Posted on November 1, 2020 JCAA Blackfish Tournament Coming up While striped bass are the featured species so far, blackfish will get lots of attention this month — and the JCAA is running a tournament for them as noted in the release below: JCAA is pleased to present its 1st Annual BLACKFISH TOURNAMENT Tournament Dates November 16th – 22nd, 2020 You choose the dates to fish but you may only fish TWO days! Prizes Based on weight of single largest blackfish 1st Place $2000 2nd Place $1000 3rd Place $750 4th Place Magictail Tog Jigs Valued at $150 5th Place Magictail Tog Jigs Valued at $100 Cash prizes based on only 60 boats and will be adjusted up or down proportionately depending on the number of boats that enter Largest sea bass – Magictail Tog Jigs Valued at $100 $$$ Various 1 and 3 fish Calcuttas $$$ ENTRY FEE $125 PER BOAT (MAXIMUM OF 6 ANGLERS PER BOAT) For additional info call Paul at 973-943-8201 For entry forms, rules and info. go to www.jcaa.org or visit our Facebook Page Completed entry forms can be faxed to the JCAA office: 732-506-6975 or Mailed to: JCAA, 1594 Lakewood Rd, Suite 13, Toms River, NJ 08755 ONLINE REGISTRATION may be done at www.jcaa.org or on our FB page There will be NO Awards Ceremony this year due to the uncertainty of what Covid-19 restrictions will be in place at the time. There is NO Captains meeting either. The important thing is that we do our best to keep everyone safe. We hope to have a nice awards ceremony next year. Official Rules & Regulations: Tournament Dates: Monday, November 16th (opening day for the 5 fish limit) through Sunday, November 22nd. Each boat entered may only fish two of the seven tournament days. Each entrant must text 973-943-8201 or email anglerpmh@aol.com, give their name and date(s) they are fishing by 9 PM the nights before the days they intend to fish. In the event no message is received, their designated fishing days will be Saturday November 21st and Sunday November 22nd. In the event an entrant only designates one day, their second day will be Sunday November 22nd. Fishing Hours: Dawn until there is sufficient time to make it to the weigh-in station before they close but no later than by 7 PM on your designated fishing days. (Some weigh-in stations may close before 7 PM) Fishing Location: Fish all NJ waters or waters in the EEZ east of the New Jersey coast that are open to the public, including the ocean, bays, inlets and rivers stretching from the Raritan Bay & Hudson River in the north to Delaware Bay in the south. Weigh-ins Entrants must weigh in their fish at Bahr’s Landing Marina in Highlands, Fishermen’s Den in Belmar, Captain Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant, Creekside Outfitters in Waretown, Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom, Great Bay Marina in Little Egg Township, Fin-atics in Ocean City, One Stop B&T in Atlantic City or Jim’s B&T in Cape May by no later than 7 PM on their designated fishing days. Entrants should confirm that their choice of a weigh-in station will be open until that time. If not be sure to get there before they close or go to another weigh-in station. Some weigh-in stations may be closed or close early on certain days or may have restricted hours due to the weather at this time of year and the Covid-19 situation. Weights will be recorded by the weigh masters on the official tournament weigh-in sheets but entrants should make certain that they receive a receipt or take a photo of the weigh-in sheet. All fish must be weighed on the day they are caught and may not be held overnight to weigh the next day. You may weigh in as many fish as you like but only the largest 1 or 3 (for those in the 3 fish Calcutta) will be scored regardless of which of the designated days they were caught on. You do not have to catch your largest 3 on one day. There was joy at Atlantic Highlands today as party boat anglers caught plenty of stripers. Capt. Rob Semkewyc of the Sea Hunter said it started like yesterday with bass on top but hard to catch. However. as the tide slowed and changed the bass turned on. Sizes ranged from 25 inches to 47 pounds. The day was made by 9:30, and it was mostly on jigs. Capt. Ron Santee Jr. had a similar report on his Fishermen as there were bass that could be kept plus several over 30 pounds. He said it got sporty as the outgoing tide ran into an increasing south wind, and they came in a bit early. There will be no boat fishing Monday due to the high winds forecast. While boaters have been enjoying an exceptional run of very large stripers, fall surfcasting along the Jersey Shore has been very slow to develop. The strong northwest winds coming up should change that. Small craft warnings went up at 1p.m.– and are switched to a gale watch from this evening through Tuesday afternoon. West winds of 25-35 knots are forecast for Monday along with gusts to 45 and 5-8-foot seas.