Big Bass Bite

[itsmoderating]

Well Despite Friday morning Small Craft warning decide I would give it a shot & go Fishing( 7:00 AM) It was cold but sea conditions were not bad. Found Birds w/ Bass break below off Coney Island . 1st cast monster strike after 10 minutes or so. Bass Measured (37inches) Weighted (28lbs) & Released --127-3-
A second cast produced its twin, after that it was schoolie bass 22” -26” any placed you ran. Did find monster blues mix w/ bass at Breeze Point
A Great fishing all morning but cold morning & no boat traffic.
Sea condition 2-3 ft Water Temp 48-50 deg Water Condition Clear visibility 5-8 ft Air Temp 34- 36 deg ( I said it was cold --125-3)

[Lov2Fish]

Good report Mike! Keep em' coming! Weekend weather looks pretty grim!--124-3

[itsmoderating]

We will be out Saturday Channel 72

[FirstCast]

Be careful - you will have some serious wind against tide conditions early in the day. Afternoon should be better. Good luck & be safe.

[fisherguy]

Left the dock at 12 Noon and hit Breezy by 12:30. The binoculars told me the action was East so off we go. The west winds were pushing us fast through the fish , managed 2 shorts and 1 huge bluefish as we worked quarter to half mile off the beach clubs. When the tide changed winds picked up stronger and the bite seemed to turn off. No boats between us and the Point as we headed back to check for more action. Birds virtually disappeared although I was still marking fish. Weather conditions made me decide not to bang into those strong West winds and check out Coney flats or VZ. All in all disappointing after Thursday's stupid fishing.

[MarkZ]

Striped Bass Length - Age - Weight Chart©

This chart is based on catch records in New England. It's overall accuracy is good, especially in the Fall. Weights in the Spring months are generally lower. Most fish above 40 pounds are females.

Length 12" 13" 14" 15" 16" 17" 18" 19" 20" 21" 22"

Age 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4
Max lb 1.0 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.8
Avg lb 1.0 1.5 2.3 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.3 4.8 5.0 5.8
Min lb 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.0 2.5 2.8 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.3 4.8

Length 23" 24" 25" 26" 27" 28" 29" 30" 31" 32" 33"

Age 4 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 9
Max lb 7.5 8.3 8.8 10.0 11.0 12.0 12.9 14.0 15.0 16.7 17.8
Avg lb 6.3 7.0 7.8 8.5 9.8 10.3 11.0 12.3 13.0 14.5 15.8
Min lb 5.0 6.0 6.3 7.0 8.0 8.8 9.7 10.3 11.0 12.0 13.0

Length 34" 35" 36" 37" 38" 39" 40" 41" 42" 43" 44"

Age 9 10 10 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15
Max lb 19.0 20.5 22.0 23.5 25.5 27.2 29.5 31.0 33.5 36.3 39.0
Avg lb 16.5 18.0 19.5 20.7 22.0 24.5 26.0 27.3 29.7 32.0 34.0
Min lb 14.0 15.5 16.8 17.5 19.0 20.7 22.0 23.0 25.0 27.0 29.0

Length 45" 46" 47" 48" 49" 50" 51" 52" 53" 54" 55"

Age 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20
Max lb 41.0 44.0 47.5 51.0 54.0 58.0 62.0 65.0 68.0 73.0 80.0
Avg lb 36.0 38.7 42.0 44.0 47.0 50.0 55.0 58.0 60.0 64.0 70.0
Min lb 30.5 32.5 35.0 37.0 39.0 42.0 45.0 47.0 49.0 52.0 56.0

[jrzfly]

Fished Friday 1 mile south or east of breazy around channel. In the morning there were more birds than I have ever seen before. Out as far as i could see with binoculars. Mix of Blues and stripers, stripers were up and down fast. Mid after the birds dissapeared than started up again around 3:00 with stripers staying up longer. Cold and Choppy! Hope some bigger fish move in or maybe this is it? Was hoping for a mild December like last year.

[FirstCast]

I'll be there in the morning - hope the snow isn't too thick.

[tommat]

You guys are either super hardcore or just plain nuts. It's 30 degrees, blowing 20+ and the fish are 22". Sure you can catch 50 of them but after 4 or 5 who cares...Now if they are 20lb's + that would be a different story. Least maybe I could see my backing....

[Albiemanmike]

Tommy,
It's muck luk time baby!!!!!--127-3-:)

[FirstCast]

Tommat said -
You guys are either super hardcore or just plain nuts. It's 30 degrees, blowing 20+ and the fish are 22". Sure you can catch 50 of them but after 4 or 5 who cares...Now if they are 20lb's + that would be a different story. Least maybe I could see my backing....


I like telling people that "I'm not that bright" ;)

Fishing was out of control this morning. Left the dock in snowy conditions at 7AM. Hit birds near West Bank Light and started catching. I fished just three hours & put 71 bass in the boat. Mostly small, but some decent ones - 28, 28, 30, 30, 32, 35 inches. Silly, silly, silly fishing. Bass rolling all around the boat.

Back at the dock by 10:15 - ran home, picked up the boys & brought them to the boat for a Christmas picture.

Weed through the little ones & you might find a few good 'uns.

[AndyF]

I was out a few weeks ago and it was freezing. Anyone out in Montauk? Have herring and big bass arrived in force?

[itsmoderating]

Against my better judgment, we attempted to fish Saturday morning. Not smart at all but after Friday's fishing I though I would give, it a try. Left the dock at 7:00 AM & headed off out of the bay to Coney Island about a mile off the beach found birds working but no bass but conditions were terrible. Wind must having been gusting over 25K & cold. Sea condition short steep chop about 3 ft or better. Did see huge amount of birds off Ambrose Channel & another near Romar shoals but decided to it was just too dangerous & rough to fish. Did see one other boat hugging the beach catching schoolie but was to wet & cold to fish. Back at the dock about 9:00 AM--124-3

[peteD]

Fished the Jersey beaches Friday. West winds was at my back, but since I was on shore I could only look at the huge clouds of birds working about a half mile off. I got one small fish on a plug. I'm hoping that all those Montauk and Coney Island bass start traveling the NJ way.

[Lov2Fish]

You guys are either super hardcore or just plain nuts. It's 30 degrees, blowing 20+ and the fish are 22". Sure you can catch 50 of them but after 4 or 5 who cares...Now if they are 20lb's + that would be a different story. Least maybe I could see my backing....


I am DEFINATELY nuts--127-3-! I enjoy catching fish period! When the schoolies show up I scale my tackle down and have a blast!! I find when you work the schoolies there is usally a keeper size fish in the mix, so it makes it exciting! Can't wait to get out there again, last year had large numbers of stripers till mid january!!!!

[jrzfly]

Man this week looks cold. Please lets get a mild spell(50degrees+) for the rest of december. Last year was just too good.

[tommat]

So it's 35 degrees and it's blowing NW at 30+. That shouldn't stop you.;)

Monday....Low 50's....

[FirstCast]

--125-3 I need a bigger boat for these conditions.......looks like my next day is Thursday afternoon.

[Sedotti]

Guys,
It will get warmer. It's just been too warm of a year. It's inevitable. Look at the weather predictions for next week too. We're in store for some herring run.

Mark

[Rokus]

definitely sedotti!

couldn't agree more. Next week were going.