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July 22, 2007

A little advice; never take any fishery for granted!

Even thought we have just wound up a fairly productive spring Striped Bass Fishery, it has been nothing like years past. Every now and then, new clients keep me grounded saying things like "this is some of the best fishing I have ever had".  It's good to hear.  The last six or so years, the spring Striped Bass fishery has been nothing but phenomenal, and when we get a "regular" season, like this past spring, we need to remember that it is still good by many standards. Thanks to all of my clients for another fully booked season this past spring!

Now onto the immediate future... Can anyone say Sushi?

That's right it's Tuna Time! And not long after that it will be Marlin time! But before we get there, we still have some time before Mako shark bite has slowed. In fact this year has been on of the best starts for Mako fishing in a few years.  We thankfully have a nice amount of bookings for the Tuna and Marlin fishing and there are a few spots open, so give a call.  There is nothing like catching a Marlin off the NJ coast!

When the weather is bad, or we need a day to recuperate from all the
canyon fishing, there is some very good inshore fishing for Weakfish and Blues, as well as a few Stripers in some beautiful calm remote spots in Little Egg Harbor, which only a handful of people can get to.  Our Actioncraft shallow water boat can get us there fast and quiet.  So if you are vacationing down the Jersey shore or want a change of pace, call and set up an inshore trip.

On the Tournament Scene -- Team Fin Chaser finishes 5th in Mako Mania!

Although we rarely Shark fish, I decided the team could use a break from the inshore fishing and have some fun Sharking.  The results: we finished 3rd on day one of the tournament and 5th overall with a beautiful 225 pound Mako shark.  Not long after a very tough ride out the Sharking grounds, hooked up on a BIG Thresher after only 45 minutes into our drift.  After fighting that fish for over an hour and a half, the Mako bit!  

We put the rod in the holder with the 500+ Thresher on, landed the Mako and then continued for another hour or so to try to get the Thresher next to the boat for some pics, which never happened.  After over two and one half hours later the line must have rubbed on his tail and parted. When the Thresher was just hooked and still very green he came right to the boat and we had a really good look at him, over 18 feet long, but there was no way we were trying anything that early into the fight.

Special thanks to my crew of Capt. Anthony Gangone, Capt. Rick Temple, Capt. George Valentini and my Sponsors, Avet and Sufix for making the gear that makes us successful!  Not a bad day of Sharking guys!

Don't forget Team Fin Chaser is available for Billfish and Tuna Tournaments this summer, call for our availability!

May 29, 2007

The latest fishing report...

The big Bass are in!  Although the fishing is a bit up and down this past week, the fish that have been caught are big!

Hall of fame baseball legend Wade Boggs and Capt. Frank claimed the Celebrity Angler award in last weeks FCA Manhattan Cup! The "Big Man" Clarence Clemens joined captain Frank for some warm up fishing before the Manhattan Cup and caught this beautiful Bass.

Clarence enchanted everyone the next day when he lent his talents to the FCA to play his horn (and one that was auctioned off) for the sold out crowd at Manhattan Cup awards party.  Both Wade and Clarence donated the star power to help the FCA raise money that will be used to protect and enhance our amazing marine resources.  It's one thing when a celebrity lends his/her talent to a cause, but it takes on tremendous meaning when these people really care about the resource, and in this case are true fishermen.

Thanks Wade and Clarence!

May 3, 2007

Well finally the sun is shinning and the fish are biting and all is well again...

Every winter I get this feeling like spring is never going to come, and I will never catch another fish. Luckily every spring I am proved wrong. Even though old man winter hung in there this year a bit longer than usual, the fish seem to be just about on target with their arrival. We are not fishing a full-blown migration yet, but that will come within a couple of weeks.

Everyday we are seeing double-digit amounts fish on the fly and artificials and it won't be long before the hogs come home. Last year by the first week in May we were seeing fish over twenty pounds almost every single trip for almost a month. Quite a bold statement, but it's true, and hopefully this year will be no different.

Although Fin Chaser 1 is almost completely booked for the spring migration, there are still dates available on Fin Chaser 2 and Captains Anthony are ready and waiting.  As an incentive for new clients, if you book an inshore Striper trip by May 15th, I will give a six hour trip for the price of a four hour trip, a savings of $100.00.

Capt. Frank In the Media
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For those of you that are looking for a little commuting reading, check out this month's edition of Outside Magazine, there is a cover story titled "The Greatest Fishing Guide In The World" by Ian Frazier, which should make for interesting reading. The story covers some fishing trips that the author took with Captain Frank and is part biographical, part funny, so check it out.

Manhattan Cup is May 18th
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Don't forget to check out the Manhattan Cup for the latest info on the largest catch and release Striper Tournament in the Northeast. In it's ninth year this is the "Mack Daddy" of all tournaments, and is a charity fundraiser for the Fishermen's Conservation Association.  Held out of the Surfside 3 Marina @ Chelsea Piers, with a party ending up @ the Chelsea Brewery over 60 boats will compete for the largest Striped Bass in three categories Fly, Bait and Artificial.

Wade Boggs and Clarence Clemens (see picture of a nice Striper Clarence caught during last years tournament) will be competing on Team Fin Chaser, so come participate or just come to party. Contact Capt. Frank for more details @ finfly@aol.com. Until next time, make a cast and hang on!

October 30, 2006

Well, it’s fall and the fish gods have blessed us...

Well, it’s fall and finally the fish gods have blessed us, I mean truly
blessed us! Offshore the Tuna bite is on fire, and inshore the Striped
Bass and Bluefish are in full migratory pattern, and all is well in my
world! Seriously, things are great, the only thing occasionally keeping us
from fishing at this time of the year is the weather.

It has been challenging getting the good weather to go overnight in the
canyon, but when we do get to go, the fish are cooperating. On our last
trip we had Yellowfin Tuna over sixty pounds and a Swordfish as well. The
Sword makes a slam for us for the season as we landed a Blue Marlin, and a
White Marlin earlier this season. Other than a very rare Sailfish, that’s
mostly all the billfish available to us here in the northeast, and we are
lucky to have the opportunity to catch them.

Inshore the mighty Striped Bass, gamefish of the northeast, is on it’s
migration to southern waters and here in NYC we are fortunate enough to be
able to fish for both of the spawning biomasses, of the Chesapeake and the
Hudson River. In one day two years ago we caught and released a tagged
fish from both of the aforementioned spawning grounds. As in previous
years we will be guiding well into December and have some openings for
prime fall fishing so call now and get in on some epic fishing!

If you are a new client and have never fished with us before, reserve
within one-week of this message and we will take 25% off of the booking (new
clients only).

August 5, 2006

Fin Chaser Joins Saltwater Sportsman Editor, Dave DiBenedetto, for Blue Marlin Tournament Win at White Marlin Invitational

Check out a video clip from Fin Chaser's blue marlin tournament win with Saltwater Sportsman Editor, Dave DiBenedetto!

Salt Water Sportsman Magazine - The Fishing Authority Since 1939

June 2, 2006

Small bait and big fog!

Finally the small bait has arrived and the Bass are eating the flies good!  Tough to fool them when they are eating 2 pound Bunker, but thank the fish Gods for Anchovies and Sand Eels!

This past week brought in the small bait and the big fog!  The combination of the two made for great fishing.  The Bass were sipping the small baits right ion the surface and the were eating crease fly's very well.  Doug Bird landed some strong and acrobatic Bass at the end of last week, and the bait and switch worked earlier during the week for the larger fish.  The hot weather has put things off a bit as soon as it heats up and the sun is high, but still the fishing is great.  Until next week, no sleep!

- Capt Frank Crescitelli

May 26, 2006

FCA Manhattan Cup Recap

It was a little crazy before this year's FCA Manhattan Cup.  It's amazing to see how this event has grown from an idea that Dave Fallon had, which he presented to you and I over a few beers 8 years ago!  When you turned to me and said, do you think guys will do it?  I never thought it would be as big as it is! I'm proud and exhausted, but it was a wild success, and all the money will be used to protect the resource.  We started off with a BBQ lunch sponsored by Urban Angler in NYC and then fished the rest of the day in crazy weather.  Not even hailstorms could hold these guys back, and most teams experienced some great fishing.  Fireworks sponsored by Mako Vodka and the "Big Man" Clarence Clemens blowing his sax were two unbelievable additions this year.  Having Clarence fish on one of my boats was a great honor.

Capt. Tony Gangone guided Clarence to the biggest Striped Bass he has ever seen!  Fin Chaser captain Fletcher Chayes guided Keith Overlander to the winning Bass on the fly and even I managed to win Largest Bass on bait (I know) caught by Geoffrey Jones, Largest Bluefish on Fly caught by Bob (Bubba) Rich and largest Bluefish on artificial, caught on a Barefoot "Getz Em" jig by Michael Donovan. Capt.

Gene Quigley guided my new friend, former Yankee catcher Mike Stanley to win the Manhattan Cup, congrats to Gene!  My sincerest thanks to all the captains that donated their time, expertise and boats to support the new Fishermen's Conservation Association.  There were too many to list, but please log on to www.manhattancup.com in the next few days's to see all the captains listed. 

A special thank you to my Co-chair David Fallon for all his hard work, and to all the volunteers that helped make this tournament a wild success. This year we also added a Striper Tube category and we weighed in and released, alive, over 25 Stripers. Capt. Rich Tenrerio of Northeast Angling won that division and took home the 2500.00 prize money as well. This years "man of the year" Capt.  Gary Ellis, had his first Striper ever as well with me that day, so all in all it was great!

As for the fishing, it has been insane!  Gator Bluefish and Hog Stripers are here and don't seem like they are going anywhere for a while.  I have said this for the last four years and I'll say it again -- "this is the best spring fishing in my life" I'll end on that note.

- Capt Frank Crescitelli

May 12, 2006

Welcome back everyone!

We're fishing again and all is right with the world once again! Very large Menhaden have moved into Raritan Bay and the Big Bas and Bluefish are feeding heavy on them.  When the fish are feeding on these large baits make it is very hard to fool them with a fly, even a big one, but the reward is worth the risk!  This past week we had some good day's with the fly with Bass up to 14 pounds, and Blues up to 11 pounds. When we have clients that liveline, well, let's just say... ther've been bigger.  With fish up to 42 pounds in the bay eating the live baits, anything can happen on the fly and if this year is anything like last, we broke the 20 pound mark many many times.  It's all a matter of being in the right place at the right time, because we know something like 26 million fish will pass through our area this spring, so get your big bunker flies, your full sinking lines and go get em! By the way, nothing sinks like Rio T-14 Tungsten heads, they will get you down in 25 feet of water!

The fishing in Raritan Bay and lower NY Harbor has been off the hook, but challenging at times with the fly, still. This week we had a 21 pounder on the fly and some very nice teen size fish as well. The movement of the Bunker is dictating where we are fishing and changes from day to day, which is keeping it interesting! Very large fish are moving in everyday, so stay tuned.

- Capt Frank Crescitelli