New York Metro &
New Jersey

May 23rd, 2003

A Saltwater License?

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“We need a Salt water license!” read an irate e-mail I received this week from veteran Reel-Time columnists Bob Wooley who happened to witness yet more gross displays of blatant and outright poaching… I couldn’t agree more… Bob’s e-mail reminded me of the ugly debate that popped up in New Jersey this past off-season. New Jersey Angling groups fought a proposed saltwater license tooth and nail with the support of the general angling public. Unfortunately, they succeeded in beating back the proposal with the ominous threat of lost votes for incumbent elected officials. The small additional tax on anglers would have helped the government expand its budget and spending in boosting the state Division of Fish and Wildlife's marine fisheries budget by 170 percent and more than doubling the size of the agency's staff. That translates to more and better

Birds working in Jamaica Bay. One More Cast Charters Inc...

management dollars, more money for additional enforcement, training and personnel etc... Uhhh, maybe I’m missing something, but these are good things right?

I just can’t understand how any conservation minded angler could be so cheap and shortsighted. It's unthinkable to me that anglers are not willing to drop maybe $25 a year to improve things on the water. In the very worse case scenario, a license would develop a way to account for every saltwater fisherman in the state. Think how much that would have mattered when lawmakers are deciding what side to support on a certain marine issue. One hundred-thousand or so documented anglers in so-and-so's district … Which way do you think so-and-so will vote.

Conceding for a moment here to opponents of a saltwater license, yes, there are many questions. Would the money be earmarked to improve the state of our fisheries, or would the money just go into a general fund to be used to fill the coffers of local politicians and their pork barrel projects? While, for the most part, politicians have and will continue to mismanage money, if there is even a little oversight, I’m very confident, in fact certain, that most if not all of that money generated by a license would have gone where it was supposed to. Regardless, as a user group, recreational fishermen have no clout if they don't have a license. You want something from the state, guess what, you'll have to pay the state. Contributing nothing will get anglers nothing. I was told point blank by some of the top brass at the NY State DEC in a meeting several years ago that if we wanted a marine enforcement unit to stop poachers operating in New York Harbor, we’d have to get a saltwater license. Fat chance… The New York opposition is even worse than New Jersey… Those of us that have fished upstate (where freshwater fishing licenses are required) know that enforcement exists in a grander scale in NY and NJ lakes and streams. They are stocked, patrolled and managed to an extent that is almost over doing it. When I go down to FL to fish for a few days, I have to buy a license. They offer one, two and three day permits at minimal expense. The enforcement presence down there is very noticeable to put it lightly. X-number of saltwater anglers who have bought a license and pumped x-amount of money into the state will most definitely get more recognition than what appears to be a few disgruntled anglers complaining at a public hearing. To me, this alone is enough of a reason to be an advocate of a saltwater license.

Mark Goggin with the new Potential IGFA 8# Tippet Weakfish taken with Shore Catch Charters.

NY and NJ fishing related businesses complain that a license would kill a good amount of seasonal business. I pointedly disagree that it will do so… at least substantially. It won't kill a guy who wants to take a kid snapper fishing for a day to buy a one, two or three day license. Guys might not sell as many clams to Joe-shmo who wants to catch a short striper from the beach at 1:00PM, but I'd think that pumping a few dollars into fisheries conservation is much more important than that. Sacrificing a very small fraction of the market for better management and improved enforcement and a resulting improved fishery would actually draw more people to the sport of angling, thereby pumping in more business in the long run. But as we have all seen in the past, it’s not really about the long run, for some people. It’s about right now…

It's really bothered me, especially since some of the opposition came from flyrodders and self-proclaimed conservationists. How come folks can get so worked up about a saltwater license that, more than likely, would have helped the fishery; start petitions, throw out conspiracy theories about how none of the money will go to the Dept of Fish and Game etc... But can't get a half dozen people at the Amendment 6 hearing to ask for lower mortality targets for striped bass. Unbelievable! I would think that the conservation minded anglers in New Jersey would have been better served by focusing their efforts on getting something in writing from the state declaring that the "majority" of the funds generated would be dedicated to "fisheries conservation." I think they might have found that it already existed. If it didn’t than that's where they should have started their battle. The adamant opposition they had shown towards any sort of license because someone un-authoritatively said that none of the money would go towards fisheries was just plain stupid. Quite honestly, I don't understand it. Maybe someone can explain it to me. I’m sure this column is going to draw a lot of fire, but I’d really like to hear your thoughts on this one. Please e-mail them to me.

Now on to the reports:

Bluefish, bluefish, bluefish everywhere. Never seen so many this early in the spring. Seems they outnumber the bass and weaks 10 to 1 just about everywhere. Speaking of weakfish, the weakfishing has improved dramatically in New Jersey and the New York Bight with exceptional catches in central New Jersey. Plenty of grass shrimp, bunker and bay anchovies in most areas and the bass fishing has been just about average across the board. Undoubtedly, no one is claiming that it is as good as it was last spring. But hey… We can’t bat a thousand right?

More bad weather expected on Saturday, but Sunday afternoon and Monday look good. So get out there and fish!!!

And don’t forget to email me your own reports. Tight lines all.

Tight Lines!

John McMurray

New Jersey

The Garden State seems to be fishing quite well… Captain Paul Eidman from Reel Therapy checks in with a report from the Northern New Jersey area:

Hi John-
Still beating the blues off with a stick...water temperatures have actually dropped, which is a good thing for our best of friends the Stripers. Keep an eye on those east winds and offshore temps, they are way low and could hold these big stripers here longer than normal. Photo: Got to spend a most enjoyable day with Redington's outdoor clothing designer, Michael Blue. FYI--boaters, if you haven't checked out Redington's Boat bib/Jacket you are really missing something. I have dates available, especially during the week.
Quit wishin, come out fly fishin!
Paul
Capt. Paul Eidman

Bill Kosakowski, Jr. - 10.5 lb Weakfish taken on Shore Catch Charters

Also heard from Bob Wooley who fished the hook last weekend:

Fished over at Sandy Hook yesterday. There were lots of blues and the
occasional small bass in the surf off Sea Bright and Monmouth. At dusk with
a raging incoming tide we fished off plum Island and there were bass and
weaks. Most of the action went to the spin guys, as usual. A sinking line
was the ticket there and of course mine was at home. Gotta remember to leave
it in the car.

Farther south, Captain Gene Quigley from Shore Catch Guide Service checks in with a report of some fantastic fishing:

John,

This week has been a mixed bag down here in Barnegat Bay due to the lousy weather and full moon over the past weekend. The good news in however that the weather has settled, the moon is over, and the big FEMALE P action! the is so and strong, going in spawn evenings two last over bay into came WEAKFISH

Late last week I had Mark Goggin out and he was looking for and IGFA World Record for the 8 LB class tippet. Well, he GOT IT! The potential IGFA world record fish was 8 LB 6 oz on the official scale and beat the current world record by 1 LB 5 oz. The fish hit just after dark on an "original" Bob Popovics pink & white Jiggy Fly.

Capt. Jim's Shore Catch clients Jim Welsh and Mike with a pair of Navesink River Stripers - Shore Catch Guide Service

The big tiderunner weakies are now staged right in the channels by day and up on the eel grass beds at night doing their "thing." The traditional Barnegat Bay spawning rituals are taking place right now and the visuals are just spectacular. Just before dark large pods of males and females are up on the surface jousting around in tightly packed schools as they move onto the flats. These fish are running anywhere from 6 to 13 lbs.

Bill Kosakowski Sr. & Jr. had a great night yesterday with these large tiderunners and Bill Jr., his all time best a 10.5 lber. The blues are still here in the bay but they have spread out and taken up residence on the edges of the flats. Most of the blues are running anywhere from 3 to 6 lbs. The next four to five weeks will be PRIME TIME for these big Weakfish - and they will be our main target on every outing.

My partner Captain Jim Freda reports that the Navesink River and Raritan Bay are just loaded with stripers and blues right now. Captain Jim had out clients Jim Welshand his buddy Mike in the Navesink and they had great action with both stripers and blues. Their two largest stripers were 13 and 12 pounds. From the beach the bayside of Sandy Hook is giving up good size tiderunners. Our guide Darin was out with client Paul Bergh and had two big weakie that tipped the scales at nine pounds. Plenty of blues also to kept things jumping between the weakie.

That's all for now!

Capt. Gene Quigley
Shore Catch Guide Service

Captain Bryan DiLeo from Iowa Fortune Guide service reports from Southern New Jersey:

Capt. Bryan DiLeo/Iowa Fortune
Ocean City/ Atlantic City Report

Things down here have been pretty active despite the heavy winds all last
week. The blue fish have moved in thick on the flats willing to eat almost
anything that's put in front of them. Mostly all the blues ranged between 3
to 5lbs consistently with a few 6 and 7 pounders mixed in. As far as the Bass
most bass this week were a bit smaller that the prior weeks ranging between
13" and 28" but willing to take top water plugs and flies. This was the 1st
week that the bass would come to the surface offering up some explosive
action and kicking off the summer pattern top water action. Water
temperatures varied from 50 to 59 degrees. I will be in the Keys for the next
2 weeks (May 24th-June 6th) guiding for Tarpon. See you in June.
Capt. Bryan DiLeo
609-926-5415
www.iowafortune.com

That’s all for this week… See ya out on the water…

John Witt with a J-Bay weakie - Michael Agger photo

Those choppers are everywhere! Yea, they can be fun for an hour or two, but enough already! While the weakfishing improved substantialy in Jamaica Bay, it was still bluefish over anything else. We did manage to pick up a couple of larger bass in the high teen range this week but they were hard to get and required a couple of dozen bluefish for every bass. Over on the Raritan Bay side Captain Dino Torino and Captain Frank Crescitelli did manage a few good days before they said it turned off completely. Dino reported catching several fish in the 20-pound range while marking fish and using sinking lines in the channels.

Captain Ralph Burtis from Island Charters who fishes both areas reports a productive week:

Hey John,
Another great weak of spring fishing in the metro New York area. Every day out this past week has produced non-stop action with lots of blues with some bass & weakfish mixed in. Blues continue to destroy anything we through near them as we try to get below them looking for bass and weaks. Getting down to the bass and weakfish is always a patience game, it’s so tough not to move the fly as it drifts to the bottom. This week brought us more blues to 32”, weaks were a little smaller to 26” and bass to 34”. Many times this week, we found schools of blues so thick it was impossible to get the fly down at all. Even attempting to throw bucktails beneath the blues

George with a nice striper taken with Island Charters

was useless as an attempt to reach the bottom. New York Harbor is just starting to wake up from this past winter, a little later than usual, but that’s the way it’s been everywhere this year. Top producing flies have been large chartreuse and white deceivers and half & halfs. When fishing near large baits, we have been using some large bunker patterns, which also have been producing well. Gotta go tie some more flies to sacrifice to the bluefish gods.
Until next, see ya out there;
Capt. Ralph

Captain Joe Mattioli also checks in with a report. Check it out:

Hi John

Raritan Bay: Rough weather put a damper on the Bass fishing, we managed to get a 13 lb Bass and several Bluefish from 6-8 lbs using bucktails. Big fish up to 40lbs were weighed in from boats who used Bait. I Have dates open for this weekend
Capt. Joe Mattioli, On The Bite Charters

Western Long Island

Luyen Chou with a J-Bay Striper

Captain Barry Kanavy from Natural Anglers reports some pretty good South Shore Action. Check it out:

South Shore fishing continues to be strong. Shad and bunker have been active on top, and are being pushed by larger Stripers and Weakfish. There have been plenty of Stripers taken in the 34-38" range as well as schoolies. Surface plugs have been the ticket. Blue fish have been a blast eating anything you throw. Boy that sun feels good! I think winters over....
Check your backing!
Captain Barry Kanavy
516-785-7171
www.naturalanglers.com

Also fishing the South Shore is Bob Wooley. He had this to say about the week’s action:

There are bass and blues at Roert Moses back side. Sinking line is the key
and large flies. There are large schools of bunker there as well as large
schools of bait slingers killing everything that has the misfortune to
take the bait. John- we need to change the rules! Salt water license . and
for the baiters: ONE ROD PER MAN!

No official reports from the North Shore, but word is that it’s bluefish everywhere!

Eastern Long Island

Captain David Blinken from North Flats Guiding got out with angler Richard Reagan this Wednesday and found just a few fish with zero takers. A “yet to come” scenario seems to be the deal out there. Also heard from new Reel-Time guide Captain Josh Gruss who reports a slow start out east also… Check it out:

Hi John,

Last weekend had great conditions. Lots of sun and not too much wind. We fished some great looking flats and estuaries I've been scoping near Sabonic Creek and other places around Peconic Bay. We also cruised through the canal to fish the flats of Shinnecock bay. However bass were scarce. The only fish caught was a 21" schoolie in North Sea Harbor. I kept saying to myself "It's May 16, there should be more fish around by now". The thing is with the cold weather we've had I think we're still about 2 weeks behind in the season. There just haven't been enough warm days to push the water temps up. The water in the estuaries was 57 degrees and the water in Shinnecock was 55. I think the temps need reach 60 degrees before the bass really pour on the flats.The bait I encountered included killfish, sand worms, shrimp and crabs. No sand eels.

Tight Lines

Capt. Gruss
www.StriperFlats.com

In and around Shelter Island, things seemed to have heated up as Captain Jim Hull from Light Tackle Challenge reports some spectacular action:

Mark Markowsky took a 35" personal best in the 20mph blow on Friday - Capt. Jim Hull

Hi John, This week had its highs and lows based on wind direction and moon phase. Robert Carr had a monster of 47" on a producer on the northeast section of the south side along with several other fish. Larry Winston took a 37"er sight casting on Mashamock. Mark Markowsky took a 35" personal best in the 20mph blow on Friday. The weekend slowed considerably with an east wind and bright moon. By Tuesday the wind came back west for Geoge Wheeler giving him some nice bass into the mid thirties. Derek Harris and Chris took some beauties into the mid thirties and today it was back into the snot for Paul with rain and east wind. Lots of bait and favorable conditions should make for some real good fishing in the weeks to come. Good luck. Please release all big bass caught, you can make a difference. Jim (captainjimhull@aol.com) 631-749-1096

Nice!!!

Captain Ken Rafferty reports that Striped Bass, 6 to 15 lbs. are showing well from Gardiner's Island to Gull and Little Gull Island. Bluefish in the 6 to 8 lb. class are in full force at Bostwick Point off Gardiner's Island as well as outside of Napeague Harbor, but if you want BIG! Bluefish 10 to 15 lbs. try Cherry Harbor at Gardiner's.

Captain David Azar with a Jamaica Bay Bass. One More Cast Charters Inc.

Farther West, Captain Don Kaye from Shinnecock reports the start of the season:

With stiff easterly winds still blowing and water temperature under 50 degrees, we left my dock with tight-line prospects rapidly fading! As we neared the inlet, however, I spotted a number of birds 'working' and cruised to the area. Low and behold, acres of Bluefish were gorging themselves on all manner of wind-blown baitfish. The ravenous 'Blues took every fly and lure presented to them and a few medium-sized Striped Bass also made an appearance. In short order, we captured and released more than two-dozen fish of all sizes. After a long, cold winter and very late season start, we finally welcomed the end of 'Cabin-Fever' in Shinnecock Bay!

Lots more to come!
Capt. Don Kaye,
Shinnecock Guiding 631-7288175

Fishing from the beach, Reel-Timer Joel Filner checks in with this report:

The winds on Friday made standing on the beach a great effort, trying to keep the doors on the jeep from blowing off. The promised rain did not show up but the wind kept the rods in the car. Saturday morning on Peconic Bay was cold and just as windy, but by noon on Saturday the tides shifted and the wind switched out to east south east,
making casting workable but not pretty. Fished the grass shrimp
pattern on Shinnecock bay, wading in 53 degree water, and 15 to 20
knot winds. Two stripers, 24 inches, a matched set, lost two other
fish believed to be weakfish, and two sea robins. Sunday the morning
was not workable with 34 degree air, 53 degree water, and winds to 25
knots out of the north east. Tried the Peconic and Shinnecock, and
even the surf casters were coming in out of the cold. Went back out
as the day warmed up, to the Shinnecock bay for the out going at
12:30 with a 2 hour pass from the department of labor. One other fly
rodder was out, fishing poppers, with two blues of 28 inches, three
stripers, but they were turning off as I waded out. Fished the grass
shrimp again, one keeper bass of 32 inches, one 24 inch bass, one
blue who took the grass shrimp and two sea robins. The other
fisherman switched off the popper and managed a weakfish, two
stripers, and a lost fly to a blue. A great two hours. The rest of
the crew stayed to the west and reported small stripers and 4
weakfish to 8 pounds on the balance of the outgoing. Water was up to
54 degrees and rumours of a cinder worm hatch for next week as well
as larger blues returning to the back bay are promised for next
weekend.

Great report Joel…