The fall striped bass run is underway with catches coming in from several beach locales, though Ocean County seems to be going off more at the start.
There have been fish released over 40 inches but also a good amount of keepers pulled in. Surf fishermen at night are having success sending live eels out on a hook. When the sun is up, mullet, mag darters and SP minnows have sealed the fate of more than a few of these first fish out of the gate.
Long Beach Island is seeing a steady ebb and flow of surf fishermen participating in the annual fall surf fishing classic. The tournament has had a solid start with six striped bass on the weigh in board. Steve Taylor of Burlington is the early leader with a 10.94-pound bass he caught with a mullet bait late Sunday afternoon at Loveladies. That fish was just over the 30 inch mark.
The LBI crowd is also bringing in kingfish at a steady clip. Anglers are digging right at the water's edge for burrowing sand crabs, or sand fleas as some call them, and using them for kingfish bait. The kings are also taking any bloodworm offered. The fish aren't very big — most are 14 or 15 ounces. BIll Roth of Cinnaminson caught the one giant king so far fishing bloodworms at Beach Haven. He's currently in the lead of the kingfish category with a 1.2-pound king.
Grumpy's Tackle in Seaside Park is reporting fish from the Seasides down through Island Beach State Park. Jenni Ackerman from the shop got into a tug-of-war with a bass on Wednesday that was just shy of 50 inches and releases. She landed the fish on an S&S brand rockhopper jig.
The Sandy Hook to Monmouth Beach stretch of sand has had a couple fish in the 30-pound class as well as smaller 25- to 30-inch fish. Giglio's Tackle said fish starting coming into the beach after a shift in the wind mid-week.
The boatmen have got into a few fish but the bass have not made it easy despite being located. Capt. Rich Falcone on the Golden Eagle out of Belmar said they've seen plenty of bait and bass readings along the Monmouth County coast but the fish haven't cooperated much, so far. They go looking every morning now but have ended up filling the coolers with sea bass.
Speaking of sea bass, now is the time to get them and porgies as the fish are readily available on the reefs, wrecks and rocks in 120 feet of water or less. Capt. Ryan Bogan on the Jamaica II said he had lots of fares with limit catches of porgies, which have a bag limit of 30 fish. He said there are some big sea bass coming up in the bunch.
Captains have also reported catches of triggerfish, cod, and some blues, bonito and false albacore off the structures.
When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.
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