Finally, some positive news on the fishing front. Extreme Southern Jersey has been producing striped bass over 30 pounds with regularity, which means the rest of our area should start seeing them in the coming weeks. The rest of us have had to play around with schoolie bass to 20 inches. Although sporadic, Bluefish are showing in most locations from Seaside to Cape May. Again, the Cape May area has had more regularity on these fish. Black Sea Bass opens up next week, and most headboats and charters are raring to go. The inshore and offshore reef sites should have some fish on them. Weakfish have been reported from Seaside to Cape May, but you have to put your time in.
Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant had anglers describing a hot bite on 12- to 18-inch striped bass on the Manasquan River from west of the inlet to the Route 70 bridge. Small plugs, soft plastics, and poppers have been the lures of choice for catching these fish. Anglers are still picking winter flounder off the dog beach. Bluefish have been hit or miss, but they did show for a while off Treasure Island earlier in the week along with some rogue 3 to 5 pound Weakfish. It’s been very slow out front for anglers trolling for striped bass from Sandy Hook to Seaside.
Capt. Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach reported schoolie striped bass being caught on soft plastics in the Manasquan River. Live clams, salted clams, and bunker have been working for beachfront Striped Bass, but it’s been a relatively slow pick.
Norma K III in Point Pleasant Beach reported some ling and cod on the most recent trips this past week. Some of the keeper ling and cod have been very nice sizes. The boat is sailing everyday 730-230pm and they start their half day trips on May 15th targeting Sea Bass.
The MIMI VI out of Point Pleasant had East Newark fishing club’s out for striped bass, but they had a tough day on the water managing a lone keeper. There are some Open Boat trips coming up this week targeting ling and cod. The skippers promises no crowding and the boat leaves at 7am sharp.
Jersey Hooker Outfitter in Brick had anglers reporting schoolie Bass in the Manasquan and Point Pleasant Canal on soft plastics and plugs. There have been some bluefish caught along the beachfront with most recent reports pointing to the Ortley and Lavalette beaches. Boat anglers have had a very tough go on ocean striped bass, and the bite in the Raritan has quieted down a tad.
Grumpy’s Bait & Tackle in Seaside Park had a pick of striped bass along the beach this week from Seaside down through Island Beach State Park. The majority of fish have been caught on clam and bunker. There are also a few Black Drum in the bay which are hitting fresh Clam. Bluefish are around, but they have been sluggish due to cooler water temperatures. The shop just received another order of fresh clams and bunker.
Lacey Marine in Forked River reported similar results as the week prior with small striped bass taking Bloodworms or Sandworms fished along the sod banks. The majority of fish have been taken after sundown. There have been some random Bluefish at the inlet, but most have been in the 2 to 5 pound class with an occassional Gator. Weakfish are still picking up soft plastic baits around the power-plant outflow. Blue crabs are making a good early showing in Barnegat Bay.
Super Chic in Barnegat Light will start running trips next week with the start of the sea bass season. The skipper has been booking spring striped bass trips. Capt. Ted did say he still has a few openings remaining, so give the boat a call.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown had a decent number reports of short striped bass hitting soft plastics and plugs after sundown. Anglers drifting sandworms and bloodworms are finding limited success on short striped bass around the sod banks. There was a brief flurry of bluefish activity at the Barnegat Inlet, but they were here and gone. The best reports have been from oceanside mid-Long Beach Island and the Lavalette beaches. Guys attempting to troll for striped bass are not finding much action, even in terms of “good marks”. Blue crabs are very active bayside, especially near the Oyster Creek outflow.
Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reported short bass mid island on soft plastics and some on chunked bunker and clam. There are a few Bluefish around, but you have to find them as they are not in mass as year’s prior. Ship Bottom and Surf City beaches on Long Beach Island have been getting bluefish with some regularity. White Perch are still hitting grass shrimp and small minnows in Beach Haven West.
Riptide Bait & Tackle in Brigantine had anglers stopping in the shop picking clam and bunker for schoolie striped bass and bluefish up to 9 pounds. Angler Bill Martin had some Bluefish and a Drum as he surf fished the Brigantine beaches this past week. There are still schoolie striped bass in the backwaters hitting soft plastics and chunked baits.
Fin-Atics in Ocean City reported striped bass continuing to be picked up at a variety of back-bay locations from Corson’s Inlet and around the sod banks on a falling tide. Bass Assassin’s, Z-man’s, and Pink Zoom soft plastics tipped on a 1/2oz jig-head are nailing stripers in the 18 to 24 inch range. There have been some bluefish starting to show randomly in the surf and in the inlets, but no real concentration action as of yet. Blue crabs are starting to be caught with some regularity for the anglers who are soaking traps.
The Avalon and Stone Harbor area had some better news in terms of big bluefish and striped bass this past week, and it should only get better. Anglers throwing chunks of Bunker are scoring on both species, with Stripers to 22 pounds. The back-bays have alot of short striped bass and out-of-season summer flounder are starting to hit jigged baits.
Peace Token Fishing Tackle in Cape May Courthouse reported a good week of fishing with striped bass to 30 pounds being caught off the Cape May and Delaware Bay beaches. Drum are still hitting clam along the shallows off Delaware Bay and near the deeper channels. The big news has been the Bluefish that have been ravaging baits along the Cape May beaches. Blues have been caught on plugs and metals to 12 pounds.
Hands Too Bait & Tackle in Cape May reported a stellar week in terms of fishing. The beaches of Cape May are giving up both quality striped bass to 35 pounds and Bluefish to 12 pounds. Most of the bluefish are being caught on chunked Bunker, metals, and topwater plugs. The striped bass are scattered along the beaches and the bay being caught on bunker chunks and SP minnows. There are still a good number of drum being caught in the Delaware Bay with the upper part having a decent beach action on clammed Drum, while the shallows and bay-shore channel has been producing for the boats. Spike weakfish have also been caught on bucktails and pink soft plastics. Owner Nick found some time after store hours to nail a solid 42 inch striped bass on a JoeBaggs Swarter.
Southern New Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for this weekend will be to take the drive on the Garden State Parkway to mile marker 0 and fish one of the local Cape May beaches. Bunker chunked baits are the route to go to catch big striped bass and bluefish. Boaters can get in the action by trolling Spoons or Mojos. The drum bite has been “on” in the Delaware Bay, and are best targeted by anchoring and clamming. If your interested in targeting short Striped Bass, then just about any bridge or lighted structure point will have them biting. Small soft plastics in pink or white and plugs worked slowly will do the trick. bluefish are a little harder to pinpoint, but working small metals and top-waters off the surf have been getting the most action. Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!