The Heat is on!

This simply must have been one of the screwiest weather years I can remember. Aside from the fact that it really started on the tail end of the biggest natural weather disasters the area has ever seen, we are now sunning ourselves on the beach with temps pushing 80. One second you are thinking about what to wear to the office Halloween party and the next is what SPF level suntan lotion to use. Just plain bizarre.

I know that I am not the only one that is confused, the fish are too. With ocean temperatures approaching 70 degrees and the back bays heated up like a bathtub, there are about a billion baitfish back there trying to figure out what to do. The catch of small stripers in the back has been great in the evenings, if you can get out for a little topwater popping.

Our anglers are catching though. Sea-bassing has picked up and even though you can only keep one blackfish, those with the knack are racking up some nice catches. Are the stripers on the beach? Blues busting water? Tuna crashing sand eels? Rainbows running between your feet? Only one way to find out, let’s hit the shops!

Touched base with our fly guys at Efinger’s in Bound Brook and the news is not good. Between big losses of fish at the hatchery, crazy low water at the Gorge, and the flooding of the TCA area with dirty water has not locked down the trout fishing but has made it increasingly difficult. On the salt side there have been some big bluefish caught on the fly by afternoon anglers out on their boats throwing anything with wire tippet.

Bob at Meltzers in Garfield snuck out and did a little fishing earlier in the week but the water conditions were terrible. They have cleared since then and the porgie and sea bass fishing has improved with them. By the way, if you pass the Verrazano without dropping some jigs down for weakfish you are making a big mistake. The bite is hit and miss, but when you hit the fish are big. Blackfishing inn NY Harbor is really turning on, but you really have to pay attention to the regs. It is still one in NJ but 4 in NY, so even though you are fishing the same spots, the bag is different. Don’t get dumb and get fined. NJ goes back up to 6 on November 15.

Phil at the Tackle Box in Hazlet is weighing in some monsters! One of his regulars, Walter Fisher, brought a 22 3/4# bluefish in to the scales and tells the guys he also had a 21 1/2 and a 20 all on jigs. He is killing it at the Mud Buoy! Eeling for stripers in Sandy Hook Channel is starting to get productive with stripers in the 20# range taken both in the daytime and at night. Bottom fishing is strong and Mike Rand brought a 8# 9 oz weakie in, taken at Flynn’s Knoll. Great report!

Tom at Giglio’s in Sea Bright is starting to hear some good rumblings from the beach. Scatterings of weakfish in the surf and a decent number of bluefish in the 5- to 6-pound range. There are some stripers mixed in with the blues but they are making their showing in the late after noon until around sunset. This action from Asbury up to the Hook. Topwaters are connecting so make sure to change out the rear treble to a single hook with the blues in the ‘hood.

Dominick at The Bait Shop in Bradley Beach says “Deadsville”. He walked Bradley Beach and did not see a thing the last couple of mornings. No bait, no fish. Couple of customers were up working bunker spoons off of the rocks and connected with a few stripers but nothing to weigh in.

Our regional tile fish guru, Dave, from The Reel Seat in Brielle could not pick up because he is off to Florida to see if he can work a little snowy grouper action in with his tile addiction. Eric is filling in at he store and reports that the tuna chunk bite at the Hudson is still on fire. Those that are going are getting into yellowfin in the 80- to 100-pound class with numbers up in the 20’s and 30 for volume. There are some tired backs and weak knees for sure. From there down to the 100 Square a couple eyeballs and longfin are still showing up but the numbers are way down. Inshore, south of the inlet, anglers pull Tony Maja’s are connecting with medium bass in the 20# range. The river is chock full of schoolies for early morning and late afternoon/evening action.

Ron at Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant backs up all the news Eric passed along on what is going on in the Hudson. His guys are also working the bottom fish and are connecting with sea bass on the local snags. Blackfishing in the canal is “on fire.”

Tony at Harry’s Army Navy… oops, excuse me, Harry’s Adventure Outfitters in Robbinsville has had mixed reports of small bass on the beach from Monmouth up to Sandy Hook. He backs up the tuna bite at the Hudson and adds in that those trying the inshore troll for their little cousins are not doing much. Albies and bonito usually found at the Barnegat Ridge and other near shore trolling zones have been pretty scarce.

Best Bet for this weekend

Looks like Mother Nature is going to stay confused right through the weekend. Warmer than average temperatures, light winds and flat seas. With 2-foot at long intervals, I’d have to say it is time to push the pins all the way down and run tuna long. Don’t forget the tilefish gear, it should be easy to catch a good drift.

Remember it is October and this treat will almost certainly turn into a trick by next weekend so go, go, go! Short runners should hit the reefs and snags and get that first good sea bass trip in, and while you are there be sure to pick up a nice blackfish. Anchoring up should be a breeze with no breeze. Plenty of time for striper fishing when the weather turns bad and it gets red hot down the road, so I’d say target something else. It is going to be a beautiful weekend to be a fisherman, don’t waste it!

Stay Tuna-ed!