With the exception of Saturday, the Memorial Day Weekend brought bleak, dreary weather more suited to London than New Jersey.
Which was unfortunate, because the fish were around for those willing to brave the damp chill. Fluke and sea bass season openers saw a lot of fish taken while there were stripers and blues to be had as well.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said the bluefish continue to dominate the action in Raritan Bay and have made their way back up the Navesink River all the way to Red Bank.
Some stripers have been caught in the bay and in the Shrewsbury River, but the blues keep getting in the way. Sciortino reported there were bass blitzes in Long Branch and Deal with fish caught on shads and metal.
The fluke season got off to a good start, he added, with fish caught in the bay and rivers. Joe Pagano of Milltown brought in the biggest fluke, an 11-pounder caught on squid and killie combo in front of the Navy Pier. Sciortino said the fluke seem to prefer natural bait over Gulp! as of now.
Ron at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands said the ever-present blues are keeping a lot of anglers in the bay happy but making things tough for the bass fishermen, tearing up Mojos intended for stripers.
The fluke bite has been good, he said, with fish up to 6½ pounds coming to the scales there. It seems a lot of the fish being caught are keepers.
Capt. George Bachert on the Angler out of Atlantic Highlands reported plenty of fluke action this past weekend with Sunday being the best day. He reported drifts where six to 10 keepers were landed.
The only problem he mentioned was that once they located the fluke, other boats flooded the area and killed the action.
Mel Martens at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said he’s seeing more bass being taken on clams in the ocean and now poppers are getting a few as well. The blues are also showing up in the ocean now and then.
The Shrewsbury River is giving up keeper bass in the 30-inch range on shads and small swimming lures.
Martens said they had fluke up to 4 pounds weighed in caught in both the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers. He’s heard of a few surf fluke as well.
There are some bunker schools in the ocean, he said, but the rough seas of late makes them a little hard to find.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar reported that the fluke fishing in Shark River has been very good with several fish up to 6 pounds weighed in at the shop.
I caught one about that size last Friday fishing in the Shark River with Ken Morse and Greg Hueth of the Shark River Surf Anglers. The wind was up and the water was chilly and a little murky from an earlier downpour so conditions were less than ideal.
We fished jigs with live killies and Gulp!
Matthews said that most of the party boats out of the marina went after sea bass over the weekend with excellent results. Capt. Steve Spinnelli on the Skylarker said the fishing was very good and there were ling mixed in with the sea bass.
Capt. Ron Kish of the Capt. Cal II also reported good sea bass fishing over the holiday and earlier this week.
The surf conditions have been good for guys dunking clams and Matthews said one customer over the weekend landed five fish up to 10 pounds in Belmar. He also had reports of bass taking plugs, such as SP Minnows, at 8th Avenue in Asbury Park
The striper fishing has been a little tough for the charter boats the last few days, but Capt. Pete Sykes of Parker Pete’s Sportfishing got into them big time on Wednesday afternoon when he located a pod of bunker in the fog and landed bass up to 38 pounds.
He said the livelining action has been good when the bait is around. Between the whales and the bluefish, however, the bunker have been taking a beating and it’s not always easy to find them.
Capt. Sykes still has some open dates and runs Golden Hour bass trips on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday through June.
Dave Arbeitman at the Reel Seat in Brielle said that when the people can get out, the fishing has been very good, especially for sea bass. The striper fishing has been a little hit or miss in the ocean, but some have been caught in the Manasquan River. The river is also giving up some nice fluke, he added.
Offshore, Arbeitman received reports of giant bluefin being caught at the 20 Fathom Curve on ballyhoo. One fish weighed in at more than 450 pounds. He’s also heard of a few makos being landed. Shark tournament season is upon us with the Warriors for Warriors Tournament set for June 8-10.
John Bogan at Brielle Bait and Tackle said the fluking in the Manasquan River is the best thing going on in his area right now. John Holloway of Manasquan pulled an 11-pound,14-ounce fluke out of the river.
Bogan said the sea bass fishing has been pretty good for the Jamaica II while the Big Jamaica is targeting blues.
Freshwater anglers had plenty to choose from as well, even though the weather dampened enthusiasm.
Jeff and Fins & Furs in Newfoundland said the fish are there, mostly rainbows, perch and bass in the local reservoirs, but no one seems to want to come out in the rain and cold.
Timmy at Tackle & Field in Wanaque said folks are fishing despite the dismal weather and catching some nice walleye. They’re fishing Greenwood Lake and Monksville Reservoir. Rapalas are doing the job and some anglers are using topwater plugs at night with good success.
Timmy said he’s hearing of bigger bass being caught on artificials and some anglers are picking up trout on live herring.
Steve at Garden State Bow and Reel in Stockholm said it’s been good crappie and walleye fishing for those people who have been going, but there hasn’t been a whole lot of participation. Swartswood Lake, he said, has been giving up some nice walleye.
Jim at Behre Bait and Tackle in Lebanon said the fishing for rainbow trout at Round Valley has been excellent for the guys trolling. Warrior and Challenger spoons and Rapalas have all been working.
Lake trout are biting as well in 60 to 80 feet of water with golden-colored spoons getting the most attention.
At Spruce Run, live herring looks to be the way to go for hybrid stripers. The crappie bite is still going strong and Jim said some nice catfish on nightcrawlers are coming out of the reservoir.
Folks fishing the shore at Merrill Creek are doing well on rainbows using Power Bait. Shiners are the best bet for crappie.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Lots to choose from this weekend with fluke and sea bass seasons open and good catches being reported on both of those species. The beach bite for bass on clams and chunks looks to be improving and there have been reports of a few fluke in the suds as well. Plus, there’s always the bluefish, in the bays, rivers and ocean.