Northern New Jersey Fishing Report
Bass fishing blew wide open at the end of last week, and it’s still going strong.
The southern end of Raritan Bay and the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers were the initial hot spots, but now the bite has spread out to include other rivers and inlets. There were even reports of bass in the surf.
Bunker fueled the bite and the bass, which range in size from 10- to 30-pounds, hit just about everything thrown at them. Metal-lip swimmers, shads, glidebaits, and bucktails all worked. Most of the bass were overs, but there were keeper fish in the mix.
And it wasn’t just the boat folks catching fish for a change. Shore anglers fishing the bay side of Sandy Hook had good shots at fish over the weekend.
Solid striper fishing was also reported in Barnegat Bay on worms and artificials, and there were reports of bass and tog in the Point Pleasant Canal. Offshore tog fishing is still a bit of a struggle.
Winter flounder are biting in the Shark River for those giving it a try with bloodworms, and a few have been taken in Barnegat Bay by the Mantoloking Bridge.
And finally, the wait is over with the opening of trout season this Saturday at 8 a.m. That means one of the local highlights of the spring season, the annual Trout Contest for Kids, returns to Spring Lake on Saturday. Sponsored by the Shark River Surf Anglers, the contest is open to kids 14 and under, and everybody goes home a winner. The club will be stocking the lake with more than 500 rainbow, brown, brook, tiger and golden trout on Thursday, April 9, at 4:30 p.m., and everyone is invited to help put the trout in the lake.
Rick Hebert at Tackle World in Paramus said the bass just turned on and the fishing was on fire down by the Highlands, on the bay side of Sandy Hook, and in the rivers. Shads and metal-lips were the favored baits. He also reported a good striper bite in the back of Raritan Bay. Blackfishing, he said, is still hit or miss, but pike are biting in the rivers, and the shad run is underway in the lower part of the Delaware River. Hebert said there is a steady stream of anglers coming in for trout licenses.
Capt. Willy Abbot of BassLines Sportfishing out of Perth Amboy said the bass were blowing up on bunker on Friday when he fished at the juncture of the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers. His charter got their limit right away, then played catch-and-release with fish up to 38 inches. Shads and live bait were working for them. He’s got some open dates and can be contacted through his Facebook page.
Capt. Harry Browne of Muscles Magoo Charters out of Atlantic Highlands found the stripers on Saturday, catching 47 total and tagging 16 of them for Gray Fish Tag Research. One of his 3 clients that day, Todd Bruno, tagged nine of the sixteen. He found them again on Monday and said the fish have spread out in the rivers south of the Highlands Bridge. Capt. Browne has open dates and can be contacted online at Muscles Magoo Charters.
- Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain in New Jersey
Capt. Dan Mazza of Thin Blue Tide Charters out of Keyport will be starting his season on April 17 and said he’s already running low on available dates.
Gary Carr at Keyport Bait and Tackle said striped bass fishing has been epic with migratory bass invading the rivers through the Highlands. It’s a shad bite, he said, with larger profiles in white and chartreuse getting the job done. The bay is also coming to life, he said, with bass biting on both bloodworms and bunker chunks. The plug guys are also doing well along the Raritan. Again, larger profiles seem to be the way to go. Keyport Bait and Tackle will be hosting its second annual Gulp Guys Event on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ahead of fluke season with three packs of Gulp for $20.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said there are bass all over Raritan Bay, and it’s the best start of the season in years. It’s been shads and metal-lips night and day.
Capt. Will Davis of Epic One Charters out of Keansburg said he’s been into the stripers every day since the bite turned on last week. He specializes in one-to-three-person charters and offers full-day and afternoon trips, and can be contacted at 609-752-4429.
Joe Julian Jr. at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands had good reports of stripers where the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers converge.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright saw the bass bite explode in the local rivers last Thursday. And, he said, the good fishing continues. Topwater plugs, paddletails, glidebaits, and bucktails all worked. Green and white Happy Bait paddletails are a particular favorite. He reported huge amounts of bunker around, and the fish were biting night and day. Pinto has been fishing the area for years and said he’s never seen anything like it.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said the fishing has been really good up toward Raritan Bay. There are loads of bass in the 10- to 25-pound range hitting plugs, shads, and metal-lip swimmers. Gleason said his stock of new Back Bay Plugs is now available online and in the shop.
Jesse Thomas at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said he heard about all the bass to the north and added that he had reports of stripers in the Point Pleasant Canal. There have also been a few winter flounder caught in the Shark River. Thomas said one angler reported two fish of 19 and 16 inches caught on bloodworms. There hasn’t been much action reported on the party boats sailing for blackfish. Chilly water is taking the blame.
Sarah Cloos at the Reel Seat in Brielle said word of the hot striper bite spread quickly, and lots of folks headed north. She also had reports of bass closer to home in the Manasquan River. Cloos added that the Reel Seat will be holding its 44th Anniversary Sale this Saturday and Sunday, and Zack from Zack’s Custom Rods will be stopping by on Sunday from 10 a.m.to 3 p.m. to introduce some new products and chat with customers.
Kyle Tangen at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said that the wild bass bite that started farther north has found its way into the Manasquan and Shark River inlets and rivers. Bass from 25 inches to 25 pounds have been reported with gliders, metal lips, and large swimming plugs catching fish. He’s also said the surf is starting to give up stripers on artificials. Togging at the Manasquan Inlet and the Point Pleasant Canal is on the upswing, and stripers are biting in the canal as well. Fishermen’s Supply will host a special tuna seminar on April 19 featuring representatives from Shimano, Simms, and NLBN. All three companies will have their new products on hand, and there will be in-store specials and giveaways. The seminar starts at 1 p.m.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick had good striper reports in the Manasquan River with fish from the Dog Beach, Riverfront Park, to the Point Pleasant Canal, and down to the Mantoloking Bridge. He also reported that blackfishing in the canal remains good, with sandworms working best.
Pete Kupper and Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said the striper fishing is picking up nicely in Barnegat Bay and out front off the beach. Green and white Happy Bait shads have been doing the job in the bay while bunker chunks are catching bass in the surf, day and night. He noted it’s a bit early for an ocean bite, but no one is complaining.
Scott Thomas at Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park said bass fishing continues to improve with a solid bite in Barnegat Bay. Stripers up to 36 inches are hitting bloodworms and artificials. He also reported that bass fishing has improved in the Toms River as bunker have pushed their way in. Paddletails have landed a few bass in the surf, he added, and togging has been decent in the canal on clams. He also had reports of winter flounder in the bay on the flats.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Spring striper fishing is off to a red-hot start as bass made a dramatic entrance into Raritan Bay and down the local rivers. The bite then spread south to the Shark River and Manasquan inlets and rivers. Metal lips, shads, plugs, and bucktails have all caught fish.
Bass are also on the beaches, hitting plugs, shads and bait, with bunker chunks a good choice.
And trout season opens on Saturday. If you have kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews, take them to Spring Lake for the annual Trout Contest for Kids that starts at 8 a.m. It’s a great way to introduce them to the joys of fishing.