New king of kings after NJ Fish and Wildlife certifies king mackerel record catch
It's official, there is a new king of the kings, in these waters at least.
The 67-pound, 7-ounce king mackerel that Dominic Vricella landed on July 30 was certified by the state's Fish & Wildlife and is now the new rod and reel record for King Macs.
Vricella and his son Joe, both of Medford, were on the Tolten Lump taking part in the bluefin fishery when they lost one engine on their 36-foot Luhrs. They headed for home and as they neared the coast they decided to troll a pair of wide trackers and Clark spoons. A mile east of the Axel Carlson Reef one of the Clark spoons got hit by the king, which nearly spooled their Avet MXL reel on its initial run. The fish was weighed at Hoffman's Marina in Brielle.
There were some really nice days at the beach this week as the sun returned in full force. The surf was still a bit rough to start the week but there was a ton of bait in knee to waist-high water in the troughs at Brick's beaches. Surf casters were out in a few locales and the good news is they landed some of the first bass of the fall season.
Grumpy's Tackle in Seaside Park reported Shell E. Caris picked one off on his third cast Wednesday morning at Island Beach State Park. Caris was tossing a metal lip swimmer. Giglio's Tackle in Sea Bright also had a few reports from its regulars hitting the beach before sun up and catching bass.
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That all makes Nick Honachefsky happy as his annual Barrier Island Beach Brawl surf fishing contest is Saturday and Sunday. The boundaries are the Manasquan Inlet's south jetty to the Barnegat Inlet's north jetty. Just about every game fish you can catch in the surf is fair game though the contest is catch and release only for striped bass. The sign-up cost is $45 and can be done online at Saltwater Underground's website and at participating tackle shops.
The surf could be a bit of a challenge as the wind gusts are expected to blow again. Wave heights could be overhead but the counterbalance is the wind should switch to the west late Saturday so it could turn out to be a very fishable, and clean swell.
The sea bass fishery re-opened Sunday and the early return has been very good. Many of the for-hire captains reported limited catches by their parties, along with catches of porgies and triggerfish. The sea bass limit for now is 10 fish at 12 ½ inches. It will increase to 15 fish per angler next month.
New boating rule
The state police have announced that starting next month, everyone on a recreational boat under 26 feet must wear a United States Coast Guard approved life vest. That includes rowboats, canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. The new rule is in effect from Nov. 1 to May 1.
The goal of this rule is to prevent hypothermia deaths and to decrease the risks placed upon first responders during winter search and rescue operations on the waters of New Jersey. In almost every instance of a vessel-related drowning, the victim was not wearing a life vest, according to the state police.
What's biting: Get the latest fishing reports here
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: Fisherman lost engine, caught record king mackerel
