Southern New Jersey Fishing Report - November 16, 2016

I wanted to wish everybody a happy start to the 6-fish Blackfish season as the season opened Thursday.  Anglers should be peppering the inshore wrecks with green crabs or white-leggers as they should be loaded with Tog.  Most of the Blackfish have pushed out of our bays and inlets.  It was a big week for Striped Bass in our area with the 30- to 50-pound class fish entering our areas.  Most of the inlets are harboring migrating Striped Bass which can be easily identified by Sea Lice attached to their bodies.  Plugs, Bucktails, and artificials worked early in the morning or late in the evening during the incoming tides have had the most success.  Live eel or spot drifted in our bays and inlets have also worked with anglers reporting fish to 36 inches.  The run is on, so get out there!

Here is this week’s rundown:

The Golden Eagle out of Belmar reported a good bite on Striped Bass over the past week, but you had to work for the fish.  The boat had a good mix of keepers to 25 pounds.  There was plenty of life with birds, bait, and even some whales getting into the feeding.  The boat will be sailing for Striped Bass every day.

Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant reported a bang them up week for areas north of Manasquan Inlet.  Asbury Park to Long Branch had pods of 30- to 40-pound Stripers marauding schools of Bunker within casting range of surf fisherman.  The snag-n-drop bite was hot during the dawn and dusk hours.  Boaters that made the right out of Manasquan found some of the same conditions off Chadwick Beach.  Boats trolling Mojo’s and Maja spoons were successful in the 50- to 65-foot depths.  There are still a good number of Striped Bass in the Manasquan River, Point Pleasant Canal, and around the bridges on the incoming tides.  Small swim-shads and bucktails worked along the bottom depths have been working.  The Blackfish season opened to 6 fish on Thursday and some of the local wrecks are loaded with them.

Norma K III in Point Pleasant Beach had a good week of Porgy and Sea Bass on their trips and the crew is looking forward to switching it up for the start of Blackfish season.  The Sea Bass trips produces keeper Sea Bass and lots of huge Porgies.  With the Tog season opener starting today, the boat will be sailing 3/4 trips every day and will have both Green and White Crabs on board.  The Bluefish trips are still going strong on Friday nights as long as the weather cooperates, and anglers have reported fish up to 18 pounds.

The Gambler in Point Pleasant has been fishing hard for Striped Bass and reported a mix of sizes from throwbacks to fish over 20 pounds.  Most of the bites have been on jigs or live-lined Bunker.  Striped Bass, birds, whales, and bait were all working the past two trips.

The MIMI VI in Point Pleasant has been running private charters and open boat trips for Sea Bass and Striped Bass. The boat will start targeting Blackfish starting today and will be hitting most of Capt. Ken’s favorite wrecks.

Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle in Seaside Park reported a mix of Striped Bass from Seaside to Island Beach State Park, but boats have been faring much better.  There was a bite close to the beach in Seaside Park and it had anglers dragging Striped Bass to 30 pounds through the suds.  The shop is still getting word of lots of Bass still way north of southern Jersey which means it won’t be long before it blows open.

Carolyn Ann III in Barnegat Light will be sailing for the opening day of Blackfish, Black Friday, and will then work weekends for the remainder of the season.  Gina recommends calling the boat or checking the boat’s Facebook in case other dates open up.

Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported good fishing in Seaside Park north up to Ortley for the boats that made the run early or in the late afternoon.  Most have been hooking up on 25-pound Striped Bass, but fish have been reported up to 50 pounds on snag-n-drop Bunker or trolling Mojo’s or Spoons.  There are some fish in the bay being caught on light-tackle with poppers or plugs.  Live spot or eel is still the ticket around the inlet area.

Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reported a good week for Striped Bass from Barnegat Inlet to Little Egg Inlet.  The inlet areas have been good with live Spot, pearl white shad bodies, or white bucktails jigged in the current.  There have also been some good reports of Striped Bass to 30 pounds hanging around the Bathing beach on Island Beach State Park to Seaside Park I 30 to 50 feet of water.  Anglers working the area bridges reported catches of 20 to 30 fish per outing, but most of the Striped Bass are under the 24-inch bonus tag limit.

Riptide Bait & Tackle in Brigantine reports that the back bays of Brigantine continue to produce nice Striped Bass to 34 inches.  Boats drifting live Spot or Eels are putting fish on the deck.  Fish have also been hitting soft plastics worked along the sod banks with Fin-S, Berkley Gulp Nemesis, and Swim-shads doing the best.  The surf has been a little harder to cooperating Stripers with anglers putting in quite a few hours with only a few bites.  The shop is loaded with Green Crabs for the start of Blackfish season and inshore reef sites should have some fish on them. 

Fin-Atic’s in Ocean City reported abundant Tog in the back and along the bridges for anglers fishing Green Crab.  The Rt.52/9th Street Bridge has had lots of action on Tog to 20 inches.  Tog fisherman should have a good start to the season targeting closer to shore wrecks and reefs.  There hasn’t been much on the oceanside in terms of Striped Bass due to most of the congregation of bass being North, but the bayside has been pretty good for anglers drifting live Spot or Eels along the backwater sod banks.  Some of the Stripers being brought into the shop have been in the 30- to 35-inch range. 

The Wildwood and Cape May area has been getting better on Striped Bass as the backwaters have been producing good numbers of fish to 31 inches.  Anglers fishing the back are reporting catch-n-release action on up to 20 fish per outing.  The oceanfront has had much slower action on Stripers as the schools are still a considerable distance away.  There have been some Bass picked up on the troll, but it’s a slow pick.  Sea Bass action has been very good at the deeper wreck sites with 20 miles from the coast.  Cape May fisherman are looking to hit the Tog as most of the reefs and wrecks are loaded with fish.

South Jersey Fishing Forecast

The best bet for this weekend is to get out and fish!  Blackfish or Striped Bass are the two main options that most anglers have from Manasquan to Cape May.  Boaters will have the best shots at Blackfish and should start working wrecks or snags in 30-50 feet of water.  Fish the wreck out before moving to the next, but most should be able to get limits on one wreck.  Striped Bass are in play for boaters and surf fisherman, but the key has been out to get out early when the feeding is most active.  Find the schools of Bunker that have fish on them and drop down a live one.  If you don’t get any run-offs or hook-ups in 10 to 15 minutes, move around or on to the next pod.  Boats planning on trolling should be working either Bunker Spoons or Mojo rigs in 40 to 60 feet of water.  Chartreuse Mojo’s have been working well as reported from multiple anglers fishing Seaside and Island Beach State Park.  If the size of your vessel or your land-locked, the bays still have lots of options especially around any “rip-lines” created by the incoming or outgoing tides.  Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!