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(last segment can be nixed for this week)

Wow, I have a ton of stuff to blog about this week. I guess I’ll just put it in five-pound bags and throw in as many as I can.

Let’s go small first.…

Sunday, July 22, 2007: Winds were more the spoiler today that yesterday – which ended up perfect. Not perfect was the bassing, despite quite a few folks casting for stripers. Baits are finding a here/there keeper in the suds but no regularity. Far better odds given when fishing west side of IBSP and out the north side of the inlet.

There is a notable upturn in weakfishing, mainly…

Saturday, July 21, 2007: Waves: Small. Winds: Could play spoiler as day goes on. Water temps: Still unseasonable at mid-60; ocean temps will warm rapidly with NE winds.

There is a feel of fall in the air this early a.m.. I kid you not. I was watching some boats being trailered to launch points and I noticed hoodies being worn. The main weathery things is gusty north winds that may…

Thursday/Friday, July 19/20, 2007: Waves: Small. Winds: Light SE early then turning brisk and variable with storms.

Update: They are already shocking the water at Stafford Forge in an effort to remove the…

Saxton Asks National Marine Fisheries Service to Justify Flounder Proposal

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Jim Saxton called on the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to explain why it plans to cut fluke quotas below reduced levels it itself helped set only last year.

"These are not good numbers to see, and they threaten our fishing industry," Saxton said. "The people who rely on summer flounder for a living have already seen severe cuts from 2005 and 2006 levels. Only…

AND TASTE GREAT, TOO: While it’s proverbially suggested that we pick our own poison, I’m inclined to believe it’s the poison that picks us.

Hell, a few years back I heard a mild rap at my front door, opened up and there on the front stoop perched this frightened and forlorn little can looking cute as a button – it’s hair all spiked…

BEWARE OF THE BOG PIRANHA: Sport editor Rick Mellerup first alerted me to wild and wacky things being caught in Stafford Forge lake. Check his story in this issue.

Seems piranha – or at-least piranha-type hard-biting foreign fish – are now being caught in “The Forge,” as the main lake is…

Monday, July 16, 2007: Waves: 1-3 foot south swell. Water clarity: Fair at best; still churned up after south winds and very cold, some 50-degree temps taken in the suds. Warmer water not far off as winds go to the north.

An odd weather day. Despite forecasts for clear and hot, it was mainly cloudy with winds from the north -- fairly brisk but backing down to light during the afternoon.…

Sunday, July 15, 2007: Waves: Choppy 1-3 foot short-period southerly wind swell.

Winds are kicking up today and seem destined to slow fishing. Yesterday saw decent (not great) conditions that led to some decent (not great) fishing, mainly on the fluke front, which is now fully ¾ of the nearshore fishing direction. Reports and radio chatter had some fair cooler play with the usual load of…

Add-to for July 13, 2007:

I wanted to note the proposed development for bayside Holgate. A Holmdel firm wants to build townhouses and a marina on an undeveloped, un-bulkheaded portion of bayside Beach haven Inlet, as Holgate is sometimes called. I’m taking no stance on this proposal at this time – though that could change as various groups get…

Friday, July 13, 2007: Waves: Small. Water clarity: Very good. Winds: Brisk south.

We’re into a south flow again. This will help the fluke drift early on but could max out if the SE’erlies push things a tad too much as the day goes on. Ocean flattie fishing remains decent. Target water depths are pushing 55 feet and deeper. G.H. emailed after finally having a good day on fluke. “I…

Thursday, July 12, 2007: Waves: Dropping 2-3 foot south swell. Water clarity: Good.

We were definitely into the Dog Days with that sweltering heat or late but starting today things cool-ify. In fact, there’s almost a chill to the air this early a.m. – not to mention 20 mph gusts from the west.

The catching has been ultra-typical of…

Seeing Stripers In Situ and Goin’ Buggy

SCOPING LAIDBACK STRIPERS: In response to my recent columns on spearfishing, I had a majorly interesting chat with a highly experienced diver (non fisherman) who has been scuba diving and snorkeling our jetties for years. I won’t say…

Monday, July 09, 2007: Waves: Small. Winds: Light. Water clarity: Excellent.

A fleet of Barnegat Inlet-based anglers rushed north to cash in on the baitball action (see below). I wish I could say the LBI-based…

Sunday, July 08, 2007: Waves: Persistent 2-4 foot windswell. Water clarity: very slow clean-up; south to north along the beach.

The beachfront did not snap too with cleaner and clear waters, after the hard south winds churned things to hell and back a couple days back. The cleaner water hung maybe 50 yards off the beach in many areas but left the close-in castable waters dingy and…

So that's what a 10-pound fluke looks like. Thanks, Blake. Caught recently in west Barnegat Bay.

Saturday, July 07, 2007: Waves: Slight 2-3 foot south swell. Water clarity: Poor but improving.

Kick-ass day out there. One of the nicest this summer. Fishing however is pushing so-so and struggling to manage that. Last-nighters found the slow…

Thursday, July 05, 2007:

Winds have blown away the fishing potential. Southerly gusts to 30 mph have churned the surf (and dirtied it up) along with dropping ocean temps into the 50s. Some bayside flukers have used sedges as wind blocks but that leaves only the flatties in short drift zones, often small fish.

Winds will gradually go westerly…

PYKRETE IS TOTALLY COOL: It’s been pretty well established that this column likes to roam freely in fringe fishing realms – as in, stuff that has virtually nothing to do…