The promise of quality fishing early in the season keeps fading as winter continues to rear its chilly head.
The bite for winter flounder and striped bass starts to gather steam after some mild days only to be shut down when temperatures take a nosedive.
It’s what happened last weekend and it looks like the same is in store for the next couple of days
Despite the erratic weather, however, there are still some positive signs.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet reported some small bass have been taken from the Raritan Bay in the Cliffwood Beach area and there are bunker in the bay, Raritan River and close to Staten Island.
There are winter flounder to be caught as well, he said, but there’s just not a lot of guys fishing.
Joe Julian Jr. at Julian’s Bait and Tackle said he’s heard of some small bass caught in the flats around Keyport. Some of the fish aren’t any bigger than 10 to 12 inches and they’ve been hitting worms and cut bunker.
Ernie Giglio at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said things are pretty typical for this time of year with a few winter flounder being caught in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers and a stray striper or two off the beach. He said the shop will be open daily starting next week.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar reported folks continue to fish for winter flounder in the Shark River with some anglers getting their two-fish limit.
The bite was off early this week as the wind and chilly weather made things difficult. Matthews said the outgoing tide under sunny skies delivers the warmer water that gets the fish biting. The flounder are taking clams and both sand and bloodworms.
Dave Arbeitman at the Reel Seat in Brielle said the best report he’s heard of is good winter flounder fishing on the bay side of the Point Pleasant Canal.
That’s what Greg Bogan at Brielle Bait and Tackle is hearing as well. There are also winter flounder being caught at the Mantoloking Bridge and he’s been getting positive reports from customers fishing the Shark River for flatties.
His freshwater customers are also doing well at lakes and ponds in northern Ocean County for pickerel and crappie. He’s got killies and nightcrawlers.
Freshwater guys are also catching fish farther north. Dino at Garden State Bow and Reel in Stockholm said water levels are up in the streams in his area and trout are being caught.
He said some big walleye are lurking in the deep holes on the Delaware River and they’re being caught on jigs.
James at Behre Bait and Tackle in Lebanon said things have been a little slow with the fickle weather but trout are still being caught in Round Valley Reservoir. While trout fishing in streams will be closed on March 20 prior to stocking, the reservoir remains open to trout anglers.
Back along the coast, Jason Szabo at Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said he’s been getting good reports of stripers in the surf in Deal. The fish, which are up to 20 inches, have been favoring 4-inch shad bodies. Surprisingly, he hasn’t heard of any fish being caught on clams.
He also received word of stripers being caught by the Route 37 Bridge and at Oyster Creek, also on shad bodies.
The winter flounder bite, he added, has been pretty good in Barnegat Bay as well.
John Bushell at Betty and Nick’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park has also been hearing of winter flounder in Barnegat Bay. He said the stripers may be in the surf in Seaside and at Island Beach State Park, but he has no way of telling since not a lot of people have been fishing.
Capt. Dave Showell at Absecon Bay Sportsman in Absecon said there’s no doubt there are stripers in his area. Showell said the bass fishing has been phenomenal mostly in the Mullica and Great Egg Harbor rivers.
There are loads of schoolies around, he said, with one kayaker reporting he caught dozens of short fish with a 27½ incher being the largest. There are some keepers around, though, as Donovan Vasquez won the first keeper of the year contest with a 30-inch bass he caught in the Mullica River on a bloodworm.
Showell said the white perch bite was very good but it seems to have fallen off a bit and he suspects the plentiful bass are pushing the perch out of the way. Both are feeding on grass shrimp and blood worms, but the bass are also hitting soft plastics and crank baits.
Noel Feliciano at One Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic City said the perch and bass bite is getting better in the rivers in the area as the days go by. Grass shrimp, blood worms and soft plastics are all catching fish.
He said the Vermont Avenue Jetty and the T Jetty are producing winter flounder and the deeper water is holding some ling. The water temperature is about 45 degrees, he added.
Bill Wiggins at Fin-atics in Ocean City said the perch and stripers are biting around the bay out back. The perch are hitting bait while the bass respond to the soft plastics.
New Jersey Fishing Forecast
You can brave the chilly weather in search of stripers and winter flounder or head indoors to the Asbury Park Fishing Club’s 25th Annual Fishing Flea Market at Convention Hall in Asbury Park this Sunday, March 12.
The flea market is celebrating its Silver Anniversary and will feature many of the nation’s finest plug builders. There are also rods, reels and a broad range of tackle and accessories available. Joe Pallotto and his fellow club members do an extraordinary job organizing the event every year and it’s a terrific opportunity to see old friends and stock up for the year.
The doors open at 9 a.m. and the event ends at 2 p.m. Admission is $5 and children under 12 are free.