Author: Hi Flier

Fishing is heating up. There have been 20 to 30 lb bluefin tuna within 20 miles of Barnegat Inlet. We are also catching king mackerel in the mix. All on the troll, so far. Side tracker bars are accounting for most of the hookups but cedar plugs are starting to get bit, too.
Further offshore, 60 to 70 miles, there is a mix of bluefin and yellowfin. They are hitting on the troll as well as drifting with jigs and bait fishing, my personal favorite. There is nothing like when a tuna eats your bait and you are holding the rod to feel that acceleration. 
It is also possible to mix in some 2 to 3 ft pelagic sharks on spinning tackle when we fish the 20 mile grounds.
Open Boat or Charter:
Sunday, July 26 Mid Range Tuna, 60 to 70 miles, 3AM to 5PM $450 person

Monday, July 27 Barnegat Ridge, 15 to 20 miles, 7AM to 3PM $225 person

Saturday, August 1 Barnegat Ridge, 15 to 20 miles, 6AM to 1PM $200 person

4 people max on all Open Boat trips, all fish are shared.

Pic: Jon and Ray Vernon of Butler, NJ with two of their three bluefin tuna trolled at Barnegat Ridge on Saturday. 

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

The marine forecast looks really good for offshore this Sunday. Light and variable winds, just the way we like it. We are available for charter or you can sign on as an individual on our Open Boat trips for this Sunday, July 19. Departing at 3AM, returning around 4PM. Could be yellowfin or bluefin. $450 person, 4 people max.

Call me on my cell, that’s the best way to reserve a spot or get more information.

During the week we will be running bay trips and Barnegat Ridge trips in search of bonita and albacore. We have also been doing really well with our inshore sharking trips. Atlantic sharpnose, spinners, and an occasional dusky shark make up most of the catch. Mostly 2 to 4 foot sharks. They are great sport on the spinning tackle we use, all within sight of land.
Dave DeGennaro 732.330.5674 cell hiflier.com

It’s been a busy couple of weeks fishing on the Hi Flier. Inshore we connected with bluefish, weakfish (only one), fluke, and spinner sharks. The weakie hit a jig tipped with shedder crab, it was only a 20 minute try so I am optimistic about going on the hunt for them again. There are 3 to 5 pound blues all around the inlet. The spinner sharks are terrorizing the bunker pods just a few miles outside our inlet, we caught them on the snag and drop. They were 40 lb class, maybe 4 footers.

Offshore we ran to the mid range grounds (50-70 miles) for bluefin and connected on the troll, 5 for 9 on 20 to 50 pound fish. We ran two trips to the southern canyons, 4 for 4 on the first with 30 to 50 lb yellowfins and then yesterday we went 2 for 2, a 50 and 80 lb yellowfin, all trolling Chatter Side Tracker bars. We also jumped off a white marlin. We are also trolling albacore with a few bonita mixed in at Barnegat Ridge.
Thurs, July 9 is available for charter to fish inshore or the bay for any number of species. Sat, Sun, and Monday, July 11, 12, 13 are also available for charter or we will run Open Boat for Barnegat Ridge or Mid Range Tuna. Things are really heating up with both of these fisheries.

Fishing is lit up right now. 
Saturday and Sunday we had 30 to 40 pound stripers on the snag and drop in tight to the beach….really tight. Most are bigger than the slot but we are also catching 8 to 20 lb bass close to home for the cooler. Some 2 to 5 lb blues in the mix on light spinning tackle, as well. 
On Monday we ran Mid Range Tuna and we went 9 for 9 on 20 to 35 pound bluefins plus a big false albacore. We had them all on the troll but we scaled down to 20 class outfits to enjoy the ride.
On Tuesday Capt Nick DeGennaro ran the boat to the tuna grounds and after a hitless morning from 7AM to 11AM, they bagged a pair of 44 inch 50 pounders. His first time running the boat solo for tuna and he stayed in the same area we had them the day before, resisting the urge to jump around to greener pastures and it paid off. 
The tuna are just 20 to 30 miles from our inlet right now. It’s so awesome when that happens. They are feeding on sandeels and squid. The Chatter Side Tracker Bars are dominating the spread but we also caught on cedar plugs, small feathers, and traditional spreader bars.
We will be sailing Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, June 13, 14, and 15 for Tuna and Stripers. 
Call for details.

Dave DeGennaro
Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

We have been in the water for a few weeks now. Slow start for us but things are getting interesting now. We are catching stripers from 20 inches to 20 pounds on bait and lures. Some 2 to 4 lb bluefish mixed in and we are also catching some fluke with a few keepers making it into the cooler. There are some bigger bass being trolled on bunker spoons and mojos. 

We are available this Sunday, June 7 and Monday, June 8. 

We are always watching the forecast for the perfect weather window to head offshore but the early look at this weekend does not look favorable for us to run to the bluewater. As soon as we get that perfect forecast, we are throwing the ropes. 

Pic: Griffin Chrostowski of Moorestown, NJ with his first striper, a 44 inch, 26 lber taken right outside the inlet with Capt Nick DeGennaro at the helm. That fish was released. They also had a 30 incher and a 25 incher that were legal to keep with our bonus tags.

Dave DeGennaro
Back Bay Adventures

732.330.5674 cell

phillyfishingshow.com

We have an awesome stretch of W/NW winds coming from now through Monday if the forecast remains the same. This is the best wind. Flattens out the ocean and stimulates the fishing. Combine that with 40 to 50 degree air temps and this looks to be a classic bass fishing weekend. We might have to run north to catch ’em, but that’s what we’ve been doing every week. Number one rule: Fish where the fish are. We are ready    
to cast, jig, or troll. There is a big mix of fish from 20 inches to 20 pounds.
Sailing Open Boat or Charter:
Saturday Nov 23 and Mon Nov 25, 6AM to 2PM, $200 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. 
Also sailing Sun Dec 1 and Mon Dec 2. That will wrap it up for the Hi Flier this year. 
Thank you everyone for another great season. I hope you and your families have a wonderful holiday season!
Dave

Dave DeGennaro

732.330.5674 cell

www.hiflierfishing.com

hiflierfishing@verizon.net

We fished for stripers last Sat, Sun, and Mon and it (we) sucked! I was networked with captains from Barnegat Inlet to Atlantic Highlands on Saturday and I did not hear of a single fish. I went back for more punishment on Sunday, each day running as far as Asbury Park. They did catch on Sunday, right outside Manasquan Inlet, about two miles off, but by the time I found them and put the lines out, the party was over. Thank God for the Barnegat Inlet jetty where we caught three schoolie size bass on light tackle before heading back to the marina. Monday was not much better until the ninth inning with two outs, 9 hours in to our 7 hour trip (I know, that’s some tricky math right there) my homemade umbrella rig gets smashed and we deck a 34 lber. Another schoolie bass at the jetty and we head for the barn. 

I know guys caught some fish on Monday, but it wasn’t good. Tuesday, the fishery lit up with every size fish and it’s been “game on” ever since.
Sailing Open Boat Saturday, Nov 9 and Monday, Nov 11, 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM $200 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. Call to reserve a spot. I can be reached on my cell below from 5AM to 8PM any day and you can call right up until go time.

Dave DeGennaro 732.330.5674 cell hiflier.com

The stripers are here and they are big. Averaging 20 to 40 pounds. That is huge for the Fall run, but it has become the pattern for the last five years or so. It’s probably no coincidence that we are getting a bunker run during that time, as well. There’s also sandeels in the mix. 

On Friday, I made the left and ran 38 miles to the Highlands. We passed up closer fleets that had fish but a lot of boats. In those fleets, every time the fish popped up, four or five guys would run them down. Further north, where we wound up, there was very little pressure and the fish were swirling and crashing bait on the surface and down deep. We caught them on poppers, swim shads, and jigs. We had six fish between 25 and 40 pounds and released quite a few, all on spinning rods.
Saturday, I returned to the scene of the crime but there were quite a few more boats and the fish were not surfacing. I got called in by a friend, Gene Linder on the Side Chick, who was working on his third big troll fish off of Long Branch. I doubled back, we put out the rods, and soon after we boated a 35 pounder on one of my homemade umbrella rigs. Another pass, and the same rig gets clobbered and we added a 30 pounder. 
I’m sailing Sat, and Sun, Nov 2 and 3, Open Boat, 6:30 AM to 1:30 PM $175 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. We are probably going to troll to put fish in the box but if there is any indication that we can catch them casting or jigging, we are rigged and ready to do that. If for any reason, we do not find them locally, like as far as Seaside/Lavallette, we will run as far north as we have to and the price will go to $200 person to cover the extra fuel. We will also be returning later.
The best way to reserve a spot is to call me on my cell from 5AM to 8PM. You can call right up until”Go Time”!
Dave DeGennaro

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

It’s more like catching stripers and watching bluefin tuna, as the next one I hook, will be the first. Though, I feel we are getting better with every trip. 

The stripers and the tuna are about 35 miles north, so it’s going to be a long day on the water. Good action on 20 to 40 plus pound bass, jigging or trolling. The tuna are 50 to 100 plus pound fish, skyrocketing out of the water, crashing at the surface, but it’s hard to get one to eat. We do have the proper spinning outfits and lures to throw on board but if you happen to have your own, by all means. Should be a beautiful ocean Friday and Saturday if the marine forecast is right. Running Open Boat these days Friday, Oct 25 and Sat, Oct 26. Splitting our time between bass and bluefin. 7AM to 4 or 5 PM. $250 person. 4 people max. All fish are shared. 

Dave DeGennaro
Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

www.hiflier.com

Fishing has been good when we find those weather windows. One of which appears to be on Saturday. I had a good trip out last Sunday with bonita and albacore in the 20 mile range. The best part is we caught them on bait with spinning rods, no trolling (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Anchored up, slinging chum and spearing over the side. Albies are outnumbering the bonita. 

In the bay we have been catching some weakfish with regularity on live grass shrimp. They aren’t huge, quite a few under the 13 inch mark but fish up to 16 inches, as well. We are using 6 pound spinning outfits with small jigs and baited hooks. The biggest hurdle is fishing through the silver perch that invade the shrimp slick almost immediately. There are also quite a few snapper blues that are bordering on not being called snappers anymore, they are just about bluefish. If you’re nostalgic about weakfish or chumming with live grass shrimp this is a good time to go. 
Open Boat Bonita and Albacore Saturday, Sept 28 7AM to 2PM, $175 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared.
Open Boat Live Grass Shrimp Weakfish Sunday, Sept 29 7AM to 1PM, $125 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared.
Either day is available for charter and the Saturday trip could be converted to a live grass shrimp charter if you prefer but Sunday can’t be converted to bonita/albacore as the ocean will be nice on Saturday and rough on Sunday according to the current marine forecast. 
The best way to reach me is always on my cell below. 

Dave DeGennaro

Back Bay Adventures

732.330.5674 cell

phillyfishingshow.com

hiflier.com