Author: Hi Flier

We had insane Bonita fishing over the weekend. We made a few drifts each day and there was nonstop action on Bonita and Albacore. Chumming with spearing and peanut bunker, none of my customers ever put a bait out. It was all on jigs. The jig didn’t seem to matter, every size, color, and shape got eaten. Definitely some bluefin on the same grounds, as we hooked a fish that dumped line at an alarming rate before breaking off. We did have some heavier gear out with tuna bait but no hookups. The good news is this area we are fishing is loaded with 3 to 6 inch sandeels. They were stuffed in the fish’s mouths when they hit the deck and the bellies when we were at the cleaning table. This is candy for the tuna. 

On these same grounds, some boats were connecting with 250 to 400 pound Bluefin Tuna, both on the troll and bait. However, they were all over 73 inches, so they had to be released. The current Bluefin regs allow charter boats to keep 3 fish between 27 and 47 inches, aka: Unders, and one fish between 47 and 73 inches, aka: Overs, per boat. There are a few ways to target these Giant Bluefins. You need to get on the grounds at, or before daybreak, and troll Joe Shutes with Ballyhoo, or go on the drift with live bait. The troll effort is usually over by 9AM, whereas you can have success with drifting live bait throughout the day. Getting the right live bait is the challenge. Small bluefish, ling, whiting, or bunker are the preferred hookbaits. It’s worth spending half the trip getting the right live bait if necessary, rather than put out sub par hookbaits that never get a bite.  

Here’s what I know:

The marine and traditional weather look really good for this upcoming Fri Oct 11, Sat Oct 12, and Sun Oct 13.

We will be fishing all three of these days.

I can offer any of these days as a charter or run Open Boat each day.

I have all the right bait to start a chunk line: spearing, peanut bunker, sardines. Also live spots as hookbaits. Whichever

species we decide to target, we will be fishing with bait and jigs, no trolling. The exception would be trolling for the Giant Bluefins,

I would consider that but still prefer to use live bait for those, too.

We can target Bonita, Albacore, and school Bluefin Tuna all in the same area, about a 25 to 30 mile run. 

If you guys want to target the Giant Tuna, it’s a commitment. We can’t fish for anything else. We will start by hitting a wreck and trying

to catch live bait. We will put out 80 class tackle and nothing else waiting for the right bite. The 80’s I have are standup

rods, so you will have a belt and harness rather than fight him out of the rod holder. Just know, this is the most boring 

fishing in the world….until you hook up, then it’s the craziest thing you will ever experience.

I am good to fish for any of these fish. It’s prime time migration, 65 degree water, they are on the feed. 

Open Boat or Charter on Fri Oct 11, Sat Oct 12, or Sun Oct 13:

Bonita/Albacore/Bluefin combo $400 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. 5AM to 3PM

Giant Bluefin $450 person, 4 people max, release only, unless we catch one under 73 inches. 4AM to 2PM

*It is possible to fish the early morning hours on the troll for a Giant Bluefin and then switch to Bonita/Albies/School Bluefin

AS I WAS TYPING THIS I GOT A REPORT ON BLUEFIN AND YELLOWFIN AT THE 50 TO 60 MILE RANGE.

IF THE OCEAN IS CALM, WE CAN CONSIDER THIS RUN AT $450 PERSON, 4AM TO 4PM

I know, a lot to consider here, but I hope that I conveyed how flexible I am on whatever we decide to target. Bonita to Giant Bluefin.

I am happy fishing for any of the bluewater fish this weekend as it is prime time.

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

Pic: First Mate and Hi Flier Co-Captain Nick DeGennaro with a big Albie

op

The marine forecast is looking pretty good for Fri and Sat, Oct 4 and 5. We will be headed offshore looking for tuna, yellowfin or bluefin. The first wave of boats should get out Wed and Thurs, so we will base our destination on those reports. We will be bait fishing and jigging. Wherever we wind up, we are going to make a mess! Sardines, peanut bunker, spearing in the chunk slick and live bait on the hooks. There is nothing more exciting than day chunking!

Open Boat Tuna: 

Fri Oct 4 5AM to 3PM and Sat Oct 5 5AM to 3PM

$450 person. 4 people max. All fish are shared.

We are also available any day for bay fishing or bonita/albacore depending on the forecast.

Hoping to keep tuna fishing thru October. 

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

We are catching weakfish, kingfish, and blowfish on the west side of Barnegat Bay. Anchored up chumming with clam and also using live shedder crabs. Fishing between the BI and BB Buoys. Light tackle, six pound spinning outfits. Not catching the weakies and kings every trip. We didn’t have any today, but we had quite a few jumbo blowfish, I call them “whales” at that size. We also had sand sharks, grunts, spots, fluke, and striped burrfish in the mix. 

The highlight today was a huge blowfish, technically a Northern Puffer, that I caught and weighed in . It weighed in at 1.21 lbs, making it a pending IGFA All Tackle World Record for that species. It was 11 inches long and 18 inches in circumference when inflated. I kept it in the livewell while we were on the boat, then transferred it to a bucket with an aerator for the weigh in. Once we left the scale, we took her to the bay for a live release and she swam away happy:

Available every day for bay charters. Great way to get fishing while waiting for these relentless ocean conditions to subside. Once things calm down, we will be back on the hunt for bonita, albies, and tuna.   

Pics: 

Vinny Laprete from Roselle Park, NJ in camo 

Max DeGennaro from Barnegat, NJ in black shirt

Dave DeGennaro from Barnegat, NJ in burgundy sweatshirt

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cellhiflier.com

Just got off the water with Jim Hutchinson of the Fisherman Magazine. Jim is a long time fan of catching weakfish going back to when he was a kid 

chasing them with his Dad, another well known fisherman in the angling community, Jim Sr. He absolutely schooled me today, first catching both of the bigger weakies we had, a pair of 3 plus pound fish on shedder crab. Those came on 1/8 oz jigheads tipped with shedder. You cast it out, let it sink, once it hits bottom you lift the rod very slowly, and then as you lower the rod, capture the slack with the reel. A technique I have deemed “lolly gagging”. We were in 8 feet of water between the BI and BB Buoys. A few sand sharks, blowfish, and a grunt in the mix and we went to pick up our live grass shrimp.

Anchored up on the Barnegat Light side, started chumming with the grass shrimp, and once again, it was all about watching Jim catch weakfish. He had about a dozen to my two. These were the more common 12 to 15 inch fish, but a great fight on the ultralite 6 lb spinning outfits we were using. Added three more species: skate, silver perch, and bluefish to raise the species count to seven. Had action from beginning to end in both spots.

Both of these baits are in short supply, so the end is near. If you are interested in getting out bay fishing while the ocean is not fishable, book a bay trip. We can target weakfish, kingfish, and blowfish, and then there are always surprises in the catch.

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

No takers on our Open Boat Tuna trip yesterday (Friday Sept 13) so being that the boat was fueled up, iced up, and loaded with bait, my deck hand Dave Flood, and I, decided to run ourselves. We broke the inlet at 4AM. It was a very mild NE wind so the sea condition was mellow. We ran 60 plus miles to the spot. When we arrived at 7AM, there were no birds, no slicks, no whales, no readings,….nothing. Started putt-putting around the area and stumbled on two chick birds and a single shearwater. Said “Oh well, that’s more than we’ve seen, so let’s go on the drift”. A few minutes in we had mackerel on the surface around the boat, Saw a good size splash and then the bow rod went off. Got to it, threw the lever, it was there, and then it wasn’t. Reeled in an empty hook. Finally marked a single fish at 110 feet. Put a bait down to that depth and ten minutes later we are hooked up. Decked a 50 lb yellowfin. Another runoff, bit off by a shark, leader was all scraped up. Go back for another drift, hook and lose another fish, appeared to be a tuna by the run. Hook pulled. At 9AM Dave sets up on a fish that won’t stop dumping line off of his 30 class. We run it down, but it takes two more big runs before we can stick a gaff in his 105 lb yellowfin. 55″ length, 39″ girth. His biggest tuna ever. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. All Dave does is help people on my boat catch fish. We were back in by 1:30 PM. Here’s some video, it’s not great, it doesn’t include the end game because I couldn’t film and assist with the gaff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJZC2j2Bc68

Looks like the wave heights are up for a little while so we will be fishing in the bay for weakfish, kingfish, blowfish, and the mixed bag on ultralite tackle. 

We will be announcing more tuna dates as soon as there is a good weather window.

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

Pics:

Dave DeGennaro (black shirt) with 50 lb Yellowfin Tuna

Dave Flood of Mantua NJ with bent rod and the 105 lb Yellowfin Tuna

Good time to go fishing right now. 

There are yellowfin tuna in the 50 to 60 mile range. There are also bluefin tuna in the 20 to 25 mile range. 

Friday looks like a good marine forecast to go tuna hunting. We are running an Open Boat Tuna trip on Friday Sept 13, 4AM to 3PM $475 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. This is the schedule and rate for the longer range yellowfin trip. If we don’t get good reports or intel from the yellowfin grounds we will pivot to bluefin fishing.

That schedule would be 5AM to 2PM and the cost $400 person. Either trip the emphasis will be on bait and jigs.  

The bonita are still going strong. Good size fish and Ziplocks of some of the most delicious loins you will ever have.

Chumming and catching them on light spinning rods. We have also had albacore, spanish mackerel, chub mackerel and more eat our hookbaits. Bait and lures are working equally well.

Saturday Sept 14 and Sunday Sept 15, we will be sailing Open Boat Bonita 6AM to 2PM, $300 person, 

4 people max, all fish are shared.

We are also catching weakfish, kingfish, blowfish, and more in the bay. Super ultralite 6 lb outfits. These trips are offered for charter only and we do not run Open Boat in the bay. 

Any of the above Open Boat trips are also available for your private charter.

Pics from recent bay trip:

Geri DeGennaro of Barnegat NJ 

(Mrs Hi Flier) with a kingfish

Kelly Kieckhefer of Lake Como NJ with a blowfish

Sue Belford of Lake Como NJ with her second striped burrfish of the trip.

Call to book a spot or a trip. 

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

Just had a last minute cancellation for tomorrow, Wed Aug 21. Two new people already signed on for an Open Boat Bonita/Albacore with a shot at Bluefin Tuna trip tomorrow. I can take two more, and will sail with just one more. Phone is the best way to get me.

6AM to 3PM, $350 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared.

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

On Wednesday, before Ernesto rolled through, I had Ray Polikoski and his son Brayden, 14, from upstate NY, on board for their first bluefin tuna. We trolled three tuna between 25 and 40 pounds, and two bonita. Brayden handled two of them by himself. Less than 20 miles from the inlet.

Yesterday, (Sunday), I had Jim Maresca and family out for our first live grass shrimping effort. We caught a bunch of weakies, some shorts, three legal ones, and dropped another legal one. My son Capt Nick DeGennaro jumped on the boat as soon as I jumped off and returned for a bunch more weakies with friends. We also had fluke, snapper blues, perch, spot, and sand sharks. All on 6 lb spinning tackle. I returned there today and it was even better weakfishing. 

FYI: This might be our last season of using this technique as our bait supplier might be retiring and there doesn’t appear to be anyone taking it over. It’s been a good run, though. I’ve been shrimping weakies in Barnegat Light since 1978. If you have never done it, you might want to give it a try. We will be running for them until at least Late Sept.

Also, there have been a lot of bonita on the tuna grounds, as well as in closer. They are solid size, too. We can troll for them or drift and catch them on bait.

I have Wed, Aug 21 available for Open Boat, or charter for Bluefin Tuna, Bonita, or Weakfish in the bay. Call for details. My next available day is Sunday, Aug 25.

Pics: 

Ray Polikoski of upstate NY with 40 lb bluefin tuna (jeans, sleeveless shirt)

Ray with son Brayden holding a 30 lb class bluefin tuna

Ray holding a bonita

Jim Maresca of Levittown, PA with family and friends and weakies (group shot)

Bob Maresca of Levittown, PA with weakie

Cassie St Onge of Davie, FL (Nick’s fiance) and Tessa Jones of Barnegat, NJ with weakies

Jon Cavaliere of Bayville, NJ with a nice weakie

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

I have been doing some traveling with family and friends over the past three weeks, which is why I have not sent any emails or contributed any reports. My wife and I, along with some good friends, left on a cruise out of Seward Alaska along the Inside Passage to Cancouver, British Columbia. I returned from that trip, was home for one day, and drove to Maine with my son Max for our annual Smallmouth/Largemouth trip with the newest addition to the fleet, the Lo Flier. A 16 ft aluminum boat we decked out for bass fishing. The halibut trip was great and produced so many species. Also, caught my biggest largemouth in Maine, just over 6 lbs, on an imitation frog. Pics below.

Time to get back to NJ fishing. Awesome stretch of weather coming up this week. Under 10 knots of wind every day and calm seas. There are 20 to 30 lb bluefin in the 20 to 25 mile range. Mixed in are some bonita, as well. It is primarily a troll bite right now, so that is how we will be fishing. I am still going to bring bait, and we always have jigs and poppers on board, but we will be mostly trolling to try and put fish in the box. If we get lucky and get our fish early, we can spend more time drifting with bait and jigs. If I could get the right bait, we could also try bait fishing for bonita and albies with light tackle. I am careful to emphasize this, as I know we all like to catch them with a technique that offers the most sport. Right now, trolling is the most productive on these inshore fish. Offshore, in the canyons, it sounds like the jigs and poppers are killing it.

Open Boat Tuna: Thursday Aug 15 6AM to 3PM. $375 person. 4 people max. All fish are shared. 

I will also be tuna fishing on Wed, so if you call or text to reserve a spot for Thursday’s trip, I won’t be able to call or text you back until I am back in cell range late afternoon on Wed. Catching me on land today (Tues) is your best shot. Calling is always better than emailing.

See you on board!

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

Sat July 20, Sun July 21, and Mon July 22 are the best days to go offshore. This is the “weather window” all of us have been waiting for. Light and variable winds and no storm activity. There are bluefin tuna in a few different places now.  After that, my next availability for any kind of fishing is not until Tues, Aug 13. Open Boat Tuna: Sat July 20, Sun July 21, and Mon July 22, 4AM to 4PM. $450 person. 4 people max. All fish are shared. If you call on one of these fishing days to book another day, I will not be able to respond until I am back in cell range. I will get right back to you as soon as I get a signal. You can call right up until “go time” for a spot. Any of these dates are also available for your private charter.

Tues July 23, Wed July 24, and Thurs July 25 are also light winds, but the forecast has possible storm activity on those three days, so we will be fishing the bay and inlet. We just watch the weather radar closely and try to pick the best 5 hour slot to go fishing. If any storms come up while we are in the bay, we just head to the nearest dock for shelter, let it blow through, then go back to fishing. You can’t do that offshore. We are available for charter only on these inshore trips. We will be chumming for weakfish and more with ultralite spinning gear. $700 for the boat for the 5 hour bay trip

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com