All Right, so we had a minor setback this week, nothing to get worried about. A little snow and a little frost which may have caused some minor difficulties in your garden but from what I am seeing, not much damage in the waters. The bait is starting to move, which means that the fish we seek will also start arriving in bigger and better numbers. Every day I see more evidence that the real “Spring” season is about to kick into the next gear. I have even heard whispers that the first weakfish of the season are here. The ospreys have reclaimed their nesting spots all over the state and to me that is a prime indicator that the forage they need to survive and feed their upcoming broods with are there for the taking. Let’s see if the signs I am seeing locally are also appearing elsewhere in the state.
I received a report from the Miss Belmar Princess saying that they are getting ready and will begin spring operations starting May 2nd. Sailing for stripers and blues from their berth in Belmar, the Princess will leave every day at 7:30 am. No reservations required.
For you Tile fisherman out there, there are only a couple of weekend trips left on The Gambler out of Point Pleasant and seating is limited. Their special trips, limited to 24 anglers, leave on Friday night (11pm) and return Saturday (8pm). Call ahead (732-295-7569) to reserve a seat. Trips are scheduled for the 19th and the 26th of April. The Gambler is also running this Friday and Monday south for big blackfish. I have been receiving some very good reports from the southern grounds with tog up to 12 pounds not being uncommon. These are special trips. The gambler is also doing normal daily trips for cod and ling.
If you are looking to add to that tackle box, be sure to mark April 26th on your calendar. The Jersey Hooker in Brick will be holding its annual “spring cleaning” inventory event. Captain Rich Wilkowski will be offering rock bottom pricing on all items to make room for the new summer stock.
I spoke with Ernie at Giglio’s in Sea Bright this week for the first time this year. He was recovering from an appendectomy and has been MIA for a while. Good to have you back in the loop Ernie. Anyway, he told me that locals have been picking at striped bass in the area and the best bet has been at night and with frozen clams for bait. Most have been shorts but they have had fish up to twelve pounds weighed in the shop. Ernie highly recommends the vac-sealed clams they sell at the shop as opposed to the salted variety. Ernie also told me they were just starting to get some strong reports of winter flounder locally. South of the Sea Bright Bridge has been the hot spot. The best baits have been sand worms, blood worms and clam bits. There have been some reports of bait fish in the area but as to what they are, the reports have been sketchy. Ernie is of the opinion they are shad. That’s definitely some good news.
There is a new VP of Sales and Operations at Team Tackle Direct and it is none other than our own Captain Ed Berger. I always knew he had what it takes. Way to go Ed and Best of luck. While I was congratulating him, I figured now was the time to make him earn his pay. Ed tells me he has heard of some striped bass action over by the power plant in Beasley’s Point. No word on the bait, but the old timers always taught me to try eel skins first and last around the plant. The herring are up the river (Great Egg) and as a result, we have been seeing some nice fish taken there on the chase. Match the hatch is the best I can tell you. DEAL of the Week. Just got in a load of true Japanese Daiwa Ryoga Bay Jigging reels. In store price 399 compared to the MSRP of 600. These reels will not be featured on the web site and are readily acknowledged as the top dog for jigging. Stop in and check them out at the Tilton Road locations in EHT.
Weather permitting, Captain Chris Hueth has been sailing for cod and ling on the Belmar based Big Mohawk. The reports have been good when they have been able to get to the good water. Blackfish also have been in the mix. Don’t forget, blackfish closes in a few weeks and after that, it’s a no-no until July and then it’s a one fish limit. So now is the time. And the Big Mohawk may well be your best bet in the area.
I have been hearing whispers that the weakfish are here in the south but to date, have been unable to verify those rumors. So I put a call in to Fin-Atics Marine Supply in Ocean City as that is the area where the reports were surfacing. Justin at the shop told me that it was more than a rumor as he saw pics of one of their customer with a slob weakfish. The area behind Sea Isle City seems to be the local hot spot. No word on best baits but having some grass shrimp or bloodworms is definitely a must this time of year. Justin heard that anglers at the old Ninth street Bridge were doing well on stripers using top water plugs. I would assume this was occurring in the shallows where the waters were heating up a bit and the bait was crowding the banks. There have been some nice fish further up the Greater Egg River where the herring are bunched up. Match the hatch there. There has also been some action at Corson’s Inlet, just inside the beachfront. Anglers soaking clams have had some nice keepers there in the daytime. These are some very encouraging signs.
For you Surf Anglers out there, I just received this Flash mail and thought I would pass it along.
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife reminds anglers to register now to make the April 21 early registration deadline for the 23rd Annual Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament! This year’s tournament has been moved to the spring, and will be held on May 18 at Island Beach State Park.
The individual who catches the overall largest fish wins the “Governor’s Award,” and has his/her name engraved on the Governor’s Cup, which is permanently displayed at the park. Fishing equipment is awarded to winners who catch the largest fish in a variety of species and age group categories.
Anglers planning on participating in the tournament should register early to save $5 on adult registration and are assured easy entry to the park. Anglers who register early are eligible for special prizes on the day of the tournament.
The pre-registration fee for the tournament is $15 for ages 18 and up; the registration fee on tournament day is $20. The registration fee for ages 13-17 is $5 and registration is free for ages 12 and under.
For more information and the registration form, visit the tournament page at www.njfishandwildlife.com/gsft.htm on the Division’s website.
Tournament anglers may be asked to verify their compliance with the New Jersey Saltwater Recreational Registry Program, so if you have not already registered please make sure you do at http://www.nj.gov/dep/saltwaterregistry/ before hitting the beach the day of the tournament.
On the fresh water scene, I usually look to Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville and this time of year, they are one of the better scouting teams out there. Everyone goes to Harry’s! I spoke with Frank who confirmed that the shad run is very active on the Delaware. Especially in places like Trenton, Lambertville and Burlington. Some beautiful bass have been taken on shad pieces all around the river. I have seen pics from as far south as below the Tacony Bridge and as far north as Lambertville. The Delaware Canal has been the local hot spot for trout. Most of the stocked areas in NJ have been getting better as the weather warmed but with this last shot of brisk air, you may need to adjust you tactics a little. Frank recommends that you make sure your tackle box has a wide variety of options to help you put some meat on the table. Missing something? Stop by Harry’s and there is no question in my mind that the guys can help you out.
On or around the Toms River, the place to go for bait, tackle or information is Capt’n Hippos. Owner Lenny Hahn is getting ready to celebrate his fifth anniversary at the shop but has been around the area for much, much longer. When I spoke to Lenny this week, he said that the fishing was slowly picking up but still a tad off the mark. His (T)ides of March perch tourney is still running and had the latest entry was a yellow taken in Mathis Park. There have reports of anglers getting winter flounder down around Island Heights using bloods and clam bits. Lenny also told me the Toms has been somewhat quiet on the white perch front and that you would have a better shot over at Forge Pond.
I always like to get a second confirmation when I hear fishing rumors so I put a call into the gang at Two Chums Bait and Tackle in Sea Isle City to see if I could lock down the weakfish stories I have been hearing. Well, I can now say the rumors are now fact. Some nice fish are being caught in the mornings and at dusk. White plastics seem to be the best attractors but don’t rule out bloods, grass shrimp and of course, some slim profile metals. There have been some striped bass caught in the back as well. Two Chums has its rental fleet in the water already so if you are looking for a way to get to some of those hard to reach back bay holes, give them a shout and reserve one.
Fishing Forecast for New Jersey
For years, Good Friday was always a signal to get out there and search for mackerel for the upcoming fluke season but sadly, I was unable to find anyone who has had and success or is even hunting them anymore. That being said, you only have a few weeks left on this segment of the blackfish season and the weather looks like it may cooperate with you if that is something you are considering. Striped bass in the back is the best option but the thought of weakfish down in the southern reaches of the state has me thinking about my priorities. Pound for pound, nothing gives you a fight like a nice weakfish, at least in my opinion. The perch bite is better in the backwater but the front is starting to show some signs of life. On the fresh water front, the shad are running and if you aren’t one for their roe or cooking on a cedar plank, they also make a fine striper bait. There are plenty of trout around as well. So which ever option you go for, have fun and stay safe. The waters are still plenty cold. See you on the incoming.