Destroyer
God
March 29, 2012 Jimmy Fee
Forecast: New Jersey
Once again brought to you by the good folks @ On The Water magazine (www.onthewater.com) Please support them and their sponsors.
The saltwater fishing in New Jersey continues to be excellent. And by the end of the weekend, another hard-fighting species will once again be fair game for Garden State fishermen.
The winter flounder season started off with a bang according to Ron at Fisherman’s Supply Co in Point Pleasant. Anglers were tallying impressive numbers of blackbacks all throughout New Jersey. One angler, Olu Amudipe of Philadelphia, stopped in Fisherman’s Supply Co., bought a rod and rigs and asked where to go look for the flounder. Ron directed him to the Point Pleasant Canal and within a half-hour, Olu was back with his limit of flounder, the larger of the two fish going an impressive 18.2 inches – a veritable doormat of a winter flattie.
Another angler, fishing out of Manasquan Inlet, found bunker, live-lined one and caught a 14-pound striper. More teen-size bass have been found on the ocean-side eating herring, Ron said.
The herring have attracted more than bass, according to Eric at Surf Side Bait and Tackle in Long Branch. Gannets are dive-bombing the herring schools. Surf Side weighed in several bass between 10 and 19 pounds this week.
More reports of stripers, herring and gannets hanging between 1.5 and 2.5 miles off Asbury Park came from Jersey Hooker Outfitters in Brick. Krocodile spoons are catching these fish, as are bunker spoons trolled on wire line. The flounder bite was also reported to be hot in front of Clarks Landing Marina. Heavy chumming has been the key to success.
The Point Pleasant Canal is giving up some stripers after dark on bloodworms and soft plastics, and small bass continue to be caught from the Deal jetties.
Forge Pond in Brick is red hot with white and yellow perch right now as well.
Speaking of freshwater, the shad run is on in the Delaware River. Eric at Harry’s Adventure Outfitters in Robbinsville said anglers are catching shad in decent numbers. There have been some big roe shad in the mix as well. Striper fishing in the Delaware slowed, but the recent drop in water temperature is likely to blame for that.
Largemouths and smallmouths were bedding up in preparation for the spawn, but the recent cold weather has sent many of the fish back to deeper water. As soon as the mercury starts climbing again, these fish will move right back into the shallow water and resume their prespawn binge eating.
Blackfish season opens again for a month starting Sunday. The tautog should be moving into nearshore structures as they prepare to enter the backwaters to spawn. Get your green crabs ready, as some very big tog are taken during the spring.
Bluefish went quiet this week, perhaps due to the cold temperatures. April is traditionally the month when the bluefish blitzes get started, so it shouldn’t be long before this bite kicks into full gear.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Winter flounder fishing is without a doubt the hottest bite this week. Anglers found easy limits, and with some big fish to boot. Get some sea worms and target some of the Rivers. The warm water reportedly has the flounder already migrating toward the ocean.
With the exception of the schools of bass and herring a couple miles off the beach, not much has changed with the striper bite. Raritan Bay with clams may offer the best bite, but anglers will find fish in the backwaters from Cape May to Atlantic Highlands by concentrating their efforts on the outgoing tide. Clams are the top bait and soft plastics on jigheads will be the best artificial. If you’re going to take your boat out front, bring some Krocodile spoons.
Forecast: New Jersey
Once again brought to you by the good folks @ On The Water magazine (www.onthewater.com) Please support them and their sponsors.
The saltwater fishing in New Jersey continues to be excellent. And by the end of the weekend, another hard-fighting species will once again be fair game for Garden State fishermen.
The winter flounder season started off with a bang according to Ron at Fisherman’s Supply Co in Point Pleasant. Anglers were tallying impressive numbers of blackbacks all throughout New Jersey. One angler, Olu Amudipe of Philadelphia, stopped in Fisherman’s Supply Co., bought a rod and rigs and asked where to go look for the flounder. Ron directed him to the Point Pleasant Canal and within a half-hour, Olu was back with his limit of flounder, the larger of the two fish going an impressive 18.2 inches – a veritable doormat of a winter flattie.
Another angler, fishing out of Manasquan Inlet, found bunker, live-lined one and caught a 14-pound striper. More teen-size bass have been found on the ocean-side eating herring, Ron said.
The herring have attracted more than bass, according to Eric at Surf Side Bait and Tackle in Long Branch. Gannets are dive-bombing the herring schools. Surf Side weighed in several bass between 10 and 19 pounds this week.
More reports of stripers, herring and gannets hanging between 1.5 and 2.5 miles off Asbury Park came from Jersey Hooker Outfitters in Brick. Krocodile spoons are catching these fish, as are bunker spoons trolled on wire line. The flounder bite was also reported to be hot in front of Clarks Landing Marina. Heavy chumming has been the key to success.
The Point Pleasant Canal is giving up some stripers after dark on bloodworms and soft plastics, and small bass continue to be caught from the Deal jetties.
Forge Pond in Brick is red hot with white and yellow perch right now as well.
Speaking of freshwater, the shad run is on in the Delaware River. Eric at Harry’s Adventure Outfitters in Robbinsville said anglers are catching shad in decent numbers. There have been some big roe shad in the mix as well. Striper fishing in the Delaware slowed, but the recent drop in water temperature is likely to blame for that.
Largemouths and smallmouths were bedding up in preparation for the spawn, but the recent cold weather has sent many of the fish back to deeper water. As soon as the mercury starts climbing again, these fish will move right back into the shallow water and resume their prespawn binge eating.
Blackfish season opens again for a month starting Sunday. The tautog should be moving into nearshore structures as they prepare to enter the backwaters to spawn. Get your green crabs ready, as some very big tog are taken during the spring.
Bluefish went quiet this week, perhaps due to the cold temperatures. April is traditionally the month when the bluefish blitzes get started, so it shouldn’t be long before this bite kicks into full gear.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Winter flounder fishing is without a doubt the hottest bite this week. Anglers found easy limits, and with some big fish to boot. Get some sea worms and target some of the Rivers. The warm water reportedly has the flounder already migrating toward the ocean.
With the exception of the schools of bass and herring a couple miles off the beach, not much has changed with the striper bite. Raritan Bay with clams may offer the best bite, but anglers will find fish in the backwaters from Cape May to Atlantic Highlands by concentrating their efforts on the outgoing tide. Clams are the top bait and soft plastics on jigheads will be the best artificial. If you’re going to take your boat out front, bring some Krocodile spoons.