We’re at that awkward time ̶ between fluke and sea bass seasons and before the fall run starts in earnest.
While some elect to use this break for boat maintenance or prepare for stripers, others just keep at it.
Those who are still fishing are getting false albacore, bonito, bluefish, blackfish, porgies, winter flounder, blowfish and striped bass. That should be enough to keep most people interested.
Northern New Jersey Fishing Report
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet reported the false albacore showed up in the Rip at the tip of Sandy Hook at the beginning of the week with both beach and boat anglers getting into the fish.
Epoxy jigs were catching most of the fish but small metals were working as well.
He said the porgy fishing remains red hot and there are ling, winter flounder and blowfish in the mix.
Sciortino also reported very good blackfishing on the rocks off Deal with some very nice tog being caught in 25 to 30 feet of water. The limit is still only one fish until Nov. 16 when the limit goes to five.
Capt. Ron Santee on the Fishermen out of Atlantic Highlands said there was only a small turnout for Tuesday’s trip but they were treated to a great day of fishing.
There was plenty of action all day long with porgies, bluefish and blowfish along with a lot of sea bass that had to go back. On Monday’s trip, Santee reported his first weakfish of the season.
Mel Martens at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright also reported good albie fishing at the Hook. Bob Maranowski of the Asbury Park Fishing Club got into the fish both Monday and Tuesday.
Martens said it’s getting a tad crowded up there with the beach guys jousting with the folks in boats as the lures go flying. Some people he knows wait all year for the albies and schedule vacations around their appearance.
He also reported that bigger bluefish, up to 10 pounds, have joined the smaller blues and bass in the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers and the crabbing is still good in the rivers.
Martens said there are plenty of small bass in the surf on shads and small poppers and a lot of nice fluke, up to 24 inches, have been caught. Unfortunately, a little too late.
Mike Gleason at TAK Waterman in Long Branch said some larger bass are showing up in the surf and Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers. They’re hitting shads and metal-lipped swimmers.
The shop, in conjunction with the City of Long Branch Chamber of Commerce, is holding a catch-and-release striped bass tournament. The tourney started on Oct 1 and runs until Oct. 26.
Registration is $10 for adults; $5 for children under 12 and includes a Tak Waterman t-shirt. Winners are based on length and prizes include a St. Croix rod. For more information, visit www.longbranchchamber.org.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar reported excellent blackfishing at the Shark River Inlet with a number of keepers mixed in with the plentiful shorts. Anthony Petillo of Manasquan got a 5-pound tog while his buddy Jack Kruger of Neptune caught a 4-pound, 9-ounce blackfish.
Matthews said the rental boats have been doing well with bluefish and false albacore at the inlet. There are more short bass reported in the surf and the Shark River is full of schoolies, along with a few keepers. Shads and plugs are doing the trick.
Capt. Bobby Quinn on the Ocean Explorer reported a nice day of fishing on Tuesday with the blackfish on the feed. There were loads of keepers and shorts.
The porgy fishing was a little slow, Quinn said, with a few picked on every drop but they didn’t hang around for long.
Capt. Rich Falcone on the Golden Eagle reported an excellent day of bluefishing on Tuesday’s trip with everyone getting their limit of fish between 3 and 8 pounds.
Jigs were responsible for all of the action and Capt. Falcone said most anglers were playing catch and release by mid-morning.
He said those folks who were after false albacore had plenty of action as well. A couple of anglers were into double digits.
There were some porgies in the mix as well along with sea bass that had to go back. He’s planning on targeting them when the season reopens on Oct. 8.
Capt. Pete Sykes on Parker Pete’s Sportfishing used the last week to take care of some maintenance but is planning on fishing this weekend. He’ll be targeting tog, porgies, blues or whatever looks like the best bet for the day.
He still has some open dates for fall stripers on the weekends and during the week.
Alex Kondas at the Reel Seat in Brielle reported that the striper fishing under the Route 35 Bridge over the Manasquan River has been very good. The incoming and high tide are best. Early morning, evening and nighttime are the times to go and the fish are hitting bucktails and shads.
There are a lot more keepers around, he said, and the fish can run from 20 inches to 20 pounds.
The false albacore have been moving in and out of the Manasquan Inlet hitting epoxy lures and small, shiny metals. He also said guys in boats have been chasing the albies along the beaches
The small bass are on the beaches north of Manasquan to the Shark River Inlet hitting shads and plugs. He’s heard rumors of bigger fish but nothing he could confirm.
Boats fishing the Mud Hole and local reefs are catching ling, porgies and winter flounder. Kondas said the Shark River Reef has been especially good for porgies.
John Bogan at Brielle Bait and Tackle said there is a smorgasbord of fish around that are keeping folks busy as they wait for sea bass season to open.
He said the albies are from the Manasquan Inlet all the way out to the Mud Hole along with mahi-mahi and bonito.
The ling fishing, he added, has been very good on trips aboard the Paramount out of Bogan’s Basin and the Jamaica II has been doing well with porgies, triggerfish and tog.
The blackfishing has been good in the Point Pleasant Canal and at the Manasquan Inlet and the blowfishing has been excellent on the bay side of the canal. Bogan said chum logs and pieces of clam are getting anglers 20 to 30 fish at a time.
Mark at Tackle World in Rochelle Park said a few of his customers got into the albies at Sandy Hook and on the New York side of Raritan Bay. They’ve also been enjoying the good porgy fishing.
On the freshwater side, he reported the largemouth bass fishing throughout the area picked up with anglers doing well on Senko worms.
He’s very excited about the fall trout season. The fishing has been good all year and all the rivers and streams have plenty of water for the upcoming stocking.
Steve at Garden State Bow & Reel in Stockholm said the cooler nights have brought the water temperature down and added heat to the bass fishing throughout the watershed. The largemouth bite has picked up nicely for anglers using fatheads.
Dino, the owner of Garden State, went to do a little bass fishing at Echo Lake earlier this week and caught a 48-inch musky.
The smallmouth action has been good as well, said Steve, with Split Rock Reservoir giving up nice fish. He heard of a 4½ pounder coming out of there.
Ken at Tackle & Field in Wanaque said anglers fishing early in the morning are getting smallmouth and walleye at Greenwood Lake and Monksville Reservoir.
Fishing Forecast for Northern New Jersey
The bottom fishing has been very good for porgies, ling, winter flounder, tog and blowfish so if you want some table fare, that’s a good choice. There are also bass and blues in the rivers and surf and it’s a nice time of year for a walk on the beach. The forecast looks promising for the weekend.
The false albacore are also popping up at Sandy Hook and the Shark River and Manasquan River inlets. They’re always a blast on light tackle and epoxy lures are the best bet for them.