There were many things to be grateful for this past Thanksgiving weekend, but the weather wasn’t one of them.
There were fish to be caught but high winds and wet weather made it tough to get to them.
Toss in some wintry temperatures and conditions were far from favorable.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet reported that despite the howling winds and monsoon rains, fish were landed.
Striped bass were hooked on small metals and teasers at Sandy Hook and along the beach. The majority of the fish were shorts, but there were a few keepers reported.
Blackfishing fell off due to the weather and the few boats that made it out reported spotty tog fishing with a lot of the fish having to go back.
Capt. Ron Santee on the Fishermen out of Atlantic Highlands reported good striper fishing last Friday and Saturday with plenty of bass caught, mostly of the smaller variety.
Keepers, slot fish and shorts were caught on the steady action. Diamond jigs with red tails were the hot bait as long as the anglers kept the handles on the reels turning.
A huge swell greeted the boat on Sunday morning and the water was muddied by all of Saturday night’s rain. The fishing wasn’t great and that was the last day Capt. Santee sailed. He hopes to get out again on Friday.
Capt. Rob Semkewyc on the Sea Hunter had good fishing on Black Friday and Saturday and he also managed a nice catch of bass on Sunday in the tougher conditions.
He tried again on Monday but it was heavy sledding in the wind and Capt. Rob cut the trip short with just a few fish to show for his efforts. He’s been at the dock since and will try again on Friday.
Mel Martens at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said guys fishing the beaches over the weekend caught bass in the surf, even in Sunday’s big swell. Small Avas with red or green tails and a teaser are the go-to baits
Again, the vast majority of the fish were small.
He hasn’t been hearing much on the blackfish bite over the last several days.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said when the surf is fishable, the small bass are there for the surfcasters and there are a few keepers among the shorts. Sand eel imitations and small metals with teasers are doing the trick.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said the wind kept the boats in the marina on Thanksgiving Day, but they sailed for blackfish and stripers on the weekend. He reported decent togging but the anglers had to work hard for the fish and a lot of them were shorts.
The small bass dominated the action for the boats with a few keepers taken. Matthews said bonus tags are helping anglers put some dinner on the table.
It’s short bass in the surf there as well. The fish are feeding on sand eels so any imitation will get their attention.
Matthews also reported good winter flounder fishing in the Shark River when there are a few clear days in row. Unfortunately, those have been hard to come by. The rain has been turning the water the color of chocolate milk.
Capt. Pete Sykes on Parker Pete’s Sportfishing reported decent striper fishing when he can sail. It’s been a lot of slot fish and smaller bass with some keepers coming aboard.
The fish have been caught on jigs and on the troll. Capt. Sykes said there are still a few open dates in December.
Capt. Bobby Quinn on the Ocean Explorer out of Belmar reported decent blackfishing on Friday and Saturday but Sunday was a different story.
There was a monster groundswell along with a ripping current and it took about 12 ounces to hold the bottom. Once out, the weather wasn’t bad, but it was hit and miss on different spots. When he found fish, it was mainly a stern bite. High hook had three keepers but he said it was very tough fishing.
He plans on sailing again on Friday.
Capt. Rich Falcone on the Golden Eagle out of Belmar has been getting into the bass but it’s been a tough week. He last sailed on Sunday and found a few fish but the conditions were less than ideal with murky water from all the rain.
John Vafiadis at the Reel Seat said the short bass were on the beach at the beginning of the week hitting Avas, needlefish and Deadly Dicks. He heard of action from Point Pleasant Beach down to Island Beach State Park.
The blackfishing for the boats out of the Manasquan Inlet has been spotty at best.
Greg Bogan at Brielle Bait and Tackle also had reports of the small bass on the beach from the inlet south. Tsunami sand eels with teasers have been the ticket.
Bogan said when the Big Jamaica could get out, it was finding bass up to 40 inches close to the three-mile line.
He also said some winter flounder have made their way into the Manasquan River.
Rick Hebert at Tackle World in Rochelle Park said it’s been a tough couple of days since the weekend. He hasn’t heard much in the way of a saltwater action and the rivers and streams are raging from all of the rain.
There’s plenty of trout to be caught, he said, but water levels have to come down.
Dino at Garden State Bow and Reel in Stockholm said the bass fishing, especially for smallmouth bass, has been good in the reservoirs. Clear days have been the best but, unfortunately, there haven’t been too many of those lately.
The smallies have been hitting jigs and jerk baits.
Larry at Newark Sinker Company in Pine Brook said the only thing he’s heard of lately are some big musky, up to 45 inches, caught at Monksville Reservoir.
Fishing Forecast for Northern New Jersey
First, the weather has to cooperate. If that happens, there are plenty of small bass on the beach. Avas with red or green tails, Tsunami sand eels, Deadly Dicks and needlefish will all work.
You’ll have a better chance at a keeper hopping on a party or charter boat that’s targeting bass.
The offshore sea bass fishing was good when the boats last sailed and there were cod and jumbo porgies caught as well. That’s an option if the weather holds.