NJ.com Report: Striped bass fishing in the back of Raritan Bay this morning was just as advertised by Capt. Sal Cursi of Jo-Jo from Sewaren. Drew Ruscansky of Winfield Park, Capt. Hans Kaspersetz from Weehawken and I joined Cursi as we had a hard time finding enough bunkers to start fishing. Cursi, who’s one of the best castnetters in the area, got a few good throws on the sparse schools, and he was off to find some shallow water readings that turned into immediate hits. Cursi said bluefish hadn’t been much of a problem in the bay, but they were this morning. As a result, we had to go for another shot of bunkers to finish out the trip. About 15 to 20 bass (almost all released) up to about 25 pounds plus a few blues were caught by the the four of us — and many others missed. Capt. Dave Goldman was also hooking bass in the same area from his Shore Catch. A strange thing about those bass is that many of them are carrying green roe when they should have spawned in the Hudson River a month ago.
Capt. Stan Zagleski reported another hot day of fluking from his Elaine B. out of Bahrs in Highlands even though he’s had to power drift every day. There were six limits today, with a couple of 4-pounders tying for the pool.
Capt. John Kolias of Reel Fun from Twin Lights Marina in Highlands said striper fishing on clams during Monday’s trip for Bud Luzzi wasn’t up to the previous day’s standards, but they boated three bass up to a 20-pounder plus two shorts and a few fluke among lots of dogfish.
Bluefishing in the ocean has been so poor that party boat skippers are worried about the season after having had a very good one last year. The Jamaica from Brielle is trying to jig some small blues outside the inlet before switching to bottom fishing for sea bass and ling so everyone can go home with fish.The Jamaica will not be sailing Thursday night or Friday morning.
Recent striper catches brought into Castaway’s Tackle in Point Pleasant included 17 1/2-and-16-pound stripers plugged in Manasquan River by Bob Matthews of Belmar, and 12-and-12 1/2-pounders on clams in the Bay Head surf by Joe Conti of that town.
Fred Waltzinger will be demonstrating his fluke secrets at tonight’s meeting of the Salt Water Anglers of Bergen County in the American Legion, 33 West Passaic St., Rochelle Park at 8.