Just when things were starting to look promising, we get a report of potential trouble on the horizon. Water temperatures are just about perfect, as are sea conditions but a storm named Sandy is threatening to put a damper on the festivities we have planned for our blue and striped colored friends. If you have any plans for an upcoming trip, I would recommend keeping a hard eye on the weather report as Mother Nature may be getting ready to throw us a wicked curve ball. Better yet, get out before the storm hits, and take advantage of the prime conditions before they change for the worse. Let’s see what our scouts have to say about the upcoming week.
According to Big Ed at Team Tackle Direct, the bite is one at the beaches of Absecon Island. Hundreds of small blues are in the surf chasing small baits, most likely peanut bunker making their exodus from the back bays. Anglers going for king fish are still be thwarted by spot, big ones up to 12 inches, but there are plenty to go around. Ed also told me that while the stripers are starting to show up, most are in the 24- to 28-inch range and the best is yet to come. Tautog hunters are doing well at the jetties in AC and off Seaview Marina.
Dave Showell of Absecon Bay Sportsmen’s Center is ready and waiting for the big run to commence. His customers have been bringing in some nice fish to the shop, mostly back bay linesiders but Captain Dave feels the 64-degree water temperatures are keeping the pick slow. Top water lures along the sod banks are your best bet for action. Mullet, live eel and clam are also producing. There is plenty of bait in the bay including spot, herring and some peanuts. Tog fisherman are getting their one fish limit at the Brigantine Bridge and surrounding areas. If you are looking for perch, head west, deeper into the back. Best action there is on grass shrimp. The crabbing has also been real strong in the last week.
Food, rentals or fishing tackle, The Dock Outfitters in Seaside Heights does it all. I spoke to John yak up there this week and he told me the great weather has given anglers a multitude of options. In the back, stripers, weakfish and blues can all be had on either bait or artificial lures. Clam seems to be the favorite right now. Off the beaches, there are still spot and nice king fish in the surf. Plug tossers are doing well with top waters early in the morning and at last light. If you are on IBSP, at night, Clam will get you some nice blues and striper action with the possibility of a weakfish. Look at the Lavallette area as a go to spot. If you are thinking blackfish, the Point Pleasant canal has been very active. Crab or clam pieces are your best bet for hitting your tog limit (1) according to John.
In Sea Isle City, Mike Cunningham of Sea Isle Bait and Tackle is a wealth of information. In the back, trying using a Bomber, Smack It Popper or any metal at last or first light and you should get some striped bass action. Or bluefish. Bait at night is working off both the beach and the surrounding bridges. Anglers are getting fish on mullet, spot, eel and clam according to their respective likes. Off the beaches, Mike tells me it’s still hard getting through the spot but if you can, you might get a nice king fish. Red fish are still on the prowl around Townsend’s Inlet, mullet is working best for the drums. Inshore, some nice bass have been taken by boaters pulling Stretch Lures. That has been hit or miss according to Mr. Cunningham. The sea wall at Townsend’s has also been the hot spot for nice keeper tog with green crab being the top option of anglers. Mike also reminded me that if you want quantity orders of live eels, give him a shout and he will “hook you up”!
They are using live spot in Barnegat inlet and having some success according to the gang Tonys Bait and Tackle in Manahawkin. Another option is to troll green bunker spoons in 60 feet of water a little north of the inlet. Black fishing has been spectacular off the rocks in the inlet. In the back, it’s smaller blues and stripers. The south end of LBI has been quiet lately but that should change. Some big fish were taken off the beaches lately but there is no pattern to the catch. One 50-pound fish was recorded mid tide, mid-afternoon on clam to prove that point.
Captain Rich Wilkowski and the Jersey Hooker Outfitters team is busy with their Fall striper tournament (which runs through the end of November), but not too busy to discuss the fishing conditions in Brick Township. The biggest striper weighed in to date for the tourney was 26 from the boat and 14 off the sand. Big blues are in the area as well, with fish up to fifteen pounds common. According to Captain Rich, the fish aren’t stacked up yet but are there if you are willing to work for them. Trolling is the best bet but if you find the right pocket, they can also be had on the jig. AVA jigs and Butterflies seem to be producing the best. Water temperatures are still a little warm, hovering in the 60-65 range. Captain Rich also believes this has affected the porgy bite as the throw back ratio seems to have moved up in the last week or so.
In Point Pleasant, Reel Life Bait and Tackle has moved their hour up a bit and that’s a good sign. It means the big bite is about to commence. I spoke with Mike at the shop this week and he told me that boat anglers that are having the most success are pulling umbrella rigs with shad bodies. That makes sense to me as there are plenty of American shad in the area right now. Match the hatch is always good advice. Big blue fish can be taken on Jogs, with AVA leading the way. Porgy bite is a little slow rtight now according to Mike but if you can live with a one fish bag limit, he suggests going for Blackfish in the Point Pleasant Canal. Fish up to 22 inches have been taken there, not bad for inshore tog fishing. Green crabs are the bait of choice.
I was looking for a perch report out of the Toms River but George at Go Fish Bait and Tackle up there told me that it was a little slow of late. But there are other games in town like Striper and blue fish. All of the inlet anglers have been doing well floating live eels for the line siders. Some weakfish action is hanging in there; George told me that teasers were the key right now. Weakies up to three pounds have been taken on teasers. Blackfish at all the rocks and jetties has been good with fish up to five pounds not uncommon. George also told me that he has had several fish cleaned at the shop with spot and croakers in their bellies so take that as a recommendation. On the beaches, first light with top water lures will give you your best chance for a keeper. Repeat at dusk if you are so inclined. He also asked me to remind you that he is running a rig special at the shop, buy three get one free. Not a bad del, especially with all the blues in the area.
Two Chums Bait and Tackle is always a fun stop if you are in Sea Isle City. Not only will you get some first class fishing information, but they are always good for a couple of chuckles as well. I chatted with Joe this week about area conditions and was pleased to hear that the bite was still on in the back waters. Locals are throwing white bucktails with a white worm and hooking up with bass up to 31 inches. Top water lures are working off the banks as well, especially at sunup or sunset. There are still some red fish around, mostly hitting on mullet. Joe told me he had bass rolling tight to the beach yesterday while he was cast netting for some of the last mullet in the area. Weakfish are holding tight to the inlet, most catches are on teaser rigs. I asked about king fish as I have had no success east of Sea Isle and he said while they are getting some nice fish, it is still tough getting through the spot in the surf. Inshore, there are bluefish chasing bait and trolling a stretch 25 gives you a shot at some decent sized bass. One last thing about Two Chums. They still have their rental boats in the water and customers are getting some of the nicest crabs of the season.
John at Fin-Atics Marine Supply in Ocean City told me that lately Corson’s Inlet has been the best producing beach in the area. Blues, bass, weakfish and even the occasional redfish are all an option there. He even told me that they cast netted some mullet the other day. The fishing piers off of Ninth Street have also been doing well for the landlocked. Some tog, many bluefish and the occasional striped bass. On the beaches of Ocean City, king fish are there but once again, you need to get past the spot. The waters are cooling a bit so that should shake things up a bit. Some bass are taken, mostly at dawn or dusk on poppers. Togging is good at almost all of the local jetties. The inshore anglers are having some success outside the GE inlet, mostly trolling a variety of lures. Hickory shad are all over the back bay, so I would match the hatch.
No report on the southern section of the state would be complete without a mention of Wildwood and Delaware Bay. For that, I usually rely on the Mark Elliot of Bayhawk Charters. Berthed in Utch’s Marina in Cape May, the Bayhawk is close enough to the action to give me the real picture. The Rips in Cape May are starting to give up some fish and that’s a good sign with water temps still in the 60’s. There are still redfish around, mostly taken on mullet or clam. And there have been some puppy drum fish taken in the bay. Kingfish and spot still dominate the surf from the Wildwoods south to Cape May and there has been some small (1- to 3-pound) blue fish action mixed in. Stripers from the surf and inshore bite are still a little sluggish but getting better every day. There are plenty of croakers in the upper reaches of the bay, mixed with spike weakfish. Brackish waters off the bay have been real productive for white perch with reports of perch up to one pound and better. Blood worms and or Fish Bytes have been the bait of choice or shedders if you can get them. As a last resort, I have been using pieces of spot and the perch seem more than amiable to them. There have also been some reports of false albacore at the inshore lumps.
Best Bets for the weekend.
As of today, the reports look like it’s going to be tough to get out front for any type of serious fishing this weekend. Even if Sandy makes a hard turn east, she is still going to make things rough for us. But the beaches and back bays may offer some opportunities for the hard core, must fish anglers out there. Remember this, Al McReynolds, former world record holder for striped bass caught his 70+ pound fish in the middle of a Nor’easter off the rocks in AC. Depending on the wind speed and direction, there may be fishable areas. For sure, it’s going to be dirty and nasty. Be careful out there this weekend. You only get so many days in the game, spend them wisely. See you on the incoming.
P.S. I just received the following email from NMFS.
Effective Date: November 1, 2012
The 2012 black sea bass recreational harvest limit has been reached. Effective 0001 hours,
November 1, 2012, no one may fish for or possess black sea bass in Federal waters for the
remainder of the 2012 calendar year, unless issued a commercial moratorium permit and fishing commercially. This closure also applies to vessels issued a Federal party/charter permit fishing in state waters.