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IMPORTANT NOTE: The full version of River Views is no longer just for members. If your emailed copy of River Views ends abruptly look for this quote "[Message clipped]  "View entire message" at the bottom of the page. Clicking there will open up the full issue.

Did you know that back issues of River Views, the monthly newsletter of the HRFA, are available for all to enjoy on our website? Click here, or the River Views banner, to go directly there and catch up on your reading.

Be sure to also check out the H.R.F.A. Events Calendar below for this month's member birthday notices, holidays and events.

(Limit 2 tables per donation.)

Towards the end of the derby, a flock of feeding seagulls did get those about to call it quits for the day to wade out into the surf and make the longest cast possible at a chance to get tight, but no one was home.

Bill generously donated a valuable plug to our HRFA Annual Awards Dinner that should have every striper fisherman anxious to own the promising plug. You might plan on getting in on that opportunity. This special limited edition Super Strike Little Neck Swimmer "Killer Bee" is already selling at over $65 on-line. For collectors it's a must have.

Noah Sardinas' big win at the 3rd Annual Bass & Blues Surfcasting Derby was recognized at the October meeting. In the photo, he is presented with a Beast River tee (that he will have to grow into) and a target by President Joe Albanese. The target is to let everyone know that he's the one to beat next year. BTW, Noah beat a field of 17 other HRFA surfcasters competing in the derby - none of whom caught a bass or bluefish.

Click HERE or the ZOOM logo to watch the video broadcast of our November meeting in its entirety.

New Member this month is John Loperfido from Cortland Manor, N.Y.

 Fight For the Hudson

What is HRFA Free Money? Are you a paid member.?

 At every HRFA in person meeting, half of the HRFA portion of the 50/50 money goes into a virtual jar. At the end of the meeting, a paid HRFA members name is picked (from a jar of all paid HRFA members) to receive the money. The name is announced three times. If the HRFA paid member is not present, the money goes back into the jar for the next months meeting. The process continues and is repeated at the next HRFA meeting.

The generous grace period ended for renewals on March 31st. Those not renewed are on the stale list and are removed from the membership rolls. Note , If you do not have a 2024 or life time membership card , you are not a HRFA member.

For those people who join(ed) the HRFA in October (or later) of a given year, their new or renewal membership also is covered for the following new year. There is also a generous grace period (3 months) for those who are unable to update their membership in January, however paying your dues late puts a strain on the records maintenance and consequently the ability of the executive board’s planning of activities and events.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or want to help (time, skills, or financially) on any particular club projects or events, feel free to email me, Arnie Ulrich (kavester@aol.com) or call me at 1-201-304-4691.

Carl Bruger has been a writer for this newsletter educating and entertaining us who read River Views for a long time. Here is (are) his latest gem(s).

November 16th marked the NJ jump in keeper Tog from just one to five fish over 15 inches in length. This is when I ready the blackfish gear for serious fishing on the Point Pleasant canal. For over a half century my sojourns south have ended behind the current Crest Pointe Rehabilitation center. It is here that only a three foot

chain link fence separates the angler from the brine flowing in the fish prolific canal. Pick the right season, day, time, and tide and you are likely to encounter stripers, bluefish, fluke, flounder, weakfish, sea bass and bergalls in addition to the target tog.

I’ve fished here over a hundred times in that lengthy span and NEVER was skunked even if I went home fish-less at times because my “Lip Puller” pliers failed to lengthen even my largest under-sized blackfish. Last year was a great example of frustration. Landing 32 and 42 tog on two fish fruitful trips a week apart, this scribe brought home a whopping total of just three keepers that topped 15 inches. I’m certain Blackfish schools teach their “classes” not to grow over 14 ½ inches so they are guaranteed free crab meals from the sportsmen who follow the NJ fish laws compendium.

Last week I actually lost count of landings as Arnie Ulrich and I bailed blackfish until we ran out of green crab, shrimp and clam baits. The fish were into the entire smorgasbord and it was not just two of us in lucky spots. One young angler said he caught over 60 fish to reach his 5 fish limit. They hit on jigs or the old Virginia rigs and sinkers with plenty of gear lost to the rocks as the toll paid for entering tog domains. Because I was losing bait at breakneck speed I tried a new trick that really worked! I sliced thin dime sized Gulp brand fluke baits from a stale half-dried packet of mullet. I hooked one chunk above and one chunk below the ½ green crab impaled through the leg holes on my #4 Virginia hook. The new configuration took longer for the various sized bait stealers to abscond with the crab bait thus resulting in more fish and bait that stretched further. I still went through two dozen green grabs, plus several salted shrimp and clam slices donated by Arnie.

My trip back to Hackettstown was a fast 85 total miles as I was anxious to clean the four keepers from 15 to 16 1/2 inches. I fried up one for our dinner the next day and froze one for the future. I kept each head and rack to be boiled in a huge pot to make my famous fish

chowder the next day. (Recipe is at the end of this article) Two sets of fillets were chunked to add to the head and rack meat I gleaned from my boiling project. My late, great, friend and HRFA member Darren Cardinal, loved my Blackfish chowder and we often took some in big soup thermos containers on our trips during cold winter weather.

My tog rods are all rigged with various tests no stretch Power Pro line for better bite detection, then a swivel to 30 pound Seaguar leader with a looped bottom to have a 1 to 8 ounce sinker or jig depending on the tide pull. Each sinker, weather coin or bank style, has

been dipped in yellow or red liquid rubber tool grip so their glare is gone and their color attracts tog interest. The sticky bottom means one hook is the limit and the stiff Virginia hook snell works best hanging just off the sinker. Any slack line and you are feeding the insatiable

denizens. Another old trick that worked was to have orange or red salmon sponge snagged on the snell to make blackfish dentures get hung up for that extra split second.

My next trip with Wayne Geider, Marvin Oresky and Arnie was Tuesday the 21st . The fish were still there but it was windy, cold and damp with no fish landed over 15 inches when I departed with no feeling in my hands. One guy next to us nabbed a trophy tog that measured 17 ¼ inches and looked like a football sans laces! The guys may go back right after Thanksgiving to seek something besides leftovers. Blackfish will be inshore for the next couple of month so get in on the angling.

What started out as a blackfishing charter, on the coldest day of the 2023 fall season so far, eventually ended up as a bonafide striped bass bonanza. It was 29-degrees without considering the windchill factor. Thank goodness we could duck into the heated cabin of the XTC's 44' Henriques fishing yacht to warm up, have lunch, and talk.

On board were HRFA members Dirk VanEverdingen, Arnie Ulrich, Richie Wheeler, Jerry Crean, Paul Tinghino and Joe Albanese. After several hours of targeting togs with little success (Arnie had the only keeper) Capt. Scott asked if we would like to follow the flocks of diving gulls with bass blowing up on the bait below them. The guys responded, "Yes, let's do that instead."

Rods, reels and offerings at the end of the line were switched out and we were into fish right away. The bass hit everything we threw at them. We scored with Ava jigs and swim shads but the topwater action on poppers and walk-the-dog Doc's was explosive and so much fun to behold as multiple bass would compete to inhale the lures. All six of us went home with their two bass limit: one between 28-31" and another of 24-28" using the boat's allotted NJDEP Bonus Tag Permits.

Please make your selection from the list below and make a reservation by emailing Michael Sardinas at Vicepresident@thehrfa.org  If the title is available, you will receive a confirmation and book will be ready for pickup at the following General Meeting. 

By Wayne Geider

The HRFA hosts an annual fishing contest which runs from January through December and is open to all HRFA members. You have 30 days from the day you catch a fish to send in your entries. So, the deadline for submissions is January. As a member of the HRFA you and your immediate family are eligible to enter fish in any of our categories. Various divisions are available for prizes presented at our Annual Awards Dinner in March of the following year. Website updated daily. River Views newsletter updates below are done around the first the month. * indicates a new club record.

To be posted on Instagram, photos of your catch should be emailed or texted to Alex Spindelman: (845) 548-0003, a.spindelman@gmail.com