Nice.............
Surf's where it's at, especially for big bass
SOUTHERN REPORT
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 06/23/06
BY KAREN E. WALL
STAFF WRITER
Fishing the surf seems to be where it's at right now, as it is throughout much of the area. The stripers are still around, and these are big fish that are keeping anglers very happy.
But there are other fisheries that are improving in the southern half of the area. Barnegat Bay is consistently producing keeper fluke and as well as striped bass, and kingfish are starting to make their annual appearance as well.
There should be something for just about everyone this weekend.
Nick Sabatino at Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle said the big bass have been a consistent catch.
"Things have not slowed down," he said. Shaun Spotts came in with a 45.5-pound striper and his friend Pat Olson from Philadelphia caught a 29-pound, 14-ouncer while the pair were snagging bunker. Jason DelPalazo again topped his leading fish in the Simply Bassin' contest, weighing a 46-pounder, and Michael DeBetta caught a 44-pound, 12-ounce striped bass on the beach, DeBetta's biggest bass to date, Sabatino said.
And Rob Vallone's father, Carl, had a 34-pound, 11-ounce striper. "Everything's been on bunker — chunks, heads, live bunker, you name it," he said. That went for the 83-pound black drum caught by Chuck Appleby aboard Capt. Steve Purul's Reel Fantasea.
Capt. Bill Haluska, Mole Charters, had Tom Hoffman and son Zachary out for stripers last weekend and they caught eight bass and kept their limit. On Sunday he and Capt. Melanie Boytos of FisherQueen Charters took a captains only trip and they caught nine bass to 35 inches. And on Tuesday Haluska had his son, Eric, nephew Matt and Bill's father Mike Haluska out for and the group caught eight bass to 14 pounds.
Dane Schoeneberg of Grizz's Bait & Tackle, Lacey, said the fluke reports from the bay have been favorable, with Oyster Creek Channel producing a number of keepers. One angler who only gave his name as Harry weighed in a 6.67-pound fluke and a 7.25-pounder. He caught them on spearing on a B-2 jig.
Fishermen's Headquarters in Ship Bottom reports Double Creek Channel has been productive as well, with one angler reporting six keepers out of 11 fluke boated.
Sabatino said the bay fluking has been better on the incoming tide, because the outgoing tide is still a little dirty, though it has been improving.
Capt. Jack Shea of the Rambunctious experienced good fishing in Oyster Creek Channel. Al Abrevaya and Mike Levy were out with sons AJ Abrevaya, 10, Matthew Levy, 12, and Ben Levy, 10, and the group had a smorgasbord, with two 33-inch stripers, a pair of fluke and several bluefish. AJ released his striper as soon as the photo was taken.
There are sea bass being caught on the inshore wrecks, with the Garden State North Reef the most reliable spot right now, Sabatino said. Fluking in the ocean has been marginal, between the number of throwbacks and the problems caused by sand sharks and skates.
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