Trout season opened, striper fishing remained hot and April blackfishing has been rewarding. Throw in some unusually warm weather and it was good week to go fishing.
Big bass are hitting a wide variety of offerings in Raritan Bay and the local rivers while more beach fish entered the picture, hitting shads and bait.
Blackfishing reports have also been good for boat and shore-based anglers. Rough spots relatively close to shore have been giving up keepers, while toggers at the Point Pleasant Canal and local inlets have been pleasantly surprised by the fishing.
The trout opener drew big numbers throughout the state. A lot of them were youngsters at Monmouth County’s Spring Lake where the annual Shark River Surf Anglers’ Trout Contest for Kids attracted hundreds of children and their families. Forrest Black, 12, of Middletown took top honors with a 6-pound, 14-ounce brown.
Rick Hebert at Tackle World in Rochelle Park reported an excellent opening to trout season with anglers crowding newly stocked rivers, streams and lakes. He added that trout weren’t the only target last weekend as bass in Raritan Bay grabbed lot of attention as well.
Capt. Jay Richardella of Side Job Charters reported good bass fishing in Raritan Bay for his first few outings of the year. He’s sailing out of Lockwood Boatworks in South Amboy to be close to the action. Capt. Jay said he still has some April openings and can be contacted through his website.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said the bass fishing in Raritan Bay is fantastic with fish up to 42 inches hitting metal-lipped swimmers, live bunker, NLBN shads, flutter spoons and Mojos. He’s also getting good reports on blackfish and cod from the party and charter boats out of Atlantic Highlands.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle said striper fishing in Raritan Bay and the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers has been very good on shads, gliders, metal-lipped swimmers and plugs. There was a bass blitz reported in one of the rivers but which one remained undisclosed. Pinto added that there have also been a few short stripers caught from the beach on bait. He hasn’t heard anything on winter flounder and doesn’t believe anybody is even trying at this point.
Mike Gleason at TAK Waterman in Long Branch said the striper fishing is very good up in the Raritan and in the local rivers. There’s a bigger class of fish around now, he said, and minnow baits, big shads, metal-lipped swimmers and Doc Spooks are all working. It appears you can pretty much throw whatever you like. He said more bait has pushed in out front and the surf bite should get going soon. The shop, he added, is expecting a new order of Back Bay Plugs any day now.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said the blackfish bite has been much better the last few days with party boats like the Big Mohawk and Ocean Explorer reporting good tog catches along with some cod. Matthews reported that the bass bite remains hot in the rivers to the north but there hasn’t been much to report locally. He did say there have been a few fluke caught already in the Shark River by winter flounder anglers. He also reported a solid trout opening with a lot of anglers turning their attention from saltwater to fresh for a change.
Steve Spinelli on the Skylarker out of Belmar called the fishing decent this week catching a combination of blackfish, cod and pollock. The cod were up to 10 pounds. His calendar is filling up but said he had a few weekend openings still left in April.
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Matt Haeger at The Reel Seat in Brielle said the togging has been going well with boats finding fish relatively close to shore. He also said the black fishing has been good in the Point Pleasant Canal with keepers mixed in with abundant shorts. Haeger also reported that he’s heard of bluefin lurking offshore for those willing to take a chance on a run. Striper fishing in the Manasquan River continues to improve, he added, with fish reported right outside the inlet and at the bridges.
Kyle Tanger at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said blackfishing has been a nice surprise this week with both boat and shore-based anglers finding success. Boats are fishing in close in about 50 feet of water. Green crabs, clams and cooked shrimp have been effective baits. The folks fishing along the Manasquan River and in the Point Pleasant Canal have also been catching plenty of tog with a few getting their limits. Bassing in the Manasquan River has also been picking up on soft plastics and poppers with fish up to 25 pounds. Tanger also fished up in Raritan Bay over the weekend and said heavy shads and deep-diving plugs produced some big bass. Kayakers have also been doing well with stripers up in the Raritan and in the local rivers.
Capt. Kenny Namowitz on the Mimi VI out of Point Pleasant Beach said it’s been typical spring blackfishing with some folks getting their limits while others catch one or two or none. He’s also picking up some cod. The weather has been cooperating and he’ll be sailing for blackfish every day through the end of the month.
Chris Parlow at Captain Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said the fishing continues to improve. He’s getting good reports on blackfish and cod on the local rough spots. Stripers are biting in the Manasquan River and in Barnegat Bay at the bridges and sod banks. He also reported a few flounder and blackfish caught at the Manasquan Inlet.
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Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick said that boaters who hit the local wrecks and reefs did well with blackfish. For those without a boat, togging has also been good at the inlet and in the Point Pleasant Canal. He said blood and sandworms are outproducing green crabs in the canal.
Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said anglers continue to pick stripers in Barnegat Bay. The nights have been better than the days and those fishing under the lights are having more luck. Small plugs, plastics and bloodworms have been effective. The areas behind Island Beach State Park and along Seaside Heights and Lavallette have been good spots. Kupper said that with this week’s warm weather, he wouldn’t be surprised to see blue claw crabs emerge from the mud soon.
Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said the striper action is picking up on the beaches there. A 40-inch bass hit a Tsunami shad in the surf and a number of smaller fish have been taken on clams. The bass fishing remains good in Barnegat Bay as well, he said. The show is now open 7-days a week from 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Striped bass continue to lead the hit parade with excellent fishing reported in Raritan Bay and rivers to the north. Practically every type of lure seems to be working.
There are also reports indicating a better bass bite on the beaches, especially to the south at Island Beach State Park.
Blackfishing has been pretty good for party and charter boats and at the inlets and in the Point Pleasant Canal.