The weather finally has lightened up with temperatures starting to approach the 50’s and this has helped the back bay Striped Bass action with more consistent bites occurring at the bridges, mud flats, and hot outflows. Winter Flounder and White Perch action has also picked up this past week with flounder hitting in the bays and perch taking baits in the rivers. Most boatyards have been hopping with anglers prepping their vessels for this upcoming season. We are finally starting to smell, feel, or sense the first inklings of Spring and it feels GREAT! Remember, Blackfish opens this weekend with a bag limit of 4 fish at 15 inches.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant reported a good Winter Flounder bite towards the south end of the Point Pleasant Canal to the Route 37 bridges. Bloodworms and Clams have been gulped down by Winter Flounder in the 14- to 17-inch range, with some bigger 19-inch flatties. Jason said it should only get better as the water starts its Spring warm up. Striped Bass fishing has been good with some areas producing good bites at first light and dusk. The north and south pocket of Manasquan Inlet have been holding some fish in the 16- to 24-inch range. Most have been hitting on 4-inch shads and small Yo-Zuri Mag Darters. The party boat scene is starting to get back into the swing of things with several vessels going after early season Cod. The shop is fully stocked with Hobie kayaks and has been busy selling and prepping for the start of the season.
Norma K III in Point Pleasant Beach reported that the boat is running great and they did do a few bottom trips targeting Cod. There were a handful of keeper Cod that made it to the boat along with some dogfish. The boat will be in full swing this coming Good Friday for 3/4-day Cod and Ling. With blackfish opening Easter Sunday, the boat will be doing a special 1/2-day trip 8am to 1230pm.
The MIMI VI out of Point Pleasant are completing a few last-minute odds and ends in which they will be back in the water soon. It is best to call the boat for details on upcoming open-boat trips.
Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park just received a new batch of Bloodworms and Clam chum for the back-bay winter flatties. The bite has been pretty good along the Point Pleasant Canal and points southward. Striped Bass action remains solid with small bass showing at all of the usual Spring spots. Small plugs, shads, and bloodworms are all working in the backwaters. This week should provide some warmer weather which should entice both the Striped Bass and Winter Flounder bites. The shop is stocked with a ton of new Spring gear and is open every day from 7am to 8pm.
Super Chic in Barnegat Light has been busy prepping the boat and look to start targeting Striped Bass and Bluefish in the next few weeks. They are currently booking trips starting mid-April for shots at Bass, Blues, or Blackfish.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reopened this past weekend and the store was hopping with angler picking up baits for the local Striped Bass bite at the Power plant outflow. The bite has been red-hot on soft plastic 3- to 5-inch swim shads, Bloodworms, and small 4- to 5-inch Fin-S lures worked slow along the banks. Most of the Striped Bass have been in the 14- to 23-inch range with a few stragglers approaching 28 inches. Anglers have also started catching Winter Flounder with a little more regularity, especially during the afternoon tides. The Toms River still has very good action on schoolie Striped Bass and good sized White Perch.
Tony’s Bait And Tackle in Manahawkin reported a few consecutive days of good Striped Bass action along the banks of Oyster Creek. Bloodworms or small bucktails tipped with an artificial grub/shad tail have been responsible for most of the hookups. The action has started to cool off, but the tiderunners should be right around the corner in the next week or two. Winter Flounder remains spotty in Barnegat Bay, but this could also be from a lack of angling activity.
Riptide Bait And Tackle in Brigantine reported a relatively quiet week in terms of anglers fishing. Striped Bass hitting Bloodworms and soft plastics in the Mullica and Tuckahoe Rivers. Most of the fish have ranged from 14 to 23 inches with no keepers weighed in.
Fin-Atics in Ocean City reported a tough week to find keeper Striped Bass as most of the back-bay bass are between 15 to 23 inches. It has been a little slow with the water temperatures hovering in the 40’s. Fishing the bridges at night has produced some action on Striped Bass, but anglers need to punch the time-clock to find success. Winter Perch are cooperating in the Mullica River for anglers throwing grass shrimp, small minnows, or Bloodworms. The shop is fully stocked with Bloodworms and has a wide assortment of soft plastics in stock.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for this week remains to fish the warm-water areas in Ocean County for Striped Bass with the Toms River and Forked River area producing lots of action. There have been a lot of anglers fishing in these prime Spring locations, so be considerate. Another quality option this weekend would be to fish parts of the Point Pleasant Canal as there are some whopper Winter Flounder in this area. And if you have a craving for White Perch, then try areas along the Mullica River, Toms River, and lagoons on the west side of Barnegat Bay. A preliminary search on Google Earth may be necessary to locate primary areas to target White Perch as they like areas with freshwater influence. Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!
Where are se with the annual shad Run in gthe Delaware River in NJ.
Water still too cold. It was dead out there this weekend. Needed to drop bait right in front of them.