NEW JERSEYPARTY AND
CHARTER BOATDIRECTORY
2000
Prepared By:Christine GiordanoSherry L. Hartley
Kimberly KurzKaren Michalski
Bill Figley
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Division of Fish and Wildlife
Additions 2001-2016 see page 20
Whether a novice or seasoned angler, diver or sight-seer, New Jersey party and charter boats offer year-round adventure on the States bay and ocean waters.Party and charter boats let you take advantage of theskill and knowledge of experienced captains and well-equipped vessels at a reasonable cost. All party andcharter boats are inspected and licensed by the U.S.Coast Guard for the passengers safety; all captains arequalified and licensed.
New Jerseys extensive fleet consists of about 100party and over 300 charter boats, which are docked inports at all the major ocean inlets and bays. The basicdifference between the two types of boats is that pas-sengers on a party or head boat pay individually as theyboard on a first come basis until the boat is filled, whilea charter must be reserved in advance by a group of pas-sengers.
Party boats are large vessels, ranging from 60 toover 100 feet in length, that carry anywhere from 20 to150 passengers. They provide anglers with the ability togo fishing at almost any time with no advanced planning,thus allowing them to go when the fish are running. Partyboats sail on a daily schedule for designated species.Bait is provided and rods, reels andtackle may be rented onboard. Coldsoda and beer are available; someboats even have snack bars thatprepare hot food. The cost of the tripis dependent upon the type of fish-ing or activity; for example, bluefish-ing, which usually requires a longrun and large amounts of chum andbait, is slightly more expensive thaninshore wreck or bottom fishing.Childrens fares are usually dis-counted.
Most ports have several partyboats, offering a variety of differenttypes of fishing. There are full, halfand thre e-quarter day, morn ing,afternoon, evening and night tripsavailable. Some party boats featurespecial long-distance trip for tuna,tilefish, cod or whale watching. Suchtrips usually require advanced reser-vations.
Some tips for fishing on partyboats:
Read the fishing reports in thenewspaper to find out which speciesare abundant. Listen to the marineweather forecast the night before atrip. If the forecast is unfavorable, goanother day. Arrive at the dock early,especially on weekends, to secure aplace on the boat. Take plenty ofwarm clothes; even during the sum-
mer, it can be cold on the water. Take something to holdyour catch, preferably a cooler with ice.
Charter boats are typically smaller in size, between25 to 60 feet in length. While most charter boats carry amaximum of 6 to 8 anglers, others carry much largergroups. Many party boats can also be reserved for largegroup charters. The primary advantage of a charter isthat you can reserve the entire boat for a selected group.Charters should be arranged well in advance, up to 6months ahead of time. Decisions that should be madeprior to contacting a charter captain include:
size of your grouptype (age, sex, experience) of people in
groupport of departureapproximate date and timetype (method, species) of fishing or activity
Charter captains require an advanced deposit. Thetrip fee varies considerably, depending upon the lengthof the trip and fuel and bait expenses. All bait and tack-le is supplied on charter boats. Some boats will arrangeto cater food if requested.
PARTY AND CHARTER BOATS
When Species Are Available*Species J F M A M J J A S O N D
A E A P A U U U E C O EN B R R Y N L G P T V C
Bluefish X X X X X X XBonito X X XCod X X X X X X X X
Croaker X X XDolphin X X XDrum X X
False Albacore X X XFluke (Summer Flounder) X X X X X XLing X X X X X X X X X X X X
Mackerel X XMarlin X X XPorgy (Scup) X X X X
Sea Bass X X X X X XShark X X X X XStriped Bass X X X X X X XSwordfish X X XTautog X X X X X X X X
(blackfish)Tuna X X X
Tuna, giant X XWeakfish X X X X X X XWhiting X X X X X X X
Winter Flounder X X X X X X X
*Recreational fishermen are reminded to review current fishing regulations.
METHODS OF FISHING(P = PARTY, C = CHARTER)
Bluefish C P, C P, CBonito C P, C Cod P, C P, C
Croaker P, C Dolphin C Drum P, C
False Albacore C P, C Fluke (Summer Flounder) P, C Ling P, C
Mackerel P, CMarlin C Porgy (Scup) P, C
Sea Bass P, C Shark P, C Striped Bass C P, C P, C
Swordfish C C Tautog P, C Tuna C P, C
Tuna, giant P, C Weakfish P, C P, CWhiting P, C P, C
Winter Flounder P, C
Know the RulesWhen fishing on party and charter boats, it is essen-
tial to know the current state and federal regulationsregarding the seasons, size limits, and possession limitsof the species for which you are fishing. While the cap-tain of the fishing vessel should be aware of the rules,knowing them ahead of time will help you plan your trip.Current fishing regulations are published in the MarineIssue of the Fish and Wildlife Digest which is either avail-able free of cost at bait and tackle shops or by writing fora copy from:
Division of Fish and WildlifePO Box 418
Port Republic, NJ 08241
A summary of the marine fishing regulations is also avail-able on the Division Internet Web Site at:
www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw
SANDY HOOK INLETJERSEY CITYLiberty Harbor Marina, 100 Marin BoulevardJP&C Sportfishing, Charter, 35', 6 passengersCapt. Karl Sielski, 30 East 35th Street, Bayonne, NJ D: 201-332-8693 B: 201-915-0828 F: 201-521-1007April - November; Three-quarter day, Half-day, Full-Day,
OvernightFluke, Tuna, Billfish (canyon), Weakfish, Striped Bass,
Wreck/Reef, Shark, Bluefish, Night BluefishScuba Diving, Evening Cruise, Bird Watching, Environmental
Observations
KEYPORTCaptain Johns Dock, American Legion DriveCaptain John, Party, 85', 150 passengersCapt. John Connell, PO Box 539, Keyport, NJ 07735D/N/F: 732-462-1506March - November; Three-quarter dayFluke, Weakfish, Striped BassEvening Cruise
MORGANOlde Spye Marina, 12 Thomas AvenueOlde Spye, Party/Charter, 62', 66 passengersCapt. Gary Bouchard, 12 Thomas Avenue, Morgan, NJD/N: 732-721-2892March - October; Three-quarter dayFluke, Weakfish, Striped BassEvening Cruise, Bird Watching, Weddings, Dinner Cruise,
Environmental Observations
LEONARDOLeonardo State Marina, Beach AvenueFreddy-C, Charter, 85'Capt. Fred Coles, 14 Benton Ave, Leonardo, NJ 07737D/N: 732-291-9303 B: 732-872-7752March - December; Three-quarter dayFluke, Weakfish, Striped BassEvening cruise
PHONE ABBREVIATIONS:
D = Day phone
N = Night phone
B = Boat phone
F = Fax
Tuna are caught in offshore, blue waters. (Photo by HankWurzburger).
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDSAtlantic Highlands Marina, 1st Avenue & Simon Lake DriveAtlantic Star, Party, 73', 100 passengersCapt. Thomas Buban, 12 Hudson Avenue, Atlantic Highlands,
NJ 07716D/N: 732-291-5508March - December; Half-dayFluke, Weakfish, Wreck/ReefEvening CruiseHandicap accessible Barb-Gail II, Charter, 48', 15 passengersCapt. Jack Sweeney, PO Box 487, Atlantic Highlands, NJ
07716D/B: 732-291-2115 F: 732-262-0102April - December; Half-Day, Full-DayFluke, Tuna, Weakfish, Striped Bass, Wreck/Reef, Shark,
Bluefish, Night BluefishDay/Evening Cruise, Bird WatchingCaptain Dave, Charter, 48', 40 passengersCapt. David Dzielak, 124 Main Street, Sayreville, NJ 08872D: 732-613-8307 B: 732-407-2470March - December; Three-quarter day, Half-Day, Full-DayFluke, Weakfish, Striped Bass, Tuna, Billfish (canyon), Shark,
Wreck/Reef, Bluefish, Night BluefishEvening Cruise, Whale Watching, Bird Watching,
Environmental ObservationsCaptain Rons Fisherman, Party/Charter, 72', 120
passengersCapt. Ronald Santee & George Bachert, 58 7th Avenue,
Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716D: 732-872-1454 N: 732-872-0505 F: 732-872-2127March - December; Three-quarter dayFluke, Weakfish, Striped Bass, Wreck/Reef, Bluefish, Night
BluefishEvening CruiseEagle Charters, Charter, 50', 49 passengersCapt. Arthur J. Hillard, 6 Haven Road, Old Bridge, NJ 08857D/N: 732-679-2826April - November; Three-quarter Day, Half-Day, Full-DayFluke, Weakfish, Striped Bass, Wreck/Reef, Bluefish, Night
BluefishEvening CruiseHandicap accessibleFreespool Sport Fishing, Charter, 33'Capt. Scott Vigar, 65 Florence Avenue, Leonardo, NJ 07707D/N: 732-872-9108 F: 732-872-8726April - December; Half-Day, OvernightFluke, Tuna, Weakfish, Striped Bass, Shark, Bluefish, Night
BluefishEvening CruiseHandicap accessible Little Hawk Sport Fishing, Charter, 52'Capt. Joseph Occhipinti, 80 Seaview Avenue, Long Branch,
NJ 07740D/N: 732-229-6026 B: 732-872-8713F: 732-870-3569 E-mail: [email protected] - November; Half-Day, Full-DayFluke, Weakfish, Striped Bass, Wreck/Reef, BluefishEvening CruiseMI-JO Scardigno, Charter, 55', 49 passengersCapt. Michael Scardigno, 14 Tiensch Avenue, Leonardo, NJ
07737D: 732-872-0121 N/B: 732-872-8776F: 732-872-7806April - November; Three-quarter day, Half-DayFluke, Weakfish, Striped Bass, Wreck/Reef, Bluefish, Night
BluefishEvening CruiseHandicap accessible
Prowler C. F. Inc., Party, 65'Capt. Allen & Scott Hilliard, 35 Sears Avenue, Atlantic
Highlands, NJ 07716D: 732-291-4904 N: 732-872-7530March - January; Three-quarter dayFluke, Weakfish, Striped Bass, Wreck/Reef, Bluefish, Night
BluefishHandicap accessible Sea Fox, Party, 75', 84 passengersCapt. Don HagerD/N: 732-291-4222January - December; Three-quarter day (winter), Half-Day
(summer)Fluke, Tuna, Billfish (canyon), Wreck/Reef, Bluefish, Night
Bluefish, Cod, Pollock, LingSea H
