Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
The fishing picked up this week as did the water temperatures after air temperatures reached 80 degrees in parts of South Jersey. The winds didn’t help the unfortunate forest fire near Oyster Creek Power plant, but it did flatten out the seas. Crabbers should be excited because the rising temperatures breathed some life into the clawed crustaceans. Crab pots dropped along the marshes and backwaters have begun to produce some blue crabs. On the fishing side of things, anglers working the reef sites are being rewarded with some nice tautog, but you have to pick through a lot of shorts. Striped bass fishing has been okay for the most part; it’s better along the Delaware Bay with some migrating fish moving in. Drum, drum and more drum are being caught along parts of Long Beach Island and from Waretown south to Holgate.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River had some positive reports from anglers fishing the Route 37 area with striped bass and some drum being caught on clams. Boats double anchoring into the deeper channels had the best results. There are some small schoolie bass around the bridges and parts of the Toms River, but the temperatures jumped up with warm weather this week. The shop received a new shipment of fresh surf clams, so stop in.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported some striped bass action off the local beaches of Long Beach Island using clam baits. The drum bite has been good south of the LBI bridge and along parts of Holgate on the bayside with clam. Striped bass are being caught on bloodworms around the bridges in the bay. Tog fishing picked up over the past week with better action.
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Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown was out early in the week on a combo striped bass and tautog trip. The striped bass were a little finicky and the crew missed two opportunities with the circle hook. They finished the charter releasing close to 27 tautog while keeping 6 up to 18 inches. The crew will be concentrating on tautog to round out the month, but fluke will be here in another week.
The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light said they are anticipating a good start once the sea bass season opens towards the middle of May.
Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin received reports of striped bass and black drum taking clam off the channels in Barnegat to Holgate. Some of the island marshes are producing nice drum on clam. The striped bass bite around the bridges is also producing some quality fish. Blue crabs are starting to be caught as the warmer temperatures have kickstarted the exodus of crabs from the mud.
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City said Atlantic City has been the hot area for the past week with tautog and striped bass coming from the jetty rocks. Green crabs or clam are the hot baits for tautog on light jigs. Striped bass have been landed on soaked clams as well as soft plastic lures. Most of the bridges are holding a few striped bass to keep anglers busy, but you have to work the night tides, with the outgoing producing the best results.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point has been busy supplying clam and crab baits as fisherman are catching both striped bass and tautog. The tog bite has been rather good at the reef sites on green crabs. Anglers working clams in the back are finding some striped bass to 30 inches. Soft plastics are working well on schoolie bass from some of the bridges on the night tides—they recommend NLBNs on light jig heads.
Badfish Charters in Ocean City has been working some of his choice spots for light-tackle striped bass action. Stripers have been more cooperative with the warmer temperatures. The skipper said action has been in 2 to 5 feet on striped bass to 30 inches. There are a few openings for the upcoming weeks, so give him a call to get on the bite.
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The Cape May and Fortescue area had excellent reports of striped bass entering Delaware Bay and being caught off some of the beach areas in Salem County. Most of the fish are over 31 inches up to 40, so they must be released. Live bloodworms have been the hot baits for these fish. Striped bass are also being caught behind Wildwood on soft plastics, plugs, and clam baits. Anglers working the bridges during the late hours are finding some cooperative schoolies.
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Tautog fishing has been very good over the past week when the winds have allowed boats to sail. Cape May Reef continues to the be the hot spot for big whitechins, but the Wildwood Reef is beginning to heat up. A few drum were reportedly caught in the shallower areas of Delaware Bay on clam baits.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for this week will be to work the wrecks, reef sites, rock piles or jetties for tautog with green crabs. White leggers have been tougher to get, but if you can find them, use them! There are only 6 days left in the tog season, so take the weekend to go for them. Anglers lacking a vessel should don the Korkers and work the rocks for tog. Keep it still and keep it simple to get the best action. Some of the crevices will hold keepers, so don’t hesitate to drop in different areas. If you have the time, jump on a head boat, a charter, or find a buddy with a boat. Green crabs and white leggers are working well at the wrecks, but you have to pick through quite a few shorts and even some sea bass to find keeper blackfish. And it’s T-minus 10 days until our Jersey fluke season opener—let’s go! Good luck, be safe, and tight lines!