New Jersey Fishing Report 4-4-2013

Spring my aft…

But Forecast is Looking Up

I don’t know about you, but I am starting to take this whole spring thing personally.  I am fairly convinced that is is going to be July before my core temperature returns to normal, and I have started asking myself if somehow I might have offended Mother Nature to deserve this.

I have examined my habits carefully. I recalled the many large fish I returned to swim another day instead of subjecting them to the alternative fillet knife fate, double checked and made sure I was using bio-degradable soaps, always made sure to recycle my monofilament, and even used my scooter to get to the boat instead of using the gas guzzling man-truck.  I have come to the conclusion that it is not my fault.  So it must be yours….

I really do not want to have to wear my Helly-Hansen long johns to go tuna fishing this summer, so here are a couple suggestions what you can do to make amends for your actions, which are causing reverse fire and brimstone on us in New Jersey.

 

First, get active and make your voice heard. Join the RFA or another organization that has clout to help protect our fishing rights for the future. If for some reason you don’t agree with the big organizations’ efforts, get together with some friends and do something positive for your local area. A bunch of guys, headed by local Charter Captain Brian Williams, did a Saturday clean-up of a popular fishing island that had not been touched since Sandy and really made a difference. Pipe up, pitch in, or do both.

Next, let’s give the fish a little bit of a break this year. Throw in a couple catch-and-release days. I’m as much of a catch ‘em, cut ‘em and bag ‘em guy as anybody, but I know on occasion I am scratching my head wondering who else to call to turn onto a little fresh catch. Couple days of C&R isn’t going to make anybody go hungry.

Go down to the garage, light a candle, make the promises to change you evil ways in the presence of your rods, reels, and tackle boxes, and the warmth we have all been waiting for will surely arrive. Enough repenting, let’s see what the shop guys are up to.

In freshwater, the boys from Efinger Sports in Bound Brook have been out whipping the water with their fly rods and really banging the trout. Brookies and rainbows in the Gorge taking midges and caddis flies. Some nice-sized fish on top of very good numbers.

Good news from our friends up at Keyport Marina: They are busting their backs to make sure that all is ready for the upcoming season. For those of you wanting to take a shot up in the area, their ramp is now open!

Dave up at The Reel Seat in Brielle is hearing some rattles of stripers being taken on clam in and around Spring Lake. The bay side of the canal is giving up some really decent-sized winter flounder, and with only a 2 fish limit, they better be if you are thinking about more than dinner for 1. I know I have mentioned Dave’s upcoming Tile Fishing seminar and offshore trip that is coming up. There are still about a half dozen slots available. Buzz him at 732-223-5353 for more info.

I got Jason on the horn from Fishermens Supply in Point Pleasant, and he has been really putting in the time over the last week, cold or no cold. In the back bay by the Mantoloking Bridge, it has been hot and cold on schoolie stripers, but when it is hot, it is on fire.  Five-inch Tsunami shads or ½-ounce bucktails with a white twister have been nailing fish in the 16- to 24-inch range.  There has been an occasional keeper mixed in but it more a light tackle recreational outing than a meat fishing trip.  Near the Rt.37 bridge, the kayakers have been doing good as well, throwing Mambo Minnows and those deadly Diawa SP minnows. The winter flounder bite has been almost exclusively on clams, and you really need to bump up the chum.  As we have said many times before, it is all about warmer water and where the limited bait is. Out front, the ling and blackfishing has been very slow.

Further south, that handsome, dashing, Team TackleDirect Pro-staffer is back with a new video featuring Larry Dahlberg and the first look at the new game-changer, the Shimano Stella 30000 SWB. This reel is a MONSTER! Totally worth a click-thru.

Over in Ocean City at Fin-Atics, Justin has been working it pretty hard as well. One of his guys brought in an 8.5-pound striper that hit the fillet table to uncover some interesting intel. This boy was full of silversides and snails. Not a crab to be found, which really surprises me.  Another bass caught by a Fin-Atic regular was also chock full of snails and nothing else. They are really scrounging for food in the cold backwater.  A couple of small tog were released on a backwater trip and word of decent-sized winter flounder behind Strathmere and Sea Isle.

A little further South, I paid a visit to the crew at Two Chums on Wednesday. They just did a terrific job of rebuilding the whole layout after Sandy and as of today, they are open for business and ready to show off their new stuff. If you are in the neighborhood, stop in and say hello… and buy something!

Fishing Forecast for New Jersey

I really, honestly, truly, with all my heart believe that it is only going to take one decent week for all heck to break loose up and down our coast. It looks like that week might just be next week if the forecast really holds. In the meantime, don’t discount this upcoming weekend entirely.

Best Bet is to grab a few of those tasty winter flounder that are waiting for you in the back, and maybe bring along some crabs to see if the  blackfish will cooperate at the top and bottom of the tide.  I feel confident that there are more tog and fewer fishermen right now, and that is why the reports are so thin. Trout season opens on Saturday, and you can find all the latest info on the NJDEP website.

Get ready, get set… almost…

Stay Tuna-ed!