Capt.Howard cures cabin fever for local Garden State anglers. The 125-foot Jamaica from Brielle sails special offshorewreck trips for giant sea bass, cod, pollock and hake. Capt. Howard’s 18-hour 60- to 80-mile wreck trips are no joke. The Jamaica sails at 12:30 a.m. every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and Feb. 18. For reservations, call (732) 528-5014. Serious anglers have been pulling numbers over the rails in every category.Offshore trips this week resulted in a mix of sea bass, jumbo porgies, ling, cod, and a few weakfish, which is very rare this time of year. Pool winner Van Nguyen from Jackson landed a 12- pound cod along with a mix of porgies and sea bass. Dennis Cray from Toms River caught a 10-pound pollock for second place. WalterKoschak fromSpring Lake caught 37 sea bass and porgies. Mike Hoffman, Kyle Hoffman (14), Paul Kacsmar (16) and Thomas Kacsmar (14), from Spring Lake, combined for 85 sea bass, porgies and ling. Thomas Day and Lucien Iannucci from Queens, N.Y., caught 70 sea bass and porgies, and Russell Bryk from Wall boated 60 sea bass, porgies and ling.
Capt.Matt on the Norma K III has been on amission to keep anglers busy.Capt.Matt reported better numbers of ling on his “magic hour” trips from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Itwas one-stop action forCapt. Matt and crew. For some hardcore blackfish fishing, Capt. Matt has added in ¾-day blackfish fishing trips all day on Mondays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For reservations, reach out to Capt. Matt at msosnowski12@ comcast.net
The Miss Belmar Princess has been in hot pursuit searching for those massive schools of mackerel. Capt. Jimmy reported on NJSaltwaterfisherman.com that he hit some bigger fish within striking distance, and they should stick around for a while.As I always say,mackerel fishing is a great trip, with plenty ofmultiple hook-up action.Dress warmand give it a shot, it’s a blast.
Serious fishermen and fishing writers alike describe it as “themost comprehensive piece of fishing information available anywhere.” The IGFA’s 424-page 2008 “World Record Game Fishes,” the reference book that’s amainstay in recreational fishing, continues its legacy as one of the most reliable and complete source books ofworldwide fishing records and fishing-related referencematerials. The popular annual is the official guide to saltwater and freshwater catches- for nearly 400 species around theworld- in all tackle, line class, fly, junior angler and U.S. state records. To receive a copy of the book, go to www.igfa.org and sign up to become amember of the IGFAtoday.