What to Bring from AK?

[AGENT 37]

Sounds like I may be unexpectedly moving down to the Atlantic City area sometime this next summer; I'm looking for suggestions on what type of gear I should hang on to and what NJ has to offer.

Unfortunately I will be without a boat 'cause I am leaving it here in Kodiak, AK.... I want to maintain what I've invested in it and come back for a couple weeks in the summers.... so I won't be selling it. I won't have funds to sink into an East Coast boat as a result.

I've got everything and more for salmon, halibut, and rockfish here. Anybody familiar with that type of fishing who'd be willing to give me tips on what would be worthwhile "Down East"?

I'm eventually hoping to network into some offshore fishing in NJ in exchange for some serious guided Alaskan experience.

Have gear, seamanship, fish sense, moderate maritime mechanical service experience, and a good attitude. Unfortunately I have no cool accent or any realistic idea of what I'm really getting myself into though.

[CapBob]

Welcome to the site, I am sure you will find that everybody is willing to help anybody in anyway.

What kind of fishing are you looking to get into? Inshore for Striped Bass, Summer Flounder, Blue Fish, Sea Bass, Tog...or looking to go off shore for Tuna, Shark, etc.

We have some of the best Striper fishing on the coast with both a Spring and Fall run, you can catch fish up to 50+ lbs. But on an average you'll be dealing with 15-30 lb fish.

I prefer a conventional set up when not plugging or casting, a good levelwind and Rod to handle up to 30 lb test will work nicely. Normally we utilize 15-20 FLuro-carbon line for Bass and Fluke (we call Summer Flounder Fluke.

But like with anything there are several variablies where you are fishing, what time of year and how deep, which would cause a change in rigging, Poles/reels, etc.

Hope this helps a bit

Welcome to NJ

 

[Scott G.]

   WELCOME AGENT 37   

[Salty Dog]

Never,ever sell your tools or your tackle .Only time to do this,is to up grade .

[AGENT 37]

I don't really plan on selling too much, a lot of it will just stay here with the boat for my summer trips back to the Emerald Isle.

I imagine that I will be doing some serious striper fishing..... flounder probably not so much (maybe)..... what can I say? I've been spoiled. I do want to fish year round though.

I am really, really hoping to get into some tuna fishing and what ever else is offshore if I can. I did a lot of albacore fishing in Oregon State (long distance trips) and even our halibut fishing there is 40-50 miles from port. But like I said, for the first in a long time I'll be without the boat for that kind of fishing.

I have a quiver of 8'6" ugly stick casting/trolling rods rigged with line counter reels (penn 320 size) spooled with mono or 50lb power pro and a couple of 5'6"/50-100lb stand up rods rigged with Penn 345GTIs and 80 lb power pro. I also have a mix-match of freshwater spinning rods for trout, steelhead, and salmon with line 12lb and lighter.

I have a pile of bottom fishing lead for halibut and lingcod in the 8-48oz range. (cannon ball sinkers and lead jig heads). Lots of big rubber jigs (6-10 inch kalins and such), a ton of crippled herring and kandlefish lures, and hundreds of salmon spinners and spoons. What's the biggest jig and bottom fishing gear that you guys use?

The electric scotty downriggers will stay here with the boat. But I have a couple of manual Penn Fathom masters that I will bring along.

I'm bringing my 15HP short shaft 2 stroke mercury outboard with me in hopes of finding a 14' aluminum boat or something.... how much use will I get out of something like that?

Scuba and spearfishing gear?.......

I don't think that I will find much need for my crab pots (west coast dungeness style and huge Alaskan pyramid pots for king and tanner crab).... but hey, if there's a use I might bring one or two of the smaller ones.

Should I bring my salmon trolling tackle? (flashers, hoochies, spoons, plugs, etc.)