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00:00I'm Nick Hanushevsky. As a professional saltwater fishing journalist, I've explored the world's wildest fishing destinations.
00:07Now, I'm bringing you there, into the saltwater underground.
00:30Striped bass fishing along New Jersey's coast during November can only be described as legendary, an absolute world-class fishery.
00:52Wild opportunity abounds as bass detonate like bombs on bait schools, and anglers chomp at the bit to score with stripers on topwater poppers, jigs, and soft baits.
01:03It's no secret that Jersey has some colorful anglers in the community, but one born and bred garden stater is notorious for his over-the-top excitement for fishing, Mike Iaconelli, a.k.a. Ike.
01:16Ike made his name known for winning the esteemed Bassmaster Classic in 2003, becoming the only New Jersey-based largemouth hound ever to do so.
01:26Ike's passion for all things fishing is infectious, but he had rarely ever seen the power of a fall striper run.
01:33I gave Ike a shout, and the question wasn't if we were going to be successful, but to see if we could put Ike into his biggest bass ever.
01:41All right, meeting up with Captain Fred and Captain Jamar right now here in Point Pleasant, and looking for Ike.
01:50Hopefully he found his way here.
01:52Oh!
01:53He can't miss Ike, dude.
01:54Look at him.
01:55He's something you absolutely cannot miss pulling up into the parking lot.
02:00Let's go catch up with Ike.
02:02Nick!
02:03What's up?
02:04New Jersey, man.
02:05What's up, dude?
02:06It finally happened.
02:07Yeah.
02:08We're finally together.
02:11This is like three years in the making.
02:13I know, I know.
02:14And we're here.
02:15All it took was some striped bass to get us together, man.
02:17That's it.
02:18All right.
02:19So that's the plan.
02:20We're going to go for striper's day with Captain Fred and Jamar, man.
02:22Heck yeah.
02:23And see if we can get you into some fish.
02:25Striped bass, not largemouth bass, right?
02:26That's right.
02:27It's going to be a little change of pace, dude.
02:28I'm in.
02:29I'm in.
02:30Let's get everything.
02:31We'll roll.
02:32All right.
02:33I dialed up Captains Freddie Gamboa and Jamar Campbell of the Andreas Toy for good reason.
02:46Freddie and Jamar's passion and exuberance for striper fishing is unparalleled.
02:51We got word that bass blitzes were popping up during the morning hours along the Jersey coast.
02:56With Ike on board, we breached the Manisquan Inlet to search for the first bass schools of the day.
03:02And it wasn't long before we came upon a very nervous school of bunkers.
03:06All right, Freddie, it looks like we pulled up here in Manisquan.
03:09And what are we looking for for the striper?
03:11So right now we're looking for the bunker pods.
03:13Right.
03:14And there's two different classes of bait.
03:15There's a little peanut bunker.
03:17And then there's our larger adult bunker.
03:18Right.
03:19Okay.
03:20And here we got schools of them on the machine.
03:21Okay.
03:22Just completely loaded from top to bottom.
03:23We're at 20 feet.
03:24Right.
03:25And we just loaded with bait.
03:26There you go.
03:27So now what we're going to do is we're going to get our baits underneath all this bait.
03:31Okay.
03:32We're going to go live line them, cast some jigs and shads and poppers, see what's up.
03:38Right where those birds are.
03:39Over here.
03:40Over here.
03:41I see another pot right here.
03:42Ooh.
03:43Got him.
03:44Got him.
03:45Got him.
03:46Got him.
03:47Got him.
03:48Got him.
03:49Got him.
03:50Got him.
03:51Got him.
03:52Got him on that swimbait, dude.
03:54Got him.
03:55Look at that rod.
03:56Yeah.
03:57Mikey.
03:58Yeah.
03:59Man.
04:00So big, we'll get the net.
04:04Is he on?
04:05Is he netted?
04:06Yeah.
04:07Master jig.
04:08In his face.
04:09Oh my God.
04:10He ate it too.
04:11Nice job, bro.
04:12Perfect cast.
04:13Oh my God.
04:14Guys drop a bait down there on the bottom under.
04:16See those.
04:17These are bats under the bait right there.
04:18There he is again.
04:19Yeah.
04:20Yeah.
04:21Oh, single hooks too, baby.
04:22Woo.
04:23Little drag ripper.
04:24He said they called him small and he started getting bent.
04:25Yes.
04:26Oh my God.
04:27That's the name of the game, dude.
04:28That's the name of the game, dude.
04:29All right, dude.
04:30Oh my God.
04:31He ate it too.
04:32Nice job, bro.
04:33Perfect cast.
04:34Oh my God.
04:35Guys drop a bait down there on the bottom under.
04:36See those.
04:37These are bats.
04:38Under the bait right there.
04:39There he is again.
04:40Yeah.
04:41Yeah.
04:42Oh, single hooks too, baby.
04:43Big one.
04:44Woo.
04:45Big one.
04:46Woo.
04:47A little drag ripper.
04:48He said they called him small and he started getting bent.
04:52Yes.
04:53Whoa.
04:54Yeah, dude.
04:55Woo.
04:56Rock and roll.
04:57It's on the Island X.
04:58A little side winder there, man.
04:59That is looking awesome.
05:00Shellac does single hooks, which is what's great about the Island X side winders there,
05:04man.
05:05Easy release.
05:06There he is.
05:08All right.
05:09All right.
05:10Here you go, buddy.
05:11Let's get more.
05:12Woo.
05:13I see a lot of bait over there, it looks like.
05:15Let me run over there.
05:16It's going to be like an acre when they all come out.
05:21It's going to be crazy.
05:23Yes.
05:24Yes.
05:25Dino.
05:26Woo.
05:27There it is.
05:28The top loader.
05:29That was just blind cast and like.
05:31That's so great.
05:32Oh, yeah.
05:33Woo.
05:34Woo.
05:40I just think that the major feeds and everything is further to the south.
05:43Captain Freddy put us on the first blitz in fish and Ike broke the ice with his first striper.
05:48But some real wild times are about to come.
05:51This episode of Saltwater Underground with Nick Hanushefsky is brought to you by Fisherman's Supply, Grumpy's Tackle, Island X Lures, Nick Hanushefsky on Instagram and YouTube, and these fine supporting sponsors.
06:06I got a bunch of them under the boat right now.
06:07Jamar, you want to drop your straight down?
06:08Yeah, buddy.
06:09Welcome, Jamar.
06:10Got them, bud?
06:11That was on the live bunker.
06:12That was on the live bunker.
06:13Yeah.
06:14Yeah.
06:15Yeah.
06:16Yeah.
06:17Yeah.
06:18Yeah.
06:19Yeah.
06:20Yeah.
06:21Yeah.
06:22Yeah.
06:23Yeah.
06:24Yeah.
06:25Yeah.
06:26Yeah.
06:27Yeah.
06:28Yeah.
06:29Yeah.
06:30Yeah.
06:31Yeah.
06:32Yeah.
06:33Yeah.
06:34Yeah.
06:35Yeah.
06:36Yeah.
06:37Yeah.
06:38Yeah.
06:39Yeah.
06:40Yeah.
06:41Yeah.
06:42Yeah.
06:43Yeah.
06:44Yeah.
06:45Yeah.
06:46That's pretty close to Mike's.
06:47Could be a little bit bigger.
06:49Nice work.
06:50Woo.
06:51Woo.
06:52Nice one, Jamar.
06:53That's how they do it on Andrea's toy.
06:55All right.
06:56They're looking at, like, swinday.
06:59That was crazy.
07:01How's he fighting, brother?
07:02Oh, my God.
07:03Heavy duty, man, or what?
07:05I've never caught a largemouth this big.
07:10Oh my gosh.
07:12This is so different.
07:14Wow.
07:15Yeah.
07:16Well, you got that thing out there too.
07:18Oh yeah.
07:19It's a dinosaur!
07:21Look at a dinosaur on!
07:24Matt!
07:25Oh, you got some of them guys.
07:28Come on.
07:29Woo!
07:30Woo!
07:31Keep on the fishing.
07:33Ah!
07:35Ah!
07:36Ah!
07:37Yeah!
07:38Ah!
07:39Ah!
07:40Ah!
07:41Ah!
07:42Ah!
07:43What is that thing?
07:44Ah!
07:45Ah!
07:46Ah!
07:47Ah!
07:48What the hell is that?
07:51Yes!
07:52Yes!
07:53That's it!
07:55Ah!
07:56Ah!
07:57Ah!
07:58Ah!
07:59I've won the Bassmaster Classic.
08:00I've won Tournament of the Year.
08:02This is better than all that.
08:04Ah!
08:05Ah!
08:06Ah!
08:07Beautiful.
08:08Yeah, brother.
08:09I need to suck onto the gym.
08:10This is too big.
08:11All right.
08:12We'll release them out the back.
08:14Wow.
08:15Wow.
08:16The fish are starting to buff right here.
08:18Outside Barnegut Inlet.
08:19And Ike's back on them again.
08:21Now I gotta go catch my fish.
08:23On the sand eel.
08:24That was rad, man.
08:25This is light leader.
08:26Kind of 30 pounds.
08:27I think I'm in the water here.
08:28Woo!
08:29There we go.
08:30Nice fish, man.
08:31Nice fish.
08:32Get that.
08:33Super nice fish.
08:34Nice.
08:35Nice little sand eel imitation.
08:36That's about it, man.
08:37Nice fish.
08:38Nice fish.
08:39Nice fish.
08:40Nice fish.
08:41Nice fish.
08:42Nice fish.
08:43Nice fish.
08:44Nice fish.
08:45Nice fish.
08:46Nice fish.
08:47Nice fish.
08:48Nice fish.
08:49Nice fish.
08:50Nice fish.
08:51Nice fish.
08:52Nice fish.
08:53Ike gets the big one.
08:54I get another little one here.
08:55You know what I mean?
08:56That's how we gotta do it.
08:57Yeah.
08:58Thanks for lipping it, Jamar.
08:59All right, boys.
09:00Throw him right back in.
09:01Beautiful fish.
09:02Easy fight.
09:03Yeah.
09:04Yeah.
09:05He's on.
09:06He's on.
09:07That was sick.
09:08That was so great.
09:09That was awesome.
09:10Yeah, buddy.
09:11Another one on the soft bait, man.
09:12Oh, man.
09:13There we go.
09:14All right.
09:15We got a release going on here.
09:16He wants to get him in.
09:17This means much.
09:18This is worth more than a largemouth for him, man.
09:19I'll tell you what.
09:20Kick it.
09:21Oh.
09:22Oh.
09:23Oh.
09:24Oh.
09:25Oh.
09:26Oh.
09:27Oh.
09:28Oh.
09:29Oh.
09:30Oh.
09:31Oh.
09:32Oh.
09:34Oh.
09:35Oh.
09:36Oh.
09:37Oh.
09:38Yeah, right.
09:39Oh.
09:40Oh, they fight so bad.
09:41There you go.
09:42Oh.
09:43Come out of that hydrilla.
09:44Yeah.
09:45Get out of that milfoil.
09:46You can walk them down too.
09:47Walk them down.
09:48Oh.
09:49Yeah.
09:50Nice.
09:51Yeah.
09:52Oh.
09:53Oh.
09:54Oh.
09:55Oh.
09:56Yeah.
09:57Oh.
09:58Oh.
09:59Oh.
10:00Yeah buddy, nice work, another beautiful fish man, nice, get him to play, that was awesome.
10:15Two Jersey guys getting it done, bass to bass, right, larking out the slices.
10:19Alright, guys I need your help, when I get home tonight can we call my wife and convince her to sell the bass boat and get something like this.
10:28This is a big boat, maybe not this boat, but a saltwater boat, please help me guys, help me convince Becky to sell it all.
10:36Dude, I'm 52 years old and that still does that to me man.
10:42I might get seasick.
10:47No, I'm kidding, it was a joke.
10:52It looks like Freddy sees him over here, let's make a run.
10:55Yep, here we go, here we go, here we go.
10:58With the chew really stirring the fire on the outgoing tide, Freddy had a secret spot up his sleeve to intercept the moving striper schools.
11:12Starting to blow up, we got bass and we're seeing tuna, starting to bust in the waters here like two miles off the beach.
11:19That's why bass and tuna are on those sand eels.
11:22What did they say?
11:27A sand eel!
11:28I think I got a sand eel on!
11:30It's a world record sand eel!
11:33Matt!
11:34I was talking about sand eels and I just worked up.
11:37Oh my god, nice work brother.
11:39That's a true like, a true like land man.
11:48Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
11:51Mike on bass dude!
11:53What's all about guys, jersey coat with Mike Ikenelli.
11:57Oh my god!
11:58All jerseys, getting it done dude.
12:00All jerseys, Mike!
12:01He does my getting it done!
12:02Jersey in the house!
12:04There he is!
12:05There he is!
12:06There he is!
12:07There he is!
12:08There he is!
12:09There he is!
12:10That's it!
12:11I'm a fly!
12:12I'm a fly baby!
12:13I'm a fly!
12:14I'm a fly!
12:15I'm a fly!
12:16That's it!
12:17He's caught up!
12:18All tangled up!
12:19I can't hear he's all tangled up!
12:20I can't hear he's all tangled up!
12:21Yeah dog!
12:22Fly run!
12:23Yeah dog!
12:25Yeah!
12:26Fly run!
12:27I got a tangle in the line!
12:28It's gonna be interesting!
12:29That might be able to reel through, we'll see.
12:32Got the loop through man!
12:34Real dicey man!
12:35Hey little guy, but it's a fly rod bass!
12:37Swing him on the fly rod!
12:38It's a fly rod!
12:39I'll get him!
12:40Yeah!
12:41Fly!
12:42Fly!
12:43Fly!
12:44Look at that!
12:45On the fly rod!
12:46He's sick!
12:47Look at this on the fly dude!
12:49Oh yeah!
12:50Fast to back!
12:51Oh yeah!
12:52Fast to back!
12:53Oh yeah!
12:54Fast to back!
12:55Oh yeah!
12:56Fast to back!
12:57Oh yeah!
12:58Fast to back!
13:01Back to back here!
13:02Me and Jamar!
13:03Woo!
13:04This is when I need Ike's thumb here to lift this bass for me!
13:08Look at that iridescent pin!
13:09Look at that purple on him!
13:10It's so beautiful!
13:11Oh my god!
13:12On the way in dude!
13:13Bringing that fresh water rod out here!
13:14Seeing how it works!
13:15Beauty fish!
13:16What pound leader's on that!
13:17Oh!
13:18He just slings out!
13:19Like you're swinging it baby!
13:20That's bass master style right there baby!
13:21Oh wait!
13:22Oh!
13:23Oh!
13:24Oh!
13:25Oh!
13:26Dang!
13:27Oh!
13:28Oh!
13:29Oh!
13:30Oh!
13:31Oh!
13:32Oh!
13:33Oh!
13:34Oh!
13:35Oh!
13:36Oh!
13:37Oh!
13:38Oh!
13:39Oh!
13:40Oh!
13:41Oh!
13:42Oh!
13:43Oh!
13:44Oh!
13:45There it is!
13:46It's a striper with a bag set!
13:49Woo!
13:52First one you ever see like this he says!
13:55The backspin bass dude!
13:57The backspin striper!
13:58Are you kidding me?
13:59I'm Freddy Zangia's toy!
14:01Breaking it out dude!
14:02Breaking it out!
14:03Woo!
14:04I didn't expect that!
14:06So now we've got the classic evening conditions.
14:09The bait is now pinned up against the beach.
14:12Usually late.
14:13Late afternoon, early evening.
14:14Especially now in the winter time where the days are getting shorter.
14:18And look at this.
14:19In all this life you've got fish buffalo in every direction.
14:23Alright boys let's get to work!
14:25There's only five billion.
14:27Here it is.
14:28Instead of six billion.
14:29Here it is dude.
14:30Here it is!
14:31Here it is!
14:32Here it is!
14:33There it is!
14:34That's right!
14:35Again dude!
14:36Here we go!
14:37Evening bite is happening dude!
14:39Back here in shore!
14:40Busting up on bass baby!
14:42I learned from...
14:45I had to lip this one right here and I actually learned from Mike how to lip a bass!
14:52Same way you lip a largemouth but striper style!
14:56There we go!
14:57There's a feed right ahead of us!
14:58There we go!
14:59There's a feed right ahead of us!
15:01I can't see you!
15:02There we go!
15:03Where is that bass?
15:10Um!
15:11Oh!
15:12Pulling the heavy weight up man!
15:13Hook 20 again maybe!
15:14I don't know we'll find out!
15:15It could just be a bigger bass!
15:16Just a hard fighting fish!
15:20Pulling the heavy weight up, man.
15:22Hooked 20 again, maybe.
15:24I don't know, we'll find out.
15:26Could just be a bigger bass.
15:28Just a hard-fighting fish.
15:30I'll reach down and grab him up down here.
15:34He tried for the ice swing, but the bass was a little too big.
15:54That's all right, that's all right.
15:56What do you think about striper fishing in Jersey, brother?
15:58Striper fishing at home makes it more special.
16:02So, I'm with my people today.
16:04I'm with Jersey guys and Delaware guys.
16:06It's still Northeast.
16:08And it doesn't get any better than that, man.
16:10That's right.
16:12Nice work, brother.
16:14Yeah.
16:16The striper bait was full-on savage on the Andrea's toy.
16:20But after a little discussion, Ike wanted more.
16:23So, we decided to hit the surf and back bays to see if we can pull on some shorebound stripers.
16:29A stop to Grumpy's Tackle was necessary to get the latest intel.
16:35This episode of Saltwater Underground with Nick Honoshefsky is brought to you by
16:39Fisherman Supply, Grumpy's Tackle, Island Explores, Nick Honoshefsky on Instagram and YouTube, and these fine supporting sponsors.
16:47Hey, it's a freshwater section, dude.
16:53This is?
16:54Let's go get the soil water stuff, dude.
16:55This is too little.
16:56What are you doing?
16:57This is too little.
16:58I need bigger stuff.
16:59This is crazy because I think, dude, at the heart, every fisherman's like a junkie, a collector of lures.
17:06So, like, for me, I'm in heaven right now just looking around.
17:09This is crazy.
17:10Yeah, yeah.
17:11Grumpy's got a ton of stuff, man.
17:13So, this would be my go-to.
17:15Number one would be the small user of Twitch bait.
17:17Okay.
17:18They'd be killing on this.
17:19But, you know, I'm always taking a Magdart around with me.
17:22I know in the river, you know, we're using usually these white colors and, you know,
17:27Twitch, you know, darken them and twitch them and stuff like that rather than the usual stuff we're used to with, like, throwing big metals out and stuff.
17:33Yeah.
17:34So, we'll try them both, man.
17:35Let's try the back river and if we can get to the surf where we get some good reports, we'll head up that way.
17:39That sounds like a plan.
17:40All right.
17:41Let's do it, man.
17:42All right.
17:43Want to ring us up and see what's happening?
17:44Let's go.
17:45Heck yeah.
17:46Let's rock and roll.
17:47Nice meeting you guys.
17:48All right.
17:49Let's do it.
17:50All right, right, man.
17:51We'll catch up with you.
17:52Good meeting you.
17:53Yep.
17:54You take it easy.
17:55Good luck.
17:56Next time you see me, it'll be warmer.
17:57One of your old buddies, Rich Swistak, is here, dude.
18:00What?
18:01Dude, I haven't seen him in, like, 50 years.
18:03Yeah, yeah.
18:04You guys used to fish the bass there?
18:05We did.
18:06We were old bass buddies.
18:08Who's this guy?
18:09I picked the perfect day to come out and fish with you.
18:12Oh, yeah.
18:13Perfect buddy.
18:14I got somebody!
18:16I got my large mills in the boat!
18:20Nice one.
18:21Put them in the live well.
18:24Be calling here in five minutes.
18:26Yeah, boy.
18:27Look at that.
18:28That's awesome.
18:30You know, one of the things I love about fishing is to work through the challenges.
18:35Dude, it is the nastiest day.
18:38You see these guys here?
18:40They all have a sickness, and it's called fishing.
18:43Doesn't get any better than this right here.
18:46Look at this.
18:47Watch this.
18:48Ready?
18:49There he goes.
18:50Another dude.
18:51Another day.
18:52Another smile.
18:53Yeah!
18:54Nick!
18:55Nick!
18:56Nick!
18:57That's a bigger fish!
18:58Oh, he's up on top too!
18:59That's a bigger fish!
19:00Woo!
19:01All right.
19:02That's a better fish.
19:03Yeah, he's coming up top.
19:05Woo!
19:0630 mile an hour gust striper.
19:10Literally.
19:11That's a good one!
19:12Yeah, better fish.
19:13That's a big one.
19:14Nicer fish.
19:15Oh no!
19:16Jesus!
19:17Oh no!
19:18Jesus!
19:19It went through my legs!
19:21Holy hell, I thought he was playing soccer!
19:22We've got to get him again.
19:24Woo!
19:25He's getting close.
19:26Get this one in the boat!
19:28Get this one in the boat!
19:30That's a nicer fish.
19:31Yeah, bloody little back bay bass.
19:33There he goes.
19:34He's getting close.
19:35He's getting close.
19:36Get this one in the boat!
19:37Get this one in the boat!
19:38Woo!
19:39That's a nicer fish.
19:40Yeah!
19:41Yeah, bloody back bay bass.
19:43They're hitting them in these waves.
19:45Every 10 minutes, another wave comes through and they circle back out.
19:48So, beautiful fish.
19:50Look at the colors on that, man.
19:53Purples and blues.
19:55Nice river fish right there.
19:58There he goes.
19:59Oh yeah.
20:00Come over to see me real quick.
20:03He's bumping a nice one.
20:04Dude!
20:05Nick, give me some love here.
20:06You've got more of the catch here, brother.
20:07Look at these fish.
20:09Striper fishing during the fall run is full-on thermo-news.
20:12No matter how many thousands of fish you've caught in a lifetime, blitzing schools of
20:17bass are enough to get even the most seasoned angler hooping it up.
20:22Just ask Ike.
20:23No big money was on the line, nor trophies to be won with Ike and I heading out to fish,
20:28as the chance to score some serious bass on a day out, both from the boat and the shoreline,
20:33is reward enough.
20:34If I was a largemouth bass, I'd be feeling pretty relieved, as I bet Ike's tackle boxes
20:41are going to be holding a lot more saltwater gear in the near future.
20:44Ike.
20:45Ike.
20:46Ike.
20:47Ike.
20:48Ike.
20:49Ike.
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