Frenzied bonito bite after ocean settles from Hurricane Ernesto's swells

The bonito were in a frenzied mood on Monday, the day after Hurricane Ernesto's swells had mostly cleared out.

The fish were not far from the inlets. Capt. Cole Riback on Queen Mary party fishing boat said they got to them after a short, five mile ride to the northeast from Manasquan Inlet. The bonito were running with the bluefish, as they have been for the past couple of weeks.

Riback had the boat on the drift and said they were covered over in both fish. His fares landed their limit of bluefish by mid-morning the fishing was that fast paced. It was all jig fishing. Anglers could land them on AVA size 017 jigs but the epoxy jigs were the most effective tackle, said Capt. Dave Riback, who was also on the boat with his son.

Dave Riback said some of the more experienced fishermen were catching the bonito with JYG bucktails. The bonito fishing is good enough that the Queen Mary will be running special trips for them on Thursdays that depart from the dock at 5:30 a.m.

More: Fishermen fight and land cobia, bonito, blues on the inshore grounds

Capt. Ryan Boagn on the Jamaica II party fishing boat had some keeper fluke in the boat by mid-morning on Monday but the swells from the storm were still effecting the drifts.

Ernesto, which had powered backup to Hurricane strength on Monday as it tracked toward Canada, sent some waves to the coast when it passed offshore of New Jersey as a tropical storm. The swells starting rolling in on Saturday and some of the captains out of Manasquan Inlet came in early to avoid a churned up inlet created by the shoal on the Point Pleasant Beach side.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge boat Murden was working in the inlet on Sunday as it continues to dig out the sand built up. No boats sailed out of Manasquan Inlet on Sunday but boats did make it out elsewhere on the coast. The Golden Eagle party boat out of Belmar fished Sunday and saw very good action from the bonito and blues. Capt. Rich Falcone also reported a catch of a king mackerel and a cobia.

More: What's biting: get the latest fishing reports here

The Coast Guard assisted in the rescue of two individuals that got trapped on the Barnegat Inlet south jetty during the high tide in the late afternoon, early evening hours on Sunday. Petty Officer Christopher Bokum said a helicopter that was dispatched from the Atlantic City station was able to hoist the individuals off the inlet and deliver them safely to shore. Bokum said the two were checked out by local first aid and he said no serious injuries were reported.

When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Frenzied bonito bite after ocean settles from Hurricane Ernesto's swells