Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
It’s my first report of 2024 and last report for the season as the fishing continues to be going strong. Striped bass fishing has been really good or slow depending on the day, but some boaters reported lights out action on bass off Island Beach State Park. Atlantic City to Cape May has had more consistent action for boaters, while beach has been much more sporadic for surfcasters. Tog fishing continues to be steady into the new year with nice fish from 8 to 16 pounds being landed, even with the 4-fish limit drop. Sea bass fishing finished strong amongst the heavy seas with a few boat limits by head boats fishing the 50- to 70-mile stretches. And just when you thought bay fishing was finished, the white perch has been steadily ramping up on grass shrimp and worms. But remember, bay striped bass are off limits until March 1st.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River received a full shipment of bloodworms with both regular and jumbos at the shop. The Toms River has had some white perch action along with some of the back marshes along Barnegat. Beach fisherman reported a slower pick on striped bass, but did report lots of birds 1 to 2 miles out.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown changed up their hours to assist with their annual inventory, but they did report some nice tog up to 12 pounds being harvested and released by local fisherman. Striped bass up to 34 inches were biting over the past several days in the afternoon on soft plastics, crippled herring, and metals.
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Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown finished out the season with the Marty Burns charter boxing a 3-man limit of tautog to 13 pounds. The clients released keepers from 10 to 13 pounds, and tried finding some bass for the last hour of the charter. The captain and his mate/son did a New Year’s day personal trip and mate Luke boxed a 7, 8, and 9 pounder, while releasing his PB at 10.2 pounds. The crew will be up and running in March for catch and release back bay striped bass.
The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light wanted to extend their holiday and New Year wishes to all who sailed with them this season. The crew will be performing their annual maintenance in preparation for the upcoming 2024 season.
Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin had some reports of striped bass off the northern and southern stretches of Long Beach Island, but overall the action was spotty with the late afternoons producing the best action. Boat fisherman have been cashing in on the tog bite as the Garden State North and Atlantic City reef site has been solid on good numbers of keeper tautog.
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Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City received a decent number of reports of good white perch action along parts of the Mullica, especially in some of the deeper holes. Bank and boat fisherman are doing best with grass shrimp, but pieces of blood worms are working too. It’s been mostly a white crab bite for tog fisherman working the reef sites and deeper wrecks with keepers to 15 pounds being caught.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point received a nice shipment of large and jumbo bloodworms as the white perch bite ramped up this past week with calmer winds. The colder nights has the perch frequenting some of the deeper holes off the main rivers. The shop is stocked with winter tog gear, so prepare yourself with tog jigs if you’re going to hit the winter time wrecks.
Badfish Charters in Ocean City said he was keeping his vessel in for the next week or two and will be sailing for striped bass on the nicer weather days. Anglers wanting to jump aboard, should give Capt. Brian a ring as there are still plenty of oceanic striped bass in the mix. These trips will be strictly Atlantic Ocean trips due to the regulations.
The Cape May and Fortescue area had the best reports in terms of striped bass action with a good number of bass being landed from the 1 to 3 mile line. Unfortunately beach action has been much slower, but boat anglers jigging metals, spoons, and swim shads were able to hook up with regularity. Trolling also worked for Mojo rigs and umbrella rigs along the 2 to 3 mile line. Tog fishing continues to be excellent at the reefs, individual wrecks, and rock piles with larger specimens to 15 pounds being landed.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for this weekend would be to fish the Ocean City to Cape May area for striped bass as a good body of fish is transiting through the area. Trolling or jigging has been working the best, especially when you find the birds. Anglers working the beaches have a slower go, but mornings have been producing an occasional bass. While staying in the same area, tog fishing seems to be best at the southern locations with some very nice whitechins coming over the rail. The past week saw multiple fish from 10 to 17 pounds hitting the decks and should continue as long as the projected storm pushes further east. Backbay stripers are off-limits, but white perch are fair game and if you wanted a sure-fire bet I would hit the Mullica River and its tributaries with live grass shrimp. The deeper holes will see the largest congregation of perch, so far 2024 is shaping up to be great year on the fishing front.
Be Safe, Tight Lines, and see you in the Spring!