Exactly a year ago this week, most of us sat glued to our televisions and radios (if you were lucky enough to have service) watching in horror as the damage unleashed by Sandy was evaluated by the forecasters. Personally, at our bayside retreat, we lucked out. A few trees down and a house full of island evacuees was the worst of it for us. For them, not knowing when they could go back or what they would return to was the worst pain. We had survived the storm but the real question was how to deal with the havoc that still lie ahead of us. Fishing, for all intent and purpose, was certainly done for the year. The pictures of the ravaged shore towns, with beaches and home ransacked and littered with boats and cars, confirmed that there would be little time to ply the sport we enjoy. It was time to roll up our collective sleeves and get back to work. This week I had the opportunity to do a road trip in the area and quite frankly, it’s amazing to see how much we have accomplished. Most of the heavy lifting is at the very least, under way. And once again, fishing along the coast is at the forefront of most of the people I deal with. I visited no less than 30 shops this week and while the storm effect was obvious in most of them, it wasn’t the prime topic. Fishing and the fall run was the main topic of conversation. What’s biting and where. Has it started or is the best yet to come? All things in life change eventually but its good to see that some things stay the same. I’m still predicting a good season and certainly anything compared to last year will be great. Let’s see if our scouts on the front line agree with me.
Forked River
One of my first stops of the day was at Lacey Marine in Forked River where I had an opportunity to chat with Dan Tholen. Dan is a big kayak angler and over the weekend competed in a tog tournament for that venue in Cape May where they had great success fishing the inlands bridges and deep holes. Bait of choice was green crab and clam. At the shop, they have weighed in some big bluefish taken locally inshore and nice bass taken on the troll. The Tony Maja bunker spoon is the lure of choice again this year for local boaters. In the back water, Dan tell me the striped bass bit has been best with anglers using rubber baits like Finesse and Zoom in white or pink.
Manahawkin
For those of us in the south of the state, it’s always good to monitor Long Beach Island as that area prime indicator of arriving fish. I stopped in and chatted with owner Andy Tonnesen of Tony’s Bait and Tackle in Manahawkin. He tells me that water temperatures are starting to hit ideal levels and activity is starting to pick up. There have been a few days outside the Barnegat Inlet where it lit up but its not consistent yet. Blues are hard to come by and jigging has been ineffective so far. But boaters dragging bunker or pulling spoons have had some success. Bluefish have yet to move down from the north. In the back waters, there are still weakies and keep on the lookout for speckled trout, especially in the area around Oyster Creek. Jetty hoppers are getting their limit of blackfish using green crab.
Long Beach Island
When I stopped in at Fishermen’s Headquarters at the entrance to LBI, they had just weighed in a couple of 30-plus-pound striped bass taken off the beach and entered in the Surf Derby. The news of the day was bunker hugging the beach for the first time this fall. No sign of the big blues but there the bass action is definitely on the upswing on the Island. One of the big fish was taken on clam, the other on a locally made lure. Stop in the store and they will tell you which one. There have been some spike weakfish around as well as the occasional puppy and or red drum. Boat anglers have been most successful while trolling bunker spoons. There have been a few hours on a few days when Barnegat Inlet was flat out lit up. But the consistency isn’t quite there yet. Soon.
Toms River
I managed to get in touch with Lenny Hahn of Capt’n Hippos Bait and Tackle in Toms River before he left for business in Florida. Lenny noted that the activity in the area seems to be picking up a bit as the water temps drop to prime range. He reported a bite in 60’ of water off of Island Beach State Park’s Bathing Beach. There has also been a pick up on the local area beaches, Oceanside. Lenny asked me to remind you that the shop will be closed from November 4th thru the 14th. It will reopen, fully stocked November 15th. He apologizes in advance for any inconvenience.
Absecon
When last I saw Captain Dave Showell of Absecon Bay Sportsmen’s Center, he was rushing away to put his boating gear on. I had just told him that I spotted a huge school of menhaden in the mouth of the Absecon Inlet as I was returning from Brigantine. I hope that was what I saw as my eyes aren’t what they once were. Dave will find them as he has a reputation for having the best and freshest bait in the area. Lately, he has been on the fish all over the back waters. Little beach has been producing real well with the top bait being big chartreuse swim grubs from Gulp. Live lining spot has also worked according to Dave but not as well as the Gulp baits. There have been some fish taken off the beaches on plugs, of note, the big Sebile Broken Back lure in pearl white. There is still plenty of other baits in the area like rain fish and hickory shad. Match the hatch. Dave tells me the best is yet to come, and I believe him.
Egg Harbor Township
Ed from Team Tackle Direct tell me the hot action around their Egg Harbor Township has been mostly in the back waters but since the nor’easter passed through several weeks back, there has been a noticeable pick up of activity on Absecon Island. Sand eels and hickory shad in the surf have attracted more ocean going striped bass but you need to work for them. Daiwa SP Minnows of the sinking variety and metal have been the hot lures. There are still some redfish lurking around the surf as well. Try using a yellow broken back bomber if you are targeting them. You might be surprised. Tackle Direct is currently running a special sale on Sting-o Fish High Carbon blank rods. Stop by the store on Tilton Road and check them out.
Ocean City
Whenever I am in Ocean City, I try to make it a point to stop by Fin-Atics Marine Supply to get the low down on the local hot spots. Ed tells me that of late, he has been having luck tossing rubber in the surf. There are sand eels in the area as well as herring (hickory shad) as well as rain fish. Blue fish are pretty much non-existent in the area and that is a little worrisome. Water temperatures in the Ocean city area is hovering right around the 60 degree mark. Best bets for action are at the north or south ends of the island. I ran into a couple of anglers picking up green crabs as I was leaving the shop who told me that picking up a keeper fish under most of the bridges was effortless. Two more weeks and you will have something to shoot for.
Sea Isle
In Sea Isle, I dropped in to visit with owner Mike Cunningham of Sea Isle Bait and Tackle. He tells me that the recent warm snap in the back has slowed things down a bit. Red hot action has tamped down to plain hot. The back bay is still giving up striped bass, and some decent weakfish. Off the beaches, there has been a decent striper bite, with fresh bunker being the best bait. There are sand eels, shad and rain baits in the wash. Inshore the first pods of bunker have been spotted around the Sea Isle Lumps. Anglers trolling Stretch lures have been successful on a limited basis as the water starts to cool down. At the rocks around Townsends Inlet, tog has been easy to hook with green crabs. There has been some chatter of speckled sea trout in the area, but I have only seen a picture of one. Head south from Sea Isle on the OD and you might find some. Let me know if you do.
Cape May
Moving down to the Cape, I stopped in to visit with Nick at Hand’s Too Bait and Tackle at the foot of the Cape May Bridge. Nick tells me that the action has been best in the Lower Delaware Bay. Boaters chunking for stripers have been picking up some of the biggest fish of the fall season. There has been little noise coming from the rips as of yet. The local back waters are still producing smaller but keeper fish. Weakfish and redfish are being caught on the beaches of the Wildwoods and Cape May. Anglers are using light colored plastics and or small chunks of frozen mullet for the reds. There have been some bluefish in the area, but they have been relatively small. Water temperatures are playing around the 60 degree mark.
If you are in Cape May and you can’t find that one piece of gear you need to have before a fishing trip, then you haven’t looked in the right place. Shoot over to Peace Token Bait and Tackle in Cape May Court House and ask owner Mike Jung to help you. If he doesn’t have it, then chances are you won’t find it anywhere. Heads up to all you sea bass and tile fishermen, Mike will be running some fishing clinics at the shop the next couple of weekends. Cost is 20 dollars per and seating is limited. This weekend Mike will be running his black sea bass clinic and next weekend will be tile fishing. Call the shop (609-463-6851) and reserve your spot ASAP as they will fill up fast. With Mikes knowledge in both area, you will recoup the cost on you first fishing trip with the knowledge you gain.
Also, check out Ken’s article on New Jersey speckled trout in the November/December Issue of On The Water, on sale now.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Black Sea Bass reopens tomorrow but the prospects for the first part of the weekend don’t look promising at all. Early weather projections are calling for some rain but even more importantly strong winds which might keep most boats lashed to the docks. All indications are that the fish are starting to move south. Every day, I monitor the various shops from Sandy Hook south and each day there are reports of more fish being caught and the size is gradually creeping up. The inshore bite, as usual is better but there are bigger baits in the wash and that is a very good indicator. I stand by my prediction that this will be an above average fall run. We also have weakfish in the area as well as some redfish. And I have a hunch that there are some nice spotted sea trout in the area. With sea bass reopened tomorrow and tautog expansion a couple weeks away, we will be fishing straight through this year’s late Thanksgiving Day and then some. Whichever option you choose, stay safe out there. Waters are getting rougher and colder. No fish is that important. You only get so many days in the game, spend them wisely. See you on the incoming.