During the fall run, wind and weather are either your best friend or your arch nemesis. For the offshore crowd this week, it’s definitely been the latter.
Cooler air temperatures at night have the first wave of southbound bass on the move in southern New England, with some early migrators rounding the east end of Long Island as they exit the Long Island Sound and places like Block Island. However, many of our early autumn target species are still available and actively feeding in the sheltered back bays and rivers; if only the conditions weren’t so difficult. The bottom fishing scene is nearly non-existent this week with the exception of a few tautog being caught by anglers fishing easily accessible places like the Point Pleasant Canal.
Continuing on the bottom fishing front, fluke season closed on Wednesday the 27th, but anglers have the reopening of black sea bass season to look forward to this Sunday, October 1. The bag limit on sea bass during the month of October is 10 fish with a minimum length of 12.5 inches, before it changes to a 15-fish possession limit per angler in November until New Year’s Eve. Let’s hope the wind lays down a bit by Sunday.
Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright reported that there are bass in the wash actively feeding during the early morning hours. They said that if you’re waiting for the blitz, you’re missing out on some consistent action, with stripers in the mid-20-inch to 30-inch range hitting everything from pencil poppers on top to needlefish dragged through troughs and cuts. The bite isn’t exactly red hot, you have to work for the fish, but putting in the time will yield results. They’re getting the best reports of striper activity when the wind is blowing from the east/northeast.
TAK Waterman in Long Branch relayed a similar message, sharing that there’s not much going on right now besides the bass bite in the surf. Right before the blow, beach fishermen were getting bass on bucktails and small gliders in the wash. Otherwise it’s been pretty quiet out there with the exception of a couple bluefish here and there. Right now, surfcasters are most looking forward to what’s coming after last year’s epic fall run. Once the wind lays down a bit, the guys at TAK have a hunch that this tuna bite will continue on as it was prior to the sustained gusty conditions. They said there were loads of sand eels out there, which also has surfcasters hopeful that the sand eels will move in shallow and develop a solid beach bite to officially kick off the fall run.
Captain Steve Spinelli of the Skylarker out of Belmar said he’s unfortunately been docked since the blow started last week and has been patiently waiting to get back out. He said they are all geared up for the start of black sea bass season with most of their dates already booked up. Then, come the end of October, they’ll begin striper fishing for the duration of the fall season. Book your sea bass fishing while there are still spots available.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick said that it has been quiet in their neck of the woods. Fluking went to hell with the incessant wind, but the canal is producing some stripers and blues here and there, and the blackfishing has been really good. Those anglers targeting bass and blues in the canal are having the best luck by live-lining spot, or swimming bucktails along current seams and over bottom structure. It’s a tough bucktail bite with the turbid water; you pretty much have to get the jig right in front of their nose to get them to bite.
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A call to Fisherman’s Den in Belmar revealed that there’s a fair amount of fishermen catching blackfish on the jetties even through the wind and chop. The water color is milk chocolate brown, but it’s not stopping a few dedicated anglers from pitching crab-tipped jigs and rigs along the rocks in order to bend a rod. Before the wind, anglers were still catching short and keeper fluke in Shark River all week; however, with the season closed as of yesterday, this wind was the nail in the coffin on the 2023 fluke season. There are still a few cocktail blues being caught in the river as well, with small plugs and soft plastics doing the job. Anglers in the shop were also reporting a mix of stripers and kingfish between their bluefish and fluke this week, and once the wind dies down, the stripers and blues should be just as active, if not moreso than they were prior to the storm.
The Reel Seat in Brielle said it’s been very rough out front this week, but in the river there’s blackfish, stripers and bluefish to be caught. The wind has roiled even the backwaters, so think of plugs that produce some noise if you’re targeting stripers or blues. With fluke season having ended, the weather break should see some great fishing for black sea bass out over the local reefs and wrecks. They are stocked up on sea bass gear, from sinkers and leader to bucktails and Gulp. Stop by to load up and be ready for bottom fishing when the time comes!
Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach echoed that there is not much going on in the surf, and that boats have been docked all week. There was great tuna fishing before the blow, but most anglers looking for action this week are finding it in the Point Pleasant Canal, where there’s been pretty steady action for blackfish. There’s also a crowd of angers hitting the canal at night and finding a decent striper bite on live eels. According to the guys at the shop, the inlet was giving up a lot of short fluke with some keepers here and there over the past week, but it’s barren now; even the blackfish, they said, have moved out.
The crew of the Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach is hopeful that the ocean will lay down for the weekend, but the current 10 foot seas might have different plans. They said they’re still shooting for a Saturday night bluefish trip, and if that doesn’t work out, they’re aiming for opening day sea bass on Sunday. Worst case scenario, they’ll be back to their daily 7:30am-2:30pm trips for sea bass when the conditions allow.
Chris Parlow from Captain Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach reported that there was excellent yellowfin fishing at the Triple Wrecks before the big blow. He also reported that there was a good migration of inshore bluefin and some big mahi-mahi caught on the pots. He is hopeful that the fishing will pick up right where it left off once the wind lays down.
Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said that the day before the system blew in, there were surfcasters out there putting bass on the beach with bucktail jigs. They’re anticipating the bite to pick up right where it left off once the seas calm a bit and the water settles, providing better visibility. Otherwise, blackfishing has been the only option in the canal, but even that has been challenging. They’re fully stocked and prepared for the sea bass opener this weekend, assuming the conditions are favorable.
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Best Bets for the Weekend
The outlook is grim for the weekend ahead, but if you find yourself itching for some fishing, try for blackfish in the rivers and canals. Otherwise, jigging bucktails in the rivers and tossing some loud-rattling swimming plugs around backwater pinch points may yield a few stripers or blues.
Sea bass season opens on Sunday, but will Sunday be fishable on the open ocean? Only time will tell. Make smart decisions out there. The sea bass and tuna can wait.
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