The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines an “upwelling” as a condition which exists when a wind blows away surface water and allows colder water from below to rise to the top and replace the warmer water. In case you haven’t noticed it, that is the situation we have been dealing with in the coastal waters for the last 10-12 days. A predominately south/southwest blow during that period has dropped coastal water temperatures into the low 60’s and in some cases, even colder. One problem I have with upwelling is that the water that rises to the top is usually very nutrient rich which can make bottom fishing that much more difficult as the fish tend to scatter in search of better feeding grounds. Mind you, this is just my theory and there is little scientific evidence to support my conclusions but the fact is that since this blow started, I have been noticing a downward trend in the catch. Let’s see what our scouts in the field are seeing this week.
Captain Dave Showell, owner of Absecon Bay Sportsmen’s Center and back bay charter guide supreme certainly knows how to adapt to the cooler water temperatures in the area. First, you need to adjust your targets. Dave has been pumping the sod banks for striped bass at first and last light with great success. He has also changed presentation. With spot back in the area, he is using the bigger ones for bass and the smaller ones as flounder target. The bite is still good in the back for flounder but there are also trigger fish on the inshore structure and weakfish to be had at night. Crabbing in the area has been good. Small croakers have invaded the bay and can be caught all the way back by the shop. And Dave tells me that the minnow shortage has eased up a bit for those of you who need that fluke favorite for bait.
At the lower end of the state, I go to Nick at Hand’s Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May at the foot of the bridge for the local insight. This week, anglers looking for action might want to head over to the jetty off Higbee’s Beach and try floating some blood worms for weakfish. Joe at the shop told me that change of tide seems to work best. There are also tons of croakers at Higbee. If you are looking at flounder, the hot spot has been the Old Grounds, south of Cape May. The Porgy has been slaying them there. Fish up to 7.5 pounds have been weighed in at Hand’s. Joe also told me that the sea bass catch has been decent at the Ben Franklin reef site. For you surf angler’s they have been getting reports of decent fluke off the N Wildwood beaches, the closer to Hereford Inlet the better. There are also some big spot in the area. If you are looking for brown sharks, all the beaches are reporting nice action. Joe suggested a chunk of mackerel or one of those big spot as bait for brown shark.
All of the big guns from Team Tackle Direct are in Las Vegas this week checking out this year’s innovations at ICAST so that they can bring them “directly” to us and help our hook up ratio. But that does not mean I haven’t gotten a report from them for the week. Matt Sullivan and the crew landed a nice 140 lb. blue fin tuna this week while offshore which tells me that some of the bigger fish are starting to move in to the area. Inshore, cooler waters have pretty much restricted the flounder catch to the warmer back waters. 5 inch Berkley Gulp swim mullets in chartreuse have been the hot attractant. On the beaches, northern kingfish are still active for anglers tempting them with bloodworms or FishBytes artificial baits. And Ed at the store tells me the beaches and close in waters have been inundated with small to medium size croakers. He also recommended sea bass on the local reefs. Sixty feet of water seems to be the break point for the big blue backs.
One of the best stocked tackle chop in the southern end of the state is definitely a new comer, Peace Token Bait and Tackle in Lower Township. I spoke with owner Mike Jung this week to see what his customers were fishing for. The weakfish bite has been strong locally with anglers attracting them form the rocks in most of the inlets. Bloodworms seem to be out fishing the artificial baits in the colder waters. Mike also told me some longtime customers have been going deep and doing real well on golden tile fish trips. Inshore, the sea bass bite has been good with the bigger fish coming from the deeper water. 100 feet plus seems to be the line of demarcation. He also confirmed the Old Grounds as the hot spot for fluke. Fish up to 10 pounds have been taken in the area. Don’t forget to load up on some Peace Token Rigs before heading out. Mike and his family have bveen tying their own rigs for years and have a loyal following in Ny and North Jersey forever. And with their recent move to the South (Rte. 9 and 147 just outside of N. Wildwood), it won’t be long before they are a must have down here as well.
In Toms River, fishing has been good despite the cooler waters that invaded the area. As Chris of Better Bait and Ice told me, it’s already the “coolest place in town” so a little cold water isn’t going to affect them that much! Chris tells me that the best place to try for keeper fluke lately has been in the wash off of the local beaches as the water temps there have been more attractive. Ortley Beach was one area Chris pointed me to. The Manasquan River, especially near the bridge has been a great place for fluke, snapper blues and some medium striped bass. The local lagoons have been active with snapper blues, crabbing and blowfish. Chris recommends a calm day if you are targeting blowfish and don’t forget to pick up a clam log to bring them in. The peanut bunker are around as are spot but if you need bait, Better Bait and Ice has all that you need form live killies to spearing to clam to squid. And don’t forget to pick up a couple of Spro Bucktails as Chris told me they have been the best producers of late.
I spoke with Mike Cunningham at Sea Isle Bait and Tackle this week as he was putting on the finishing touches of his new fresh water section at the new expanded shop. Mike tells me the local fresh water scene has been nothing short of explosive of late with bass and pickerel being the prime targets. Gary Yammamoto Senko worms have been great bait for the bass. Mike suggested the old Ponder Lodge lake in Lower Township for those who want to give not salt efforts a go. On the saltier side, ike tells me the colder waters have been problematic but if you fish the change of tides you should get some good action in the back. Flounder are working the Gulp Shads and Shrimp and or minnows and squid for the traditionalists. There are some weakfish in the area, using bloodworms at Townsends Inlet has been the ticket. There are spot all over; anglers using FishBytes are getting as many as they want. And the best bets off the beaches have been northern Kingfish. Some fluke in the surf and sea bass on the local inshore wrecks. Crabbing has been good especially on the causeway leading into Sea Isle City.
If you’re looking for a charter that offer just a little more, then you need to check out St Judith Charters and Captain Jeff Hoffberger out of Atlantic City. With both a 66 and 50 foot Vikings in their fleet, they offer so much more than your standard six pack charter. Looking to impress a client or a once in a life time fishing experience? Than Saint Judith Charters is your only choice. Check their services out at saintjudithcharters.com. Top Shelf all the way.
On Absecon Island, to my knowledge, there is only one place you can go if you want to rent a boat for a day of fishing On the Water. Ray Scott’s Dock in Margate is that place. I stopped in to chat with owner Robin Scott about the local conditions and the recent bite. She informed me that the back bay has been quite active even with the sudden drop in water temperatures. Flounder fishing has been a little better than good with minnows, squid and Berkley Gulp products working best for anglers. The beachfront is popping with croakers and northern kingfish. The AC reef and GE reef have been the go-to spot for angler’s seeking sea bass. Robin’s daughter Rachel informed me that the crabbing has been great so far this season. The weakfish bite has shifted to mostly a night bite with activity around most of the sod banks and jetties. Bloodworm and shedder crabs along with the old standby of a pink Finesse on a white lead head are the top producers. And Scott, Robin’s Son suggested that bass fishermen could still hook up at dusk or dawn by throwing a top water plug like Stillwater Lures Smack-It around any of the sod banks. I definitely love this family; each is a wealth of information. Check out Scotts Dock on Amhearst Avenue in Margate.
Speaking of rental boats, if you really want to get some blue claw crabs and are anywhere around Sea Isle City, renting a boat for the day is the way to go. And Two Chums Bait and Tackle in Sea Isle City is the best local spot to do boat rentals. I spoke with Dean at the shop this week and he told me that the crabbing has been great and should only get better as the back bay water are nowhere near the temperature that can knock it down this time of year. The flounder bite has been decent in the Back Bay as well. Dean said the Berkley Gulp New Penny Shrimp has been the best lure for flounder so far this season. On the beachfront, kingfish is the best bites right now with the occasional keeper flounder in the shallow wash as well. Bloodworms are the key to kingfish success.
turned on in the area and local crabbers are having no problem putting a couple in the basket on each tide. The blowfish bite is still going strong in the bay as well. Don’t forget to take some clam chum. Small croaker, spot and snapper blues are all over the place. Anglers in search of fluke are doing well at the B-BBI buoys and the rte. 37 Bridge area. Squid –killie combos have been the best attractants. Dennis told me that some nice 3-4 pound blue fish finally showed their yellow eyes in the Barnegat Beach Area, probably due to a little jump in the water temps with a west wind. Fluking has also been decent off the beaches in the area. Most anglers are tossing a tipped Bucktail with squid or spearing.
Dropped in on the gang at Fin-Atics Marine Supply in Ocean City this week to get a feel for how they thought the summer was shaping up so far. I spoke with Bill who told me that other than it being a strange season condition wise, it was going pretty good. Flounder, especially around the Kennedy Park area was still going strong. Usually by this time of year, most of the strong action has moved out front but cooler waters have kept the back active. The OC Reef has been decent and getting better every day. Bill also told me that locals chasing sea bass on the inshore reefs have been having nice outings.
Corson’s Inlet is still getting stripers but it has been primarily a night bite. The new fishing piers on the 9th street causeway have been very productive with anglers bringing in a cornucopia of fish to the shop. Flounder up to 4 pounds, striper up to 17 pounds and even a few weakfish. There are kingfish on the entire beach; best around structure natural baits are out fishing the artificial baits. On the offshore scene, Bill tells me that the boats haven’t been leaving the docks because of poor conditions but those who fisd a window have been rewarded with blue fin and some nice big eye. Weather, most specifically wind, has put somewhat of a damper on the offshore report. Bill believes that will turn around shorty. Fin-Atics is fully stocked with every bait imaginable and yes, they seem to be over the minnow crisis and have some full pens.
Breaking News: I just returned from the committee meeting where it was tentatively decided to add 8 additional days to the NJ Summer Flounder Season. This means that the closing date changes from September 16th to September 24th effective upon approval of the legislative powers.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Checking with the local weather prognosticators and their long term predictions, it looks like we may catch a break this weekend. The consensus is the wind will turn more to the west and shift into a normal summer pattern which should definitely help settle things down. There are plenty of fish being caught in the south with summer flounder leading the way. Kingfish and croaker are running neck in neck for second and sea bass has been steady. For the kids and the novice, a small hook will give you an option of kings, croaker, and spot or snapper blues. Crabbing has been great and with the price at the local vendors, you could save a few bucks by catching your own. With shortages in Maryland and Virginia, commercially caught blue claws are selling at a premium this year. Whatever you chose to do this weekend, be careful out there. A surf angler was struck by lightning this week while leaving the beach. Apparently his graphite rod was the point of attraction. BE careful. You only get so many days in the game, spend them wisely. See you on the incoming.