Northern New Jersey Fishing Report - April 26, 2018

Raritan Bay remains the hot spot for striped bass.

The difference between this week and last is that the fish have begun to spread out a bit more, with fish moving toward the ocean and into the rivers.

Reports indicate more shorts are showing up in the catch. There have been a few fish over 30 pounds, but most are in the high 20- to low 30-inch range.

The boats are also getting a larger share of the fish, trolling Mojos, stretches and Rapalas while some have been caught on clams.

And if you want something to catch other than stripers, the tog are chewing. You better hurry if you’re after blackfish as the season closes April 30.

And the trout continue to bite.

The word from Rich at Jigging World in Rochelle Park is that anglers are chunking for bass in Raritan Bay with his customers favoring the outgoing tide.

He also said they are starting to liveline bunker near the George Washington Bridge and getting big Hudson River bass.

On the freshwater side, Rich said the trout anglers are having plenty of luck in stocked streams on bait and spinners.

Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said the bass have dispersed throughout the bay and out into the ocean. He said guys fishing the tip of Sandy Hook have been catching loads of fish on clams and worms. There weren’t a lot of keepers, but plenty of action.

The bigger fish, Sciortino said, have been caught mostly at night on the chunk. The kayak anglers have been getting a few up to 30 pounds.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc on the Sea Hunter out of Atlantic Highlands fished for bass on Tuesday and reported a good day with plenty of short action and a few keepers with the pool winner going 16 pounds.

The Sea Hunter found decent fishing over the weekend with a mix of shorts and keepers with Sunday’s pool winner coming in at 29 pounds.

Mel Martens at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright also reported bunker chunks were catching more keepers in the bay, and the better bite was at night. The boats are getting them on shads and clams.

Martens said the bass are in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers but the weather has been keeping the anglers away. Fish have been caught, but Martens said he would have expected more action from the rivers by this time of year.

Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar is getting more reports of small bass in the ocean on 4-inch shads and clams.

Matthews was happy to report on better blackfishing with the boats out of the Shark River Inlet coming back to the dock with more keeper fish.

He added that the folks fishing the inlet are getting some tog to take home and the Point Pleasant Canal is giving up its share as well.

Ben Rich of Titusville weighed in a 14½-pound tog at the Den he caught off Barnegat.

The Ocean Explorer out of Belmar is among the boats doing well with the tog. A 9-pounder took the pool on Monday.

Capt. Steve Spinnelli will be taking his Skylarker out of the Belmar Marina this weekend for a final shot at the blackfish.

Capt. Rich Falcone on the Golden Eagle out of Belmar reported marking a lot of stripers last weekend but getting them to bite was tough. He’ll be targeting them again this weekend and he believes the warming water will loosen their jaws.

Alex Kondas at the Reel Seat in Brielle reported small bass in the Manasquan River are hitting plugs and bait by the Route 35 and Route 70 bridges. Worms and clams are doing the trick.

He also heard that anglers fishing the Manasquan Inlet are getting some keeper tog and that the Axel Carlson and Sea Girt reefs are now producing a nice crop of keepers as well.

Lou at Brielle Bait and Tackle also heard of small bass in the back of the Manasquan River and he’s had reports of stripers on the beach on the south side of the Manasquan Inlet. Worms have been catching the fish there.

There have been a few reports of winter flounder near the Mantoloking Bridge, but that fishery has been pretty much a bust this year.

The freshwater anglers continue to enjoy good trout fishing. The crappie bite has been good as well, but colder than usual water has hampered the action on large and smallmouth bass.

Martin at Fins & Furs in Newfoundland reported good trout fishing on the Paulinskill and Ramapo rivers. The water is still pretty chilly, he said, about 40 degrees, but it’s not running as fast as last week and the trout are biting.

He’s also had reports of walleye in the Delaware River.

Steve at Garden State Bow & Reel in Stockholm said the trout action has been good on the Pequannock and Walkill rivers and all the local streams.

The inclement weather has kept participation down, he said, but the fish are there and all that’s needed are more anglers.

Steve said he caught a 3½-pound rainbow over the weekend. Bait and spinners are working with the latter catching the bigger fish.

Larry at the Newark Sinker Company in Pine Brook said folks are picking trout in the Passaic River. Anglers also catching some enormous carp. The river is crawling with them, he added.

Ryan at Tackle and Field in Wanaque said he didn’t have much to report on the fishing front. Once turkey season opened, he said, most of his customers switched their attention to hunting.

It’s unlikely the fish will be ignored for long.

Fishing Forecast for Northern New Jerseys

This is the last weekend to target blackfish as the season closes at midnight on Monday. The fishing has improved over the last couple of weeks for the boats out of the Shark River and Manasquan Inlets so jump aboard. It’s your last chance until mid-July and then it’s only a one-fish limit.

The striped bass are moving around now and chances are good the fish will be along the beaches very soon. The surf was churning on Thursday morning so that should help the clam bite.

There are still plenty of bass in Raritan Bay if you can handle the crowds. Shads and bait are picking up bass in the Navesink, Shrewsbury and Manasquan rivers as well.

There’s plenty of bait around so the big springtime bluefish can show up at any time.

Plus, warmer weather in the forecast will give the freshwater bite a boost and the trout action is already good in stocked streams, rivers, lakes and ponds.