The Fall Run rocks on in New Jersey this week. Big stripers and blues continue to be caught from beach and boat.
The bluefish blitzes in Raritan Bay last weekend were the most intense many fishermen can remember. Packs of ravenous blues had balled up bunker so tightly, that some of the baitfish at the top of the school were left high and dry. Akira at True World Tackle said the blues during Sunday’s blitz ranged from 16 to 17 pounds. Trolling in Raritan Bay has accounted for stripers up to 47 inches and 42 pounds recently. Drifting live eels and bouncing jigs are also working, Akira reported. The action in the bay isn’t limited to the boats—Akira said keeper stripers are coming from the piers as well.
“It’s on fire!” reported Rob from Harry’s Army Navy. From Sandy Hook to Seaside Park, the surf is full of stripers. The bass are hitting lures, such as Tsunami Timber Lures Poppers and Swim Shads, but the most reliable striper action has come on fresh chunks. The bluefishing was insane in the Sandy Hook surf on Monday Rob reported, but by Tuesday, the big run of big blues had moved down toward Seaside. Topwaters were the key to the action with the bluefish. Rob expects the northwest wind forecasted this weekend to clean the water up, and keep the fishing hot. Boat fishermen are also doing well, catching on live bunker. Many of the bass taken recently have been larger than 40 inches and 20 pounds, with fish to 40 pounds reported from surf and boat.
Monmouth Beach to Long Branch is producing lots of bass and blues reported the crew at Giglio’s. Clams are catching the stripers, and just about anything you throw is catching the blues. Yellow has been the hot color for plugs.
Speaking of blues, Steve from the Skylarker said the migration of big bluefish is off New Jersey right now. He’s seeing bluefish at a number of depths from 150 feet to 100 feet, all the way into the surf. Steve said the fishing for porgies and sea bass has been holding up. It’s slowed some from the red hot action earlier this fall, but as of Thursday, anglers on the Skylarker were catching great numbers of sea bass. With the tog limit increasing to six fish per man on Monday, November 16, Steve will be setting his sights on blackfish.
There are big numbers of bass in Raritan Bay reported the crew from Julians. A large school of schoolie stripers even made a push up the Navesink River feeding on peanut bunker. They also reported good action on cod and ling at 17 Fathoms.
Fishermen aboard Parker Pete Sportfishing had a great week jigging up bluefish and the occasional bass. The blues are running big, with many fish over 15 pounds.
Best Bets for the Weekend
The weather and seas will be improving by Sunday, so boats should have an easier time getting on the bass and blues. The surf bite is still great, but don’t be afraid to switch to bait if plugs aren’t getting it done. SP Minnows and poppers have been the top lures, while bunker and clams are the top baits.
Also, get your bottom-fishing gear ready for Monday, when the tog bag limit increases and charter and party boats begin targeting these hard-fighting wreck dwellers. Fishermen have been catching plenty of tog by accident when targeting sea bass and porgies, so it promises to be a fantastic start to the season.
Thanks for the updates.
That’s Vicki Dunn and her son Andrew Dunn in that photograph. Not pictured is my 10 year old daughter Abbie, who was busy fighting her own fish at the time I took that photo. Would have liked to have all three in the picture but we released all the fish we caught that day.