During the course of this study, an effort was made to locate 

 the areas in the Middle Atlantic Right where the pelagic species in 

 the charter boat catch are taken* On the basis of more than 200 

 interviews and records of charter boat trips the fishing areas used 

 in 1948 have been plotted (Figure 1), 



b. THE 1948 CHARTER BOAT SEASON 



The 1948 New York and New Jersey charter boat season began 

 about the first of April. Its beginning was sporadic. Small catches 

 of ling, soup, sea bass, and tautog were reported. It was not until 

 the second week of May, when the spring run of mackerel made Its 

 initial appearance in the Middle Atlantic Bight, that all the charter 

 boats began sailing with any degree of regularity. The height of 

 the 1948 mackerel season was reached the last week of May, and by 

 the twentieth of June, spring mackerel fishing was virtually over. 



With the passing of mackerel fishing, many of the charter 

 boat operators turned to fishing for bluefish, while others began 

 fishing in and around Shrewsbury Rocks for striped bass. Bluefish, 

 according to many long-time New Jersey charter boat operators, were 

 more abundant in the Middle Atlantic Bight during 1948 than they 

 had been for the last 13 to 15 years. These scrappy fish afforded 

 excellent fishing for charter boat patrons until the latter part 

 of September, and often provided the difference between a good oatoh 

 and a poor one. Good striped bass fishing was found in and about 

 rocky shoals by charter boat fishermen who enjoyed fishing for thi« 

 species. 



'I\ina and bonito began to appear late in June. These txma, 

 of the school variety (8 to 66 pounds), failed to come inshore, eaid 

 remained instead about 50 miles offshore from Manasquan Inlet. 

 Catches up to 50 fish were reported for as little as Z hours fishing 

 time. Charter boat operators, however, soon abandoned fishing these 

 schools of tuna because of the excessive running distance, high fuel 

 consumption, and the short periods of fishing time afforded their 

 fares once the schools were located. Fishing for bluefish and bonito 

 was resorted to until the latter part of July when large tima appeared 

 in the "Mud Hole* and adjoining areas. 



Although large tuna (more than 65 pounds in weight) were fairly 

 common both inshore and in the ^Mud Hole* area, the oatohes were 

 light. Prominent among the factors which seemed to Influence the 

 availability of large tuna during the 1948 season was the presence 

 or absence of fish at the surface, and unseasonably high winds 

 during the latter part of the season. Many operators reported that 



