Manasquan River

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dan4836

Member
I put my boat in Shark River from 11/15 to 12/15 but I am looking to move to Manasquan in the spring.

I know SkunkBoat is in Manasquan but not sure if anyone else boats out of this area.

Can anyone provide any local knowledge? I am looking to keep my boat in a slip.

Advice on: marinas, inlet, canal connecting to Barnaget and fishing would be great.

I have an 11 and 13 year old sons and Shark River does not offer much in the back waters.

Thanks,

Dan
 
Manasquan River is the best place to dock a boat if you like fishing and not "boating". It comes with a price. In the 14 years Ive had the boat it has ranged from $1700 to $3400. That was at Brielle Marine Basin, 1 mile from the inlet. I left at that price and went to Ocean Gate also know as HELL. 13 miles to the inlet(Barnegat!). Came back to Brielle Marine for a season at a "special" rate of $1800 but they sold to Hoffman's, who jacked it to $4000!
I found "the cheap dock" at Manasquan River Club in Brick, west of the Rt 70 bridge, 20 minutes to ocean. $2350,Nice place, excellent ramp, pool, floating dock (when it is not sitting in the mud). On a crazy low tide it is tight, but I've never not gone fishing. They just sold to Marine Max of Brick. Don't know what price change is, I guess I should look into that.

Beware of docks inside Glimmer Glass creek, LOW draw bridge.However, There is a small marina and ramp on the outside of the draw bridge. They are always full when I ask, but they are as close as you can get to the inlet.

If you go to the other end of the Point Plsnt canal its cheaper but the fastest you'll get through the canal is 20 minutes so your looking at +40 minutes to the ocean. The canal can be scary on a ripping tide and a lots of big boats churning standing waves. Oh, the tide is ripping every 6 hours!

Fishing in the river can be great at times. Bass near the bridges at night, lots of small blues from May thru July then again in september. Weakfish (BIG) when they show up can be awesome but they haven't shown in years. Fluking is best May/June then steady for the summer but you get beat up by boat traffic. You gotta fish early or find an "anchor fluke" spot.

Outside, its May/ June Stripers on live bunker along the beach out to 60 ft, 5 miles to wrecks on Sea Girt reef, 18 miles to Mud Hole and deep wrecks on Shark River reef. June/July -Tuna and sharks 20 to 60 miles.
 
Great info

I think I got extremely lucky and found a slip on the Point Pleasant Canal (in the middle of the canal) at Point Pleasant Fish and Yacht club. I was able to get a slip under the roof for $2,500.

They are a really small marina and have very few openings. It just turns out, the day I called someone was not renewing their slip. I took a look and paid half down.

I want to be able to take the wife and kids to the bay but fish the ocean equally. I guess being in the middle of the canal is best bet.

Do you have any issues with your V in the canal? take any waves over the bow?
 
I don't boat the canal, but I drift bloodworms in it from the side for Stripers. I can tell you from experience that when the rip starts in the canal you'll have a monster wave that advances through the canal that you'll have to contend with. VERY scary and dangerous, so please be careful.
 
Canal

Thanks for the info...

I did not know anything about large tide change waves. I know they exist and I always know when the tide changes in the Delaware River by a few waves but never dangerous.

I assume the canal can be dangerous to small boats such as rowboats or small bowriders. I expect the V to handle the canal without any issues.

let me know if I am correct on this.

Thanks
 
Don't sweat the canal. It's really only bad on the weekends. Even then if you go through there with a little bow up attitude you will have no problem. I only took one wave over the bow of my V and it's because I was letting my daughter drive and she went into a wave at almost idle speed which let the bow dip down. Not really a big deal with the windshield closed. Just be careful going in and out of that marina. I suggest practicing during the week when there is less traffic. Slowly progress to going in and out with more and more current till you are confident.
 
When it is bad keep the bow up you'll be ok. That means be prepared to goose it. Let everyone onboard know that you may have to goose it at any time.

Again, its not always bad but if the current is running...
Stay in the middle.
Always remember that you can't turn if you are moving downstream slower than the current. Sailboats have almost no control. Give them room.

I used to have a tin boat that I launched at the dirt ramp near the Marine Police station.You are going to be entering the canal from the side.
From years of experience launching and fishing in the canal ...
Be damn sure your motor is not going to konk out as you enter the canal.
People won't be paying attention to YOU entering the canal.
always approach the entrance to your marina from downstream, even if that means passing it and hanging a u turn in the canal.
Turning and turning about are very different in a current. That is the main reason for boats smacking the bulkheads and bridge. Practice safely and get used to it.
Please, wear life jackets in the canal. Things happen fast.

In my tin boat I saved 2 drifting boats and was saved once just before drifting into the canal from the bay side and once I drifted from Bridge Ave to Rt88 while cleaning out the fuel filter as my buddy held us off the bulkhead with an oar.

I used to fish the canal religiously in the tin boat at night on the high& slow tide. Great striper fishing. The area at the mouth of the bay is Dales Point. there can be awesome fluking there at times and winter flounder is great.
Back in the day before limits we caught 15 pounds of winter flounder fillets one 80 degree day in March. I don't fish the canal or bay with the V20. Its all yours.
 
I was delivering in Point Pleasant yesterday and stopped into Garden State Marina at the Rt35 bridge just to see what they might have. Got a slip next to the bridge for $1800! :happy:

I'm so glad I procrastinated sending in my slip renewal!
 
SkunkBoat said:
I was delivering in Point Pleasant yesterday and stopped into Garden State Marina at the Rt35 bridge just to see what they might have. Got a slip next to the bridge for $1800! :happy:

I'm so glad I procrastinated sending in my slip renewal!
Click to expand...

Nice! Those slips are a little tricky with the tide running. But well worth the money.
 
Garden State Marina

That's a great price! I called around and I could not find anything that close to the inlet for anywhere near that cost if you could find availability.

Being on the canal should fit me because I will be using the bay ofter with my two boys (11 & 13) If I was only fishing, I would want to be on the river.

I am not familiar with the area at all and never used Manasquan Inlet.

I have knowledge of Shark River and Cape May.

I think the Bay will provide a lot of entertainment for the wife and kids when not hard core fishing!
 
I'll say this about Shark River - it's calm, even when the tides moving fast.

Marinas either side of the bridges up to the big Belmar Marina.

I trailer but it looks nice.
 
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