The past week has had tougher conditions for most anglers, with solid 5 to 7 footers gracing any boats that decided to give it a go. Togging was a grind with the swells and constant bouncing, but fish were hungry during periods when the swell let up. Anglers catching and releasing fish over 10 pounds has been a nice thing to see. I know it is super hush-hush, but some nice bluefin are here with fish busting surface poppers from the 3 mile line out to 10 miles. Striper action took a brief hiatus with the coastal storm, but anglers found them again with good bites from Ship Bottom to Lavallette. It seems most action south has been at or near the 3 mile line with schools going deep and off-limits to anglers.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River had a slower week in terms of fisherman actually fishing, but the store has been busy with anglers shopping for holidays. Small striped bass to 30 inches have been caught from the Route 37 bridge and anglers got a few further up the Toms River.
Lacey Marine in Forked River had a few reports of tog action outside, but it was a slower week due to the weather and a good chunk of anglers have been pulling their boats. There were a few fish up to 30 inches being caught off the beaches on teasers and plugs.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported some good striped bass action on Thursday with lots of birds and bass around the Lavallette area. Togging has been decent if you can work up a bite and the Seaside Pipe has been producing some keepers.
Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown braved the cold and wind this past week to fish the night bite with the skiff. Anglers on board landed 15 striped bass keeping fish up to 31 inches for the table. The skipper will be running trips into January for tautog and striped bass.
The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light did not sail this past week due to the heavy wind and sea conditions. The skipper will be taking the boat back across the mainland to pull and perform maintenance for the season.
Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reported a good tog bite at the Garden State North, Garden State South, and the Little Egg reef if you could make it out. Anglers described a “grind” bite during the week and if you stayed in one spot for a long time, “They would start chewing”. Bassing was slower, but started to ramp up again in terms of bites. There is definitely about 1/2 the number of anglers out there which makes for longer duration surface bites.
-
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain in New Jersey!
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City received reports of striped bass being jigged and trolled up at the 3 mile line from Atlantic City to Sea Isle. Anglers fishing from the beach have reported much slower action with only a few spiny dogfish being caught. The backwaters slowed up a tad over the past week, but that was mainly due to lack of angler participation. The shop has a lot of holiday deals going on, so stop in.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point stocked the store with white leggers as the tog bite has been very good on the southern wrecks and reef sites. The only issue has been the ability for anglers to make it out to the tog grounds due to the recent swells. Striped bass fishing has been very challenging, but hopefully the storm pushed some bass down to the south.
Badfish Charters in Ocean City had a few decent days in the ocean as the skipper has been finding bass in the 30- to 40-foot depth range. The bay still has some action on striped bass with schoolies along some of the tidal creeks and marshes.
The Cape May and Wildwood area was tough to get out this week due to the forecast, but it’s been all togging over past few weeks. The deeper reef sites had better bites on tautog with white leggers on the jig producing the best numbers of quality fish. Some of the fish have been from 10 to 14 pounds. Striped bassing has been hit or miss on most days with some being trolled up on umbrella rigs and Stretch plugs. There are still a large number of bass in the northern stretches of the state, so don’t pull those boats yet.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for the weekend will be to hit either striped bass or tautog on Sunday, as Saturday looks like a wash in terms of winds. Anglers might be able to target striped bass close to the beach, but if bass slide closer to the 3 mile line it may be a bit sporty for most boats. Sunday is much better and it may pay to grab the crabs, anchors, and jigs to hit a local wreck. I would recommend to “build the bite” if you plan on togging. It doesn’t pay to move around this time of year as fish have to be coaxed in by the scent of crushed crabs. A last important note, if you plan on shopping for loved ones or someone special – support your “local” tackle shops as they are there for you during the season as information hubs. In addition, many shops are offering excellent deals during this time of year prior to the holidays. Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!