The past week presented a nice swell and some morning fog for most of coastal New Jersey, but anglers that made it out were able to box some keeper sea bass and tog on the wrecks. The striped bass fishery has steadily improved with some nice fish beginning to be caught in the backwaters and close to the inlets. Anglers working eels during the night tides have been able to pick up bass to 20 pounds. The day bite has been good for striper fisherman using live spot in some of the main channels. Tog fishing remains excellent and anglers can catch their 1-fish limit with relative ease.
Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported a decent week for anglers fishing sea bass as some of the wrecks had good quantities of fish. Most anglers had to work for fish by hitting 3 to 5 different pieces to put a limit together. Striped bass have been hitting soft plastics on both sides of the tide around the inlet.
Bobbies Boats in Barnegat Light had good reports from anglers working the jetties on tog and striped bass. The bass have been good on spot, but better on eels during the night tides. Bay fishing has slowed down as far as blowfish, but some bass have been reported from some of the flats.
Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown / Barnegat Light reported a busy weekend with charters working the bay for limits of tog and tagged striped bass on the windy days. The skipper had return client Paul Kaufman and crew out to box a 5-man limit of sea bass and limit of tog, along with some huge triggerfish. The skipper ran a mid-week trip and had clients on tagged striped bass to 27 inches along with a limit of blackfish.
The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light continues to run offshore for tuna, but the skipper has started to run more sea bass and striped bass trips. The boat has some dates left in November as it’s prime time for striped bass.
Fisherman’s Headquarters on Long Beach Island reported some weakfish being landed along with striped bass from some of the mid-island sites. There has been some weakfish and snapper bluefish being landed under birds in the ocean. Sea Bass have been caught on the wrecks up to 100 feet in depth. The triple wrecks was still hot for yellowfin with some boats making the 60+ mile run to box a few big yellowfin. Tog are still plentiful off the Barnegat inlet jetties and you can find some real nice ones if you put your time in.
Absecon Bay Sportsman in Absecon had ocean striped bass making it into the backwaters as they were green and clean. Dave reported good action on big Gulp Nemesis chartreuse baits tipped on lead jig heads and some of the bass had sea lice on them which is a good sign. Tog fishing remains excellent off the jetties in Atlantic City. Green crab or fiddlers are the way to go for these fish. The beaches have had some small bluefish and weakfish caught on light metals.
Offshore Bait & Tackle in Atlantic City had anglers weighing in some beastly tog up to 8 pounds off some of the nearby jetties. Even in the bad weather and swell, the fish are biting green crab baits. Anglers working soft plastics around some of the bridges and jetties are finding cooperative striped bass to 30 inches.
Fin-Atics in Ocean City has received another solid week of reports from anglers fishing the jetties and bridges along Somers Point to Sea Isle City. There have been excellent numbers of tog off the bridges, inshore wrecks, and rockpiles. Bluefish up to 20 inches have been marauding peanut bunker in the back and anglers fishing bunker chunks are finding success. Most of the action has been from Ship Channel to the Longport bridge. Anglers working the thoroughfares have been locating schoolie striped bass.
Badfish Charters in Ocean City has been hitting the backwaters for striped bass on flies and plugs along with some nice tog on green crab. The skipper has some mid-week dates available over the next several weeks.
Sea Isle Bait & Tackle in Sea Isle City had reports of tog being landed to 5 pounds being landed along the jetties and bridges. Striped bass are being landed in the back on live spot and eels during the morning and evening tides. Anglers who made it out to the wrecks over the weekend had good reports of keeper sea bass from the wrecks.
Avalon Hodge Podge in Avalon had good numbers of striped bass being caught on live spot and eels. Some of the areas with marshes and deeper cuts are producing good numbers of striped bass and sizes have ranged from 18 to 32 inches. Togging is still good inshore, while sea bass are hitting off the deeper wrecks.
Peace Token Fishing Tackle in Cape May Court House reported some nice numbers of small striped bass being landed along the backside of Wildwood south to Jarvis sound. The tog fishing has been fantastic along the inshore wrecks and some of the inlets. Most anglers easily boxed limits of tasty tog. Striped bass, bluefish, and weakfish have been hitting soft plastics around the bridges.
Jim’s Bait & Tackle in Cape May reported good action on schoolie striped bass along some of the sod marshes and around bridges. Stripers have been in the 18 to 28 inch range, but most have been in the smaller variety. Sea bass fishing was excellent on the deep wrecks over the past weekend and week. Headboats reported double header drops on most of the wrecks.
Greenhorn Outdoors in Bridgeton reported good white perch fishing in the back creeks as the perch are still biting strong. There was some word of perch being landing around the Fortescue beaches. Small, schoolie striped bass have been picking up small soft plastics and bloodworms along the creek channels.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
If Epsilon stays far enough away, sea bass should be the best best for the weekend. The solid 6-foot swell should have the bottom stirred up a bit, but sea bass will still be on the feed. With this late in the season, anglers should be looking for the “off-the-beaten” path wrecks as most of the common spots will have been fished hard. Anglers looking for tog will have their best shots close to shore or along the inlets as the swell may have the bottom stirred up. The striped bass bite is increasing, so dragging spot during the day or eels at night would be sure-fire ways to put keepers in the box. Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!