The striper bite picked up in a big way in North Jersey this week, and stripers heavier than 30 pounds hit the decks of boats throughout the area.

Laurence Harbor

The crew at Tackle US reported a great striper bite in Raritan Bay on both clams and bunker.

Hazlet

Phil at The Tackle Box heard of stripers to 33 pounds this week out of Raritan Bay.  Boats have been finding success with bunker, clams, umbrella rigs and Manns Stretch 25s.

Big blues hit the bay this week as well. Better late than never.

The surf side is finally seeing some bass as well Phil said. The fish are small, 15 to 20 inches, but fishermen are pulling some keeper-sized fish at the tip of Sandy Hook.

The Navesink River is also giving up some bass on bunker chunks and plugs

Keyport

Tom at the Keyport Marine Basin said the bass fishing is pretty good. Trolling is getting it done with stripers to 14 pounds.

He’d also heard of some fluke caught by fishermen targeting stripers.  Just a reminder, the fluke are out of season and must be released.  Fluke season will open up on May 23 in New Jersey.

Sea Bright

There are stripers in the Raritan Bay, Navesink River and ocean according to Tom at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle.  The ocean-side bass have been partial to clam while the bass in the river are hitting worms and bucktails.

Weakfish have been caught in the area as well.

Tom also caught word of some spotty bluefish action in the river.  The blues have been 9- to 10 pounds, but the action isn’t red hot just yet.

Bradley Beach

Short stripers are taking clams in the surf according to the guys at The Bait Shop. The shop had its first weigh in on Wednesday, a 19-pound striper taken on a bucktail on the beach.

Belmar

Clams, bunker and Mann’s Stretch 25 have been producing stripers according to Joe at Joey’s Bait Shack. Fish up to 53 pounds have been reported.

Joe had heard no reports of bluefish just yet, but weakfish are starting to show, with fish to 18 inches reported. Winter flounder fishing has been good as well, with a few flatties up to 18 inches taken.

The Miss Belmar Princess will be sailing for Bass and Blues starting on Friday. The Golden Eagle has been sailing and finding keeper stripers on bait and jigs. Bluefish are beginning to mix in with some of the bass, but only a few reported Captain Hank. Hank said as the water warms up, so does the fishing.

Tom at the Nan Sea J said the striper fishing has been inconsistent—the action is great one day and slow the next. When the bite is on, both keeper and short fish are being caught in good numbers.

Brielle

Dave at The Reel Seat said the striper bite turned on Wednesday out front with fish to 35 pounds being caught. Rapala X-Raps and Mann’s Stretch plugs were the hot lures. Schoolies are providing fun light-tackle action in the Manasquan River, and a few fish are also being caught in the canal reported Dave. A couple bluefish have also been caught in the Canal.

Freshwater

Walleye fishing is going great in the lower Raritan River reported Brayden at Efinger’s Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. Stickbaits and crankbaits are catching fish, and the best color has been gold.

Largemouth bass are beginning to strike topwater lures, Brayden said, especially mouse baits. The prespawn largemouths are also hitting spinnerbaits.

Crappie fishing in the Delaware and Raritan Canal is excellent. Anglers are racking up big numbers using fathead minnows.

Trout fishing has been good in Ken Lockwood Gorge. Size 18 Flashback Pheasant Tails are working for good-size rainbows.

According to Frank at Harrys the shad bite is back on in the Delaware River.  Stripers are still being caught on shad chunks as well. The Trenton area has been the best bet for this fishing.

Best Bets for the Weekend

The striper bite is on.  If you have a boat get out and get trolling in Raritan Bay or off Point Pleasant. Diving plugs are working great, but so are bunker spoons and umbrella rigs. Shore fishermen will find bass by working the Raritan Bay shoreline with bunker or clams after dark.