All eyes are on the striper pot, just waiting for it to come to a boil.
Most of the ingredients are in, we just need to add a little more heat and a good measure of new moon. That will arrive this weekend.
Bunker are everywhere and bass have been biting in bays, rivers and creeks on blood worms and small artificials. This past week saw an improvement in striper fishing from north to south.
There were more winter flounder catches reported as well and solid freshwater action on largemouth bass, crappie and perch.
Rick Hebert at Tackle World in Rochelle Park said anglers are picking stripers in the back of Raritan Bay with bloodworms accounting for most the fish. White perch fishing has also been good. Freshwater action in all the local ponds and lakes has also been good. Hebert advises all those getting freshwater licenses not to wait until the last minute before the trout opener on April 5.
Speaking of trout, if you have kids or grandkids, bring them to Spring Lake this Saturday morning at 9:30 to help the Shark River Surf Anglers stock the lake with hundreds of rainbow, brook, brown and golden trout. The stocking takes place a week ahead of the annual Trout Contest for Kids held at the famous lake in the center of town on opening day. The Trout Contest for Kids on April 5 gives all children, 15 and under, a chance to catch one of more than 600 trout the club stocks in the lake. The free contest awards prizes in four different age groups with a grand prize given to the heaviest fish of the day. Kids have a great time at both the stocking and the contest. Full details are available at the Shark River Surf Angler’s website.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said shads are working for stripers in the back of Raritan Bay and some of them are keepers. He also reported bloodworms are catching bass along the Bayshore flats. The bay, he added, is absolutely loaded with bunker.
Joe Julian Jr. of Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands also reported stripers near Laurence Harbor and Cliffwood Beach. He said bunker were chased on to some area beaches earlier this week. He fished for bass using bloodworms where the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers meet but had no luck. Winter flounder, he said, were taking his bait. Everyone is getting a little itchy, he said, but there haven’t been a whole lot of people fishing as yet. Lots of folks wait to hear until the bass start to blow up. Julian said he’s got a lot of new gear into the shop and there are plenty of blood and sandworms available.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said it’s setting up nicely for a good spring. Conditions are much better this year compared to last. One customer has been taking his kayak north and scoring bass in those rivers. The Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers are both filled with bunker but he has yet to get a bass report. Pinto thinks this weekend’s new moon will set things in motion.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said the striper fishing definitely improved during the last week but it’s far from on fire. All the usual small spring lures are working in in the back of Raritan Bay. He, too, mentioned the plentiful bunker in the bay and rivers and the upcoming new moon. This is the time of year, he added, when the bass bite normally gets going for him. The shop is fully stocked for spring, Gleason said, and there are still a few Salty Degenerate Plugs still available.
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Tim Rizzuto at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said anglers trying for winter flounder in the Shark River are picking away at the flatties with fish up to 17 inches. He said the shop is selling a lot of bloodworms to anglers heading north to Raritan Bay and south to Barnegat Bay and Toms River.
Capt. Rich Falcone and the Golden Eagle out of Belmar will be starting their spring season this Sunday, March 30, fishing for ling and cod. Then he will be sailing daily starting Friday, April 4, for blackfish, ling and cod.
Stanley S. at the Reel Seat in Brielle said they’re all set for the opening of blackfish season on Tuesday, April 1. He’s hoping for a repeat of last year which saw excellent spring fishing. He’s heard of bass being caught in Raritan Bay, the Toms River and Barnegat Bay behind Island Beach State Park. Just in time for striper season, the Reel Seat is selling new legal snag rigs designed by Stanley himself, available in 1.75- and 3-ounce sizes.
Christian Caparra at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said bass reports are heading in the right direction with more stripers caught up in Raritan Bay and down to the south. Bloodworms and small plugs are all that’s needed.
The Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach will be opening its season sailing for blackfish on April 1 at 7:30 a.m.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick reported that the back of Barnegat Bay is getting better for stripers every day. There are also white perch and winter flounder. Giacalone suggest fishing the outgoing tide with blood and sandworms and have some soft plastics handy.
Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park said striper fishing in Barnegat Bay has been pretty good. Most of the action has been on bloodworms with the majority of the fish in the 18- to 24-inch range. But, he said, there have been a few keepers landed in the last week up to 32 inches. He’s also received better reports on winter flounder from the Mantoloking Bridge and Good Luck Point. Kerico said that Scotty Thomas from the shop will be holding a kayak fishing seminar this Saturday at 6 p.m. at Yakkity Yak’s Kayaks right next door to Grumpy’s.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Will the striper fishing break wide open with the arrival of the new moon? Who knows. But the bait is here, there are bass being caught and the weather forecast looks favorable. Stripers are hitting bloodworms and small plugs and plastics in the back of Raritan Bay, the Toms River and throughout Barnegat Bay.
White perch and winter flounder are also biting and freshwater anglers are catching largemouth bass, crappie and pickerel. You can also bring the family to Spring Lake and help stock trout. The kids will have a blast.