Northern New Jersey Fishing Report
It’s all about the bass right now. Boaters are having a blast on big stripers from Sandy Hook down to the Manasquan Inlet. Sand eels are fueling the bite for the most part but more bunker are showing up in the mix.
While most of the stripers are well over the limit and have to be released, party boats are reporting more slot fish coming over the rails in recent days.
Surfcasters haven’t shared in the bountiful bass action yet but there seems to be an uptick in surf stripers. Reports of blitzes have been non-existent, but those walking and casting sand eel imitations in low-light have been rewarded. And while all this has been going on, bluefin tuna have been all over inshore and mid-shore waters crashing into schools of bait. The trick has been getting them to bite.
There’s good action on yellowfin, bigeye and longfin tuna in the Hudson Canyon. And blackfishing is very good off local jetties, under the bridges, at the inlets and in the Point Pleasant Canal.
Mark Fuduli at Tackle World in Rochelle Park said the striper reports have been phenomenal with fish up to 60 pounds reported. Avas are the lure of choice. On the freshwater side, Fuduli said the trout fishing is excellent following the recent stocking with the fish hanging in the deeper pools. He also reported good lake trout fishing at Round Valley Reservoir.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said big stripers are all over the place hitting Avas, metal-lips, bunker spoons and eels. He also reported smaller bass biting in the back of Raritan Bay on peanut bunker.
Joe Julian at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands said the bite is on diamond jigs in Raritan Bay with the action from excellent to decent depending on the day. Blackfishing is very good under the Highlands Bridge and a few anglers are still livelining spot for stripers at the bridge. Julian also reported bluefin tuna popping up by the West Bank Lighthouse and close to the beach in Long Branch earlier this week.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said the bass have been feeding on big sand eels just to the south of the shop. The boats are getting the best of the fall run so far. Pinto said there haven’t been any blitzes but there are bass to be caught from the beach early in the morning, late afternoon and at night. Diamond jigs with teasers and SP Minnows are working.
Mike Gleason at TAK Waterman in Long Branch said the striper fishing is excellent right now for the boats but he’s really been surprised by all of the bluefin around. He said the fish run the gamut from recreational size up to giants. The only problem is they’re popping up then disappearing so fast anglers are having trouble getting a shot at them. Gleason also said there are bass being caught from the beach by folks walking and casting. Diamond jigs and Tsunami sand eels are favorites and he said fish are being caught during the day as well as at night and in low light hours. The shop, he added, still has a few Back Bay plugs in stock.
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The ocean off Asbury Park, Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach is teeming with life. In what has become a common sight, whales are close to shore feeding on all the bait. Growing up on a much different Jersey Shore years ago, a whale sighting back then was a sure sign of the apocalypse.
Jesse Thomas at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said the bass caught by the boats are between 35 and 60 pounds and hitting diamond jigs. He also said anglers pulling Mojos and bunker spoons are getting big ones. Surf guys are doing okay at night, he said, and there are stripers in the Shark River in the dark as well. Blackfishing is also pretty good at the inlet on green crabs.
Capt. Rich Falcone on the Golden Eagle out of Belmar has been on the bass since the run started. Wednesday’s trip was no different with action all around the boat. There were a number of keeper bass caught along with plenty of overs that were safely returned. All of the bass were on metal with four-ounce Run Off jigs, both plain and tailed, doing the job.
Capt. Steve Spinelli on the Skylarker out of Belmar has been sticking with bottom fishing and doing well with sea bass, porgies and blackfish. He also got into some of the striper action. The only problem with bottom fishing right now has been the appearance of spiny dogfish.
Stanley S. at the Reel Seat in Brielle said there are loads of bass around, mainly from Sandy Hook to Long Branch. Bunker pods are holding fish from two to three miles out. Bluefin are biting in the shipping lanes and the canyon bite for yellowfin and bigeye is very good, he added. The blackfish bite is excellent at the Manasquan Inlet and Stanley said the shop will be holding a tog contest starting Nov. 1 and running through the month. Check the shop’s Facebook page for details.
Kyle Tangen at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said the boats are crushing the stripers, mostly on Avas and other sand eel imitations. Bass fishing on the beaches is slower but surfcasters are picking fish, again on sand eel imitations. There are loads of bluefin around, he said, but it’s a lot of ghost hunting as they only pop up for a couple of seconds and then they’re gone. The bluefin are in a wide range of sizes, he added, but the season is closed on giants, 73-inches and above. Poppers, NLBN soft plastics and jigs have worked for those managing to hook one. There’s a solid bite in the Hudson Canyon, Tangen said, for yellowfin, longfin and bigeye. He was out there on Monday and caught a nice yellowfin aboard Hydrodynamica Sportfishing. Chunking, jigs and topwater baits have all been effective out there, he added, and. there were also loads of mahi-mahi around. Finally, togging is very good at the inlets with a good number of keepers caught.
Capt. Danny Gregory on the Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach reported another good week of bass fishing around the Shrewsbury Rocks with all big fish coming over the rail. Bass on Wednesday’s trip reached 45 pounds. Capt. Gregory also spotted a few tuna in the 200- to 300-pound range busting in the bait on Wednesday. Sand eels are the main forage, but more bunker are beginning to show. Avas, plain or with white and green tails, have been doing the job, he said.
Brian Flanagan at Capt. Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said the striper fishing is excellent at the Shrewsbury Rocks and there are bluefin tuna to be caught in the shipping lanes. Blackfishing, he said, is very good at the Manasquan Inlet and in the Point Pleasant Canal. Bass are also hitting eels in the canal at night.
Capt. Pete Sykes of Parker Pete’s Sportfishing out of Point Pleasant Beach now has the new Parker Pete Express sailing out of Spikes Marina on Broadway. He’s been getting into the stripers and has posted several open boat days on the website.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick reported that the striper bite remains hot from Sandy Hook to the Manasquan Inlet. Sand eels are everywhere so bring the Avas or any sand eel imitation. Giacalone added that they did get reports of stripers landed on the troll with spoons and umbrella rigs.
Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said the striper bite is picking up in the surf there with more fish being caught. Participation is on the upswing as well as more surfcasters are showing up along the beach. Again, it’s all on sand eel imitations and mainly early in the morning. He did say there are still schoolie bass back in the bay hitting small plastics. Kupper said the sign-up list continues to grow for the Annual Surf Turkey Striper Tournament taking place over the Thanksgiving Weekend. Check the shop’s Facebook page for details. Cash prizes are awarded.
Scotty Thomas at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said they have bass on the beach. First light is best, he said, but big bass are being caught throughout the day, mostly on sand eel imitations. Thomas is also amazed by all the bluefin around, especially in the shipping lanes. And while they’re easily spotted, Thomas said it’s been tough to get one to bite. They’re up and then gone in a heartbeat.
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Best Bets for the Weekend
If you’re after a big striper, now is the time to go and you’d better go on a boat. There’s bass everywhere, but the greatest concentration of fish seems to be off northern Monmouth County around the Shrewsbury Rocks. Diamond jigs are doing the job.
Canyon fishing is very good for yellowfin and bigeye and bluefin are all over the place. Getting them to bite has been the challenge.
Blackfishing is also very good under the river bridges and at the inlets.