Jersey Shore Fishing: Only doormat in JCAA contest well short of $50,000 prize

There was only one doormat caught in Saturday's JCAA Fluke Tournament, but the $50,000 prize for the largest fluke exceeding 12 pounds wasn't approached by the 262 boats fishing out of nine ports in the statewide contest.  Harvey Karp of Kearny boated a 28.5-inch, 10.28-pound doormat in the Hudson River to win at the Jersey City port in Liberty Landing Marina -- where the only other fluke close to doormat size finished second.

That 28-incher was boated by Bob Croker of Old Bridge on his brother Scott's Triton from Keyport. Capt. Joe Massa was aboard as they finished second for the second straight year. Last year it was Scott that caught the big fish that was weighed in the crowded Sandy Hook port. I suggested that they should have selected the Jersey City port which usually has one of the smallest entry lists -- which they did this year, only to end up in what turned out to be the hottest port. Only the top two anglers were from North Jersey, while the rest of the 10 places went to boaters from far south of there in Brick.

Despite all the boats fishing the Sandy Hook port at Gateway Marina in Highlands, there were very few fluke weighed there. Robert Moskal of Scotch Plains won the port with a 5.48-pound fluke as none of the top ten at the much larger port would have even placed at Jersey City.  Indeed, the smallest place winner in the state (1.87 pounds) took the last spot at Sandy Hook.

Dave Lilly of Hazlet pounded Ambrose Channel from one end to the other and rarely saw a net move on other boats. Live baits, including spot, didn't produce, but he finally got into a little flurry late in the late -- though he didn't get back to Gateway in time with a 6-pounder.

The JCAA's complete list of winners follows at the end of this blog.

Capt. Ron Santee, of the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands, said weekend fluke fishing was poor, but he's not complaining after what he considers to be one of the best fluke seasons in years.

There was a much better report from the ocean, as Capt. Ryan Bogan of Jamaica II from Brielle said fluking was slow during the week due to east winds and a big ground swell before bouncing back Saturday. Sean Elumba of Stamford, Ct. had his fluke limit by 9:03 a.m., and Dave Tootchen of Philadelphia did so 20 minutes later. The largest fluke of the week was an 8.2-pounder by Duane Lochteh of Philadelphia, who wasn't in the monthly pool.

HERE ARE THE JCAA WINNERS FOR 2016                                
        * Denotes $50 Port Calcutta Winner                        
        ** Denotes $100 Port Calcutta Winner                        
        $ Denotes $50 Overall Tournament Calcutta Winner                        
        $$ Denotes $100 Overall Tournament Calcutta Winner                        
1. Jersey City                                
    Name    Hometown    Entry #    Weight    Length            
1st    Karp, Harvey * ** $, $$    Kearny, NJ    87    10.28    28.50            
2nd    Croker, Robert    Old Bridge, NJ    208    9.80    28.00            
3rd    Masso, Cody    Brick, NJ    140    8.10    27.00            
4th    Gavrun, Michael    Brick, NJ    82    7.45    25.50            
5th    Viola, Pat    Brick, NJ    180    7.40    27.25            
6th    Gonzalez, Tony    Brick, NJ    188    7.10    25.75            
7th    Buchanan, Thomas    Brick, NJ    217    6.53    26.25            
8th    Murphy, Thomas    Brick, NJ    70    6.16    24.75            
9th    Mitchell, Chuck    Brick, NJ    12    5.71    25.50            
10th    Cordano, Daniel    Brick, NJ    119    5.71    24.75            
                74.24    263.25            
2. Sandy Hook                                
    Name    Hometown    Entry #    Weight    Length            
1st    Moskal, Robert * **     Scotch Plains, NJ    136    5.49    23.50            
2nd    Kuncewitch, Joe    Old Bridge, NJ    232    5.42    22.50            
3rd    Porter, Robert    Andover, NJ    21    4.03    21.50            
4th    Morrell, Robert    Port Monmouth, NJ    194    3.74    22.50            
5th    Ginda Joe    Colonia, NJ    233    3.46    21.50            
6th    Conway, George    Atlantic Highlands, NJ    23    3.45    21.50            
7th    Van Winkle, Tom    Trevose, PA    107    3.39    20.50            
8th    Swartz, Dale    Pittstown, PA    29    2.47    19.50            
9th    Gurski, James    Nazareth, PA    114    2.31    19.50            
10th    Luciano, Nicholas    Hillsdale, NJ    73    1.87    18.00            
                 35.61    210.50            
3. Shark River Inlet                                 
    Name    Hometown    Entry #    Weight    Length            
1st    Heiser, Greg * **    Milford, NJ    91    6.72    26.25            
2nd    Eden, James     Lebanon, NJ    123    6.60    25.25            
3rd    Henry, John    Robbinsville, NJ    55    6.53    26.00            
4th    Ferrante, Jason    Pittstown, NJ    219    6.29    25.25            
5th    Temple, David    North Hanover, NJ    5    6.00    24.75            
6th    Smith, Ryan    West Orange, NJ    255    5.87    25.25            
7th    Brown, Bud    Fairless Hills, NJ    243    5.36    23.50            
8th    Mizsak, George    Hamonton, NJ    189    5.32    24.75            
9th    Gogan, Joe    Groverville, NJ    151    4.98    22.00            
10th    Sykes, Peter    Wall, NJ    172    4.88    23.25            
                 58.53    246.25            
                                
4. Manasquan River                                 
    Name    Hometown    Entry #    Weight    Length            
1st    Sivo, Peter * **     Middletown, NJ    2    8.56    26.00            
2nd    Risden, Mack    Tabernacle, PA    252    8.19    27.00            
3rd    Lake, Bob    Brick, NJ    125    7.60    26.00            
4th    Kirchofer, Reese    Pt Pleasant, NJ    240    7.02    25.50            
5th    Weinstien, Robert    Brielle, NJ    251    6.70    24.50            
6th    Calve, Drew    Toms River, NJ    242    5.715    24.50            
7th    Crilly, Jeff    Toms River, NJ    203    5.68    23.50            
8th    Seraphin, Sean    Pottstown, PA    178    5.62    23.75            
9th    Bogan, Ray    Pt Pleasant Beach, NJ    264    5.20    23.00            
10th    Spinella, Bob    Boonton, NJ    260    5.04    23.00            
                65.32    246.75            
5. Barnegat Bay                                
    Name    Hometown    Entry #    Weight    Length            
1st    Trimble, Tom *     Toms River, NJ    115    8.69    28.00            
2nd    Bonilla, Pete    Whiting, NJ    174    5.98    24.50            
3rd    Kostick, John Jr    Lakewood, NJ    65    5.44    24.50            
4th    Patierno, Tom     Brick, NJ    33    4.75    22.25            
5th    Paone, Zac  **     Toms River, NJ    226    4.55    22.12            
6th    Itjen, Doug    Barnegat, NJ    74    4.20    22.00            
7th    Broome, George Jr    Forked River, NJ    49    3.30    20.38            
8th    Majewski, Alex    Barnegat, NJ    244    3.06    19.50            
9th    Schacht, Walter    Beachwood, NJ    59    3.01    20.38            
10th    Checiniski, Leon    Barnegat, NJ    138    2.75    19.50            
                   45.73    223.13            
6. Long Beach Island                                
    Name    Hometown    Entry #    Weight    Length            
1st    Paetzold, Jeff * **     Browns Mills, NJ    211    6.35    24.50            
2nd    Rooney, David    Howell, NJ    262    5.95    23.75            
3rd    Cliver, Kevin    Sellersville, PA    170    5.94    23.75            
4th    Amato, Steve    Little Egg, NJ    228    5.80    24.50            
5th    Hiros, William    Pemberton, NJ    150    5.11    22.50            
6th    Cognigni, Brian    Burlington, NJ    165    4.79    22.75            
7th    Paolella, Dean    Springfield, NJ    141    4.37    21.88            
8th    Phillips, Stephen    Pemberton, NJ    105    4.21    22.38            
9th    Rust, Edwards    Cherry Hill, NJ    32    3.61    21.63            
10th    Algore, Ron    Manchester, NJ    177    3.14    20.00            
                 49.25    227.63            
                                
7. Great Bay                                
    Name    Hometown    Entry #    Weight    Length            
1st    Sullivan, Rick *    Browns Mills, NJ    265    6.13    25.50            
2nd    Siciliano, Tom    Little Egg Harbor, NJ    44    5.49    23.50            
3rd    Hagaman, Nathan    Egg Harbor City, NJ    246    5.40    23.75            
4th    Van sciver, Albert **    Mt Laurel, NJ    193    3.52    21.00            
5th    Russell, Walt    Hainesport, NJ    5    3.39    20.75            
6th    Nelson, Craig    Chesterfield, NJ    99    3.11    20.00            
7th    Kosty, Andre    Philadelphia, PA    97    2.60    19.50            
8th    none                            
9th    none                            
10th    none                            
                29.64    154.00            
                                
8. Ocean City                                
    Name    Hometown    Entry #    Weight    Length            
1st    Welch, Greg **    Townsend Inlet, NJ    210    5.24    24.00            
2nd    Smith, Brian *    Sewell, NJ    117    4.84    24.00            
3rd    Burgess, Richard    Avalon, NJ    62    4.69    23.50            
4th    Powell, Denise    Seaville, NJ    199    3.98    21.50            
5th    Farabee,Bob    Egg Harbor, NJ    7    3.89    22.00            
6th    Sajtlava, Raeann    Monroeville, NJ    48    3.55    21.25            
7th    Fitzick, Tom    Somes Point, NJ    106    2.75    19.50            
8th    Diorio Luis    Milmay, NJ    127    2.61    20.00            
9th    none                            
10th    none                            
                  31.53    175.75            
                                
9. Cape May                                
    Name    Hometown    Entry #    Weight    Length            
1st     Mullen, Bill * **     Lester, PA    6    4.60    21.50            
2nd    Wilson, Gary    Bensalem, PA    196    3.70    21.25            
3rd    Harley, Dan    Hatboro, PA    159    3.44    20.25            
4th    Cornew, John    Lindenwold, NJ    101    3.05    21.00            
5th    Ezixkson, Jack    Paoli, PA    31    3.00    20.50            
6th    Hunter,Steve    South Harrison, NJ    116    2.95    20.50            
7th    Simcox, Bill    North Wales, PA    51    2.39    19.00            
8th    Madden, George    Albion, PA    43    2.39    18.50            
9th    Crown, Joe    Phoenixville, PA    83    2.36    19.00            
10th    none                            
                27.88    181.50            
                                
                                
        Total Weight/Length-Ft        417.72    161

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