Pictured above: Tak Waterman, Long Branch, posted this photo of Rob Radlof with a big Raritan Bay striper he caught on a Ben Parker spoon last weekend.
If it’s any consolation in these very troubling times, the fishing is good.
Bigger bass are hitting a wider variety of baits in Raritan Bay while smaller fish can be found throughout Barnegat Bay. Surf fishing remains slow.
The flounder fishing has been decent in Barnegat Bay as well.
Plus, the state opened trout season early so people can get out and enjoy the outdoors as long as they practice social distancing and release all the fish they catch. The official opening is April 11.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said the bass fishing in Raritan Bay keeps getting better and better. Boat anglers are catching stripers up to 30 pounds on shads, Mojos, X-Raps and bunker chunks while folks fishing the Bayshore beaches continue to pick up fish on worms and bunker chunks.
The Tackle Box is taking phone orders and providing curbside service.
Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands is doing the same and Butch there said they’ve been selling plenty of blood and sandworms, frozen clams and bunker.
The fishing from the bay beaches has been very good, he said, but he has yet to hear of anything from the surf.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said the kayakers in Raritan Bay continue to do very well on hefty stripers. Shop regular Linas Korevias of Sea Bright has been landing big fish for weeks.
There are some small fish in the surf there as I got may first striper of the season last Friday on a sandworm.
The shop has been stocking sand and bloodworms so just call ahead and someone will have them ready for you.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch in Long Branch said it’s been a fantastic bass bite in Raritan Bay.
He and his pals have been fishing big Ben Parker Spoons and catching stripers up to 30 pounds. Most of the bass are in the teens, he said, and there have been plenty of them.
Gleason said they’ve been getting nice fish on Couch Cedar Work’s DP4 plug as well.
With the fishing so good in the bay, he said there hasn’t been time to fish the Shrewsbury River but he suspects the bass are back there as well.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said the flounder fishing is holding up in the Shark River and there are small bass in there as well hitting small plastics and plugs.
A lot of their customers have been heading up to Raritan Bay.
The party and charter boat fleet out of the Belmar Marina, and pretty much everywhere else for that matter, has remained dock-bound due to the coronavirus crisis.
Blackfish season is now open and the charter and party boats that target them, like the Mimi VI and Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach, are anxiously waiting for the government to give them the word to go fishing.
John Vafiadis at the Reel Seat in Brielle said the Raritan Bay bite has everyone’s attention, but guys are fishing the south end of the Point Pleasant Canal and around the Mantoloking Bridge for winter flounder.
Small bass are also being caught in the Manasquan River back by the bridges on worms and small plugs and shads.
Jason Szabo at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach called the Raritan Bay bite outstanding with customers reporting bass up to 45 inches.
The stripers in the Manasquan River and Barnegat Bay are not nearly as large but there have been a lot of them day and night hitting small plugs like X-Raps and shads.
Winter flounder fishing has been good, he reported, from the south end of the canal to the Route 37 Bridge on clams and bloodworms.
Liam at Capt. Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said schoolie bass in the Manasquan River and Barnegat Bay are keeping his customers occupied along with winter flounder at the Mantoloking Bridge. Clams and chum logs are working for them.
He also heard of more white perch being caught in the bay.
Frank at Gabriel Tackle in Brick said Barnegat Bay and local rivers continue to produce a mix of short and keeper striped bass. Kettle Creek shads and other small lures are getting the job done.
Flounder fishing also has been decent with reports around the Mantoloking Bridge and the mouth of the canal. Frank suggests you fish while you can as you don’t know what areas will be accessible from one day to the next. Gabriel’s is offering curb-side service and mail order only as the shop remains closed to the public.
Pete at Charlies’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said the bass fishing is holding up in the bay as is the winter flounder fishing by the Mantoloking Bridge. However, with all the park and beach closures due to the health crisis, he said anglers are having trouble getting to their usual spots.
Island Beach State Park remains open and hopefully the surf bite on stripers will pick up soon.
Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said they’ve been staying busy with phone orders and curbside service. He, too, said the striper bite in Raritan Bay is on fire with some really nice fish being caught.
Down by him, folks are keeping busy with Barnegat Bay stripers on X-Raps, shads and other small baits.
The winter flounder bite has been decent at the Mantaloking Bridge and Good Luck Point on clams and worms. Remember to chum heavy, he said.
He’s hoping spring bluefish arrive soon as the yellow-eyed demons will add some much-needed excitement.
John Bushell at Betty and Nick’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said things are much the same as last week with tons of small bass in the bay. While some are hitting lures and shads, blood worms are the favorite bait.
Fishing Forecast for Northern New Jersey
It’s all about the bass. The striper bite in Raritan Bay is red hot. Boaters are getting fish up to 30 pounds on shads, bunker chunks, plugs and trolling Mojos.
The Bayshore beaches are also producing a lot of fish on bait, including worms, chunks and clams.
Barnegat Bay and the local rivers are also loaded with short bass, hitting worms, shads and small plugs.
Reminder, the new striped bass regulations are now in effect with a one-fish limit from 28 inches to less than 38 inches.
Winter flounder are also biting in the Shark River and Barnegat Bay on clams and worms.
Finally, trout season opened early. It’s catch-and-release only until the official opening on April 11 and remember to keep your distance from fellow anglers.
Stay safe and be well.
Any fishing reports