Manasquan Inlet and Mantaloking Bridge 7/23

[ChrisL]

Hit the inlet this morning around 8:30 till 10:00.  Got two fluke (15-16in) on Gulp pink mullet.  others seemed to be catching similar numbers, but all short.  Couple sea robins tossed in the mix. 

Headed over to the Mantaloking bridge and did a little crabbing.  Got about 1/2 dozen in 1 1/2 hrs.  All in the 6in range.  Lots a real small throwbacks too.  Others were getting similar results.  Even saw a few come in that looked to be 7+in.  There was a guy who I heard got a couple king fish.

Cloud cover kept the temps comfortable and a storm passed just to the north around 10am.

I'm gonna go have some crabs and beer now.

Almost forgot, pulled up the crab trap and found a blowfish snacking on my bunker.  Wasn't sure what it was till it blow up like a balloon. 
 

[Pfishingruven]

Nice catch!!  Thanks for the report.  I guess that answers an earlier question of blowfish being around or not!?!?

 

[IrishAyes]

Nice report. Good to see you got the crabs today.   

[wink_man]

Nice catch!!  Thanks for the report.  I guess that answers an earlier question of blowfish being around or not!?!?

 

Blowfish were around the Mantaloking bridge late last summer in decent numbers, but I didn't want to say anything because I haven't heard of them being aroound this year yet. Pells told me last fall that late last summer, there were a fair amout of decent sized blowfish there, and his customers were catching them, would be nice if they are around again this year, they are some fine eating.

Garry

[ChrisL]

I was able to get the pic of the blowfish off my phone....

[Pfishingruven]

Nice size Northern Puffer Fish.  You can also see them called "sea squab!"  I have read of a lot of crabbers in Chesapeake Bay catching them this way. 

We used to use Maryland Style Crab Traps and chum the surface of the water of the Toms River.  Anything from spearing, snappers, bunker, even bread crumbs worked!  One person would sink the crab trap a few feet below the surface and the other person would chum.  We would get loads of them, as many as 5-10 at a time.  As soon as there were eating the second person would pull up the trap and net them.  They were good eating and made GREAT soups.

Thanks for the picture!

 

[mgm]

That's a nice sized blowfish...I remember them as being much smaller in the 60's

[rugman]

when I was a kid there were plent of them around . Some one told me they are making a come back because of the water cleaning up

[ped579]

I can also remember catching them by the bushel full and coming home and cleaning them, not much meat but they were really tasty.  We used to deep fry them man they were good. You had to know how to clean them though just a small sliver but like I said very tasty.

We used to get them while crabbing at the mouth of the Toms River close to telephone pole point (that is what we called it back then)

Happy Catching

Paul

[wink_man]

I can also remember catching them by the bushel full and coming home and cleaning them, not much meat but they were really tasty.  We used to deep fry them man they were good. You had to know how to clean them though just a small sliver but like I said very tasty.

We used to get them while crabbing at the mouth of the Toms River close to telephone pole point (that is what we called it back then)

Happy Catching

Paul

Oh man are you jogging my memory now. Takes me back to the late 60's, when we used to vacation in seaside, and every day, I'd motor over to telephone point in a 1964 Starcraft lapstake fiberglass hull with a 75 Evinrude on it. You could fill a garbage barrel there with blowfish, without a lot of effort.

Rumor had it back then, when they became scarce, that septics leeching into the bay as the shore built up, and fertilizer runoff from the farms up Toms River killed all the eelgrass in the bay, and the blowfish attach their eggs to the eelgrass, so they could no longer spawn successfully. Don't know how true it is, but they went from so common to the point of being a pest, to literally non existant.

Garry

[ped579]

Yeah, my time slot would be the late 50's on.  A friend had an old lapstreak sportfisherman and we used to go out every weekend over there and you are right we did use garbage cans.

The eel grass problem still exists today but up in the northern part of the bay the eel grass seems to be making a come back maybe that is why the blow fish are more predominate up this way.

Paul

[Still Running]

I can also remember catching them by the bushel full and coming home and cleaning them, not much meat but they were really tasty.  We used to deep fry them man they were good. You had to know how to clean them though just a small sliver but like I said very tasty.

We used to get them while crabbing at the mouth of the Toms River close to telephone pole point (that is what we called it back then)

Happy Catching

Paul

Oh man are you jogging my memory now. Takes me back to the late 60's, when we used to vacation in seaside, and every day, I'd motor over to telephone point in a 1964 Starcraft lapstake fiberglass hull with a 75 Evinrude on it. You could fill a garbage barrel there with blowfish, without a lot of effort.

Rumor had it back then, when they became scarce, that septics leeching into the bay as the shore built up, and fertilizer runoff from the farms up Toms River killed all the eelgrass in the bay, and the blowfish attach their eggs to the eelgrass, so they could no longer spawn successfully. Don't know how true it is, but they went from so common to the point of being a pest, to literally non existant.

Garry

You guys make me feel old, I remember that.

[ChrisL]

I'm glad I could send you guys on a ride down memory lane.

[ped579]

Ah, that felt good.  Now back to reality.   

[bayonne]

you always get them in the crab nets over at berkly island park but no big ones all small

[Pfishingruven]

Yeah, that is right around the tip there from where they used to get them by the bushel or garbage can.  That is a bit before my time, but we used to get them by the bushel when I was a kid in the Toms River also!  I honestly haven't seen a puffer fish in many years, even after their short comeback 5-6 years ago.  Very interesting!!  I wonder if the problem with clamming had anything to do with their demise.  I know clamming in the bay was bad for a long time, which would be basically the same reason that Garry mentioned...sewage and fertilizer runoff from the storm drains.

How is Berkeley Island Park for crabbing??  Have you gone out at all this year??

 

[true2cents]

The real reason on less blowfish.Sometime in the late 60s,early 70s(cant remember)what year,but I was there.The water temps stayed ex warm way into end of sept/oct.Then dropped about 15 deg.quickly.Very strong west winds.The ocean was like a lake and tons of blowfish were beaching themselfs to get out of the water and a traffic jam  of stunned fish trying to go south.You could pick them up and throw them back and see them swimm ito the shallows & wash up.In the canal and inlet people were bailing them out in crab nets.From sandy hook to Ibsp.I Filled a gabage can full with only 12 inch and larger ones.Just in front of my house.My hands were raw after skinning so many.A week later still had lots of dead ones on the beach.This was in the Asbury Park Press.My home's front door was on the dunes, ocean front.Town and beachs were empty after summer then except for us few native old salts I just found this site weeks ago you guys have some interestig postings.Maybe someone can find the story in the paper but it would be a lot of research.Dont think the full paper of every day was archived.

[IrishAyes]

Thanks for your input True2cents, and welcome to the site. 

[Pfishingruven]

Thanks True2Cents!  And welcome!!  That answers that question!  I wonder how hard it would be to search for the article and if it could be found??  When I was a kid, we had a good amount of them in the bay and river...and then like that they were gone again.  Seems like they made a bit of a comeback 4-6 years ago and again were gone.  I hadn't seen a blowfish in a long time, nor heard of one even being caught.  Any idea what the cause for this was?? 

This place has a lot of interesting topics and lots of "thinkers!"  Not to much "group think" here either.  An all around friendly, intelligent, talented, helpful group of people!  Like PED579 always says..."this place is addictive!"  "And you need to remember to make time to fish!"  It is so true, but such a good place for us Mr. Mom's who can't get out all the time!  I wonder if we could qualify for an ONLINE UNIVERSITY and get a degree in "Pfishingology?!?!"  With all of the great info and knowledge here, I know I am being educated!!

Again welcome and look forward to your knowledgeable contributions!

Thanks

 

[Mario2]

I was at the Mantaloking Bridge today and saw a kid catch a blow fish in his crab trap so there's at least one out there.  Did not see any others though while I was there.