
| 6:11 | Sailmaker | Richard Hendrickson | Burt Geiges | Bluefin | 143 lbs |
| 6:08 | Operating Room | Tom Mackell | Brian Priest | Bluefin | 47 lbs |
| 6:07 | Operating Room | Tom Mackell | Alan Abramokitz | Bluefin | 147 lbs |
| 6:03 | Exile | Frank Pettisani | Sean Histed | Bluefin | 118 lbs |
| 5:55 | Singularis | Jerry Lanzerotti | Kevin Pento | Bluefin | 127 lbs |
| 5:51 | Over the Top | Dan Scotti | John Kubrak | Bluefin | 142 lbs |
| 5:48 | Alison Rose | Yellowfin | 16 lbs | ||
| 5:38 | Moore Bills | Rob Skillman | Shane Moore | Bluefin | 169 lbs |
| 5:28 | Pretty Work | Joe Trainor | John Oughton, Robert Krug | Yellowfin | 50 lbs & 53 lbs |
| 5:09 | A-Lure | Bob Konz | Scott Forfar | Bluefin | 137 lbs |
| 5:00 | Liquid Plumber | Mark Jankowski | Rui Dantas | Bluefin | 134 lbs |
DAY ONE RESULTS:
| Heaviest Tuna (Tie) 153 lb Bluefin Let It Ride Art Kontos |
| Heaviest Tuna (Tie) 153 lb Bluefin A-Lure Bob Konz |
| Heaviest Yellowfin 17 lbs Singularis Jerry Lanzerotti |
| Heaviest Bluefin (Tie) 153 lb Bluefin Let It Ride Art Kontos |
| Heaviest Bluefin (Tie) 153 lb Bluefin A-Lure Bob Konz |
| Heaviest Stringer 215 lbs Singularis Jerry Lanzerotti |
| 2nd Heaviest Stringer 177 lbs A-Lure Bob Konz |
| 3rd Heaviest Stringer 153 lbs Let It Ride Art Kontos |
Final Tournament Standings
|
CATEGORY |
BOAT NAME |
REGISTRANT |
WEIGHT |
PRIZE |
| Heaviest Tuna | Moore Bills | Rob Skillman | 169 lbs | $2,000 |
| 2nd Heaviest Tuna | Liquidity | Ed Katsianer | 163 lbs | $1,200 |
| Heaviest Yellowfin | Trust Me | Jim Foulke | 68 lbs | $1,600 |
| 2nd Heaviest Yellowfin (Tie) | Pretty Work | John Oughton | 53 lbs | $400 |
| 2nd Heaviest Yellowfin (Tie) | Soulmate | Rich Pell | 53 lbs | $400 |
| Heaviest Bluefin | Moore Bills | Rob Skillman | 169 lbs | $1,600 |
| 2nd Heaviest Bluefin | Liquidity | Ed Katzianer | 163 lbs | $800 |
| Heaviest Stringer | Sea Mistress | John Raimondo | 336 lbs | $1,000 |
| 2nd Heaviest Stringer (Tie) | Moore Bills | Rob Skillman | 325 lbs | $500 |
| 3rd Heaviest Stringer (Tie) | Singularis | Jerry Lanzerotti | 325 lbs | $500 |
|
TOTAL |
$10,000 | |||
Big Fish Calcutta – $300
|
CATEGORY |
BOAT NAME |
REGISTRANT |
WEIGHT |
PRIZE |
| Heaviest Tuna – 50% | Moore Bills | Rob Skillman | 169 lbs | $5,130 |
| 2nd Heaviest Tuna – 30% | Liquidity | Ed Katzianer | 163 lbs | $3,078 |
| 3rd Heaviest Tuna – 20% | Over the Top | Matthew Lonuzzi | 159 lbs | $2,052 |
|
TOTAL |
$10,260 | |||
Daily Calcutta, 33 Boats Entered – $300
|
CATEGORY |
BOAT NAME |
REGISTRANT |
WEIGHT |
PRIZE |
| Heaviest Tuna Thursday Boats Fished: 19 (Tie) |
Let It Ride | Art Konton | 153 lbs | $2,707.50 |
| Heaviest Tuna Thursday Boats Fished: 19 (Tie) |
A-Lure | Bob Konz | 153 lbs | $2,707.50 |
| Heaviest Tuna Friday Boats Fished: 29 |
Moore Bills | Rob Skillman | 169 lbs | $8,265 |
| Heaviest Tuna Saturday Boats Fished: 18 |
Liquidity | Ed Katzianer | 163 lbs | $5,130 |
|
TOTAL |
$18,810 | |||
Super Stringer – $1000
|
CATEGORY |
BOAT NAME |
REGISTRANT |
WEIGHT |
PRIZE |
| Heaviest Stringer – 45% | Sea Mistress | John Raimondo | 336 lbs | $14,107.50 |
| 2nd Heaviest Stringer – 25% (Tie) | Moore Bills | Rob Skillman | 325 lbs | $6,270 |
| 3rd Heaviest Stringer – 15% (Tie) | Singularis | Jerry Lanzerotti | 325 lbs | $6,720 |
| 4th Heaviest Stringer – 10% | A-Lure | Bob Konz | 314 lbs | $3,135 |
| 5th Heaviest Stringer – 5% (Tie) | Exile | Frank Pettisani | 308 lbs | $783.75 |
| 5th Heaviest Stringer – 5% (Tie) | Liquidity | Ed Katzianer | 308 lbs | $783.75 |
|
TOTAL |
||||
Daily
Super Stringer – $1000
|
CATEGORY |
BOAT NAME |
REGISTRANT |
WEIGHT |
PRIZE |
| Heaviest Stringer – 45% | Sea Mistress | John Raimondo | 336 lbs | $14,107.50 |
| 2nd Heaviest Stringer – 25% (Tie) | Moore Bills | Rob Skillman | 325 lbs | $6,270 |
| 3rd Heaviest Stringer – 15% (Tie) | Singularis | Jerry Lanzerotti | 325 lbs | $6,720 |
| 4th Heaviest Stringer – 10% | A-Lure | Bob Konz | 314 lbs | $3,135 |
| 5th Heaviest Stringer – 5% (Tie) | Exile | Frank Pettisani | 308 lbs | $783.75 |
| 5th Heaviest Stringer – 5% (Tie) | Liquidity | Ed Katzianer | 308 lbs | $783.75 |
|
TOTAL |
$31,350 | |||
Yellowfin Kahuna Tuna – $2000
|
CATEGORY |
BOAT NAME |
REGISTRANT |
WEIGHT |
PRIZE |
| Heaviest Yellowfin – 60% | Trust Me | Jim Foulke | 68 lbs | $26,220 |
| 2nd Heaviest Yellowfin – 40% (Tie) | Pretty Work | John Oughton | 53 lbs | $8,740 |
| 2nd Heaviest Yellowfin – 40% (Tie) | Soulmate | Rich Pell | 53 lbs | $8,740 |
|
TOTAL |
$43,700 | |||
Bluefin Kahuna Tuna – $2000
|
CATEGORY |
In the back Bay today Dr. Gary caught a 6.2 pound flounder behind Stone Harbor a real nice fish for the back bay this time of the year.
Ken's Dock 