What a week!! I think I finally witnessed the yellow orb in the sky Wednesday afternoon. It was brief, but we finally got through the 5 day low that hung off our coast after battering Florida. Fishing has been at a standstill as all boaters and headboats have been stuck at the dock over the past week. The surf has been very tough to fish, and the only game in town has been fishing for small schoolie striped bass in the back or working crabs off the rocks. The last few days provided some tog action with lesser waves and winds on greenies. We are all set for the opening of sea bass this Friday and hopefully the weather cooperates.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River had a few flats of bloodworms come in a few days ago, but the weather has had the fishing on hold over the past week. Anglers working the bridges and back bays prior to the storm had some striped bass on worms and artificials. The beaches off ISBP had some bluefish around.
Lacey Marine in Forked River reported a very slow week with heavy rain and northeast winds over the past 5 days. The fishing should rebound pretty quickly as the temperatures in the bays have dipped to striped bass feeding temperatures. Sea bassing should be good for the start of our October season this coming Friday, but fishing looks more doable over the weekend.
Jerzey Buoyz Sportfishing did not fish due to the rough sea conditions, so the skipper did some work on the boat and gear to prep for the upcoming sea bass and striped bass season.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown had few reports with anglers stopping in the shop. Most have been gearing up for the upcoming sea bass season along with prepping for fall striped bass. The inlet does have a fair amount of tautog for anglers to enjoy as they are actively on the feed. Green crabs, sand fleas, or shore crabs tipped on a tog jig will do the trick.
Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown pulled the deepwater boat this past week to perform some routine maintenance. The weekend trips were cancelled due to the coastal storm. The skipper will be targeting some night striped bass during the week and sea bass this upcoming weekend.
The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light was tied to the dock over the past week with both inshore and offshore trips cancelled. The boat will try to resume inshore sea bass action this upcoming weekend with calmer seas.
Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin had only a few reports this past week as the weather and waves kept most anglers on stand-by. A few hardy souls hit the inlet area with green crab to catch a few nice tog, while bridge anglers caught striped bass and blues. The bite has been tough as the bay was dirty, but it should get better this upcoming week.
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City had very few reports over the past week. A few hardy anglers worked a few stretches of the Mullica River to find cooperative schoolie striped bass. The weather had most anglers off the water or in the shops to stock up for the upcoming sea bass opener.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point had nice reports of mahi and tuna at the canyons prior to the remnants of Ian hitting our area. But this past week has been tough as the wind, waves, and rain had most anglers off the water. Tog fishing off the rocks and jetties has been very good for anglers dipping green crabs or sand fleas.
Badfish Charters in Ocean City reported good striped bass fishing prior to this week’s blowout, but the captain expects even better bites once the bay settles down. The water temperatures in the bays and rivers dropped dramatically, so the bass should be very active on the feed.
The Cape May and Wildwood areas were quiet this week on the ocean front as northeasterly winds and winds battered the area from the slow moving coastal low. A few anglers worked the back waters at the tail end of the storm to find cooperative striped bass to 30 inches. The bay waters have dipped down to 55-degrees Fahrenheit which makes the perfect temperature for stripers. Anglers working green crabs off the rock jetties are finding lots of tautog with some keepers in the mix.
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South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for the weekend will be to hit the local wrecks for sea bass as the season opens on Friday. Most of the wrecks in the 55- to 60-foot depths are holding good numbers of throwbacks and keepers. Clam, squid, and metal jigs are great places to start when targeting sea bass. The leftover swell may affect the bite, but considering the wave action and slower eating I would think they will be ravenous on the bite. Another choice to consider is working the bay sods and sedges for schoolie striped bass in the early morning or late evening. Soft bodied lures and minnow plugs are excellent lures to use. Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!