Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
November has arrived and just on cue, the striped bass bite has fired up with waves of larger fish being caught from north of Seaside through Atlantic City. Most of the bass have been on bunker schools, along with whales and large bluefin tuna. The action at the inlets and inside the bays has increased tenfold with more fish being caught on both live bait and lures. The bluefin tuna bite was pretty hot this past week from a few miles off the beaches to the ridges with fish up to 60+ inches. The bayside water temperatures are hovering around the upper 50s to 60, which makes for an excellent tautog bite. Rock-lined jetties continued to produce excellent numbers of blackfish from 13.5 to 17 inches on a variety of crustaceans.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River reported striped bass off the beaches of Island Beach State Park during the early morning. Anglers throwing plugs, darters, and large pencil poppers caught fish up to 40 inches. The day bite has been more sporadic with chunked bunker working best. Bass in the back are being caught along parts of the Toms River and along the sod banks and bridges.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported good striped bass fishing near Seaside. Most of the fish have been of the over-slot size from 35 to 50 inches. Live bunker swimming on a circle hook, or trolled bunker spoons, have been the best bets for fish. The inshore bluefin fishery remained red hot this week—the shop said quite a few fish up to 60 inches were caught. Togging at the inlet remains very good on green crab fished along the jetty walls and rocks.
Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown ran a few charters this past week and the crew reported good bay striped bass fishing with keepers from 25 to 31 inches being landed. Most trips averaged 4 to 5 keeper bass and when the conditions changed, the charters switched over to the all-out tautog bite keeping fish to 17 inches. Dates are full for the rest of the season, but the books are open for 2025.
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The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light has been running 2 to 3 trips per week and the striped bass action has been great. The crew has been finding striped bass north of the inlet and they’re getting in on some nice bunker blitz action. A few keepers were mixed in, but mostly it’s been larger fish.
Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reported a great week of tautog fishing from Barnegat Inlet on green crabs and boaters running north have been finding good action on large striped bass to 40 inches plus. Bayside action has a mix of fish from 22 to 30 inches plus, with most being taken on live spot or eels. Action off the LBI beaches has been sporadic with a few stripers being caught on chunked bunker, but you have to keep the bait’s clean with the sea cabbage. The shop is loaded with green crabs and live baits for striped bass, so stop in.
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City reported a solid week of bluefin tuna action from 4 miles to the AC Ridge and most of the fish are ranging from 80 to 350 pounds plus. The shop received word of a 70-inch bluefin caught just a few days ago. Striped bass action remained solid over the past week for fishermen dragging live bait in the back channels and working the bridges during the tides. The skinny water areas are producing bass on poppers as are some of the tidal and main creek channels.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point had lots to report with a phenomenal bluefin tuna bite occurring relatively close to shore. The shop stocked up on unrigged and pre-rigged ballyhoo to troll for bluefin from 100 to 350 pounds. Anglers have also been catching them on jigs and surface poppers. The tautog bite from any structured spot along Somers Point to Sea Isle continued to be epic. The shop is loaded with fresh batches of fiddlers, sand fleas and green crabs. Striped bass fishing saw a few schools of larger fish almost 3 miles out move into the area to feed. The bays remain better for smaller, keeper-class fish that are being caught on live spot and eels.
Badfish Charters in Ocean City remained busy playing with striped bass in the backwaters on fish from 24 to 36 inches. Capt. Brian said most have been on light-tackle plugs and poppers or flies in the back. The skipper is nursing a torn MCL, but is knee braced up and working charters through the end of the season, so give him a ring.
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The Cape May to Fortescue areas had some reports of striped bass being caught off the beaches, but it’s been mostly a back bay thing. The bay and tidal creeks that dot the landscape from Cape May to Wildwood are loaded with fun-sized striped bass. Shops also reported a good start to white perch fishing in some of the creeks and rivers off the Delaware Bay with bloodworms as the best choice. The rocks along Cape May inlet and some of the bridges north of Wildwood are producing excellent numbers of throwback and keeper tautog.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for the weekend will be to jump into the striper fever as the fish have arrived for most of our areas. Surfcasters should work the magic 2 hours in the morning just before sun up, and the hours before sundown for the best shot at bass. Darters, swimming plugs, and bucktails are good bets to hook a fish. Boaters have better shots chasing schools of bunker or trolling mojos/spoons up to the 3-mile line. Most of these fish are of the larger size range, so be sure to get a quick pic and release. Bayside anglers will have the best shots at keeper striped bass on live spot or eels. I recommend finding any tidal rip on the incoming or outgoing tide to find active fish. If you have tuna gear and the means, now is the time to go for bluefin—just make sure your permit is up to date. Good luck, be safe, and tight lines!