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It's a new ball game for fishermen after Hermine finally steered far to the northeast. That strange tropical storm did little physical damage at the Shore other than moving some replenished sand around, but put a big financial dent in the pockets of merchants who missed out on the last big holiday weekend of the summer, and for boaters who wasted both time and money getting their boats pulled when they could have been fishing every day in the bays and rivers. Despite the advances in computer forecasting, tropical storms set their own agenda. It's understandable that NOAA was extra cautious in warnings about the storm that ended up doing about what had been predicted. Yet, the daily forecasts of what that practically stalled storm would do were greatly exaggerated. For instance, those following my daily blog at nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing early in the week saw the forecast of northeast 40 mph gusts overnight, to be followed by gusts to 36 mph the next day -- only to find flags hanging limp in the morning. Of course, the ocean was rough over the weekend, and may take a bit longer to settle down. Some party boats either got pulled, or moved to safe anchorages, and have been slow to resume fishing -- though all should be back in business by Saturday. Those not fishing this weekend can check out the N.J. WILD Outdoor Expo on Saturday and Sunday in the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, 299 Colliers Mill Road, New Egypt, 08523. For details visit www.state.nj.us/fgw/expo.htm. Ocean fluking was generally poor in the ground swell that developed long before Hermine arrived, but should improve as the swell settles. There are still lots of mostly short fluke in the Shark and Manasquan rivers. Surfcasters are likely to get in their last shots at fluke when the waters clear. Hopefully, they'll also be seeing runs of mullet and peanut bunkers moving down the beach to attract the first schools of stripers and little tunny plus bluefish. The fluke season closes on Sept. 25, and it's likely that the storm will have sparked a movement to offshore spawning grounds. There were lots of porgies in shallow ocean waters before the storm, and that fishing could get even better as Capt. Tommy Joseph says he saw the largest scup on his Rightaway III from Shark River at this time last year. Weakfish have been improving in Barnegat Bay. Capt. Dave De Gennaro didn't let those bad forecasts bother him on Hi Flier from Barnegat, and has been doing well with mostly 12-to-15-inch weaks (plus a few to 21 inches) on west side with shedder crab, and on the east side by chumming with grass shrimp. There's also plenty of action on 6-pound spinning tackle with short fluke, snappers, blowfish, hickory shad, silver perch, etc. Much larger weakfish were a surprise last Friday when I made a late morning trip with Chuck Many of Annandale on his Ty Man from Gateway Marina in Highlands. We were seeking stripers in Raritan Bay, but our live peanut bunkers were getting eaten up by bluefish. I actually had a great time casting a Tactical Anglers Bomb Jr. popper and raising choppers from 3 to 8 pounds on almost every cast. It was hard to leave that great sport, but Many was intent on finding a summer striper -- and we moved to a "sure thing" for schoolies drift in Hudson River. We couldn't break the ice there, but released four weakfish from about 5-to-6-pounds up to a 30-incher on sandworms. After fighting through 10-inch porgies in one spot and large blues in another, I got lucky with the release of a 30-inch striper on a worm at 7 p.m. Small sea bass were eating our worms everywhere we went on that trip, and it's the same thing in Point Pleasant Canal, where I used the leftover worm scraps for light tackle blackfishing. I got through to a few short tog up to 14 inches, but Joe Melillo, at Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant, says some of his customers have been catching lots of blacks on the green crabs he's stocking, including a few 15-inch keepers. Only one blackfish per person is legal at this time. Bob Matthews, at Fisherman's Den in Belmar Marina, weighed in a 6-pound, 11-ounce triggerfish on Thursday for Jimmy Massimino -- who should have a N.J. state record since Matthews says that's presently just 5 3/4 pounds. Matthews notes that anglers are catching lots of spot and porgies on worms from the L Street Pier. Marty Westerfield of Wall had non-stop casting action with blues at the mouth of the canal into Manasquan River. Matthews advises surfcasters to try clams for stripers until the waters clear. Vinny D'Anton of Shark River Hills hasn't raised a striper or blue from shore in Shark River since days before the storm, but finally saw lots of mullet and peanut bunker Thursday morning -- a sign that they're getting ready to move down the beach. The Canyon Runner from Point Pleasant swept most of the money before the storm in the Manasquan River Marlin & Tuna Club Offshore Open. They had two very large bigeyes of 264.5 and 201.5 pounds for the top two spots in tuna, though the latter was only one pound bigger than the 200.5-pounders that tied tied for third on Big Deal and The Right Place. The Ray Catena Audi Yellowfin award went to Goin In Deep with an 81.30-pounder, and Irish Twin won in swordfish at 122 pounds. Reel Steel found a 53.25-pound albacore, and Can Do Too had the big wahoo at 52.15 pounds. Blue Runner took the Costa Mahi award with a 26-pound dolphin. Tra Sea Ann ran away with white marlin releases at 16, and the Costa Blue Marlin Release award went to Envelopeus with two.

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