Is It Time Yet?
The bait is stacked up in the back. Is it time yet? Temperatures at night are dipping into the low 60’s and even taking a bigger plunge now and again. Is it time yet? Sand stompers are reporting sightings of a few small bait schools that look like mullet waking on the surface of the shallows of the wash. Is it time yet?
Let’s find out……
In the freshwater up at Lake Hoptacong, Laurie at Dow’s Boat Rentals has been seeing some walleye weigh-ins including a nice 5# by Jerry Freeman of Mt. Arlington. Hybrids have kicked their activity up a notch off of the Yacht Club or any of the main lake points. Lots of smallies and pickerel too. The Knee Deep Weekend Walleye Contest is the 22 and 23rd, call for details. 973-663-3826.
Mike at the Keyport Marine Basin has seen some fluke starting to move in. Try near the Earl Naval Pier, but the majority of the catching is still going on out in the Ambrose and Sandy Hook channels. There have been spike weakies out near Buoy 19 with a couple keepers mixed in. Not much in the way of offshore news due to last week’s seas, but lots of planned trips in the next couple days.
Over at Crabby’s, Chris reports more of the same action. There are some fluke moving up onto the Belford Flats and the Keyport bulkhead is covered up in small weakfish and spot. Cocktail and snapper blues are still around and there have been some reports of first light birds working off of the Hook. Smaller bass in there with bluefish working bait. The beginning?
At Bait Your Hook Bait and Tackle Atlantic Highlands Kevin says fishing is nothing short of excellent with good size and numbers of keeper fluke out between the two channels (again, that is Sandy Hook and Ambrose). Porgies everywhere, lots of little weakies to play with and even a few small black drum in the upper reach. Not much tuna news, but offshore guys were in the shop yesterday and this morning provisioning up to make the run.
Chris at Pride Bait and Tackle in Red bank saw a young kid on the beach take a small striper running a rattletrap in the surf. There are weakies in the bay and the crabbing, surprisingly, is still pretty good. Report of Bluefish and albies from the Belmar head boats too.
When we move a little further South, we are hearing the same song. Not yet, says Ernie from Giglios in Sea Bright. There is still plenty to do with small blues, some kingies, and spot on the beachfront. A couple reports of small resident bass on clams. Tons of peanuts and mullet in the back that are starting to flush out a little, but it seems there is nothing big waiting out there to munch on them. Bottom line is, it is still worth going to have some fun, but no blitzes yet.
As you keep moving downstate, it seems the fluke bite is slowing. Slow pick of half decent fish at the Sea Girt reef according to Jack at Surf Side Bait and Tackle in Long Branch. A few short bass being taken with lots of spot and little blues around to bend a rod on. Some reports of Albie sightings too, but the game seems to be in the warm-up stages; opening whistle has not been blown yet.
Stop the presses! Hold the phone! We have striper weigh-ins! Dominick at The Bait Shop in Bradley Beach had two 20-pound bass hit the scale! Ken Pierce from Asbury Park was throwing a bomber on the beach at first light that got slammed by a 19.9-pound bass. Max Gepp, one of the Shark River Surf Anglers, was also out hitting the suds. Flipped a schoolbus bomber out at night, blasted by a 19.6-pound bass. Where have these fish been hiding? Dominick also reports that for the last two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) a marauding school of 12- to 14-pound bluefish have blitzed adult bunker up on the beach in Manasquan and Sea Girt. Both times it was mid-afternoon. Hmmm, very interesting.
At Harrys Army Navy in Robbinsville, Tony was on the horn talking about little bluefish from Seaside to Lavallette. It was a very slow weekend at IBSP, but there is lots of bait in the suds. The Sea Girt and Seaside areas are still catching fluke and news of Albies and Bonita inshore from Monmouth to Bradley Beach area. Lots of largemouth and crappie action in the local ponds, by the way.
A few minutes with Dave from The Reel Seat in Brielle will make anybody want to call in sick and head for the deep. He spent the last couple on the Voyager out in the Hudson and the bite was on. Legit yellowfin in the 60- to 65-pound range on the chunk at night with live squid being the top bait. Don’t forget those squid jigs if you are going. There were also some bruiser bigeye mixed in going 180 to 200 pounds. There was also a bigeye troll bite on the East Elbow with multiple boats being hooked up at the same time. Inshore, falsies, albies, skippies are around. There was even a report of skippies being blown up out of the water by a blue marlin at the Shark River Reef. So bring the Black Barts flounder fishing with you. Offshore water still 75 degrees and above.
Generally speaking, with the flat seas and blue skies, you really need to steal some time in the next couple days to get out there. No, the beaches are not on fire yet, there is a good chance of good action if you go long, and the fluking seems to be just a little better than hit or miss. It is, however, going to be just spectacular early Fall weather with sweatshirt mornings and sunscreen afternoons.
Best bet for the weekend is to bite the bullet at the fuel pump, fill up the battlewagon and go long! If you can’t overnight, then get out super early. As the season progresses the number of consecutive days, like the next few, are going to be few and far between sea condition-wise. Make hay while the sun shines, and Stay Tuna-ed! badlinktest badlinktest2