A look
back at the 2004 season shows some good fishing along with
a very few disappointing days. We started with a good spring
striper season. It was the best since I owned the Gallant
Lady. Trips produced stripers in good numbers with some drum
fish mixed in. As always, weather played a big part and when
the water was clean, we usually had good trips. Once again,
our drum fishing season was good. The biggest we weighed in
at the dock was 86 pounds. There was a good bite on the Jersey
side of the bay for a longer period of time than 2003.
Wreck fishing
was our biggest disappointment in 2004. Capt. Doug and myself
expected a good season on the sea bass and tog, only to find
few sea bass. This is not the norm for these trips and I expect
a big comeback this year. After talking to marine biologists
who were fishing with us, they stated that bottom temperatures
were colder than normal and this stopped the sea bass from eating.
This information went along with our theory. We knew the fish
were there from our reports from divers who told us you had
to push the sea bass out of the way to get on the wreck. However,
we would go there the next day and get a very few fish, if any.
Flounder
fishing was fair. We had some big days out on the reef and then
at FA buoy but once the draggers set up on the FA area, it was
over. As on all trips, being there at the right time is the
key.
Tuna fishing
was about the same as 2003, except the blue fin regulations
kept the keepers down. The year before we could keep 6. The
best in 2004 was 3. A little plus was that some yellow fins
were mixed in. Also, we had some bigger fish. The biggest we
weighed in was 123 pounds.
Fall wreck
trips did fair better than the spring trips, producing some
bigger sea bass along with togs, triggerfish and jacks of all
kinds. Fall stripers went well, with a good number of bigger
fish being caught. Fish were in the plus 20 pound range, with
the biggest being 28 pounds. These bigger fish helped, because
the size regulations hurt us this year. Throwing back those
33-34 inch fish is something I hope will change this year. Indications
at this time show that there will probably be a different size
regulation in 2005. I think it will be better than the one we
had in 2004.
Now that
the 2004 season has past, it's time to look forward to the
new 2005 season. I'm currently booking dates for the new season
which will start in mid April and continue into mid December,
weather permitting. Contact me as soon as possible as good
dates don't last long. I have already booked many trips as
customers reserve dates while fishing with their friends aboard
the Gallant Lady. You can contact me via email
or call 609-884-7754.
I'm looking
forward to another successful year and topping our trips from
2004. Wreck fishing, drum, stripers, flounder, tuna and shark
are some of our most popular trips. The Gallant Lady is rigged
for any and all types of trips. If you wish, I will help you
plan your outing with the answer to any question or request
you might have concerning a charter.
The crew and I are looking forward to fishing with your group.
