Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
It was big bass time for most of the week, with schools of oversized stripers moving down the beaches on the heels of menhaden. A good portion of the action has come on live-lined bunker, as well as large pencils, poppers, and glide baits. The bays have been hit-or-miss for striped bass on live baits and artificials, but some of the better reported action has come from the Great Bay to Ocean City locales.
Sea bass are being caught, but most of the action has been of the deepwater variety, with the offshore wrecks producing excellent-sized fish. Blackfishing has been red-hot from the jetties, bridges, and shallower inshore wrecks. There was word of some inshore bluefin tuna popping up close to the inlets at first light, with most of the fish taken on herring.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River reported solid action from Seaside Park at the start of the week, but it has slowed dramatically over the past few days. A few fluke and dogfish have been caught on chunked bunker. The bridges have held a few striped bass for anglers using artificials on the night tides.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown said striped bass fishing with live baits has been on the slower side along parts of the bay. The bite in the inlet and out front has been better, with fish to 40+ inches being released. Most of the action has been on bunker schools, but the number of boats can crush the bite, so the shop recommends trying to find some isolated pods.
Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown has been doing well on striped bass and tautog combination charters. Some of the weekday three-hour trips have packed a good amount of action into the limited time, with striped bass to 32 inches and limits of tog. The skipper will be working the sticky structure for tog when the limit increases next week. The boat is booked for the remainder of the season, but the 2027 schedule is open, so give them a ring.
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The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light had some big fish caught out front, with most running on the larger side. A few tagged fish have also been caught in the inlets.
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor Township reported striped bass on the snag-n-drop, but the schools have been on the isolated side of things. The action along the bay and ICW has been good on live spot during the day, and some anglers are picking up 30+ inch striped bass on eels at night.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point continued to report good tautog fishing around the area’s structure, including the bridges, pilings, and shallow wrecks. Green crabs have been the hot bait, followed by sand fleas. Striped bass are starting to be caught off the oceanfront, mainly by boat. Most of these fish are working their way down from Ocean County and fall into the larger size classes. Anglers working the backwaters have been finding success on striped bass with artificials along the marshes.
Waterfront Marine in Somers Point reported excellent-sized sea bass at the wrecks from 25 to 40 miles out. Anglers also had porgies, bluefish, and some big throwback fluke. Inshore togging has been very good for boaters working the Ocean City reef. The shop said there has been a large congregation of bunker boats along with spotter planes, but there haven’t been many striped bass under the bunker.
Captain Brian Williams of Badfish Charters in Ocean City said there have been some topwater and subsurface striped bass around, but baitfish have been scarce in the back other than a few big schools of spearing. Stripers in the ocean have been a pick on isolated bunker schools, and early is better.
Captain Joe Hughes of Jersey Cape Guide Service in Sea Isle City had a great fall in New England, and now the skipper is poised to pursue stripers in our local waters. Larger bass are starting to trickle into the Sea Isle area, so give the crew a ring.
The Wildwood and Cape May areas had strong reports of white perch fishing on the rivers for the second straight week. Striped bass have been around, and small soft plastics worked along the banks and bridges are producing the occasional tagged bass. Sea bass fishing has been excellent at the wrecks 40 to 70 miles offshore.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet this weekend will be to try to get out on either day, although there are a few wind advisories up with the dry nor’easter that will be skirting the Northeast. The system should usher another push of striped bass into our area, and hopefully we’ll start seeing some of the nice jig fish that have been keeping Long Island party boats busy. It looks like hard NW winds, so anglers should look to fish either from the surf or by boat close to the beaches, where bait should be tight. Togging has been very good and should stay that way into the start of the five-fish season, which opens Monday for NJ-based anglers. Offshore fishing will probably be on hold this weekend, as the strong winds may make sea conditions unfishable. Bay anglers will have their best shot working the local bridges for nighttime striped bass, with bay water temperatures prime in the mid- to upper 50s. I love throwing small Bass Assassins and working them along the shadow-light lines this time of the season. Good luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!