It’s been a stifling hot start to September with a heat wave and another blue marlin battle on rod and reel.
The heat could break this weekend with some thunderstorms. Otherwise conditions should be good with light breezes from the south and small seas in the forecast.
Flying Tiger was in Toms Canyon this past Saturday fishing the Manasquan River Marlin and Tuna Club open offshore. The water was a beautiful blue color and 77 degrees, but the Sargasso weed had problems all day, weed lines breaking and the spreader rods kept picking up clumps.
One blehho on a swivel hook managed to escape from the weeds and took a hit from a 350-pound blue marlin, according to the boat crew. The noble fish gave them the appearance of windshield-wiping, when it shook its beak back and forth out of the water before diving deeper. That was the only glimpse of the fish they had until Trey Brehm steered it alongside the boat. Nelson Zombana was on the chair fighting the reel with the fish. The fish has been released.
more:False albacore have hit the beach, and there could be more on the way
Plenty of yellowfin tuna have hit deck from a bite that occurs about 60 to 70 miles offshore. The fish started hitting sardines and butterfish, though the captains still brought their fishing gear.
Close to shore, blue fish provide plenty of fighting along Monmouth’s rocky coast. Party boats were running steadily all week with blues who were mostly a few pounds but there was sometimes a 10 pounder in the schools. There were also a number of bonito fish wrapped and a few false albacore fish.
Capt. Rich Falcon on the Golden Eagle said the readings were good at the surface on Wednesday, and they were able to hold the fish for nice long periods. All fish were lowered onto metal tackle.
While the ocean was calm once you got off the beach, the waves were quite strong with some strong currents. Surf fishermen are now looking for gliding fish. A good number of bonito and Spanish mackerel as well as some false albacore have been landed on Long Beach Island, according to the fishermen’s headquarters at Ship Bottom.
I was at the Brooklyn Avenue beach at Sea Girt on Labor Day, and there must have been a spawn of sand crabs because there were millions of tiny sand crabs the size of Tic-Tacs in the wash.
What bites:Get the latest fishing reports here
Speaking of surf fishing, the Barrier Island Beach Brawl surf fishing tournament run by Nick Honachefsky, host of Saltwater Underground, is back next month on October 6th and 7th. Subscriptions are available at Playa Bowls and the Crab Claw Inn in Lavalette.
Lucky Boats brought in some quality fish this week. The drift wasn’t always there, especially in the smaller pieces, which forced some captains to drift hard in those spots. Jamaica 2 Brill had a 7.6lb stingray in the net on Wednesday and is currently the big fish for September on the boat.
Captain Ron Kish aboard Captain Cal II also had a shell that landed at just seven pounds. Starting Monday, he will sail all day in the final weeks of the season, which ends on September 27.
When Jersey Shore native Dan Radell isn’t reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he’s a history professor. Connect with @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.