North Jersey Fishing Report
Mike from TAK Waterman in Long Branch said striped bass are feeding well. Lots of anglers are fishing bait, but there’s a good plug bite going on, too. Bass are hitting metal lips, Daiwa SP minnows, and Yo-Zuri Darters and Hydro Minnows. Mike said the bite has only become more consistent with a massive push of bunker during the recent full moon, and come nightfall, the bait is right at your feet. Plenty of early quality and fun, with most fish in the 8- to 18-pound class. Freshwater has also been producing plenty of crappie and largemouth bass. With all this bunker around, stop by the shop this weekend for a new 9-inch Shattered Bunker flutter spoon.
Jessie at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar reports that fishing has been rather slow overall. He said the Ocean IV has been out getting a couple cod and ling, but going very far out and not seeing the anglers (or catches) worthy of going out. Pick a nice day with some sun and head offshore for a little deep wreck action. For stripers, there’s been plenty of fish around the Shark River but lots of shorts with some fish in the 28-32 inch bracket. Their customers have had the most consistent action on paddletails and lightweight jigs and white SP’s minnows. One customer has been fishing from a kayak underneath bridges where there’s slow current, catching fish on Z-Mans and 1-ounce jigheads. Winter flounder fishing has been slow entirely, and especially for keepers. Some warmer, sunny days are needed for that bite to pick up.
Paul at The Reel Seat in Brielle shared that local waterways and rivers are filling up with fish. Stripers are chewing hard, and anglers have mainly been catching on No Live Bait Needed paddletails and other small swimbaits. Also, smaller (1-ounce) Yo-Zuri Mag Darters and Hydro Minnows have become a favorite for customers and fish. Lots more bunker pushed in with the recent full moon, and bigger fish are going to follow. Stop by the store to load up on darters and NLBN paddletails!
Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park reports that striped bass are biting all over Barnegat Bay, and that blood worms have been the key to a quality bite; although the plug-bag “usual suspects” have also been producing fish. Both the east and west sides of the bay saw quality fishing last weekend, and this weekend, that bite should be even better. If you can get out there and fish before the weather changes, the striper bite could be fast and furious. This weekend March 26 and 27, Grumpy’s is having their annual “Spring Has Sprung” sale. John from Scabellys will be at the shop early, so if you want a shot at one of his plugs, get there when the doors open. Stick around because there will also be several free seminars from featured well-known anglers/speakers like Shell E. Caris and Stan Gola of S&S Bucktails.
From Fishermen’s Supply Co. in Point Pleasant Beach, local bass have provided a reliable bite, but very cold overnight temperatures this weekend might shut the bite down. Lots of bunker moved into the river after the recent full moon tide, and now it’s a matter of looking for the fish that will naturally follow them. Stripers have been biting well between bridges around Barnegat Bay, and plenty of fish are coming on blood worms, but plugs are getting it done, too. Winter flounder fishing has been good around here, but clams and bloodworms for chum has proven absolutely necessary to start up a bite.
North Jersey Fishing Forecast
The bite has picked up in the back of Raritan Bay and the Navesink River as we head toward April 1. With big pods of bunker having just moved into many of North Jersey’s back bays after last week’s full moon, it’s only a matter of time before a body of bigger fish pushes north to give chase on the plentiful menhaden. Until the bigger bass show up, 4- to 7-inch paddletails and various other soft plastics will produce in areas where they can be jigged through a slow moving current. Grab some new plugs while they’re available, because once the larger bass move in the shops will be in high demand.