A couple of big fluke and tilefish were netted over the weekend, while the bluefish played hard to get. On a somber note, Brielle lost one of its long-time party boat captains with the passing of Dale Steinert.
Capt. Scott Hilliard on the Prowler 5 party boat found a nice patch of fluke on Friday where he was able to drift for a 1.5 miles and watch as his fares steadily reeled in fluke and quite a few large knuckleheaded sea bass. On Saturday's trip Joe Gazdalski from Boonton, hoisted in a 7 ½ pound fluke, and one the daily boat pool for heaviest fish.
Meanwhile, on the Big Mohawk party boat, Charlie Stump, who was fishing midship on the boat's Saturday trip, slammed an 8 pounder - the biggest fluke this season on that boat.
The Voyager party boat out of Point Pleasant Beach took a fishing party out to the canyon slopes for a 36-hour tile trip. The fishermen returned with a good haul of golden and blueline tilefish. The trip started out a little slow with no drift, but once they got a little wind drift going, the fish started flying over the rails and didn't stop until they put together a boat limit.
Capt. Dave Riback on the Queen Mary party fishing boat said they had a good crack at the bluefish first thing Sunday morning but then they just upped and vanished. He went off the beach and put his fishing party on sea bass and ling. He also reported a few landings of what's called a four spot flounder, which looks like a fluke but is generally smaller and has four distinct black-eye spots on its back.
Captain Mourned
The fishing seasons may change, but the fishing season never ends.
Those words were spoken often by the late Dale Steinert, who piloted the Jamaica party boat for four decades. I don't know if they were his words, but they're the wisdom of a fishing boat captain who understood the job was never done. As the season's changed from winter cod, to spring mackerel, to summer bluefish and fall tuna, there were always fish to catch.
Steinert passed away July 11 and the bluefish can now rest easy. The Bogan family, owners of Bogan's Basin in Brielle where Steinert worked his entire life, said the following words:
"Capt. Dale guided the Jamaica through sunrises and storms, always with a steady hand, deep knowledge of the ocean, and a passion for sharing the sport of fishing with generations of anglers. To the fishing community, his loss is immeasurable. Capt. Dale was a mentor, a friend, and a fixture of our community. His voice over the loudspeaker and his generous spirit will be sorely missed. The docks will feel a little quieter, the waters a little lonelier, without him. Our thoughts are with his family and the countless lives he touched over the years. Thank you, Capt. Dale, for the wisdom, the stories, the laughs, and the legacy. Your wake will ripple through these waters for generations to come."
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 at [email protected].