Northern New Jersey Fishing Report | November 13, 2014

The fall fishing has been running hot and cold in New Jersey, and fortunately for us, its running hot as we enter the weekend. Big bluefish and stripers are once again showing up in the surf and just offshore. Bluefin tuna have been spotted on inshore grounds, the canyons are still great and the blackfish limit jumps to 6 on Sunday, so there is a lot to get excited about when hitting the water this weekend.

Trolling is the best bet in the Raritan right now reported the crew at True World Bait and Tackle in Bayonne. Bunker spoons are working very well. There is a ton of bait out there, sometimes too much, they reported, as the stripers have been keying in on the real deal and avoiding lures. Shore fishermen are catching on bunker chunks at Liberty State Park.

The fish in Raritan Bay are feasting on baby weakfish reported Brayden at Efinger’s Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. Blues and stripers with full bellies of the small weakfish are being caught in good numbers. To match this “baitfish” fishermen are casting white swim shads or trolling with shad umbrella rigs. Drifting eels in Sandy Hook Channel is working both day and night, Brayden reported. Bunker are also all over the bay, and they have brought in the gannets. Sand eels have not shown up in any numbers Brayden said.

The black sea bass fishing is good, but most of the fish have pushed off to deeper water. Brayden reported that 100 feet has been the best depth to find the sea bass right now.

Surfcasters are catching some nice stripers on lures at night reported the crew at The Bait Shop in Bradley Beach. Weigh-ins this week included a 15- and a 27-pounder taken on a black Bomber and a swim shad. Clams have been working as well, but lures have been best lately. Shark River Inlet is still full of peanut bunker, and with cold weather on the horizon, these small baitfish could trigger some epic action along the beaches when cold water chases them out of the bay.

John at The Reel Seat in Brielle said the Hudson Canyon still has a solid chunk bite with yellowfin, longfin and bigeye all turning up in the chum slick. Bluefin have been reported in the Mudhole, with some fish being hooked as close as the Axel Carlson Reef. One fishermen trolling a bunker spoon got a surprise when a bluefin took the lure and nearly emptied his spool.

Bass fishing around Manasquan Inlet has been great John said. Fish from 15 to 25 pounds are being caught by trolling, casting shads and snagging and dropping. On Thursday, the fish and bait moved close enough to the beach for shore fishermen to connect on snagged bunker and lures.

After dark, when the bunker and bigger bass move out, John reported fishermen are still catching stripers ranging from shorts to just over 30 inches on SP Minnows, Yo-Zuri Mag Darters and shads. Fish are being caught in the inlet as well.

Shore fishermen are still catching tog in the Canal as well.

Phil at The Tackle Box in Hazlet said the bite is incredible and bass are all over the bay.  Trolling in the Raritan produced a 37- and a 36-pounder for fishermen this week. Snagging and dropping bunker is also working.

The beach fishing for stripers has been good reported Tom at Giglios, but the fish are moving around a lot. The hotspot is changing daily, Tom said. The key is staying mobile to find the fish. Big bluefish hit the beach this week, with choppers to 15 pounds being caught on snagged bunker and poppers. Stripers to 15 pounds are hitting SP Minnows, white bucktails, polaris poppers and pencil poppers.

Best Bets for the Weekend

Take your pick.  For bigger bass, either the Manasquan area or Raritan Bay. In the Raritan, trolling is definitely producing larger fish at the moment, but live bait is working as well.

From the beach, don’t forget the snag hooks or SP Minnows. Keep moving until you find the fish. Start in the Manasquan area if fishing during the day, and try to hunt down some bunker within casting range.

The tog limit bumps up on Sunday, so you might want to take advantage and be the first to your favorite wreck. If you are after sea bass, think deep, 100 feet.

If you can make the run, or get on a charter or party boat, this could be the last call in the canyons, and the bite is still hot. If you’re a gambler, you could also go on a bluefin hunt at the Mudhole.