The past week has been an unusual one for the captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association. The boats have been catching plenty of fish, just not always the variety they were expecting.
When the ocean is too rough for family fishing, it does not mean that a day's fishing is lost. Captain George Finck of "Sparetime Charter" took Carl Groth and his family on a bottom fishing trip recently. Because of ocean roughness they ended up going back in the bay for a great fishing day. They caught many nice sea bass and blow fish along with a few sand sharks. The charter enjoyed the day fishing and went home with fish.
Captain John Koegler on the "Pop's Pride" and the "Starfish" had five charters recently on what he termed "fun fishing" trips. On one half day trip the anglers caught and released more than 100 small sea bass along with many spot, bluefish, croakers, blowfish, and some sand sharks. Another trip produced a 2.5-poud triggerfish, and they lost an even bigger one at the boat. Captain John raved to his anglers about the delicious meals that come off a blowfish.
Captain John Lewis on the "Insatiable" had the Damiano family out on Sunday and found a lot of birds just outside of the inlet. They managed plenty of eating sized bluefish. Then they moved back in to the bay and anchored and chummed up blowfish and small sea bass. The kids on board had a ball and said it was the most fish they had ever seen.
Captain Bob Gerkens on Saturday elected to stay inshore at 30 fathoms since the offshore troll bite recently has been limited to a strong white marlin bite and an occasional big eye tuna. The satellite shots showed bluer water inshore, and most importantly his party wanted "meat" and action. Thirteen year old Ryan Gates of Dingmans Ferry, PA caught his first Wahoo, a 40-pounder on a high speed troll. Besides the Wahoo, the group caught mahi, skipjack tuna and false albacore.
Captain Bob says he heard reports the overnight chunk bite for yellowfin tuna in the northern canyons has turned on, and he plans to start trips there.
Captain Dave Wittenborn on the "Compass Rose" had Paul Garfinkle and his friend Jay out today for a inshore charter. They had steady action on fluke catching over 40 and putting 10 in the box up to 5-pounds. They ended the day with a surprise bonus, a 37.72lb cobia caught while it was thrashing a bunker pod about 4 miles outside the inlet. At the beginning of the 40-minute battle they thought it was a shark until the cobia surfaced.
Captain Lindsay Fuller had the Rusty Johnson party from Dow Chemical offshore to the Wilmington Canyon last week under sporty but fishable seas. Early on they managed only several skipjacks and one 10-inch bluefin tuna. Around 10 am. the white marlin showed up and after quite a few hits, they managed to tag and release two marlin. Near the end of the day they hooked into a 70-pound yellowfin tuna which mate Nate Figley gaffed after a 25-minute fight.
Additional information on the association can be found at www.BHCFA.com or by calling 877-524-2423.
