Living by the local boat ramp I get to see the progression of the fishing season as it arrives in full. When the crabbers arrive with trailers loaded with traps, I know that the preliminaries are about to end and the main event is just over the horizon. Each day I have been receiving better reports with more activity and new arrivals of species not seen or heard from since the fall. More weakfish in more areas, the arrival of some blues and stripers off the sand on the ocean side are all good indicators. It won’t be long now when we start hearing about nice runs of striped bass chasing bait and good schools of blue fish on the bunker in the area. Water temperatures are still a tad chilly but some people are reporting that there has been a bump in fish movement none the less. Let’s see if we can confirm any of these rumors.
First some house cleaning. Striper Cup officially opens today, so if you haven’t entered yet and want to do so, get on over to the main OTW site and get on board. It’s a five month tournament with one hell of a shindig at the end, plus some off the shelf opportunities for some great prizes. Don’t wait until you get that big fish and then regret not entering.
Second, Tautog or Blackfish for your northern anglers is now closed in NJ until July 15th. I know it’s not fair but neither is a citation. Just a heads up. While we are at it, make sure your NJ Saltwater Registry is up to date and printed out. It is still free and you can do so at – http://www.nj.gov/dep/saltwaterregistry/
Welcome aboard to the Duke O’Fluke, a Back Bay pontoon boat berthed in Somers Point. Captain Brooke Koenke has been fishing the Greater Egg Harbor area for quite some time and he and his crew will put you on the fish. With two trips daily, it’s a great way to sneak out on the water for some good action. I spoke with Brooke yesterday and he will be doing a flounder scouting trip next Saturday (the 10th) in preparation of the opening of this year’s season. I have fished on the Duke many times and always had an enjoyable day.
In Sea Isle City, Mike Cunningham of Sea Isle Bait and Tackle is reporting that the surf action is starting to pick up. Clams are the bait of choice and most of the fish being taken are short bass but there is the occasional keeper. The bay is giving up some nice weakfish with the prime attractant being white swim bait on a lead head. There have been some reports of runner bluefish in the Townsends Inlet.
There is a new shop up on Long Beach Island and after chatting with Bill Heitzmann, I am predicting it will be around for some time to come. Bill’s Surf and Tackle in Harvey Cedars is carrying a full line of bait and while aimed at the surf anglers will carry everything from custom rods to offshore tackle. Bill tells me that lately, there have been some quiet whispers of weakfish in the back and even talk of a bluefish or two. The main action has been on striped bass off the beaches in the area. Bill said most anglers are using clam to land bass and that mostly small bass are being reported. The water temperature in Harvey Cedars is hanging right around the 50 degree mark.
Beginning on Saturday May 3rd, The GamblerI stopped in and chatted with Captain Dave Showell of Absecon Bay Sportsmen’s Center to get the lowdown on local action. He tells me that activity is starting to perk up a bit and is seeing increased signs of life in the bay. Local crabbers have their traps out and are doing ok. The minnows are starting to get bigger. Great Bay has had some small blues and weakfish reported in the area. Anglers using clam around Graveling Point have also had some success. The perch bite has been hit or miss as it tends to be this time of year. Worm pieces and grass shrimp are best bets for action when you find them. Outgoing tide was the best but we are coming off some very high tides and a lot of fresh water flushing in could change everything according to Dave. Water temperatures in the area are hovering around 50 degrees.
My go to guy on the Toms River has been Lenny Hahn at Capt’n Hippo’s Bait and Tackle. When I got ahold of him this week he had last month’s Boat and Beach leader for stripers in the shop. Chris Hernandez landed a 24.5-pound linesider on the river using fresh clam as bait. Lenny has also had some nice weakfish weighed in so far this spring. Pete Fiore brought in one weighing 5.7 pounds, taken on a pink Fin-S Fish by the power plant. Lenny tells me that the winter flounder bite went quiet recently. Date to save: Capt’n Hippo’s will celebrate its fifth anniversary on May 24th. Stop by and say hi to some of the special guests (including Stan Gola of S&S Rattletails) and check out some of the special deals they will be offering to thank their loyal customers.
In Ocean City, the water temperatures are slowly rising and as a result, the bite has been lifting up in line with it. I spoke with Justin at Fin-Atics Marine Supply this week and he told me that anglers using fresh shucked clams have been seeing positive results off the area beaches. Most of the bass have been smaller and of the school variety but action is action. There have been a few reports of weakfish being taken and Justin recommended the England Power plant area or Rainbow. Both spots are traditionally good this time of year. He also told me that the bluefish should start arriving in the Corson’s Inlet spots any day now.
On the freshwater scene, I have been hearing great action on the Delaware River but recent torrential rains and flooding could make it difficult to get at it for a little while. Joe Loreti at Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville tells me that most of the local ponds and streams have been good lately. The problems that the state had with trout did stunt the season a bit but bass and pan fish have been good. The Shad run this year was great according to some locals.
Dave Arbeitman of the Reel Seat in Brielle is always looking for something to keep his customers in the fish. When I touched base with him this week, he told me that the best chance for activity on the water was up the rivers. The winter flounder bite in the area has been steady according to Dave. Pieces of worm or clam matched with a chum pot should put some flatties in your cooler. The striped bass bite also seems to be better in the rivers as well. He has even heard of some weakfish being taken in the area, and this early for them could be a good sign. If you can’t get motivated to hit the water, Dave is running some fishing seminars in the new shop the next couple of weekends. This weekend, Joe Shute will be doing a dog and pony show on rigging ballyhoo and fishing his rigs and lures. Next weekend, The Reel Seat will have a seminar on Shark Fishing with Dave Shunke of Insufishentfunds Sports Fishing team fame. Both Seminars still have seats available but you must call the shop at 732-223-5353 to reserve a seat.
Spoke to the new general manager at Team Tackle Direct this week (and former OTW Fishing Forecaster) , Ed Berger looking for some reports on Absecon Island. Ed informed me that the water has been dirty on both the beach front and the inside but that he has heard of some action by the old Mudhole. Mostly on swim shads in low light conditions. Not big stripers mind you, but action. If you are in the EHT area, stop by the store and show Eddie some love. He may even give you a guided tour of the store.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Some weeks are harder than others to do a fishing forecast. This was one of the harder ones. With blackfish closed and flounder still off the horizon, ocean front leaves little to be considered hunt worthy. That is not to say there are no fish out there. Quite the contrary. Striped bass are starting to perk up as the bait becomes more abundant. Crabs are coming out of their long winter rest and that means the weakfish are starting to show their snaggle-toothed smile all over the place. Perch fishing is also still doing well as is winter flounder. Fresh water fishing may be a challenge this week with the copious amounts of rain received and it is still looking for a place to settle. On the bright side, the weather looks damn near perfect for the weekend so if it is going to breakout, this is the time. The waters are getting there as well and the influx of fresh water into the salt could stir things up. One thing for sure, you won’t know unless you try. Stay safe out there whatever you do. See you on the incoming.