New Jersey Fishing Report for 4-2-2015

The water is warming up fast, and though finding stripers will still a be an (Easter Egg) hunt this weekend, more fish are being reported each day.

Every fishermen in New Jersey should carve out a little time to hit the freshwater this weekend as it’s Opening Trout Day here in the Garden State. Lakes, streams and rivers throughout the state have been stocked with rainbow trout, just waiting to pounce on a spinner, spoon or piece of PowerBait. If you only fish freshwater once all season, Saturday is the day to do it. Check out Tom Pagliaroli’s column in the April Issue of On The Water for the where and how for trout fishing this weekend.

Speaking of season openers, tog season reopened on April 1. The Gambler found a few tog this week, according to Brayden at Efinger’s Sporting Goods. The spring tog season is a great time to catch them from shore, and some fishermen have been having luck on the jetties from Cape May up to Atlantic City. There haven’t been any keeper tog reported yet, but the shorts are keeping fishermen busy. It won’t be too long before some larger blackfish move in from their offshore wintering grounds.

The fishing for cod and ling remains good aboard headboats like the Jamaica II and the Dauntless. Ling numbers have been improving lately, Brayden said. While most of the cod are smaller, there have been some 20- and 30-pounders reported. The new Voyager came in from its maiden voyage on Thursday afternoon reported Brian from Fishermen’s Supply Company. The guys found great action with codfish. The pool winner weighed in at a jaw-dropping 40 pounds, and there were a few 30-pounders and a number of 20- to 25-pounders caught as well.

Thought not many fishermen have been putting forth an effort, a few winter flounder are being caught off Keyport reported Phil at the Tackle Box in Hazlet. Phil thinks with the improving weather, more fishermen will try for the flatfish over the next week. Brian at Fishermen’s Supply reported that flounder action was picking up in the back bays behind Point Pleasant.

There are stripers being caught regularly on the Raritan Bay shoreline. Gravelling Point is producing fish as well, good numbers at times. While there have been rumors of keeper bass taken in the Raritan, Phil at the Tackle Box has yet to see any proof. Keeper stripers have been caught from the Mullica River, reported Dave at Absecon Bay Sportsman. The Power Plant Outflow at Oyster Creek is also producing stripers, though few over keeper size. The back bays of South Jersey are still cold, reported the crew at Tackle Direct, and as a result, the fishing is still on the slow side.

Best Bets

Though it may seem contrary to common sense, for the best shot at stripers, head north to Raritan Bay. As the waters warm and more stripers move up from the south, the striper action will pick up throughout the rest of the state, but for now, the fishing is concentrated in Raritan Bay, at Graveling Point and in Oyster Creek.

The cod reports from the headboats sound fantastic, and that would be my top pick, especially the reports with numbers of 20-pound-plus cod coming in.

And don’t forget about Opening Trout Day on Saturday. Hitting the local creek for the first day of trout season is a wonderful tradition, so call up your family and friends and make plans to catch some trout this Saturday.