Though small craft warnings remain up through Tuesday afternoon, there are great forecasts coming up for Wednesday and Thursday. The Big Mohawk from Belmar expects to do the same Wednesday and Thursday -- and Mimi Vi from Point Pleasant will be sailing open all week if there are enough anglers.
The Ocean Explorer from Belmar had been looking at lighter winds on Sunday as a possible opportunity to seek out more of the very large blackfish they've hooked during recent trips. However, the forecast of dangerous wind chill even after winds moderate by morning convinced them to stay in port on Sunday.
One angler's catch of whiting in those days probably exceeds all of what is now hooked throughout the year on bottom fishing boats. Lookout) reported fishing had been hot and cold all week though Wednesday saw between 30 and 40 cod come over the rail with several fish in the 40 lb.
The NJ Marine Fisheries Council meeting and public hearing on Draft Addendum XXX to the ASMFC Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan scheduled for January 4, has been rescheduled to Thursday, January 11. Paul Haertel of the JCAA reports At the NJMFC meeting and amongst many other topics on the agenda, the council may consider opening the sea bass season in February.
Due to the snowstorm moving in tonight, the sea bass hearings scheduled for Thursday have been postponed as per the following release The NJ Marine Fisheries Council meeting and public hearing on Draft Addendum XXX to the ASMFC Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday January 4, has been rescheduled to Thursday, January 11. The Marine Fisheries Council meeting begins at 5 00 p. m.
Joe Melillo, at Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant, says his regulars are still catching a few very small stripers in the surf However, Jerry Lasko of Point Pleasant gave up on that fishing. The surf water temperature is down to 35 degrees.
With extreme cold and northwest winds, it doesn't look good for Tuesday -- but Wednesday is looking like the best bet in some time with temperatures up to 30 degrees and light SW winds.
Winter flounder fishing was good, but again regulations kept participation down - a 2 fish limit is a little tough to swallow considering the price of bait etc. The striped bass fishing was good at times for trophy fish, but only from boats.
The Ocean Explorer from Belmar hooked into some huge blackfish today as the west wind was lighter to permit offshore fishing. The Ocean Explorer is fishing daily, including New Year's Day, for those super tog, but the west wind forecasts are going back up the next few days.
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