Hurricane Lee spoils fishing in New Jersey but captain hopes to sail Sunday
The waves at Bay Head looked massive Thursday morning at high tide with overhead waves and cracks on the beach from Hurricane Lee, which is building on the East Coast.
The hurricane’s path is offshore here, but it will cost the charter fleet some money as captains cancel trips. Manasquan Inlet was still navigable Thursday morning for larger boats, and the party boat Dauntless slid into the lower fishing grounds. Quite a number of fishermen were trying to fish the entrance from the wall despite a strong current passing through.
Lee is expected to cross New Jersey on Friday and Saturday carrying heavy rollers offshore that can reach tops near 20 feet into canyons. On the beach we could see an occasional 11-footer crashing onto the beach at the height of the storm here. But then it should start to decline on Saturday afternoon as Lee heads to New England and the Captains cling to the possibility of Sunday catches.
Anglers have been doing well with bonito and shellfish in the days leading up to Lee’s trip, and hopefully the fishing will not be significantly affected by the storm’s waves.
New Jersey Fishing:A fisherman shoots a barracuda while freediving off the coast of New Jersey
Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park weighed in with the largest surf shell caught this season on Wednesday. The fish was a hair under 6 pounds and was caught using bait. The tackle shop also weighed a triggerfish from an angler who fished the northern Barnegat Inlet jetty at the south end of Island Beach State Park. There was a small attack of bluefish on Wednesday at the park with a fish weighing about 1 to 2 pounds. Grumpy’s Scott Thomas was on those fish throwing a Yozuri bait.
A surf angler in the Monmouth Beach to Sea Bright area of sand is reeling in a nice weak fish on a bobber, according to Giglio’s Bait & Tackle in Sea Bright.
Capt. Jerry Postorino aboard the Fish Monger held a nine-man fishing party Wednesday and managed to land enough fish for the boat’s limit. Postorino said that the day began with some southern winds that stopped and became westerly as the day progressed. He said the fish were in a hungry mood and his group took a lot of bites.
A Golden Eagle and Queen Mary caught a school of bonito on Tuesday. Capt. Rich Falcone aboard the Golden Eagle said the fish were giving up easily but instead anglers had to stay on the rail and run the jigs. The fish were running around three to five pounds. There were some blues in the mix as well, but the bonito were the catch of the day, so to speak.
Dead lobster
A spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection said he had received some reports from commercial fishermen of dead crayfish and sea bass in their traps. The Asbury Park Press did not know how extensive the problem was.
Captain Bobby Quinn aboard the Ocean Explorer was diving some blocks two miles south of Axel Carlson Reef on Tuesday and noticed several dead lobsters and spider crabs. Quinn said the area he dived in was also very devoid of fish.
A DEP spokesman said the state Department of Marine Resources is looking into the matter.
What bites:Get the latest fishing reports here
When Jersey Shore native Dan Radle isn’t reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he works as a history professor. Contact him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.
