Think we will see Whiting in our lifetime?

[Reel Class]

Not bursting anybody's bubbles here but there were a good amount of whiting in the deeper reaches of the mud hole and up on the north side this past spring and early summer. These were not the baseball bat sized fish nor where they all spikes, but they were there. Yes totally different fishery than that of 25 + years ago but there were more around this year than there have been in 20 years.

I'm a big believer in most "fisheries" being cyclical - some species have good spurts while others have spurts where they are hard to come by. The most notorious example of this would be our weakfish fishery - where we have wild cycles where they are thick as fleas and others where there are virtually no fish around.

I also read somewhere once that a couple of generations in the 1800's never SAW a bluefish in NJ waters, only to have them return later on in droves and people who saw/caugth them had no idea what they were. Hard to believe right?

On a similar note, I read somewhere that fishermen/scientists hypothesized that those whiting seen offshore were migrators from the stocks out east - not from a localized stock (mud hole) which we used to have before it was completely wiped out.

They taste great, are easy to catch, and will basically eat anything so if they come back in any #'s it will be great for all of us.

Although I never set foot on the Long Branch Pier, I remember several occasions in the 80's where the old Casino Pier in SSH (the one that Sandy took w/ her) was the site of some "wild" early spring evenings where jumbo breeder ling and whiting were flying over the rails and into the sinks and buckets 2-3 at a time. Great times - let's hope the stock gets rebuilt and we can enjoy them again!

[Capt. Debbie]

I agree it's cyclic. Remember stripers decimated and never recovering? Now weakfish are decimated and gone from north NJ. Why? It's not that simple to say the commercial demons did it again to us. Not with weakfish.

The whiting fishing is very nastalgic. LOOK BACK....

Long Branch pier night fishing for whiting with my old man and brother in January in the early 70's. That's my life long memory. Cleaning up whiting and ling at Scotland light. There actually being an Ambrose Tower to watch.

Notice. There are no new fishing piers. Long Branch is gone. Probably both Seaside and Keansburg are not too far behind. Sad thing as it's an excellent way to introduce kids to fishing that you can actually leave when they get bored. Change again. To me not for better.

It's a cycle and things change. Now that Old Orchard is part of the reef program, they will likely make some ugly looking lattice structure to take its place. Bye lighthouse! A clone of the boring looking Greak Kills buglight? Probably. No character.

Nature cycles, we evolve not necessarily how we'd like.

Funny you read old books and you find that Raritan Bay had marked off areas for private clam and oyster grounds. Picture that happening today?

What about blowfish in Raritan or Sandy Hook Bays.

Or the 42' partyboat Pelican out of Montauk overloaded with 62 passengers (the Book DARK NOON) on a Labor day trip That trip killed 42 of them- top heavy and rolled.

Things change + and -. Nature readjusts and readjusts. The whiting are back( as stated earlier) and tweaking their migration a bit every year too.

Live long enough and history repeats itself. Maybe be a 150 years though.

Originally Posted by Reel Class

Not bursting anybody's bubbles here but there were a good amount of whiting in the deeper reaches of the mud hole and up on the north side this past spring and early summer. These were not the baseball bat sized fish nor where they all spikes, but they were there. Yes totally different fishery than that of 25 + years ago but there were more around this year than there have been in 20 years.

I'm a big believer in most "fisheries" being cyclical - some species have good spurts while others have spurts where they are hard to come by. The most notorious example of this would be our weakfish fishery - where we have wild cycles where they are thick as fleas and others where there are virtually no fish around.

I also read somewhere once that a couple of generations in the 1800's never SAW a bluefish in NJ waters, only to have them return later on in droves and people who saw/caugth them had no idea what they were. Hard to believe right?

On a similar note, I read somewhere that fishermen/scientists hypothesized that those whiting seen offshore were migrators from the stocks out east - not from a localized stock (mud hole) which we used to have before it was completely wiped out.

They taste great, are easy to catch, and will basically eat anything so if they come back in any #'s it will be great for all of us.

Although I never set foot on the Long Branch Pier, I remember several occasions in the 80's where the old Casino Pier in SSH (the one that Sandy took w/ her) was the site of some "wild" early spring evenings where jumbo breeder ling and whiting were flying over the rails and into the sinks and buckets 2-3 at a time. Great times - let's hope the stock gets rebuilt and we can enjoy them again!

[RBC67]

I remember all of the above. I was also one of the guy's that started the Long Branch Fishing club. Does anyone remember Roy's on 36 where you could trade 2 fresh whiting for 1 smoked

[coltsfan61]

Yes I remember as a kid in the early 70's fishing on the Place outta Hoboken nj fishing for whithing in the amboross channel, right by the iron horse LOL. Those whithig were called baseball bats because they were big! Along with 5 lb ling, we use to fill up burlap bags full of them.
The.last time we got them was on 1986 fishing on the dorthy b in sheepshead bay.robot cop was the big movie, yes. I had caught a few after that on private boats, and a party too and it was a big deal, everybody talked about the whithing I caught.MISS THOSE DAYS

[coltsfan61]

Forgot To Mention In The 80's I Caught A 5 Lb Whiting On The Palace And Won The Pool, Ollie Balletti Said That It's Been Years That The Pool Was Won On His Boat By A Quoting.
Yes And The Long Branch Fishing Pier, Boy The Whiting Was All Over By True Lights Mixed With The Herring. Remember Filling A 5gal Pail In A Hour Then Leaving Cause It Was Freezing Lol

[CaptBob]

I have seen it in my lifetime, but fear will not again.

Used to go "Frost" Fishing with my Pop and Grand Dad, Whiting would come up in the surf chasing bait and get stunned by the cold air, we would scap them up with long handled nets.

Used to be able to catch Whiting at the Cedars on Sandy Hook.........

Foriegn Ship killed the fishery in the late 80's-90's, and our government let them do it. Has never rebounded in out area.

Used to catch what we called "Baseball Bats" and thats how big they were. You'd take 2 burlap bags of Fish to Roy's or LeRoy's on Rt 36 and they would smoke them for half the fish............

Just a memory now

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Cuz

You are an old salt like me and probably fished on the Long Branch Pier. Pm me if you would like a picture of the pier. I took it from my 16' boat the day before it was to be demolished.

I did indeed fish the pier.. I am older than some here, but not others[58].. I appreciate the offer for the pic, but it would only bring sadness I'm afraid..bob

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

Just wondering.. I remember when NJ party boats stopped sailing for Tog in about mid November.. It was Whiting time, and believe it or not no one gave a crap about Tog.... Fall Tog season was about 6 weeks maybe.. Started early mid Oct, and were done when the Whiting and Ling came in solid inshore.

The whiting/ling boats had decent crowds but were rarely packed, because the fish were close in, and ALL the boats sailed for them,, so there was always room. In those days, if I recall correctly most of the bigger faster boats as far north as AH would sail all winter as long as the bay wasn't locked with ice. [As it WAS some years]... I sure miss those days.

In my opinion, if the Whiting come back strong, it will take a LOT of pressure off the blackfish, as it will give guys another option... I realize it will probably never happen.
The big foreign draggers took most of them, and a lot of us recreational guys did our share of damage as well, taking home galvanized garbage cans full, and running them over to Leroys on rt 36 to have them smoked... I hope they come back, but to be honest, I fear I may never see another one.. They were easily one of my favorite fish way back when. bob

The foreign boats crushed the whiting?Our own draggers out of Belford did a number on them also.They still drag and sell ''spikes''.They still purse sien for bunker in the bay.I wonder how many weakies and stripers died as by catch.My oldest son is 40 and got in on the whiting run when he was a boy.My youngest son Jamey who mates for me is 34 and never got to enjoy our whiting run.Sad isn't it.Let us not worry about what we had let is worry about the future!

[bulletbob]

Not really "worried" about it Capt Sal... Just sad is all...
... If those fish were still where they should be, your job would be easier, it would give your clients more options, and the pressure on other species would be lighter..

Think about this.. Imagine if the Whiting came back in numbers, as well as the Winter Flounder... It would be a great help to all other stocks of inshore fish species, as well as the guys like yourself that take guys out to fish for them.. The past is gone, I realize that.. I am worried about the future.. Some of these fish really need a break from the guys that are dragging them off the bottom before they can even spawn.... bob

[Knot Guilty]

The only thing wrong with winter flounders is the season and bag limits.