New York Metro &
New Jersey

May 25th, 2004

Pretty Fish, Healthy Fish, Nice Fish and Oh Those Hogs!

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Early in the year accomplished flyrodder Peter McCarthy along with noted author Tom Gilmore and I found ourselves stretching to entertain ourselves on a cold windy day catching twinkie bass while dragging heavy sinking lines on the bottom. Yea, it was pretty lame, but the company was good and, as is usually the case when fishing with good guys, there were quite a few laughs. I found myself saying numerous times what I always say when I or someone on my boat catches an extremely small fish – “boy that’s a pretty fish”… or “aren’t these fish pretty” just like those knuckleheads on the Sunday morning fishing shows that are on before any human being should awake on a weekend, unless there was real fishing involved. Tom finally told me to shut up after the 10th time I said it, exclaiming that’s what all the guides tell their clients when they catch dinks. “I’ve caught trout bigger than this!” he said. I complied with Tom’s request, because I realize he was absolutely right. Peter then caught a fish that was a few inches over the 20-inch mark, which was better than anything we had taken all day, so I let slip “boy that’s a healthy fish,” thinking that this might be acceptable since it was the big fish of the day. I was ridiculed again… And rightly so I might add.

For all you folks who fish with guides regularly, you know what I’m getting at here. If your captain exclaims that you’ve caught a “pretty fish” then you should be ashamed. It’s a dink! If he/she says that you’ve caught a “healthy fish,” it’s a little better, but you should still hold your head down. Now… When you get a schoolie (25 to 28-inches) your guide will probably articulate that you’ve got a “nice fish”… Not so bad… And if you’ve taken it on a popper or on the flats you should be very happy with yourself. If you had to dredge for it, you might have to hang your head down again depending on your prowess and experience. Moving on to the term “good fish,” you have the right to show a little excitement if you here this from a guide, but not until you see the fish at the boat. Quite often a good fish turns out to be a dink that fights like Mike Tyson. Now let’s discuss the “hog” criteria… If your guide says “Wow… that’s a hog!” You better hold on because you’re going for a ride. And if you’re guide starts screaming expletives, which most quite often do. Then you better make sure not to screw up because you have a fish in the 20-plus pound range on.

So there you have it. The official terminology and the accompanying criteria was all laid out on the table, exposed for all to see during that fateful day on the water. I am herby claiming these labels too be sincere and true and all guides and their subsequent anglers must use them accordingly. (In case you haven’t noticed yet, I haven’t slept much in the last few days)… Now the point of all this is that we’re using the phrase “hog” a lot and yelling expletives a lot, because there’s lots of big bass around! An unusual row of warm days in May coupled with low wind conditions has created some spectacular fishing across the board!!!

Now… Let’s get on to what’s what, who’s who and where’s where:

In Southern and Central New Jersey the striper flats fishing seems to be consistent and getting even better every day. The weakfish haven’t shown in the numbers expected, but some believe they’re just busy doing their spawning thing. Should pick back up soon. Things pretty much busted open in the New York Metro area as some pretty freaking big bass were caught in Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook and Breezy Point areas. Loads of spearing have come in and if you can get out early enough and get through the bluefish then you’re going to get them. Stripers, larger blues and weakfish have moved up into the Jamaica Bay flats and early morning poppers have been taking some “good fish” as well as a few “hogs.” The bunker guys continue to hammer them and I must admit that it can be sickening the way those guys kill fish. Buy moving on, the South Shore And North Shores of Western Long Island are doing their thing. Fish are beginning to move in in force out east and the flats are beinginning to show fish nicely.

Moor good weather this weekend. Bummed I have a wedding to attend in VA., but hey, what can you do. I will however live vicariously through your experience. So go fish!!!

(Disclaimer: Of course I’m kidding… Any fish in a flyrod is worth while!)

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

Tight Lines!

John McMurray

New Jersey

Captain Bryan DiLeo fishing the Atlantic City/Ocean City area checks in with his first report of the year.  Check it out:

This week despite the wind we have been running out midday low tide in order to get some shelter. With all the winds that we had from the past weeks the water clarity was extremely poor last week so sight fishing was really not an option. But through out the week we did have reasonable success getting some nice Bass ranging in size from 22"- 33" as well as Bluefish making their first appearance of the season all in the 3-4lb. range making quick time at any artificial put in front of them. Bait has been a bit on the scarce side in some areas but there is an abundant amount of shrimp in the water caused by the hatch that always happens with the approach of the new moon. Water temperatures have been prime at 56 degrees with very little deviation so a few days of calmer winds leading to clearer water look for things to open up. I will be heading for the Keys today 5/20 to get a dose of wind and Tarpon so my next reports will be all about the "POONS" My may dates are full for May and am now booking for June 13th and beyond. Talk to you from the Keys.

Shore Catch Guide Service’s Captain Gene Quigley also reports good flats action:

John,
 
Here is the report for this week. We are slamming the blues. You get em on every cast anywhere in Barnegat Bay. Fish are ranging anywhere from three to ten pounds, but most of em are on the smaller side right now. Bass fishing still remains steady up on the flats and on the nice days we are sight fishing for these fish in the real shallow water with BANGERS and floating lines.
 
Unfortunately as of this writing we have absolutely no weakfishing to speak of. This has been quite a disappointment for us down here as it has become our mainstay here in Barnegat bay for so many years. Everyone is scratching their head as to where they might be, my feeling however is that they all ended up in nets outside of Barnegat inlet before they could come in to the bay. Hopefully I am wrong and they are doing the "Spawning" thing right now. If that is the case things should really light up after this weeks new moon.
 
Raritan Bay still remains red hot for big bass however the vast majority of these fish are coming on live bunker, clams, and some artificials.

A darn good week for sure.  As mentioned, lots of big fish on a fly came from the outside and the bay flats have come alive.  I got to witness Peter McCarthy’s surprise as a 36-inch fat “hog” sucked his popper down in just a couple of feet of water.  His buddy Carl had a bigger one break him off, then Peter had one straighten the hook.  Nothing quite like getting them on poppers.  Also got to see a nice fat weakfish take Ronald Redmond’s fly in a gin clear flat…  Pretty cool!!!   Thomas Pack also took some really good fish on poppers as well and that same afternoon Michael Bressman had a 32-inch fish smack a popper. 

Spoke with Captain Ralph Burtis from Island Charters today and he’s been banging some real monsters on the outside…  Not just stripers, but big blues also! 

Captain Joe Mattioli from “On the Bite Charters” had a good week as well.  Check it out:

Hi John
 
 Fly fishing in the Raritan bay continues to produce Bass in the 7-15 lb class and blues up to 9lbs. Both morning and afternoon trips are producing. Bunker flies and clousers are the pattern of choice. Big bass over 30lbs are being caught using live and cut bunker the next bass may eat a fly! So get out here, I have dates available.

Reel-Timer Jim Tynan had an excellent week, as you can see from this report:

Weekend was kind of slow, but picked up for me during the week. Humongous fish were caught around J-bay, most between 15-27lbs. Fished Baja guide Chris Sorensen who caught near a dozen fish, his largest a 23lber. Next day fished with Ned Mansfield who caught a 27lber his first or second cast. My personal best, and personal biggest striper on a fly was a 42" 26lber. Using big bunker patterns. Fish were taking them in the upper part of the water column and many refusals right at the boat. 3 fisherman, and three personal records. What a week! (sent you a photo taken on a camera phone.)

Captain Brendan McCarthy is also slamming them:

Hey John- may be too late for this report, but am too busy tying flies as my clients have been busting them all off on some of the biggest fish I have ever seen, consistently taking flies, ever. have taken over 6 fish over 20 pounds in the past few days. Ned Mansfield had one at 27lbs today, my client Carmen had a 21, Jim Tynan had a 26 yesterday, along with a few 20-25s. All on BIG flies. had over a dozen keepers today with some truly huge ones dropped and some gigantic fish follow and not eat. I wish I could send pictures but have been booked all week and have not been able to get to the right computer to download them. I will send them for sure this weekend. Remember the CCA Manhattan Cup is Friday and I pray those fish are still around!! Luckily they are in more than one spot. Regards Brendan McCarthy www.mctrout.com

See what I mean!

Western Long Island

From the South Shore of Western Long Island, Captain Barry Kanavy reports great fishing. Check it out:

Hey John
The South Shore is cooking! We have plenty of the "Big Three" Stripers,
Bluefish and Weakfish. Bass are on the flats and they are hungry. Bluefish
have been gorging themselves on sand eels on the surface. We've had Bluefish
over 15 pounds consistently for the past week and they will eat anything you
through to them. So break out the wire leaders. We've also had Weakfish up to 9
pounds however it's been tough getting your fly down to them before Mr.
Bluefish grabs it. But that's not so bad. It just feels good bending that rod and
feeling that line sizzle through your hands. This past week we've stretched all
our fly lines and removed all the kinks!
Hope to see you out there and remember to check your backing!
Captain Barry Kanavy

Eastern Long Island

Captain Jim Hull from Light Tackle Challenge checks in this week with a report of really big fish coming up on the fly:

Hi John, The Rock is fishing real well with great conditions for sight fishing most days. There are loads of squid, bunker and whitebait and large schools of alewives cycloning through the shallows as well.Clear water has made for some very exciting fly presentations to some huge bass. The stucture is holding plenty of fish, making each trip tons of fun. Texan Billy Shuttleworth casted to a log which moved on his fly. The log ended up at the boat as a 30lb. class Striper. There are more 40"+ bass being sighted this year than ever before. Darrin caught a 25lb. and a 27lb. respectively and Andy got one about 23lbs in the shallows. There are loads of young fish as well. The pound nets have contained many 40lb+ fish for the commercials which have been released. Most folks that read this column understand the importance of catch and release but there are still many that don't. Take the time to explain to those not in the know that those large bass have superior genetics and production capacities and are much more valuable back in the water. You can make a difference. Pump up and reel down. Jim

Saltie Flyrodder Joel Filner checks in with this report from out east:

Work, unfortunately, interfered with my fishing this weekend. Flying
is not much fun when they cancel your flight because of traffic
problems and as a result I missed the Salty's first trip of the
season to the north fork of long island. The group, led by Rob
Thompson, was treated to a beach tour, fishing, catching, and
releasing along the north fork. One special note: this was the first
Salty trip that didn't come with rain and 30 knot winds! It was a
good warm up for the Conclave June 4, 5, and 6 and an early warning
to the fish that Lefty is coming. A good time was had by all. I did
get out on Sunday, taking two salt water novices out on the bay to
see what conditions were like and how to work the fly and cast with
wind on the water. We had fun but not many fish. The locals however
went out early and big weakfish, over 11lbs on spin and fly, two
keeper bass on spin and one on fly, and small blues intermixed with
20 inch stripers. As a penance I fished Monday morning with three
small bass for the efforts, back to the house by 7:30. Warmer water,
53 degrees, and bunker in organized clouds were on the water all
weekend. The inlet fished well in the morning and great in the
evening, but very slow in the true daylight hours. It looks to be a
promising season.

Joel

That’s all for this week… Really need some sleep!!!