Above: Captain Jim Freda with an albie caught while fueling up the boat.
We just need Hank Williams Jr. to change the famous Monday night lyrics to “Are you ready for some Sea Bass?” It should be a good opener on Sunday as most anglers, headboats, and charters have been waiting for the opportunity to catch and KEEP these delicious fish. Most of the South Jersey areas have seen False Albacore and some Striped Bass being caught including a 25 and 40 pounder. It’s not a steady striper bite “YET”, so don’t hastily pack up the boat or truck and fly down the Garden State Parkway thinking there are tons of Stripers being caught. Save that for the coming weeks when the bite truly goes “off”. It’s a great sign on things to come as we are finally into the migratory run with ocean temperatures moving into the lower 60’s. It’s a great time of year!
Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
The Golden Eagle out of Belmar reported moderate Tuna action for their last tuna trip of the season. There were a few Yellowfin hitting the deck and anglers also lost a Swordfish at the boat. The boat has been doing well on jumbo Bluefish up to 20 pounds along with some nice Bonito. Most of the Bluefish have been caught on hammered jigs.
Fishermens Supply Co in Point Pleasant had a decent number of anglers fishing the Manasquan River and scoring Striped Bass up to 15 pounds. A good portion of the Stripers had been on live bait such as eel or spot during the daylight hours, while the night bite offered up action on soft plastics such as the 4 and 5 inch Tsunami Swim Shads. Bluefish have been caught in the mix with some weighing close to 10 pounds. There are still number of Blackfish and Porgies being caught from most boats working rock-piles and structure just off the beach in 30 to 40 foot of water. The shop did get some pictures of Capt. Jim Freda catching False Ablacore while filling up gas at the shop’s fuel dock. The offshore canyons have been steady on Tuna and Mahi with the occasional Sword being hooked at night. There was some word of Mako sharks being caught around the Mud Hole and surrounding areas.
Norma K III in Point Pleasant Beach has been nailing Porgies and Blackfish during their 3/4 day bottom fishing. Most of the fish coming over the rail have been dinner plate sized. The night Bluefish trips have been a pick, but the size has been decent with most fish ranging between 10 to 20 pounds. With the Sea Bass season opening back up this Sunday, the boat is ready to hit some of the inshore wrecks.
The Gambler in Point Pleasant reported good canyon fishing over the weekend. The night bite on Swordfish was good with 4 making it over the rail. The AM tuna bite was solid with 50 to 65 pound Longfin being iced and towards the afternoon the boat hit some surface structure for Mahi. The boat will continue to sail for canyon species into November as long as the bite holds up.
The MIMI VI in Point Pleasant reported a rather slow pick on Tuna over the weekend, but the boat did score on Tilefish and Mahi which filled most of the coolers. The crew did get into a small Mako while on the trip which they posted the video on their Facebook page. The skipper has a full schedule, but check the website for any last minute openings and future trips.
Betty and Nicks Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park reported False Albacore, small cocktails, and a few Stripers caught off Island Beah State Park this past week. There has been a good number of bunker within reach of the surf and anglers witnessed a couple of Thresher sharks working the schools. Bayside has some Weakfish being caught during dark and the local docks behind the shop are still producing Bluefish to 12 pounds. With the cooler temperatures, the run has slowly started and should only get better as more schools of Striped Bass arrive in our area in the upcoming weeks.
Carolyn Ann III in Barnegat Light is ready to go for the opener of Sea Bass starting this Sunday. It’s one six-hour trip per day and the crew will be sailing every day for the first full week.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported a pickup in Striped Bass action with the recent cold spell as air temperatures dropped into the upper 30’s at night. The Barnegat Inlet has had some snapper Bluefish along with False Albacore on the incoming tides. The shop had it’s first Fall Striper weigh-in with Jack Warren catching a 40 pounder just off Barnegat Light on the snag and drop.
Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reported plenty of Striped Bass and some Weakfish being caught around the area bridges at night. Most have been caught on pink and white soft plastics worked along the light-shadow line. There has been some Bluefish up to 10 pounds being caught in the same areas. The Barnegat and Little Egg Inlets saw a few False Albacore being landed on slim-profiled metals being worked quickly. Most of these move pretty fast, so the shots at them have been limited.
Riptide Bait and Tackle in Brigantine saw the water temperature finally start dropping and it’s now around 64 degrees. There has been snapper Bluefish and some Black Drum caught off the Brigantine surf. There has been a good number of schoolie Striped Bass and a few over the 30 inch mark caught from boats fishing both the inlet and backwaters. The shop has a $25 gift card available for the first keeper Striped Bass caught off the Brigantine front beach. There are still a decent number of Tog being caught from the jetties in Atlantic City.
Fin-Atics in Ocean City reported more and more Striped Bass showing up in the backwaters and fisherman are catching an occasional keeper in the mix. Most of the action has been on the night tides around the area bridges. There has been tons of Blackfish around on Green Crab, but you have to work for a 15-inch keeper. With the opening of Sea Bass this weekend, anglers should have great shots at most of the inshore reef sites. The Ocean City and Sea Isle City surf has had a good number of snapper Bluefish.
The backwaters of Ocean City south through Stone Harbor are starting to see a good number of schoolie Striped Bass being caught at night. Most of the bass have been caught on soft plastics tossed around the area bridges and lighted docks. The surf still has plenty of 1 to 4 pound Bluefish being caught on small metals or fresh Mullet.
The Wildwood and Cape May area had a nice bite on night-time back bay Striped Bass throughout this past week. Most of the fish have been landed on Black Bomber plugs and Daiwa S&P Minnows worked along the back sedges and tidal creeks. The surf is still picking up a good number of snapper Bluefish along with a few Croakers. The inshore reef sites have been loaded with Sea Bass, so it should be a good start to the season.
South New Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for this weekend will be to target Sea Bass as the long-awaited season is finally set to open on Sunday. Most of the inshore wreck and reef sites have been loaded with these tasty fish and it should be relatively easy to catch a limit. Another option that will be in play is Striped Bass off the surf, especially further up the Jersey shoreline. Island Beach State Park and the beaches north should have some Striped Bass hitting the sands as the water temperatures have started to get into that “bassy” zone. With very calm sea conditions predicted, offshore fisherman should have good shots at Swordfish, Yellowfin Tuna, Longfin Tuna, and Mahi from most of offshore canyons. Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!