No need to look at a calendar to determine what time of year we are moving into. Mother Nature is about to ring her alarm clock. A strong cold front should move through the state later this week, and if all goes well, it will signal our water-bound friends that it is time to start thinking about making a move. After a couple of weeks of really severe weather, we could be setting up for a very nice fall run. Water conditions, while not perfect, seem to be moving in the right direction. Flounder (or fluke if you prefer), are still an option and the bays are literally teeming with all kinds of bait. Over the weekend, on a white perch outing, I personally observed and caught as wide a variety of species as I have ever witnessed. Sea bass, spot, perch, oyster crackers, blues and eels were all lining up and active. Blowfish and porgies also made an appearance. We had stripers, and heard reports of spike weakfish. Mullet and peanut bunker were all over the bays. All indicators that the storms and recent weather effects are subsiding and the fish are anxious to play again.
Depending on your school of thought, full moons are either the best times to hit the beaches or the worst. The gang at Grumpy’s in Seaside Park, tells me it could be a prelude of good things to come. The striper pick at Island Beach State Park has been consistent since the storms, with the better specimens taking hooks covered with big fat sloppy “surf turkeys” (clams). If plugging is your choice of action, metal seems to be the best bet. Fluke are being caught from the surf as well, and with mullet slowly starting to filter out from the back, fishing these baitfish would be your best chance for snagging a keeper or two. Don’t forget Grumpy’s tackle repair side of the shop if you are up that way and have some equipment that needs some tender loving care. Now is the time to get it all together so you can devote your valuable time to fishing when it heats up.
Long Beach Island, in the middle of the coastline is starting to thin out, and when it does, it becomes one of my favorite striper haunts in the fall. Deep drops right of the beach and knowledgeable locals to point you in the right direction. So when I start hitting that spot, I always make Fisherman’s Headquarters my first stop before I hit the water. Successful fishing trips often are the result of upfront information and these guys are the best in the area. With a week or so left for the fluking season, the guys told me that they are still being weighed in at the shop. Triggerfish and tog are being taken off the rocks with live green crabs. They also mentioned that the local charter boats are still running, targeting fluke, blackfish and triggers with some cod and ling at the deeper water wrecks. Some stripers have been caught on tipped bucktails and they are hoping the action for linesiders picks up as the weather cools later in the week. One note of caution from the gang at Fishermen’s HQ: be careful as big pieces of lumber have been surfacing around Long Beach and Beach Haven, leftover from Irene and the other storms that attacked them over the past couple of weeks.
Switching from summer tackle to fall tackle may not seem like a big deal, but when the run starts, you want to spend your time fishing, not repairing or buying tackle. Now is the time to do so, not when the bite takes off. And that’s why Dave Showell at Absecon Bay Sportsmen’s Center kicks off his annual fall sale this week. Dave told me that while the fishing has been slow in the Absecon Bay, there has been a decent bite for stripers at first and last light. Fluking in the bay has been somewhat subdued, and the oceanfront has been difficult to get at by boat due to the rough seas left over from last weeks and upcoming storms. There have been some nice tautog taken around the Brigantine bridges and he has plenty of green crabs if you are looking for bait. The beaches are still giving up flounder, most being taken by anglers using live mullet in their quest for striped bass. The water, while still a little cloudy is clearing up and crabbing has been getting a little better each and every day.
For a change of pace, I contacted Ben at Budd’s Bait and Tackle in the Villas at the southern tip of the state. If anyone has a handle as to what is happening in Delaware Bay, Ben will. The activity in the bay has been nominal due to the vast amounts of water and debris still filtering down from last weeks abnormal rains. That’s not to say the fish aren’t there. Those who have been heading out have been rewarded with some nice keeper flounder and the occasional croaker. Up the creeks, white perch have been the primary target as are those seeking blue claws. Wherever you go, the waters are still reddish brown and the bite has been light to say the very least. Patience seems to be the best prescription. Even those venturing to the Old Grounds off Delaware have been somewhat disappointed. But with the weather expected to turn at the end of this week, everyone down south is keeping their fingers crossed that the change in temperatures will kick start the fishing. Offshore, there is still a bite if you are willing to make the run. Mahi, wahoo and yellowfin are still running strong in the Canyons. Some small white marlins were reported from Toms Canyon. Tuna are taking the jigs, mostly hammered diamonds and some on butterfly setups.
Best Bets for the weekend.
Well, we are past the unofficial end of summer, and are bordering on the official end. The weather looks like there will be at least a 20- to 30-degree temperature drop and that can only mean one thing. The fall run is upon us. Water temps are still in the 75 to 65 degree range up and down the coast. Perfect plugging weather off the beaches or the boats. If live bait is your thing, clam or live mullet will work well. Last week for fluking as well, so don’t oversize your hooks. Most of the bass will be scouts and schoolies, so act accordingly. The back bays are slow to say the least for fluke, but there are still blowfish and triggers if you look in the right places. In the south, spot are showing up, so get to your local B&T and load up on sabiki rigs so you can stock your bait pens. It’s about to light up, I can sense it. As I mentioned at the start of the report, now is the time to beat your fall gear into fighting shape. Because any day now, the effects of the past couple weeks are going to reverse and it is going to kick into high gear. And you want to be ready. So get ready, get set, GO FISH!