Slowly but surely, spring bass fishing is gathering steam. More stripers are being caught in more places with fish up to 36 inches reported. Bloodworms and small plastics and plugs are the baits of choice.
One encouraging sign this week were the loads of birds, gulls and gannets, diving on bait off the beach on Sandy Hook. But the water is still a bit chilly and we need a string of warmer days to get the bite up to speed.
Winter flounder, unfortunately, remain on the no-show list. There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of interest in targeting them.
Mark Fuduli at Tackle World in Rochelle Park said bass are being caught in all the usual early spring spots, including the Hackensack and Hudson rivers and the back of Raritan Bay. Bloodworms, he said, account for 90 percent of the fish with swim shads and other small lures catching the rest. The ice is gone on the local lakes and ponds and freshwater fishing is picking up with leftover trout hitting nightcrawlers and red worms. He also said largemouth bass will hit bigger lures retrieved slowly close to the bottom. Fuduli said he’ll be at the Saltwater Expo this weekend with a wide selection of Jigging World rods for sale. The shop is also offering special spring deals on rods and reels and is fully stocked for the season.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said the bass fishing really picked up this past week with catches reported in Keansburg, Cliffwood Beach, South Amboy and in the back of Raritan Bay. He had reports of a dozen fish over 20 pounds with bloodworms, NLBNs, metal-lip swimmers and swim shads doing the job. Sciortino said he’ll be bringing plenty of rods, reels and deals to the Saltwater Expo this weekend.
Joe Julian Jr. at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands said he got the report of birds and bait off Sandy Hook on Wednesday but didn’t hear of any catches. He’s had good reports on stripers in the back of Raritan Bay on bloodworms and small shads. He’s also heard the bass fishing is good down in Barnegat Bay and in the Toms River. Small pearl-colored shads were working well. Julian said his father, the late, great Joe Julian Sr., believed that the spring fishing didn’t really get going until the forsythia bloomed along the Garden State Parkway. That hasn’t happened yet.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said he’s been selling worms but hasn’t heard a thing about any bass in the Shrewsbury or Navesink rivers. He’s had reports of bunker up in Raritan Bay but that’s been about it. The shop is getting new shipments in daily, Pinto said, and they are now carrying Ruthless Tackle swim shads.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch also reported on the loads of gannets diving on bait off Sandy Hook. Plugs and plastics are catching bass in the back of Raritan Bay, he said, with fish into the high teens reported. Tak Waterman is hosting a special Spring Season Kick-Off on Thursday, March 13 at Chupacabra Restaurant in Long Branch from 5 to 10 p.m. with a fishing photo gallery, special giveaways and refreshments. Chupacabra is on Brighton Avenue just west of the shop. Gleason added that Tak Waterman will be at the Saltwater Expo over the weekend with special deals on St. Croix rods, Madd Mantis lures, Nichols Spoons and store clothing.
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Tim Rizzuto at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said he’s been selling a lot of bloodworms but he hasn’t heard much back regarding results. He believes most of the worms are being used to target winter flounder but no one is coming back to the shop with reports. The Ocean Explorer, he added, is sailing for cod and ling every day when the weather allows.
Sarah at the Reel Seat in Brielle said the striper fishing in the Toms River has been pretty good on artificials, especially on small SP Minnows, X-Raps and shads. Freshwater anglers are also doing well with pickerel and perch in the local ponds and lakes. She said the Reel Seat will be up at the Saltwater Expo with loads of rods, reels and tackle, including the RS legal snag hooks in 1.75- and 3-ounce sizes.
The Mimi VI out of Point Pleasant Beach will be sailing for spring blackfish starting April 1 and is currently taking reservations.
Kyle Tangen at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said this week brought better striper reports from the back of Raritan Bay, the Toms River and around the creeks and sod banks of Barnegat Bay. Some days anglers are crushing the fish and others it’s just a pick. Small plugs like X-Raps and shads are doing the trick. The bass run anywhere from shorts up to 34 inches. He hasn’t heard anything on winter flounder and doubts that anyone is really trying for them. The shop is getting new shipments in every day, including new Grundens clothing, the latest Korker boots and Nomad Chrome Trolling lures.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle in Brick reported that the striper bite is picking up in the back bay and bloods and soft plastics are getting it done. He added the shop is loaded up with worms including jumbo and regular bloodworms and sandworms.
Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said that stripers are scattered all through the Toms River, eating bloodworms and soft plastics. He is of the opinion that not a whole lot of people are fishing just yet.
Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park also reported on the bass bite in the Toms River on bloodworms and small shads. He added that he’s going to try for winter flounder this weekend so hopefully there will be something positive to report. Kerico said they will be bringing a big chunk of the shop up to the Saltwater Expo in Edison and there will be plenty of show specials and sales at the booth.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Bass fishing is getting better at all the usual spring spots such as the back of Raritan Bay, the Toms River and the creeks, lagoons and sod banks in Barnegat Bay. Bloodworms and small plugs and shads are the way to go.
You can also spend the weekend roaming the aisles at the Saltwater Expo in Edison. The show runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday and offers everything a saltwater angler could want.
In addition to all the great deals on rods, reels and tackle, there is a long list of seminars on strategies and tactics to catch your favorite saltwater fish, plus door prizes and giveaways.