This roller coaster weather isn’t helping matters, but the fishing continues to gather steam. March looks like it’s going out like a lamb, but it’s a safe bet some chilly days still lie ahead.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said there are plenty of bass being caught in Raritan Bay in the Cliffwood Beach area. The fish are mostly shorts, but there’s a load of them, including the occasional keeper. Clams and worms are catching the fish, but as the bay remains packed with bunker, it can’t be long before they’re on the menu.
The party boats out of the Atlantic Highlands Marina are gearing up for the early striper season and one, the Prowler 5, already made its inaugural trip for bass. Unfortunately, Capt. Scott Hilliard said the anglers came up empty. There’s plenty of bait in the bay, especially mossbunker, we just need the fish.
The Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers are holding bunker and herring as well and Mike at the Oceanic Marina in Rumson said a surprise species made an appearance in the Navesink this week.
Customers fishing for winter flounder came back with a bucketful of mackerel. It was the first time Mike had seen that and said the fish were hitting the worms on the flounder rigs.
In Sea Bright, Tom Giglio at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle also reported on the abundance bait around, not only in the rivers, but on the beaches as well. Bunker, herring and spearing have been spotted and he’s had reports of a few small bass coming off the sand. He added that he had a report of some blues blitzing in Raritan Bay earlier this week, although the angler with the exact location was keeping it close to his chest.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar has pretty much given up on the winter flounder in Shark River. It’s still very slow there, he said, and it’s looking more and more like they cleared out of the inlet early.
The shop has turned its attention to the re-opening of the blackfish season on Friday, April 1. It’s a four-fish limit until the end of the month and the Den will have green crabs for those giving it a shot. The tog should be hanging in the inlet rocks, bridges and offshore wrecks and reefs – pretty much the same places as when the season closed at the end of February.
The Ocean Explorer out of Belmar, which has been sailing for cod, ling and pollock with success, will target tog starting Friday. The Big Mohawk, also out of Belmar, will sail for them as well.
The Golden Eagle has been focusing on mackerel and Capt. Rich Falcone said, when the weather allows them to sail, they’ve been finding fish. The mackerel were biting on Wednesday, he reported, and the average catch was about a 5-gallon bucketful per person. The bluefish are around as one chased a hooked mackerel to the boat.
Joe Melillo at Castaways Bait and Tackle in Point Pleasant said the blackfish are definitely in the Point Pleasant Canal. A 12-inch fish hit a worm intended for winter flounder.
According to Melillo, the winter flounder bite has been pretty good at the south end of the canal and by the Mantoloking Bridge. Fish up to 19 inches have been caught. Sandworms are doing the trick. He’s also heard of a few small stripers by the Route 70 Bridge, but there’s not a lot of bass action to speak of.
Ray at Jersey Hooker Outfitters in Brick also reported his customers having good luck with winter flounder at the Mantoloking Bridge and the end of Bay Avenue, although public pier there is in need of repairs. He personally has been doing well up in the Cliffwood Beach area with striped bass on clams and worms.
The bass have shown up at the Causeway Bridge, reported Matt at Tony’s Bait and Tackle in Manahawkin. Bloodworms are the bait to use there, he said, while bait and plugs are catching fish at the Power Plant.
The crew at Scott’s Bait and Tackle in Mystic Island reports that there is an abundance of small stripers throughout the area. Best time to fish is at the top of the high tide and the outgoing when the bait is moving.
The bait of choice has been bloodworms, but the guys at the shop said there’s been an increase in clam sales so they’re guessing that the fish are beginning to broaden their menu. There have also been reports that bass are chasing herring and bunker into the rivers and there are some bluefish in pursuit as well.
Kurt at Absecon Bay Sportsman reported the bass fishing is finally heating up with stripers back to the Parkway bridges with bloodworms taking the fish. The white perch bite is improving as well and Kurt said the fishing for them appears to best in the Egg Harbor River while the Mullica is holding more bass. It’s grass shrimp for the perch.
Small swimming plugs are also working for bass at night at the Brigantine Bridge.
Short stripers are being caught along the beach in Brigantine according to RipTide Bait and Tackle, but they are still waiting to see the first keeper-sized fish.
The bass are thick around the jetties in Atlantic City and fishermen can’t miss – as long as they use bloodworms, said Noel Feliciano at One Stop Bait and Tackle. Clams and bunker are producing nothing but skates, but once the bloods are on, so are the fish. The only drawback, he said, is the fish are all shorts, but there is plenty of action.
Justin Schenker at Fin-atics in Ocean City reported the bass are there as well, mostly football-sized fish that are hitting worms and clams and soft baits like paddle-tail shads. White perch are in the rivers and creeks and Justin said some bluefish showed up, a sure sign that things are about to break loose.
Fishing Forecast for New Jersey
For the first time in a long time, anglers have some choices this weekend. Striped bass can be found almost the entire length of the state, even though there are not a lot of keepers as yet. Blackfish season also reopens on Friday and a number of tackle shops will be carrying crabs for the occasion. There are winter flounder in Barnegat Bay and white perch in the rivers and creeks farther south.
And if you have some young children, bring them to Spring Lake and help the Shark River Surf Anglers stock it with trout for the Annual Trout Contest for Kids taking place on Saturday, April 9, opening day of trout season. The stocking begins at 9:30 a.m. and it’s a great time for kids and families.