New Jersey Fishing Report - January 4, 2018

There doesn’t seem to be any quit in this cold.

And now with the explosion of the “bomb cyclone,” it’s doubtful the weather will improve anytime soon.
The only people truly happy with these frigid temperatures are the ice anglers. They’ve been waiting a couple of years for a decent freeze and they’re taking full advantage of this one.

For the saltwater folks, only the real die-hards are still out there, mostly for blackfish, cod and ling.

Capt. George Bachert on the Angler out of Atlantic Highlands was sailing for tog but reported that he will stay at the dock until this arctic weather ends. His was the last boat sailing out of the marina and, with it iced in, it may be a while before his next trip.

Many of the bait and tackle shops have gone to winter hours or are taking some time off during the big chill.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar remains on the job despite the cold. He summed up the 2017 season as one full of ups and downs and will probably not go down as one of the better years.

He called the fluke fishing fair, the bluefishing poor and the striped bass fishing good, as long as you were in a boat.
Capt. Pete Sykes on Parker Pete’s Sportfishing out of Belmar had a good year with the bass, finding keeper bass right up until the mercury went south. He’s done sailing for now and will be making the rounds at the winter shows until sailing again in the spring.

The surf guys did not make out too well this fall for stripers.
There were plenty of shorts around, but it was tough coming up with a bass over 28 inches.

Blackfishing continues to be a work in progress, Matthews said, with the few boats that are still sailing working hard to put fish in the coolers.
Capt. Bobby Quinn on the Ocean Explorer has stayed at the dock for the last several days, but the tog fishing was good before it got too cold.
On last Friday’s trip, Randy Rosenberger of Telford Pa., landed a 17-pound, 6-ounce giant. Several other fish in the 9- to 12-pound range were caught as well.

The Ocean Explorer sailed again the next day with a solid, if unspectacular, catch. There were several limits and the pool winner went 11 pounds.

John at Brielle Bait and Tackle said when the weather allows and enough anglers show, the Paramount, Big Jamaica and Jamaica II have been sailing on wreck and Mud Hole trips.

The fishing has been decent on jumbo porgies and ling.

Capt. Kenny Namowitz on the Mimi VI out of Point Pleasant Beach has been sailing open boat blackfish trips out of Point Pleasant Beach with some dedicated fishermen.

The cold kept him at the dock at the beginning of the week, but there were some nice fish caught on the last days of December. He’ll be sailing as soon as the weather allows.

Capt. Matt Sosnowski sailed on the Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach on Wednesday ahead of the storm and found a flat calm ocean with some nice tog waiting.

The pool winner was a bit over 12 pounds and there were others from 4 to 7 pounds in the mix.

Sosnowski said the action was a bit slow over the weekend with a few fish being caught here and there.

The water temperature is still in the 40s, he added, so they should be biting. The weather is supposed to warm up some by Monday and Sosnowski said January is usually a good month, so he’s looking forward to some good fishing.

Ray at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said the frigid water has brought everything pretty much to a halt. There’s some rod building going on, but until the weather lets up, that’s about it.

Liza at Creekside Outfitters in Waretown said that the shop is closed for the season, but the last piece of news she received was of striped bass at Oyster Creek just after Christmas. Striped bass fishing is closed in rivers and creeks until March 1.

Matt at Tony’s Bait and Tackle in Manahawkin said there was very little going on by him as he was looking out at a frozen Barnegat Bay. Anyone with a boat still in the water, he said, has a problem.

But while the saltwater guys are bemoaning the rough conditions, freshwater anglers couldn’t be happier. Ice, and plenty of it, lured the hardwater folks out of their warm homes.

Dino at Garden State Bow & Reel said the ice fishing broke wide open over the weekend with bass, trout and perch being caught in area lakes. He said the fishing has been good at Aeroflex Lake and Little Swartzwood Lake.

There was at least 5 to 6 inches of ice as of last weekend and it will only thicken as the cold weather continues. He’s expecting the fishing to get better as well.

Billy at Tackle and Field in Wanaque told me the fishing for walleye and perch is very good through the ice at Monksville Reservoir and the pike are biting at Pompton Lake. They are also getting walleye and crappie in Lake Wawayanda and West Milford Lake.
Most of the fish, he said, are being caught on shiners and Swedish pimples.

Martin at Fins and Furs in Newfoundland reported plenty of action through the ice with perch, crappie and bass being caught at most of the local ponds and lakes, including Green Turtle Pond.

Cheryl at the Newark Sinker Company didn’t have much in the way of results, but she said there were plenty of folks giving it a try on Budd Lake and Lake Muscenetcong.

Fishing Forecast for New Jersey

Unless you’re an avid, experienced ice fisherman or woman, the best thing you can do is stay indoors. The forecast is for brutally cold temperatures both days. Pick up a good book, watch the NFL playoffs, binge watch a favorite show or organize your tackle.
Stay warm and wait to fish another day.