Northern New Jersey Fishing Report
Gale-force winds and giant bass made for a wild week along the Jersey Shore.
A rare, rainless nor’easter pinned party and private boats to the docks for most of the week and the surf was nearly unfishable.
But not completely. For the few hardy anglers willing to battle the elements, the reward was trophy bass. Glide baits, metal lips and single hook snag-and-drop rigs worked for stripers in the heavy surf.
There was also word of giant bluefin coming in close to feed on all the bunker that has appeared.
Tog fishing at the inlets and Point Pleasant Canal continues to be excellent and fall trout stocking is drawing freshwater anglers to local streams and ponds.
The high winds are supposed to back off by Friday and most party boats are planning to sail on Friday or Saturday.
There is plenty of bait around and, in my humble opinion, fall fishing should really pick up in the wake of this storm.
Rick Hebert at Tackle World in Paramus said reports were scarce due to the nor’easter but he did hear of some slot bass caught over the weekend before the wind really picked up. Hebert said the deadline to enter the Shimano Striped Bass contest is Oct 30. Complete details are on the Tackle World website. Trout fishing has been good following the fall stocking, Hebert added, as the fish have become acclimated to their new homes.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said the blow really put a damper on the fishing this week, but he did post photos of several big stripers landed over the weekend. He added that the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Tackle Box was a huge success.
Joe Julian Jr. of Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands said it was a quiet week there with no boats sailing out of the harbor. There were flocks of birds working on bait out past the breakers.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said the wind was definitely a problem, but there were some really big bass caught in the surf from Sandy Hook to Long Branch. Glide baits and topwater plugs accounted for a number of stripers in excess of 40 inches. Nicole L. landed a 47-inch bass on a topwater plug earlier this week. Pinto said there’s been a lot of bunker off the beach. There aren’t loads of bass being caught, he said, but the ones that have been hooked have all been big. The shop, he added, just got a new delivery of Next Level Glide Baits.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said the big stripers are biting. They’ve been caught at multiple locations along the beaches and what they lack in numbers, they more than make up for it in size. Some anglers are getting the fish of a lifetime. Glide baits and metal lips are working well, especially at night. The bass are right in the wash and Gleason said he’s very excited about the striper fishing to come after this storm moves on. He also heard of bluefin tuna around, from recreational-size fish, up to giants. Gleason said the shop now carries rods from gw Customs, and he’s got Back Bay Plugs and Fish Everything and Personal Best Glide Baits in stock.
The ocean has been a roiling mess off Asbury Park and Ocean Grove for the past week but there have been clouds of birds diving on bait beyond the breakers every day.
Jesse Thomas at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said the bluefin were in close last Friday north of the Shark River Inlet. He knew of one boat that managed to land one. Birds have been working steadily off the beaches and last Sunday they were thick from Asbury Park down to Spring Lake on schools of rain bait. Thomas said there have been stripers in the Shark River and togging has been very good at the inlet. None of the party boats out of the marina have sailed since last Friday but should be heading out this weekend. There haven’t been any reports on the state of the sea bass bite.
Sarah Cloos at the Reel Seat in Brielle said a friend of hers got out for less than an hour on Monday night and caught two bass of 48 and 45 inches in the surf on a needlefish. That’s a good use of your time. The shop also had reports of bluefin in close and excellent blackfishing at the Manasquan and Shark River inlets. Cloos said the Reel Seat is loaded with all kinds of plugs and lures, including glide baits, for the fall.
Kyle Tangen at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said there’s a lot of activity out front with bunker schools stretched out for miles along the beaches. He also reported a good plug bite in the surf earlier this week with a friend of his catching a 50-inch bass. There were also a number of smaller fish in the 30-inch range reported. Bass are also being caught in the Manasquan River at night on plugs and plastics. Tangen said all this northeast wind will probably push bait back into the inlets and rivers. Tangen added that now’s a good time to do some trout fishing in freshly stocked waters. Visit the NJ Div. of Fish and Wildlife website for locations of stocked areas.
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Brian Flanagan at Captain Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said the nor’easter brought everything pretty much to a standstill. No one has stopped for fuel and the only customers he’s seen lately are coming in for green crabs. Togging remains good in the Point Pleasant Canal and there are bass in the Manasquan River at night. Live eels are also catching bass in the Point Pleasant Canal. He’s also had reports of big bass in the surf on glide baits and bluefin tuna in relatively close. Flanagan thinks things will really get going around Halloween.
Capt. Tom Wolfe of the Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach said he plans on sailing for stripers on Saturday.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick reported that it doesn’t look like it’s going to calm down until Saturday. In the meantime, the Point Pleasant Canal and Manasquan Inlet are worth a try. Both are producing blackfish and stripers are in the canal hitting live eels.
Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said it’s been very quiet there with the wind keeping anglers away. There were a few bass caught there last Sunday, but that’s been about it. Registration is open for the 15th Annual Surf Turkey Striper Tournament taking place on Thanksgiving Weekend. Details are on the shop’s Facebook page.
Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park said the rough ocean made for tough fishing. But there are bass around in the surf and some of them are big. There have also been a few bluefish caught. Blackfishing has been good off the inlet jetties. He’s expecting a big improvement in the fishing once this blow is over. Kerico said the shop has a wide selection of glide baits and surf rods in stock for fall.
Best Bets for the Weekend
The bait is here and there are bass around so it’s shaping up to be a good weekend to go striper fishing.
The forecast is calling for the wind to lay down by Saturday giving boats a chance to sail while surfcasters will find a friendlier ocean. Glide baits and metal lip swimmers have been working for both boaters and land-based anglers.
Blackfishing has also been very good on the rocks and reefs and at the inlets with many anglers catching their one keeper.
And bluefin are back in the picture with fish from recreational-size fish to giants crashing bunker pods in close.