Destroyer
God
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February 9, 2012
By Jimmy Fee
Forecast: New Jersey
There is some excellent mixed-bag fishing taking place on the New Jersey wrecks right now. Anglers boarding party boats are pulling up cod, tog, ling, purple hake, ocean pout, conger eels, pollock, dogfish and sculpins. Included in that list are some of the ugliest fish in the ocean, but some of the best tasting. Freshwater fishing is fair, and yes, there are still stripers in the surf.
My inbox filled up with pictures of surf-caught stripers from Jack at Surfside Bait and Tackle this week. The bite from the jetties in Deal and Long Branch is still happening. Baitfish present include sand eels, rain bait, white-legger crabs and herring. Sunset has been the best time to catch these February stripers, and small plugs or jigs are the best lures.
Chris at Harry’s Adventure Outfitters in Robbinsville said the fishing for small, yet tasty species is top notch right now. Crappie are still chomping in many Garden State lakes and ling are filling buckets aboard a number of New Jersey headboats. Two of the boats still getting into the ling are the Ocean Explorer and the Gambler. Both boats are also picking away at blackfish, though the tog bite has diminished some in the colder water. Cod are being caught but not in the numbers experienced last year at this time. Chris at Harry’s suspects the water is still too warm, and that the best cod fishing is yet to come.
Headboats out of Cape May are picking up some blackfish still, though with the recent increase in size limit from 14 to 15 inches, a number of anglers are lamenting the fact that they are forced to throw back fish that would have been keepers weeks ago.
Pickerel are biting well, and to a lesser extent so are the largemouth bass. With the cold water, live shiners are working the best for both species, but you can get fish to hit lures with some coaxing. Suspending jerkbaits are a popular pick this time of year because of the ability to fish them slow.
There hasn’t been much talk about the trout bite, but these fish are willing biters even during the coldest winters, so I have no doubt that your local trout stream or lake has great fish-catching opportunity.
Best Bets for the Weekend
The evening surfcasting is probably the most exciting fishing taking place right now. Deal and Long Branch are turning up the most consistent action, but there could be bass spread throughout the coast. Find the bait and you’ll find the stripers. But remember, the backwaters are still off-limits to striper fishing for another three weeks.
To rack and stack some good-eating bottom fish, jump on one of the headboats out of Point Pleasant, Brielle or Belmar as they’ve been getting into the ling in big numbers, with a few surprises each trip.
And, as always, the freshwater is an option. Find a pond free of ice and dunk some shiners for a near-certain shot at a pickerel, bass or crappie. Or look to streams or deeper lakes for trout leftover from the fall stocking.
February 9, 2012
By Jimmy Fee
Forecast: New Jersey
There is some excellent mixed-bag fishing taking place on the New Jersey wrecks right now. Anglers boarding party boats are pulling up cod, tog, ling, purple hake, ocean pout, conger eels, pollock, dogfish and sculpins. Included in that list are some of the ugliest fish in the ocean, but some of the best tasting. Freshwater fishing is fair, and yes, there are still stripers in the surf.
My inbox filled up with pictures of surf-caught stripers from Jack at Surfside Bait and Tackle this week. The bite from the jetties in Deal and Long Branch is still happening. Baitfish present include sand eels, rain bait, white-legger crabs and herring. Sunset has been the best time to catch these February stripers, and small plugs or jigs are the best lures.
Chris at Harry’s Adventure Outfitters in Robbinsville said the fishing for small, yet tasty species is top notch right now. Crappie are still chomping in many Garden State lakes and ling are filling buckets aboard a number of New Jersey headboats. Two of the boats still getting into the ling are the Ocean Explorer and the Gambler. Both boats are also picking away at blackfish, though the tog bite has diminished some in the colder water. Cod are being caught but not in the numbers experienced last year at this time. Chris at Harry’s suspects the water is still too warm, and that the best cod fishing is yet to come.
Headboats out of Cape May are picking up some blackfish still, though with the recent increase in size limit from 14 to 15 inches, a number of anglers are lamenting the fact that they are forced to throw back fish that would have been keepers weeks ago.
Pickerel are biting well, and to a lesser extent so are the largemouth bass. With the cold water, live shiners are working the best for both species, but you can get fish to hit lures with some coaxing. Suspending jerkbaits are a popular pick this time of year because of the ability to fish them slow.
There hasn’t been much talk about the trout bite, but these fish are willing biters even during the coldest winters, so I have no doubt that your local trout stream or lake has great fish-catching opportunity.
Best Bets for the Weekend
The evening surfcasting is probably the most exciting fishing taking place right now. Deal and Long Branch are turning up the most consistent action, but there could be bass spread throughout the coast. Find the bait and you’ll find the stripers. But remember, the backwaters are still off-limits to striper fishing for another three weeks.
To rack and stack some good-eating bottom fish, jump on one of the headboats out of Point Pleasant, Brielle or Belmar as they’ve been getting into the ling in big numbers, with a few surprises each trip.
And, as always, the freshwater is an option. Find a pond free of ice and dunk some shiners for a near-certain shot at a pickerel, bass or crappie. Or look to streams or deeper lakes for trout leftover from the fall stocking.
with that kind of forcast.