File photo: Golden Tilefish. Giant sea bass, porgy and a smattering of golden tilefish were caught on the Starlight Fleet's last outing. Credit: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC
So we now enter into February, probably the lamest month of the fishing year and luckily the shortest as well. Interestingly though, salt water fishing continues to be both productive and consistent, moreso than of Februarys past, as black sea bass, tilefish, porgies and blackfish are all on the chew.
Captain Jim Cicchitti of the Starlight Fleet, Wildwood Crest, has been knocking out the knuckleheads on his offshore trips.
Limits of giant sea bass are the norm, with porgy limits and a smattering of golden tilefish adding to the mix. Sunday’s trip was a little breezy, but conditions laid down in the afternoon hours to allow anglers to be straight up and down.
Everybody landed their limits of sea bass to 7 pounds and added a mix of bluefish and porgies to boot. The pool winner of that trip was Bob Greenling, of Philadelphia, with a 7.25-pound humpback. Monday’s sea bass/tilefish combo trip was also fun for everyone. Captain Cicchhitti reported that calm conditions prevailed until about 11 a.m. when the winds picked up. Anglers able to adapt to the shifting boat pulled on sea bass and everyone on the boat once again limited out on sea bass to 7 pounds, and also pulled on more blues and porgies.
“Tile fishing was good for the conditions that developed and those anglers that fished,” stated Cichhitti. The pool winner on the trip was Dennis Muhlenberg from Dover, Del. who hauled in a 20-pound golden tile while another high hook aboard was Brad Warren of Malvern, Pa., with his limit of sea bass plus a dozen tasty tilefish.
The winter sea bass fishery is open until Feb. 28. The size limit on black sea bass is 12 1/2 inches and the daily bag limit is 15 fish.
Nick Honachefsky is a professional fishing writer who focuses on angling up and down the coast of New Jersey. Contact him at beachnut33@hotmail.com
