There were a lot more herring than mackerel today when Capt. Jimmy Elliott made his first mackerel trip with the Golden Eagle from Belmar, but it was a start -- and there were more mackerel caught than during the last two terrible winters. Elliott only got about nine miles off before running into dogfish, and most fares caught from a few mackerel to about 15 among all the herring they wanted. He said water temperatures were mostly 48 to 49 degrees.
With gale warning up for northwest winds that could hit 40 mph Monday morning, and more to come along with very cold temperatures, the Golden Eagle won't be sailing until Thursday -- when the forecast is for modest winds and seas.