It didn’t take long.
Striped bass season opened on Monday and initial reports were pretty good with keepers caught in Raritan Bay and the rivers down south. There were plenty of shorts caught and released as well.
Reports also circulated of a few winter flounder caught by the Mantoloking Bridge and in Belmar.
Granted, the bite is far from hot, but we’re off to a good start. Warmer, sunny days are in the forecast and that will only help the cause.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box posted a photo of Tommy Karindrakas of Long Branch with his first keeper of the year caught on a worm ball soaked in Fin Essence oil in Raritan Bay.
Sciortino reported that plenty of smaller fish were caught on worms since opening day in the back bay. Bunker have been spotted in there as well, he added.
A quick reminder: If you’re fishing for stripers with bait, an inline circle hook is now required.
Rick Hebert at Tackle World in Rochelle Park hadn’t received any reports on the striper or winter flounder fishing but he has blood worms in stock.
There haven’t been many reports on ice fishing either as rain and warmer weather appears to have hampered hard water action. The streams are running well, though, and there are trout to be caught.
Visit the NJ Div. of Fish and Wildlife website for complete trout stocking information. You can also attend the virtual trout meeting taking place this Saturday at 10 a.m. Instructions on how to participate are at the website.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said that the shop will be open full time starting on March 15 and will be fully stocked with worms and whatever else you might need. Current hours are Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon and by appointment.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch had good reports on early season stripers in Raritan Bay and said the freshwater bite on crappie and largemouth is improving.
He’s expecting there will be better bass fishing in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers in the coming days.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said he’s gotten word of winter flounder being caught in the Shark River but nothing he can confirm. No fish have come into the shop as yet. A few more days of sunny weather should get things going for sure on the outgoing tide.
He did say he’s received more reliable reports of short bass caught in the Toms River on bloodworms.
The freshwater fishing is picking up, he added, with largemouth bass, panfish and a few holdover trout being caught.
Capt. Bobby Quinn on the Ocean Explorer out of Belmar sailed on closing day of blackfish season and managed to put keepers in the box along with some perch, pollock, ling and cod.
He’ll be sailing again this weekend for cod, ling and pollock.
Capt. Pete Sykes of Parker Pete’s Sportfishing out of Belmar will be back on the water beginning in April for blackfish. He’s also taking reservations for spring striper trips.
Max Kristiansen at the Reel Seat in Brielle said things were still pretty quiet around the shop after opening day with few reports coming in. Freshwater is getting most of the attention right now but he expects more saltwater anglers to get into the action soon.
Vinny at Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said he heard of a few winter flounder caught in the Shark River and by the Mantoloking Bridge but nothing in the Manasquan River as yet. The water, he added, is still pretty cold — not quite 40 degrees — so it will have to warm up some to get the fish biting.
Reports of bass farther to the south are filtering in and the shop has worms for those ready to wet a line.
Capt. Kenny Namowitz on the Mimi VI out of Point Pleasant Beach will be back out after blackfish on April 1 as will Capt. Matt Sosnowski of the Norma K III.
Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said he’s been getting very good reports on both striped bass and winter flounder.
There have been a few keepers along with plenty of shorts in the Toms River on blood worms and small plugs. The bloods are working as well for winter flounder and Kerico recommends to go heavy on the chum.
Grumpy’s is getting ready for its big Spring Has Sprung Sale on March 20 and 21. There will be sale pricing on rods and reels, discount tables and special deals on kayaks from Yakkity Yak Kayaks.
Capt. Dave Showell at Absecon Bay Sportsman Center in Absecon said it was a good opening day despite the early wet weather. Myles Bosley claimed the $200 gift certificate for the first keeper of the year with a 30½-inch striper caught on a jumbo blood worm.
Bosley, fishing from a river bank with his dad, Bo, also had fun with plenty of short bass and white perch.
Dave at Tight Lines Bait and Tackle in Somers Point said there are plenty of small bass biting in the Great Egg Harbor River. The fish are in the 24- to 26-inch range and blood worms are getting the job done.
The shop is now open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nick at Hands Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May said the shop is still waiting to give out its $100 gift certificate for the first keeper of the year, but shorts are being caught on blood worms in local rivers.
Hands Too will be open full time starting March 12.
Best Bets for the Weekend
They’re here. While the bite might not be gangbusters, striped bass and winter flounder are being caught. The action is better on bass in Raritan Bay and rivers to the south such as the Toms, Mullica and Great Egg Harbor. Anglers have been doing well with white perch in those same areas. Blood worms are the ticket.
There are sunnier, warmer days in the forecast so that should help the winter flounder bite in the Shark River and Barnegat Bay.
THE WATER IS STILL A FEW DEGREESE COLD 41 TUESDAY NOW 43 47 IS GOOD