Pounding surf and stormy seas put a hold on fishing for the past couple of days. The action was good before the weather went bad so hopefully things will get right back on track when conditions improve. The ocean was already laying down on Thursday morning.
Prior to getting stuck at the dock, boats were doing very well with porgies, blackfish, ling, bluefish, bonito and false albacore.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said catches were good up until Monday.
In addition to the blues, porgies and blackfish, Sciortino reported that weakfish are being caught in the bay on live peanut bunker. He said a few fish were up to 12 pounds and were caught in the Raritan Reach.
Cocktail blues are all over the bay, he added, and reachable from the beaches in Leonardo and Keansburg.
The night bass fishing is picking up in the bay and the Shrewsbury River on eels and worms. Under the Highlands Bridge has been a hot spot.
Capt. George Bachert on the Angler out of Highlands made his last trip on Sunday and called it another good day of mixed bag fishing.
There were plenty of porgies caught along with blackfish and loads of sea bass that had to go back.
Archie Stewart from Nutley won the pool with a fat tog. Capt. Bachert said he’ll be sailing again by the end of the week.
Capt. Stan Zegleski on the Elaine B II out of Highlands reports last Saturday’s trip was very good tog fishing with everyone getting a keeper and Frank Lavelle of Jersey City taking the pool with a 7 pounder.
A couple of spiny puffer fish also came aboard.
Mel Martens at Giglios Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said one regular got a couple of small bass out of the surf on Tuesday morning before it got too rough.
He, too, reported weakfish in Raritan Bay with guys catching fish in the 15- to 20-inch range on the Knoll. There are plenty of blues around and bass in the rivers. The albies showed up at the Hook before the storm but he hasn’t heard any more since the wind started blowing.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said not much has happened in the last few days but the blackfish bite at the Shark River Inlet was terrific before Hurricane Jose arrived.
The tog are also biting well over at the Point Pleasant Canal and there are bass in the canal as well.
The snappers in the Shark River are pretty much small blues now, he added, and he did get a few reports of kingfish in the Spring Lake surf before it became unfishable.
The bait remains thick in the river and everyone is waiting for it to get on the move.
Capt. Rich Falcone on the Golden Eagle out of Belmar reported catching plenty of false albacore, blues, bonito along with mackerel and porgies on last Sunday’s trip.
He sailed on a night bluefishing trip the day before and everyone got their limit of blues in the 2- to 5-pound range, mostly on bait. There were some bonito and mackerel, but it was mostly blues, he reported.
He plans on sailing Thursday and will be running another night bluefish trip this Saturday.
John Vafiadis at the Reel Seat in Brielle said the blues were moving in and out of the Manasquan Inlet and they were up in Barnegat Bay. There’s plenty of bait in the Manasquan River, he said, and bass are being caught as well.
He said reports were scarce on tuna, but he heard most of the fish were still being taken on the troll in the Hudson Canyon. He expected the chunk and jig bite to have started but that hasn’t happened yet.
John Bogan at Brielle Bait and Tackle said anglers are getting a lot of stripers right now in the Manasquan River. Incoming and high tide around the bridges is best, he said, with guys using chunks of mackerel and bunker. The bass, Bogan said, are up to 30 inches with most around 20 to 25 inches.
The Manasquan Inlet has been giving up some nice tog, and the shop has plenty of green crabs available.
The Jamaica II out of the inlet has been targeting ling and porgies with plenty of action while the Paramount is concentrating on the blues and albies. The Big Jamaica has been heading out for tuna and fishing for mahi, bonito and albies as well.
The bad weather along the coast wasn’t as much of a problem for the freshwater anglers.
Jim Behre at Behre Bait and Tackle in Lebanon said the shore fishing at Merrill Creek Reservoir has been good for large and smallmouth bass. Guys fishing shiners on slip bobbers are picking up some nice fish.
Folks are also catching rainbows on Carolina Rigs using shiners and Power Bait. Slow trolling Warrior Spoons and Rapalas is also producing rainbow trout.
Those fishing from boats are catching smallmouth bass up to 6 pounds around the timbers using live shiners in 15 to 20 feet.
At Round Valley, rainbow trout are also hitting shiners fished on the bottom. The bite, said Behre, has been coming at odd hours. Instead of first light, the fish may hit at 9 or 10 in the morning. You just have to be fortunate enough be there at the right time. Trolling spoons for rainbows is also working at Round Valley.
Chris at Tackle and Field in Wanaque reported good bass fishing on spinner, jerk and swim baits at Greenwood Lake and Lake Hopatcong. He also reported an improvement in the walleye bite as the water temperature begins to drop.
Larry at Newark Sinker Company in Pine Brook said he received reports of northern pike and catfish up to 12 pounds caught in the Passaic River.
Steve at Garden State Bow And Reel in Stockholm said the walleye fishing came on strong in the last week, especially at Canistear Reservoir. Anglers fishing with lures, specifically deep divers, were catching fish between 6 to 9 pounds.
He also reported good smallmouth fishing at Echo Lake with fish up to 6 pounds.
Fishing Forecast for Northern New Jersey
The ocean has calmed down and the party boats will be sailing for porgies, tog, blues, false albacore, bonito, ling and mackerel so there is a lot to choose from for the weekend. The porgy fishing is still off the charts and the fish are big, up to 2½ pounds.
The surf has also lost its fury and is very fishable. Clams might be worth a shot for stripers. Schools of blues and some false albacore have also been popping up along the beaches. There were plenty of birds working along the shore in the Asbury Park area on Thursday morning.
Special Note: Kids Wish’n to Go Fish’n event for special needs children will be held at Lake Juliana in Millstone Township on Sept. 30. Call 732-747-7846 for more information.
My son left a backpack filled with all of our saltwater gear and his license on Sandy Hook 9/21 at around 7pm. Most likely left in a parking lot. What’s the best way to get the word out and see if someone found it? Thanks.
There are many fishing groups for that area, on FB. Lot’s of surf guys on them also.