Northern New Jersey Fishing Report
Unlike past years, when the spring sea bass season usually goes out with a whimper, anglers continue to bang away at plenty of quality fish.With just a week left before the fishery closes on June 19, party boats are still reporting mostly limit catches. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the big stripers that were around. The jumbo bass appear to have moved on.
Fishing in general is holding up nicely. Rivers and bays still hold plenty of fluke and bluefish and both are being caught in the surf as well. Fluking has been especially good off the southern beaches, with fish over 5 pounds reported.
With the party boats concentrating on sea bass, ocean fluking is not getting a lot of attention. Once sea bass closes, we’ll have a better idea what’s going on offshore.
Other summer favorites have arrived with spot in the Manasquan River and Barnegat Bay and the blue claw crabs showing in the bay as well.
Rick Hebert at Tackle World in Rochelle Park said that the giant stripers that were biting on the ocean side of Sandy Hook appear to have moved on, likely heading north. But the sea bass fishing is holding up very well. Hebert added that freshwater bass fishing is also steady with solid largemouth action in the lakes and reservoirs. Rivers and streams are also at good levels and the trout fishing has been good.
Capt. Joe Greco of Chasing Tails Charters out of Sayreville said the last big bass he caught was last Thursday when a 46-inch striper hit a metal-lip. Since then, things have gone quiet. Greco said there are some small bass around the mouth of the Hudson River and bunker are in the Sandy Hook Channel. He’ll be turning his attention to fluke and can be contacted through the Chasing Tails Facebook page.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet also mentioned the let up in the big striper action but folks are still trying with eels and planer boards. Bass are being caught under the river bridges on worms. Fluking is picking up along the beaches, he said, and over by the Verrazzano Bridge. Cocktail blues, he added, can be found all over the place. Sciortino said the shop is now fully stocked with Invincible Shads in 3½-, 5- and 7-inch sizes.
Captain Nick Criaris of Wanderlust Guide Service said there are still big fish around if you’re willing to look. Bunker have been scarce but the usual structures and areas where the big Chesapeake fish hang still have fish holding. The bite windows are short, around the turn of the tide on both side sides. There will be opportunities through the month of June. They were fortunate enough to bring a couple big fish to the boat on diving troller-style metal lips.
Joe Julian Jr. at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands said the fluking is improving on the beaches with more keepers while the rivers are holding mostly shorts. Killies are still very scarce, he added, and he’s not sure when the problem will be solved. Blues and bass are biting on Sandy Hook at night on eels and plugs, he added, and the party and charter boats are bailing sea bass.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said things have been a little quiet there and the weekend weather didn’t help matters. Scattered bluefish in the rivers and ocean is about the best thing going on. There are not a lot of people fishing lately, he said, adding that Giglio’s is fully stocked with Happy Bait shads and paddletails.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said he’s been surprised by all the keeper fluke in the local surf this early in the year. Fish up to 27 inches have been reported. He took a dive along a jetty and said the bottom was loaded with fluke. Gleason said the sand flea bite for stripers has been slow but that could change at any time.
The bug bite has been slow in Ocean Grove as well but there have been reports of good striper fishing in the dead of night close to the jetties in Asbury Park and Ocean Grove. Metal and plugs are taking the bass.
Johnny O. at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said keeper fluke continue to be caught in the Shark River and blues are in the river and at the inlet as well. A few stripers have also been caught on metal at the inlet. The party boats out of the Belmar Marina have all been doing really well with sea bass, he added. There have also been a number of ling mixed in with the sea bass catches.
Capt. Steve Spinelli on the Skylarker out of Belmar said the sea bass fishing has been outstanding with ling and winter flounder in the mix. He believes a new body of fish moved in as the bite shows no signs of slowing down.
Capt. Rich Falcone on the Golden Eagle out of Belmar has been putting his anglers on sea bass every day that they have been able to sail. Wednesday’s trip was no exception with limit catches around the boat.
Dean Visone at the Reel Seat in Brielle said bluefish, from cocktails to gators, are in the Manasquan River. Fluking is also holding up in the river and back in Barnegat Bay in shallow water. He added that tilefishing is really good offshore. The Reel Seat is now holding a Father’s Day Sale through Sunday.
Brian Flanagan at Captain Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said sea bass fishing is still on fire but everything else has gone a little quiet. The lousy weekend weather may have had something to do with it. He said that the Point Pleasant Canal is holding big blues and keeper bass are hitting eels at night. Fluke are biting in Barnegat Bay, he added, but many are the short variety.
Capt. Tom Wolfe of the Norma K III said the sea bass fishing is phenomenal and he’s a little shocked that it’s been this good for this long. He said they had a boat limit before noon on Thursday. The fish are loaded with sand eels. Starting Friday, the Norma K III will be making two half-day trips every day leaving at 7:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., targeting fluke and sea bass while it is still open. Wolf added they will be starting night bluefish trips this Friday as well. Check the website for full details.
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Kyle Tangen at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said bluefishing is still good in the Manasquan River with choppers mixed in with cocktails. The small fish are all over the place. Fluking is also holding in the river up with reports of fish up to 20 inches way in the back. He said there are a bunch of bass in the river as well with guys tossing clams under the head boats and hooking stripers up to 34 inches. Clams are working on the beach as well for stripers, with a pal of his catching a 38 incher this past week. Tangen also had good reports of beach fluke farther south at Island Beach State Park. Finally, sea bass is still solid on jigs and clams, and spot are now in the Manasquan River and Point Pleasant Canal.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick has had good reports of stripers in the Point Pleasant Canal on live eels or spot.
Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach reported good fluking in the surf there with fish up to 21 inches. Again, Gulp and bucktails are doing the job. Bluefish are in the ocean as well and it’s metal and mullet for them.
Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park said the weather hasn’t been great but the fishing is. Fluking in the surf has been sensational with a number of 4-pound fish coming to the scales. A 5¾-pounder was weighed in on Wednesday. Gulp and bucktails are doing all the catching. Black drum have returned to the surf as well with some big ones hitting clams. Clams have also been responsible for keeper bass. Blues are in Barnegat Bay and the ocean, and Kerico said the bay is loaded with spot. He added that crabbing is good in the bay with his sons putting a solid catch together over the weekend.
Best Bets for the Weekend
This is the last weekend to get in on the sensational sea bass fishing as the season closes on Thursday. Jigs and bait are both catching fish but jigs have the advantage.
Fluke fishing is good in the rivers and bays and it has really picked up in the surf, especially on the beaches to the south. Island Beach State Park has recorded a number of fish over 4 pounds in the last week.