Southern New Jersey Fishing Report - December 28, 2017

A big, happy New Year to all of the OTW South Jersey readers as this is the last weekly report for 2017.  The weekly reports will start back up near the end of March of 2018.  Hopefully, the reports have helped put you on fish or at the very least, pointed you in the right direction.  This past week ushered in the coldest air of the year and this will definitely get the Striped Bass moving south at a quicker pace.  Amazingly, we are still getting a pretty good bite on Striped Bass from the beaches to the 3 mile line on fish from 16 inches to 20 pounds, depending on your South Jersey location.  Bass are still being reported as far up as Sandy Hook, but a lot of the action on quality Stripers has been off of the Ocean City area.  Togging has been a little on the slow side from the wrecks and snags in the 55 to 90 foot range, but hopefully this will improve throughout the next few weeks.  Again, I wish all of the readers a happy and healthy New Year, and maybe I’ll see you on the water.

Here is this week’s rundown:

The Golden Eagle out of Belmar was supposed to start sailing for Mackerel this week, but the crew put a hold on the trips due to lack of fish in the area.  The skipper didn’t want to take their loyal patrons for a boat ride.  They recommend checking the boat’s website or Facebook as they will start sailing as soon as they get good intel on the Mackerel schools.

Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant was very busy prior to the Christmas holiday stocking shelves and making major improvements to the store for 2018.  Jason reported a steady bite on Striped Bass from the surf out to 62 feet from the Manasquan Inlet south to Seaside Pier.  The usual trolled Mojos have been working, but swim shads and poppers provided steady action as a bigger portion of the fish have been near the surface.  White bucktails fished with sand-eel teasers in front have been the prime lures for surf-based Striped Bass.  Most of the fish have ranged from 16 to 32 inches, with the bigger sized fish caught 1 to 2 miles out.  Tog fishing has been about the same as the prior week being “a slow pick for most.”  Whole Green Crabs and Jonah crabs have been working evenly on the “scratchy” bites.  This time of year is when anglers should have decent shots at inshore bluefin tuna, so look for surface action, birds, and cannon-ball sized splashes from 4 to 10 miles out.  The inshore Ridges (Manasquan & Barnegat) are also good places to venture for these migrating fish.  The shop will be open 7 days a week from 9am to 4pm.

Norma K III in Point Pleasant Beach reported a pick on Blackfish over the past few cold days.  They are still banging baits, but failing to finish it off which has been very frustrating for both the fisherman and the crew.  Green and white crabs are still working equally.  A few of the trips had Striped Bass that popped up on the surface and a few anglers managed to get a couple.  The boat has the handrails and cabin heat cranked up, so it makes the weather bearable to fish.

The boat will be open to anglers at 6am, and they are sailing for Blackfish everyday 730AM to 230PM.

The Gambler in Point Pleasant hooked into some fish over the holidays with everyone catching their limit on Striped Bass over 28 inches with the biggest close to 40 inches.  Croc spoons worked best along with swim shads, Crippled Herring and Ava jigs.  The boat will be sailing for offshore Sea Bass this Friday, so check out the boat’s website for open dates.

The MIMI VI in Point Pleasant has been putting in some time on the local wrecks, but it’s been a slow pick on fish.  They did have a few nice fish with the biggest weighing over 12 pounds.  The boat has some Open Boat trips scheduled through the New Year, so call for information and to reserve your spot.

Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle in Seaside Park reported a slow down on anglers as the beach is frigid, but there are still some Striped Bass around for the venturing brave souls.  White bucktails with slim-profiled teasers are working best on slow retrieves in the wash.  Most of the Striped Bass have not been bigger than 24 inches, but they still put a nice bend in the rod.  The shop has some deals and is stocking up on new inventory for the 2018 season.

Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported Blackfish taken off the Garden State North and Garden State South reef sites, but it has been a relatively slow pick with boaters having to work a variety of pieces.  There are still some fish being caught from the 1 to 3 mile zones and some of these fish have been taken lures at or near the surface.  Swim shads, bucktails, and Ava jigs have been working best.  The back-bay is still alive with smaller Stripers caught near the warm-water outflow and its best to work these areas with 1/4 to 1oz jig heads tipped with soft plastics.

Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reported Striped Bass being caught near the Oyster Creek Power-plant on soft plastics.  Pearl colored shads and grub tails are working on slowly worked 1/2oz jig heads.  There are still some White Perch being caught in Beach Haven West and further south in West Creek. Grass Shrimp or Minnows fished on a weighted bobber are producing some of the best results.  The shop has been loading up new inventory and gear for the 2018 season, and Andy says, “Stop in and the staff will help to put you on some winter fish.”

Riptide Bait & Tackle in Brigantine reported good Striped Bass fishing for boaters from Brigantine to Ocean City on fish to 20 pounds.  Trolled baits have still been working, but there also has been some surface action on poppers and plugs.  The surf zone has been very quiet with only a few hardy fishermen working the sands.  The shop has irregular hours, but Andy said to call and leave a message if you need to stop in and he will be sure to get back to you.

Fin-Atics in Ocean City reported similar action to last week with good action off Ocean City, Corson’s, and Townsend’s inlet.  It’s been mostly a 3-mile line troll bite with Mojos, Umbrella rigs, and Bunker Spoons.  There were a few fish caught on the surface as schools began to push bait up during a few afternoons, but most of the action has been down deep.  Togging has been hit or miss in the 60 to 80 foot depths.  They have been very scratchy this past week and slow to take baits.  The shop’s winter hours will be from 9AM to 5PM until the season starts back up, but check out the store’s Facebook page for the latest news.

The Wildwood and Cape May areas still have a very good Striped Bass bite with most of the action occurring from Cape May Inlet to Corson’s Inlet out to 3 nautical miles.  It’s been all trolling action on umbrella rigs, mojos, and bunker spoons.  This week is also the last shot at Sea Bass for the season and there are still plenty of fish on the 20 to 30 fathom line wrecks and snags.  Blackfish action has been best in 70 to 90 feet, but most boats including charters reported a slow down this past week.  Although the beach is cold, there has been a few Striped Bass picked in the 16 to 22 inch range for anglers looking for winter-time action.

South Jersey Fishing Forecast

The best bet for this weekend is to bundle up if you plan on heading out as temperatures have been dipping to the single digits at night.  There are still Striped Bass around, but they may quickly change as these consistent low temperatures might send them packing.  If you put your boat away or prefer the land, warm water outflows will be the best bet at putting the last bend in the rod for 2017.  As long as there are no shutdowns, Oyster Creek generating station provides consistent warm water flow that typically will hold schoolie Striped Bass and Bluefish throughout the winter.  Jumping on a head-boat for Blackfish will be another option this weekend, but be prepared to be on you’re A-game as the bite has been a little tough.  It is vitally important to keep all slack out of the line and be ready for the hook-set as soon as the Tog strikes.  If you swing and miss, don’t be discouraged as this is part of the challenge with Tog.  On the bright side, at least the swinging and missing will keep you warm.  Keep in mind for January through March, there are lots of sporting and boat shows to keep anglers from getting cabin-fever.  See you in 2018 and Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!