The wait is over.
It’s now full-blown striper time in Raritan Bay. The fishing broke wide open over the last week with reports of anglers catching big bass and plenty of them.
The boat guys are having most of the fun, but there are still fish being caught on bait from the bayshore beaches.
Joe at US Tackle in Laurence Harbor said the boats are having a field day with the stripers, trolling and jigging. White shads seem to be the favorite. Stretch lures are catching fish as well
The shore bite, he said, is slower and mostly at night with bunker chunks, clams and blood worms. Right now he’s carrying big blood worms that are about a foot long, he added. There haven’t been too many reports of bluefish, but he believes it won’t be long before they’ll be on the scene. The bait is all over the place.
Phil Sciortino Sr. at the Tackle Box in Hazlet called the fishing phenomenal in the bay right now and the fish aren’t little. He said there have been bass over 30 pounds. He, too, said it’s mostly boat action while the shore bite in the Cliffwood Beach and Union Beach areas has slowed down.
If you don’t have a boat or a friend who has one, a number of party boats out of Atlantic Highlands will be heading for stripers this weekend. The Angler, Sea Hunter and The Fishermen will be making their first trips of the year while the Sea Tiger, Atlantic Star and Dorothy B have already started their seasons, putting bass in the boat last weekend.
The Sea Tiger II found bass up to bass up to 15½ pounds on Sunday. The Angler is also planning on sailing for blackfish sometime next week.
Jimmy Morenz at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands echoed what everyone else was saying: there’s lots of striped bass in Raritan Bay. Jigging, trolling, clams and bunker chunks are all catching fish. He also said bass are hitting worms in the Navesink River. There are have been a few bass taken on the beach at Sandy Hook, but the fishing there hasn’t really opened up, he said.
Mel Martens at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said most of the action he’s hearing about is up in the bay, but there have been some bass reported in the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers. He said guys are trying in the surf there and there have been some shorts caught from the beach, but no one has brought one to the scales.
He did say the gannets have been diving like crazy off the beach, mostly likely on herring and bunker. There are also some large peanut bunker around.
When they can get out in this fickle weather, tog fishermen are hooking some nice fish.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den Belmar said the Ocean Explorer and Big Mohawk sailed on Sunday and there were a number limit catches between them.
Rock Bottom Charters out of the Shark River Inlet had a half-dozen anglers aboard and they all limited out on tog. A 10-pound blackfish took the pool.
Skylarker Sportfishing out of Belmar has started its season with a new boat and Capt. Steve Spinelli said they have already been catching cod, ling and blackfish.
Capt. Peter Sykes on Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters, also out of Belmar, will be making a reconnaissance trip this weekend to check out spots for bass and blackfish. His first charter is set for later in April.
Capt. Nick Caruso said the ‘Ol Salty II and Big Kid out of Belmar are ready to go this weekend, heading out for blackfish and stripers.
The blackfish are also biting in the Shark River Inlet and Marty Westerfield of Wall got three keepers and witnessed a number of other keepers caught as well.
A report of bass on the beach in Sea Girt and outside the Manasquan Inlet reached Harry’s Adventure Outfitters in Robbinsville. Jeff said schoolie fish were hitting plugs and small metals. Sounds like something I’ll personally investigate this weekend. There are also plenty of striped bass up in the Delaware River, he said.
The winter flounder fishing, which was never great to begin with this year, appears to have taken a turn for the worse. Eric Bunz at the Reel Seat in Brielle said he’s had little news of any significant catches. The fish were biting at the Mantoloking Bridge and the mouth of the Point Pleasant Canal.
The cod bite, he said, has been good at the 40- and 60-mile wrecks when the boats can get out. The Jamaica II out of Bogan’s Basin will be sailing there this weekend. The Big Jamaica is turning its attention to striped bass.
While they’re not here yet, Bunz added that he’s heard of loads of bluefish farther to the south, so we can expect them here shortly.
Greg Bogan at Brielle Bait and Tackle said the blackfish are hitting sandworms, not crabs, at the Point Pleasant Canal and some 3-pound fish have been taken.
He said his customers have been having a good time freshwater fishing lately with largemouth bass in Black Creek off of Wreck Pond and some white perch in Forge Pond. The trout fishing has also been very good.
It was very good for 14-year-old Jack Bycsek who took the Grand Prize in the annual Trout Contest for Kids at Spring Lake sponsored by the Shark River Surf Anglers. Bycsek landed a 7-pound, 9-ounce rainbow for top honors.
The contest has been an opening day tradition in town since the 1940s. The SRSA stocks close to a thousand trout in the lake, and combined with the fish the state puts in, there are plenty of fish to catch. It’s a great event and terrific way to introduce kids to fishing.
Laurie Murphy at Dow’s Boat Rental at Lake Hopatcong said The Knee Deep Club will be holding their trout and pickerel contests this Sunday, April 17. The club, said Laurie, has put some beautiful trout into the lake and the state has already stocked it twice.
Norm Small, who was trolling for trout last weekend, caught a 49-inch, 35-pound muskie. There are also some perch and crappie being caught at the lake.
Fishing Forecast for Northern New Jersey
The surest bet, if there is such a thing in fishing, is bass in Raritan Bay. All reports indicate the spring run is on and it’s time to go, and if possible, by boat. Trolling, jigging and bait all seem to be catching fish, with white shads leading the charge.
With the exception of a breezy Friday, the weather forecast looks promising, which is a welcome change. It’s definitely time to try the beaches with bait for bass or throwing a swimming plug.
Just want to encourage people to consider releasing these pre-spawn bass…. Keep ’em in October