21-pound blackfish landed on a piece of Jersey rubble
The biggest blackfish reported to the Asbury Park Press this season was landed last Sunday by a local angler fishing on a boat out of Wildwood.
Thomas Fariello, who's from Little Egg Harbor, pulled in a 21.4-pound tog using a MagicTail white glow jig, according to his friend Capt. Kris Black of the Fish Stix, who called in the catch. The fish measured 31 inches long and had a girth of 26 inches, Black said.
Fariello was fishing on the charter boat Cape May Lady. The boat also reported a pair of 15-pound tog were landed on the same trip but by different anglers.
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On the rubble closer to home, anglers have pulled in a few double-digit blackfish, but nothing bigger than 13 pounds has been called into the press. There was an 11-pounder taken on the Jamaica II on Wednesday, on what was a mostly slow day on the grounds.
Capt. Chris Dossantos, of the Sea Owl out of Point Pleasant Beach, was also out Wednesday hopping around. He said his party had to deal with a hard south current at the start of the day that made it difficult to get bites. As the day progressed the tide switched to the north. He observed his best action on the fourth drop when he settled the boat over some tog that started to bite right away. When he eventually headed in, he said everyone in his party had two or three keepers each to take home.
The weather is going to be a factor over the weekend for the boats planning to tog. The wind will start out of the southwest before turning to northwest and then straight north, according to NOAA's coastal marine forecast. It could be quite breezy with gusts between 20 and 30 knots. The seas could peak at 10 feet on Friday, but the west wind has been known to clean up the swell. As of Thursday morning, a couple of boats had already decided to forego Friday but were planning to sail Saturday through Monday's holiday.
What's biting:Get the latest fishing reports
Build a fishing rod, other fishing events
Brielle Bait & Tackle will hold a rod building basics course next month. The course will cover everything one needs to know about assembling a fishing rod from scratch. It's a three-night course, 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 6, 8 &10. The cost is $95 and space is limited. Call the shop at 732-528-5720 for more info or to sign up.
The Raritan Bay Anglers' flea market is 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 28 at St; Cecelia's School at 45 Auth Ave. in Iselin. The cost is $5 and kids 12 and under are free.
The Hi-Mar Striper Club's annual flea market will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the Middletown VFW Post 2179 in Port Monmouth, New Jersey. The cost is $5 per person, 15 and under get a free entry.
When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ Fishing: 21 pound blackfish landed on piece of Jersey rubble
