Southern New Jersey Forecast

We are heading into the home stretch for the summer season and it looks like Mother Nature is going to make it difficult for those looking to fill out their wish list before the term ends. Effective today, black sea bass goes on hiatus until the end of September. I have asked more than a few people who should know the rationale for this intermittent closure but still have not received a satisfactory explanation. That being said, there is still more than enough fishing to keep all of us in the angling world more than happy. The offshore bite is still going strong. Inshore, we have flounder, trigger fish, croaker, weakfish and northern kings to name but a few. And if you know where and when to look, bluefish and stripers are starting to wake up. I haven’t heard much on sheephead or redfish but suspect they are lurking around somewhere. So let’s talk with our on the scene scouts and see if I missed anything. Or better yet, what they think is most target rich environment as we move towards the end of summer.

I had a nice discussion with Captain Dave Showell of Absecon Bay Sportsmen’s Center this week about the conditions in the area. He informed me that while there are still some nice flounder in the area, they seemed to be moving towards the ocean side. There are still nice weakfish ion the back, especially in the Main Marsh and Black Point areas but the bite seems to be at first and last light. Dave recommends shedder crab as bait for the weakies. Some nice togs have been taken around the Brigantine Bridge on green crab. Dave said the reports from the inshore reefs like the GEE and AC have been getting better with anglers using Gulp baits reporting limits when the conditions are best. He also reminded me that the crabbing in the area has been great and with bunker netting restrictions going into place, the price of blue claws at your local shop will definitely be on the upswing. That is something to think about. The kingfish bite has been a little slow lately as they seemed to be getting pushed out by spot and croakers in the bay. All in all, according to Dave, the fishing could be rated a B+ or A- right now. Not bad.

I spoke with Cathy at Jersey (Coast) Tackle in Brick this week to get a handle on how things were shaping up in the area. Cathy said that the customers were still doing well with fluke on either side of the Point Pleasant Canal using teasers and chartreuse Gulp swimming mullets. Small bluefish have inundated the bay and are up to their usual bait stealing antics. Out front, the hot spot has been south of the Axel Carlson Reef. The Sea bass bite has been fantastic but we all know the story on that. This just in! I spoke with owner Tom Wolfe later in the day and he told me they are hearing reports of white marlin further up north. Rumor has it in the southern edge of the Toms. Lenny Hahn, chief cook and bottle washer at Capt’n Hippo’s Bait and Tackle in Toms River tells me that there are snappers all over the river. Fishing with spearing and or small metal is like taking candy from a baby. They are getting blowfish from the piers around Ocean Gate using small pieces of clam. Lenny told me if you want to hone up your striper catching techniques, now is the time to get out on the river. Throwing small top water baits like a Tsunami Chugger will get you action on linesiders up to two feet or so. Fluking has been best around Manasquan Inlet. Gulp and a Bucktail is all you will need. And to finish it off, Lenny tells me that the crabbing in the area has been delicious. The mouth of the river has had the best yields lately.

Team Tackle Direct in EHT is back from Las Vegas and they are betting that the mew products they brought back them are just the ticket to increase your productivity On the Water. At least that’s what Ed at the shop tells me and I have no reason to doubt him. Ed tells me much of the offshore action is still centered south the Wilmington but it appears to be moving north. Big Eye Tuna seems to be dominating the catch but some nice reports on yellows have been coming in. Mahi are strangely silent or maybe its just the anglers. As of the time of this writing, a 76 pound white marlin is tops on the leader board of the same name. A Jersey boat, the MJ’s currently leads in the tuna division. In closer, the Ocean City Reef has been the hot spot for flounder. If you are looking for bluefish, you need to head further east. Most of the inshore bite has been rather small. In the back, Ed tells me there are still weakfish around and the sod banks have some smallish “practice” striped bass. Throwing a top water lure like a Smack-It will get you action. The best flounder action is in the inlet of either the Greater Egg or Absecon Inlet although we are still hearting some nice fish being taken on the drift around Kennedy Park of Somers Point.

This is the perfect time of the year to get out on the backwaters around Sea Isle City and have at it with a variety of species. So I contacted the crew at Two Chums Bait and Tackle in Cape May there to get a feeling for the local pleasures available. They have a line of rental boats from skiffs to small pontoons that are capable of putting you right on top of the prime back bay fishing areas. There are still some nice flounder in the bay, look for the deeper holes. Lou suggests a bucktail tipped with a Berkely Gulp Shrimp to get the best shot at a keeper. Or drop down to a smaller hook and you can shoot for trigger fish, spot or northern king fish. If you are an early riser, throw a top water plug around the sob banks with light tackle and have some fun with small stripers or blues. And if you just want to take it easy and catch some rays, the local blue claw catch has been ideal.

To see if the game is on down in Cape May I usually put a call into the crew at Hands Too Bait and Tackle. This week, Joe told me things in the D-Bay are a little quiet. Of course there are plenty of croakers around but the flounder bite has been a bit slow in the bay. The 60’ slough has had the best results lately but even that is a roll of the dice. Out front, the Cape May Reef has been the most productive. Gulps (chartreuse mullet) and cut baits are the best baits. Joe tells me there are still plenty of nice flounder in the back and inlets. Grassy Sound and the drift under the 1.50 Bridge have been good areas to target flat fish. Both areas are also giving up the occasional weakfish. All over the place, you can get spot and croakers if you are simply looking for some action. The beaches of the Wildwoods have been slow in the flounder division but anglers from the sands of Cape May Point are having success. Crabbing in the area has been very good.

Chris at Better Bait and Ice in Toms River tells me the hottest game in town right now is the blowfish. A clam log is an essential if you are targeting them. Chris recommends the area around BB Buoy. Snapper blues are all over the river and beaches. He tells me some angler on the beaches are live lining small bluefish for fluke and having great success. There are plenty of northern kingfish and croakers in the area as well. Worms, FishBytes or even clam pieces are being used by the locals to put up some of these tasty treats. Chris also tells me that crabbing in the area has been fantastic off of almost every pier in the area.

With the fishing as good as it can get around Sea Isle and a new expansion at the shop, I can’t imagine Mike Cunningham of Sea Isle Bait and Tackle is getting that much sleep these days. So when you stop and shop, go easy on him if he seems to be dragging a bit. The Ocean City Reef and the Lumps of Sea Isle have been producing the big fish lately. Kingfish are still hitting around the beaches and the bays are loaded with bait fish. Mike rated Crabbing at great to fabulous if you can get on them at the right tide. I asked Mike if there have been any redfish taken in the area yet but he hasn’t heard of any. Last year, when they showed up, Townsends Inlet seemed to be their first stop. I suspect we will be hearing something about them soon. There are tons of spot in the area so I think we will get a run of reds. JMHO.

If you are vacationing in America’s Favorite Family Resort, Ocean City, and are looking for some info on the local fishing activity, then do what I do when I am in the area. Stop in and ask the pros at Fin-Atics Marine Supply on West Ave. I spoke with Michael at the store this week and he told me that the OC Reef is still the hot spot for big flounder. Gulps, strip baits and minnows are the key to success. Crabbing for some reason is a little slow in the back bay. On the beaches, anglers are targeting blues (small), spot and if you can get through those two, kingfish. Brown Sharks off the beach at night are becoming a big draw of late. I the back, the ratio of keepers to throwback flounder has gone up but there are still some nice flat fish to be had , best times are right before and after the change. Anthony Gasparovic, a six year old angler, hooked and kept a three pound fluke in the back on minnows. Way to go Tony!

Mike Jung at Peace Token Bait and Tackle in Cape May Court House tells me that local fishing has been good and looks like it will be getting better. Crabbing in the area has been nothing short of great. The offshore bite is strong everywhere from the Wilmington to the Hot Dog. Big Eye Tuna are the top takers of bait right now but that is subject to a quick change. Look for dolphin while trolling the 20 fathom line. Some nice yellow fin are being taken in the same area on the chunk. Closer in, the Cape May Reef and the Ben Franklin have been the go to area for locals in the know. Off the beaches it has been a mixed bag of spot, croakers and flounder. If you haven’t been in the new Peace Token Shop (located in the old WAWA at rte. 147 and 9) you are in for a treat. All the famous hand tied Peace Token rigs plus more tackle than you would find in most shops twice the size. Check it out next time you are in the area, tell them OTW sent you.

I spoke with Tommy at Pell’s Fish and Sport in Brick who told me that the most consistent game in town right now is crabbing and snapper blues. That’s fine with me. Both are great table fare. You can also chum up some tasty blowfish in the area and hook them on some pieces of sand worm. Out front, the choices have changed with the temporary close of sea bass. The south end of the Axel Carlson Reef has been giving up some nice fluke to spearing, Gulp or Squid. Make sure to take some bucktails with you as well. They seem to be the key ingredient right now. Try the SS Bucktails. Check out their Sea Robin Orange. Match the hatch!

Looking for a southern party boat ride to some good fishing spots? I recommend the PorgyIV and Captain Paul Thompson. Enough said. If it’s a luxury ride you are seeking, check out Saint Judith’s Charters in Atlantic City. Their two Viking Yachts will do the job right!

Long Beach Island is traditionally one of the busiest fishing holes in the state. Accessible from so many areas it also seems to be a fish magnet. And if you are in the area and looking for bait or tackle, you need to stop in at Tony’s in Manahawkin. I spoke with Matt at the shop this week and he tells me the bite on the LBI beaches has been mostly fluke at this time which is normal for late summer. Spearing, Gulp Swim Mullets and killies have been the hot baits. Most of the inshore reefs have been stedily increasing their productivity. Crabbing in the back bay has been very good and anglers in the far back are pulling in the occasional weakfish. The blowfish bite has slowed down as is normal but should rebound in a few weeks. In their place, kingfish and spot rule the bay. If you are in need of any baits, check out Tony’s website for all they currently have in stock. You can find their “bait board” at www.tonysbaitandtackle.com.

Best Bets for the Weekend

Tip number one: The black sea bass season is closed effective today! But if you are fishing the reefs, there are still options available. Trigger fish are always out there and can be a fun and tasty by-catch. Make sure you have a rig with a smaller hook in case you run into them. There is a great article on top and bottom rigs in this month’s OTW by David Glueck. The beaches and bays can also provide some light fishing fun. Weakfish and striper action is best at first, last and undercover of darkness. We aren’t talking about lunkers here but with light tackle, we are talking fun. If you just want some fun for the kids, snapper blues, spot and kingfish abound in the bay and beach. And don’t overlook the blue claw crab. There is a strong offshore bite if that’s your cup of tea but then that comes down to the wind and waves. It’s that time of the summer, boy and girls. The fish are there, you make the choice more so on conditions than anything else. Whatever you elect to do, please, be careful out there. You only get so many days in the game, spend them wisely. See you on the incoming.