A great white shark nicknamed Anne Bonny, after the pirate, skirts Jersey coast
Hoist the Jolly Roger. A tagged great white shark nicknamed Anne Bonny, after the pirate, slipped up the coast this week.
On Wednesday, she appeared to be in the Chicken Canyon, according to OCEARCH's global shark tracker, but didn't appear to stay long. By Thursday she was trekking toward Long Island. She is a juvenile white shark that measured 9 feet, 3 inches and 425 pounds when researchers tagged her off Ocracoke, North Carolina on April 23.
Bonny, if you know your pirate lore, was one only a few known female pirates in recorded history and ran with the likes of Calico Jack Rackham in the early 1700s. She was captured at Jamaica in 1724 and sentenced to die but there is no record of her release or execution so her ultimate fate is shrouded in mystery.
As far as the white shark that now carries her name goes, she was one of three OCEARCH-tagged white sharks whos transmitters "pinged" off New Jersey this week, including Penny and Jekyll. If you're not aware of OCEARCH, the non-profit has been tagging white sharks for over a decade for research purposes.
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Speaking of sharks, while most are off-limits to recreational anglers including mako and whites, fishermen can still pursue thresher sharks and a good-sized one was landed by the crew of a 4-engine center consul this week according to Fisherman's Supply.
The Manasquan Marlin and Tuna Club is making final preparations for its Bluefin Open next week. The Captain's Meeting is Monday at the Pig & Parrot on the river in Brielle. The tournament's fishing days are Wednesday through Sunday.
Andrew Whiting, the tournament director said they have about 85 to 90 boats already registered. Last year the tournament paid out over $162K in cash prizes.
As far as the bluefin go, the giants have been up on the Farms. Whiting said there was one that's belly was gorged with sea bass. He said the anglers who caught it, counted over 40 sea bass when they cleaned the fish. Giant tuna however, are not allowed in the tournament so the game will be on to find a large medium.
What sea bass the bluefin aren't eating, are being caught by the rod and reel gang. Most of the for-hire fleet that targeted them reported limit catches by their anglers. About the only reprieve for the fish was Tuesday when the fleet stayed in due to the windy and rough conditions on the ocean.
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The ocean temperature is coming up. It was over 60 degrees in the surf at several locales on Thursday, which means it's getting near time for ocean fluking. As it is several were brought in from the surf this week and weighed in at the tackle shops. Fisherman's Headquarters in Ship Bottom weighed a 5 pounder on Thursday morning caught out on Long Beach Island.
River fishermen pulled in some nice fluke as of late. Bobby Matthews at the Fisherman's Den in Belmar said they weighed a 6 pounder from Shark River that was caught by Jimmy Murphy.
Bluefish are popping up in many places. While there hasn't been much if any effort at day chumming for the fish in the ocean, the Queen Mary party boat jigged some while sea bass fishing on Wednesday. The fish have been in and out of the surf and inlets, as well as in the rivers and bays. Capt. Dave DeGennaro of the Hi Flier said they've been catching lots of 2 to 4 pounders in Barnegat Inlet. He's also finding them on the west side of Barnegat Bay and a caught a 10 pounder in 4 feet of water.
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: Great white shark dubbed Anne Bonny skirts Jersey Shore coast
