Raritan Bay continues to be ground zero for spring stripers but beach anglers can now get in on the fun as the bass have showed up in the suds from Sandy Hook down to Island Beach State Park.
The vast majority of the fish are being taken on bait with clams and worms the top choices but some have been taken on SP Minnows and swim shads. The rivers and inlets in between are also giving up bass at night and during the day on plugs and shads.
Toggers are enjoying a solid April season with boats reporting keepers among the many shorts. Shore anglers are catching blackfish at the inlets and in the Point Pleasant Canal.
Rick Hebert at Tackle World in Rochelle Park said the stripers are all over Raritan Bay. He’s had good reports from the Bug Light and Romer Shoal. Trout season is off to a great start, he added, and the freshwater action in general has been good.
Capt. Jay Richardella on Side Job Charters out of Lockwood Boatworks in South Amboy said his last four bass trips in Raritan Bay have been lights-out fishing on jigs and trolling. He’s got a few openings on the schedule and can be contacted through his website.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet reported bass everywhere in the bay and they’re hitting everything from live bunker to Mojos. He’s also getting more reports of stripers on the beach at Sandy Hook and down to the south on bloodworms and clams. The reports on blackfish and cod have also been good from the party and charter boats out of Atlantic Highlands and Highlands.
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Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said there are lots of bass around, up in Raritan Bay, in the rivers and now on the beach. Bloodworms and clams have been the best beach bait but a few fish have been taken on SP Minnows. More bunker is showing up in the ocean out front. A long list of plugs and shads are working in the bay and rivers with Z-Man 7-inch shads a shop favorite. Pinto added that Tom Stahl of Sea Bright caught a 28-inch weakfish this past week.
Mike Gleason at TAK Waterman in Long Branch also reported plenty of stripers in the area but Raritan Bay can be a little hit or miss with all the boat traffic putting the fish down. The Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers are yielding fish both at night and during the day. Out front, Gleason said he’s witnessed bass blowing up on bunker and he expects the ocean bite will just keep getting better. There’s been a lot more bait showing up off the beaches of Asbury Park and Ocean Grove with a couple of explosions on bunker pods this week.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said the striper fishing on the beach has improved there as well with clams catching the majority of the fish. The party boats out of the marina are also doing well with blackfish. The Big Mohawk came back to the dock on Wednesday with an 11-pound, 14-ounce tog caught by Dave Bailey.
Capt. Steve Spinelli on the Skylarker out of Belmar reported good fishing for blackfish and cod with some ling in the mix. There have been a lot of short tog, he said, but enough keepers to keep folks happy. He’s got a few openings left for April.
Lloyd at The Reel Seat in Brielle said the bass are on the beach there hitting mostly bait with a few fish taken on SP Minnows. The Manasquan River has stripers as well, hitting shads and plugs. Togging has been good, too, both offshore and in the Point Pleasant Canal.
Kyle Tanger at Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said anglers have been picking tog all along the Manasquan River from the inlet, back to the bridges and into the Point Pleasant Canal. Soft baits like worms and clams have been working better than crabs at the moment. The tog boats, he said, have been doing well in just about 30 feet of water. Tanger said bass anglers are starting to crush it on the beaches. Most of the catches have come on clams but shads and plugs are picking up a few fish. The stripers are a decent size, he added.
Capt. Kenny Namowitz on the Mimi VI out of Point Pleasant Beach said there was an improvement in the blackfishing this week with more folks getting their limits. He also reported a few more cod coming over the rail. The Mimi VI will be sailing for blackfish every day until the season closes at the end of the month.
The Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach will also be sailing for tog every day.
Chris Parlow at Captain Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said plenty of nice- size blackfish continue to be caught on the Axel Carlson and Sea Girt reefs, with fish between seven and nine pounds fairly common. There are also a few cod being taken as well. The fish have been hitting both crabs and clams. He, too, reported that the inlet and the canal have also been producing nice numbers of blackfish. Parlow added that the Barnegat Bay striper bite was also very good this week on plugs.
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Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick reported that the local beaches are giving up stripers with all of the fish caught on clams. He’s also getting good blackfish reports from the wrecks and reefs and the at the Manasquan Inlet. Blood and sandworms have been working better than crabs for tog in the canal.
Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said the bass really showed up out front with all of the action on clams. Fishing was best at the top of the incoming tide or when it was dead low at night. He said a lot of the fish were just short but there were a few keepers in the mix. Young Antonio Salvatore got his first bass, a 34-incher from the sand with the help of all his friends. Bloodworms were working well for bass in the back bay while artificials account for some fish at night. Kupper advised fishing under the lights at the bridges and docks.
Scott Thomas at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said the bass were on the beach there big time this week and all of the action was on clams. Thomas said most of the stripers were slot fish but there were a couple of overs. Brandon Volk got a 45-inch monster on Tuesday. Thomas also reported loads of blowfish in the surf this past week stealing bait while the first bluefish of the season was recorded. It was a cocktail caught in the wash on bait. Grumpy’s is holding a special Yo-Zuri sale this weekend where you get one free for every two that are purchased.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Stripers remain at the top of the hit parade and are spreading out along the beaches of Monmouth and Ocean counties. Blood or sandworms and clams offer the best chance at a fish.
Blackfishing is holding up but if spring tog on your list, remember the season closes on April 30.