They call the April moon a “Pink Moon” but it sure looks blue to us.
Okay, the first thing I want you to do right now is going into your smartphone, open up the calendar, and add the words “fish moon” to the date of April 13, 2025. That’s the date of the full moon of April next year, and based on recent history that’s when things should really begin to catch fire next season. In 2024 along the shores of New Jersey and Delaware, April’s full moon occurred on Tuesday, April 23; but that Saturday before we had our first reports of bluefish and bluefin tuna being caught. When someone asks when things really start to pop next spring, refer back to this photo spotlight; lock it in!
The Saturday following the very first reported trophy bluefin of the season, Jim Peters and his crew headed east and returned to port with a 111-inch, 755-pound (dressed) bluefin.Rob Skudera and FJ Ientile joined Capt. Mike Nolan aboard his 23-foot Maycraft in late April out of Leonardo State Marina and brought this 80-inch trophy bluefin to Twin Lights Marina for weigh-in (282 pounds).Shawn Smith said he and three other kayakers (including his brother Dave) had a blast with the blues on April 27 in Monmouth County “All in about 3 feet of water and all the fish were 30 to 33 inches,” he noted.Gator blues returned to the Jersey Shore on the April moon, where Bruce Smith (along with brother Shawn) got on them in a salty river, all on top water using spooks and Bombers, primarily walk the dog retrieve.The trophy bluefin “subquota” got a quick workout in late April; Richard Bruder and his crew brought this one home for the table, a trophy of 564 pounds that taped out at 105 inches in length.Andy at Riptide Bait & Tackle texted us on April 24th to let us know about this 34-inch, 10-pound, 3-ounce gator for Dan Massimini plugged up along the beaches of Brigantine.
